I would like to share my horrifying experience with ThomasCook over the past couple of months. I had booked a Dubai trip with them for January 2022; for 2 travelers(me and my mom) they had quoted me Rs. 2, 25, 689.
Unfortunately, on the day of the trip, my mother tested positive which is why we could not go on the trip. I informed my tour manager immediately and I was told that I will get half the amount(only my mother’s portion, as my RT-PCR was negative) back because of the Covid-19 insurance coverage.
However, the ordeal that followed far outpaced the excitement of the trip that we had while booking/ planning for it. For weeks I had to push my tour manager for updates; because of her unresponsive on mail, I had to keep calling her.
After weeks of chasing, I directly called up the insurance company and found out that the claim was never filed by ThomasCook. When I escalated this matter, ThomasCook gave me a counteroffer to reschedule my trip to March-end. Though this was not my plan(as my main intention of going to Dubai was the shopping festival which ends in January), I still asked for the revised quote.
They sent me a mail saying that the tour cost for 2 people will now be Rs. 2, 35, 980 and they have managed to get airline and hotel refunds worth Rs. 1, 73, 482 for my account. So they said I will only have to pay the balance amount of Rs.62, 409 to take the trip in March.
Though unwilling to travel to Dubai in the summer, I still went ahead and agreed; so they sent me a written confirmation of the trip. Post this confirmation, all communications stopped from their end. With 9 days remaining for the trip, I asked for an update from ThomasCook and they told me that now I have to pay Rs. 93, 323.
I was shocked and demanded a reason for suddenly increasing to the balance amount by 50%. They refused to give my any clarity and kept insisting that the balance amount was Rs. 93, 323 which I will have to pay post which they will share my visa and tickets.
A trip which was initially planned for Rs.2, 25, 689, will now cost me a total of close to Rs. 330, 000(they had also asked for an additional 10K to reschedule my flight tickets earlier, which I had paid), should I choose to take this trip, when all I had asked for was the insurance amount I was eligible for post the cancellation of the trip in January.
Note: I have taken trips to Europe and Egypt with ThomasCook earlier and had great experiences. This unprofessionalism and unresponsive behavior have come in post Covid, when I am assuming they are being unable to handle cancellations and the associated refunds. I would sincerely request everyone to think twice before booking a trip with ThomasCook.
Hope my experience with them will help you all decide!
Thank you.