Thomas Cook shame after heart op boy slept in hotel lobby

Thomas Cook Airlines has apologised to the parents of an eight-year-old boy with a serious heart condition after he was left to sleep on the floor during a 26-hour flight delay.

More than 300 passengers were held up in Majorca and half were put up at the three-star Bellevue Cub, Alcudia when flight TCX2005 from Palma to Manchester suffered a technical problem last weekend.

However, the family of Sam Smith say their room at the hotel was so disgusting they chose to sleep in the hotel lobby instead.

Sam, who was born with a rare heart defect and has to sleep plugged into an oxygen machine, was on his first holiday abroad.

Dad Anthony said the hotel room provided during the delay was filthy, with a dead bird on the floor, too few beds and no air conditioning. It was so dirty they slept in the hotel reception with six other families instead.

Thomas Cook admitted the hotel failed to meet the required standard.

It said:  "The health and safety of all those who travel with Thomas Cook Airlines is of the utmost importance, and we would like to apologise to all of our customers who overnighted at the Bellevue Club, Alcudia, following a delay to flight TCX2005. 

"In such instances, our airline team work with our third-party ground partners to secure overnight accommodation in hotels of a four or five star standard, but due to high occupancy levels in school holidays in Majorca, the only accommodation available at such short notice was the 3-star Bellevue Club. 

"We fully accept that the standards of the hotel described do not meet the high standards we would expect to offer our customers in the event of a delay, and we can confirm that our customer services team will be contacting all passengers who stayed at the property as soon as possible."

Anthony Smith also claims Thomas Cook failed to help the family of five with their suitcases or Sam’s oxygen tanks.

The firm’s spokesman added: "Our priority at times like these is to ensure that all of our customers are offered every assistance, and two representatives were deployed to the hotel to assist guests and help with check-in.

"However, due to the unexpected situation and the large number of customers involved, we accept that this fell short of the service levels they have come to expect of Thomas Cook.

"An investigation is underway to establish the facts of what happened, and we can confirm that the property, which features in the Airtours programme, has been placed on stop sale until further notice.

"Over the next week, we will be contacting all customers who stayed at this hotel to offer a full apology and address any outstanding issues personally and directly.

"We are very concerned by the experience of Sam Smith and his family, and recognise that the level of support offered to the family was unacceptable.  Thomas Cook Airlines senior management have been in contact with the family to discuss this matter directly with them."

Earlier this month, Thomas Cook apologised to passengers whose flight home from Cyprus was forced to return to the island due to a fault with the air-conditioning, resulting in a 23-hour delay, and last November its passengers in Turkey were subjected to a 54-hour delay.