Horrible... UNFORGETTABLE. Review on Thomas Cook India

It was our misfortune that we decided to travel to Thailand with Thomas Cook(India)(TC). It all started when we decided to TRY TC for our family(me, my wife my daughter, my sister in law, her husband & their daughter) international holiday(I have travelled with other travel service providers….and have wonderful memories of the trips with them). Despite the resistance from my wife & my sister in law I decided to TRY Thomas Cook for this trip. The trip was a nightmare & a disaster.

Since we & my SILs family(who are residents of Bengaluru) wanted to be together in the trip…it was advised by the sales representative to travel from single destination to be part of the same group and be TOGETHER in the vacation and that any ADJUSTMENT in group will not be possible in Thailand.

Taking his advice we decided to travel together from Chennai & booked accordingly.

We made the initial payment(on 24/10/17) & final payment(on 27/11/2017). After making the final payment we waited for the travel details(itinerary & flight tickets).

After a couple of days called up the sales representative for follow up & was informed that ticket would be sent three days prior to the travel date. And that itinerary would be made available on arrival at Thailand airport.

I however insisted on itinerary before departure & after enough of arguments & promises was sent one. But the itinerary did not contain details of mode of travel, food vouchers, places of visit etc.

Followed up again with the team but got only assurances and no action. Since no satisfactory reply was available, contacted the sales representative who asked me to write to “helpdesk” And that he will not be able to do more than that.

Since time was running out & was not able to buy FOREX…in absence of flight tickets…contacted the directed address & as usual…was assured that it would be mailed TOMORROW.

Even though full payment was made one month in advance of the travel date, the tickets were not issued & itinerary provided well in time.

Got flight tickets on 22nd December 2017 after much persuasion. Bot USD from on 23rd December 2017. Saturday being holiday was charged SPECIAL rates. Monday was a holiday(25th December) & 26th & 27th were working days. Hence had no option but to buy them at WHATEVER rate available(feel the company is deliberately issuing tickets in the eleventh hour so that customers are FORCED to buy forex from TC ONLY & not from any other forex dealer).

On 28th December reached airport & did check-in. At the check-in counter the airline staff asked us for VISA which we said in “ON ARRIVAL”. Then we were informed by the airline staff that we on arrival at Thailand we may be asked to produce USD 700 per family in currency at the immigration counter.

We were not carrying that much currency(no intimation from TC) & hence had to buy additional USD at the airport.(We were informed by the sales representative at TC that VISA on ARRIVAL will cost Rs 1500-2000 per head. Instead we had to pay Bhat 2200 per person. 1bhat is roughly equal to Rs 2).

Visa on Arrival requires one to affix a passport size photograph on the application form. This again was not informed to us by TC and so we had to arrange for the photographs at Bangkok airport which cost us 200 baht per head. An additional expense which we were not prepared for and could have easily avoided if intimated in advance.

However, our HORROR of choosing Thomas Cook had just begun.

Our flight booking was done in the cheapest possible carrier…AIR ASIA. After boarding flight, all of us felt thirsty after some time.(the water we were carrying was taken away at the Chennai airport). We requested air hostess for WATER. To our shock, we were told that no water is SERVED and if we want CAN BUY FROM THEM – price 40 baht for 250 ml of water

Since we were all thirsty had to buy WATER in foreign currency .

On reaching Thailand had to run for immigration, forex(we were carrying USD which had to be converted at the airport at unfavourable rates) & photograph. Had to pay BAHT 2200 per person for VISA on ARRIVAL. All this extra FOREX spent just because of not sharing proper information by TC.

By the time we completed VISA formality it was 3.30 AM…local Thailand time. We contacted the airport representative and were informed that pick up is at 8 AM. We were all shocked. Waiting at the airport for 4 hours and 30 minutes, tired & sleepy…in an unfamiliar country without proper resting or proper seating facility. No snacks counter also. Had no choice but to wait.

At eight am, the scheduled pick up time, we all came out of the airport…all feeling tired & sleepy. At the exit point TC representative met us and said the car would come in some time for pick up. We all wanted to have tea/coffee enroute to hotel which is about 2 hrs away(at Pattaya) which we were denied and told the car would not stop enroute as has more trips to make.

Somehow we all made ourselves comfortable in the cars and proceeded to the HOTEL. at Pattaya.

On reaching hotel met representative from local travel agent of Thomas Cook . After initial briefing were told that rooms would be available after 2 PM. And to utilise the time suggested to visit gemstone factory. We were all tired & wanted to have some rest but had to acceded to the request made by them(please note that after our arrival at hotel GB, they checked the details of all passengers with their own records). We were told to assemble at hotel lobby post lunch. Tired & hungry we all headed out and took lunch. Came back to hotel lobby & waited for trip to gemstone factory.

After an hour of waiting in lobby were taken to the gemstone factory. We visited the factory & came back to hotel.

On reaching hotel all except my family were allotted rooms. We checked with the hotel reception and were informed that there is NO BOOKING for us. We panicked. Tried calling TC Mumbai office but no one was taking the calls.

