A British holidaymaker has been ordered to pay £25,000 to Thomson after she lied about getting sick while on an all-inclusive holiday to Egypt to claim compensation from the operator.
A court found that Amy Hughes from Holyhead in North Wales had been ‘fundamentally dishonest’ and told her to pay Thomson’s costs.
Hughes submitted her claim for compensation two years after returning from her holiday in Sharm el Sheikh in July 2011. She claimed she had been ill while staying at the Iberotel Palace with two friends and insisted that she hadn’t eaten anywhere else.
A court was due to consider Hughes compensation claim in October 2016, but she dropped her claim at the last minute without any explanation.
However, while building its defence against her claim, Thomson found Hughes had eaten only a few breakfasts at the hotel and a friend confirmed to the operator that she had eaten Chinese food in the resort.
It decided it had enough evidence to pursue her through the courts for costs it had incurred building its defence.
A recorder at Wrexham County Court ordered that Mrs Hughes had been ‘fundamentally dishonest’ and must pay Thomson £25,000 by 4pm on October 6.
Thomson’s parent TUI said it was pursuing other customers over similar cases and is looking at making private prosecutions.
Managing director Nick Longman said: "This sends a clear message to anyone considering making a fraudulent or exaggerated claim, and it’s really important everyone fully understands there are consequences of doing so."
Earlier this month, a couple from Liverpool were ordered to pay £3,744 in costs to Thomas Cook after a court threw out their sickness claim.
