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Foreign governments step in to protect Thomas Cook clients as rescue flights get underway
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The Civil Aviation Authority is contacting hotels where Thomas Cook package holidaymakers are staying to confirm accommodation costs will be covered, however, there have been more reports of hoteliers demanding payment from British guests.
The practice came to light on Friday evening, before Thomas Cook had ceased trading, at the Orangers Hotel in Hammamet, Tunisia.
One elderly lady had been told to pay over £2,000, while another described the situation as ‘being held hostage’.
The British Embassy later stepped in and Tunisia’s Tourism Ministry said on Sunday the incident was a ‘misunderstanding’.
However, Twitter posts on Monday stated people trying to leave hotels in other destinations including Tenerife and Turkey had been asked for more money and some had been barred from using the restaurants.
The Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry warned hotels in the country they will be prosecuted if they demand payments from guests or evict them from their rooms.
Steve Miley, senior market analyst at asktraders.com said: "As early as last week the Civil Aviation Authority has put in place a contingency plan to secure that tourists abroad will be brought home in what would be the largest repatriation in peacetime.
"Even with this plan in place, disruption should be expected with news emerging showing that tourists have been prevented to leave a hotel in Tunisia."
Lanzarote Retreats has said all available accommodation in its portfolio will be made available free of charge to families stranded on the island by the Thomas Cook collapse.
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Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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