Meanwhile we were tired both mentally & physically having not slept & rested. We were feeling betrayed. Tried contacting the local travel agent of Thomas Cook & were informed by them that the booking was cancelled and that the same had been informed to TC Mumbai well in advance. He was surprised why TC has not informed that to the GUEST. He also informed that for my family booking has been made in SUNCITY(another hotel about 5 kms away). So now, we had 1 room in hotel 1 and 1 room 5 kms away in Hotel 2. The family which wanted to have vacation together was divided by TC.

We again called TC Mumbai was able to connect with Thomas Cook representative. When informed about the status he maintained that booking and no cancellation/rebooking has been made. He said he would call back after talking to the operations team.

After sometime he informed me that there is some confusion and that GM of Hotel Grand Bella would come to meet me at reception and allot room. 30 minutes passed and NO ONE contacted me. We were waiting at hotel lobby. I called TC, Mumbai again and was he told that their local representative would help us. I frantically searched but no one was to be found. Contacted TC, Mumbai again and he wanted me to get in touch with another of local representative. But he also expressed his inability and said all rooms at hotel1 are full and we have to go to Hotel2. I contacted TC, Mumbai again and he said he would talk to local representative and have it sorted out. But no end to our woes. Unshaven, unbathed, we were in an alien country at the mercy of TC. And instead of enjoying family holiday were waiting in the hotel lobby for ROOM for which we had already paid well in advance. However after frantic INTERNATIONAL calls, TC, Mumbai, informed that room would be arranged post the Alcazer show(for which all other guests were leaving). Had no option but accede to his request. We all went in the same outfit which we had been wearing from previous evening.

In the show…got call from TC, Mumbai, that the booking has been made in Hotel2. When I objected to it as we were two families travelling together, he said can accommodate both the families in Hotel2. Which I agreed instantly. Was informed by TC Mumbai that post dinner we will be picked up from the restaurant and taken to Hotel1 and transported to Hotel2

As agreed with TC Mumbai, communicate the same to the local representative who came to drop us to the restaurant. Initially he disagreed but when we insisted she spoke to the local office & agreed.

We went to the restaurant…somehow filled our plate after being in the queue and gulped down the food. We were in panic and somehow finished food in 15 minutes and rushed to locate the pick-up van.

The nightmare was starting to unfold. The pick up van was not there. We waited for 30 minutes and then decided to walk back to the hotel1. Tired, unslept & harassed… we wanted the night to end. We were all dead tired & sleepy and wanted some rest & sleep badly. But all this still was a distant dream.

Somehow…we reached Hotel walking down in the night with guidance from local shopkeepers. On reaching Hotel…found to our horror that there is no one from to take us to Hotel2. Tried getting some help from the hotel staff about the where about of local representative and were reminded that they are not hotel employee and they do not have any idea about their location or contact numbers and that they come in morning to receive guests and leave in evening.

Having seen our sorry plight, one of the staff took pity on us and went looking for local representative. And fortunately, he could spot one lady who was having dinner in one corner of the restaurant. He called her and asked her to help us.

Meantime I called TC, Mumbai, & appraised of the situation. Instead of taking action he said local representative is there in the hotel and that he is there to transport to Hotel2.

Meantime I requested my SIL & family to checkout & collect deposit money(given to the Hotel1 at time of check-in) & get ready for shifting to Hotel2. They checked out of the room on assurance from TC Mumbai that rooms are available for both the families in Hotel2.

Meantime the local representative arrived and informed that only one room is available in Hotel2. We all panicked. Contacted TC Mumbai & they kept informing that two rooms are available at Hotel1 while the local representative kept insisting that only one room is available in Hote2. In all the confusion we decided to split…one family to stay in Hotel1 & other in Hotel2 lest both of us would have to sleep in the hotel lobby.

Tired of numerous phone calls, confusion and harassed, all the ladies started crying & wanted to come back to India.

I called up TC, Mumbai and requested them to arrange ticket back for next day to Chennai. And not to worry about the monetary part. At that time my concern was safety & well being of my family in an alien country. To which he said it is not his hand and would have to discuss in office.

In all this while, the local representative came with cab & took my family to SC. All the while he maintained that there is only one room available at Hotel2.

On reaching Hotel2 we decided to retire for the night & stay at Hotel2. It was already 12 night when we checked in and settled.

Being tired both physically & mentally, we decided to cancel the next day excursion trip and informed the local representative accordingly.

Next day morning was woken up by my SIL who was staying at hotel1. They wanted us to join in on the coral island tour. Reluctantly we decided to join though we had no enthusiasm for the excursion. But at the same time we did not want to spoil my SILs first international holiday.

At the beach, we were treated as a different group and were not able to join our family. THE VERY PURPOSE OF A FAMILY HOLIDAY WAS DEFEATED. All thanks to excellent organisation of TC

By this time we had lost all interest in the holiday and were awaiting our return to India. Our plans of a family holiday were ruined by TC.

Being tense and worried both my wife and daughter were under tremendous mental stress. Sea sickness worsened the scene. Somehow we reached the sea walk point & requested the guide to be united with the family as the medicines were with my SIL. She understood the situation & changed our code and instructed for our travel together.

We had lost all enthucism for the trip. Somehow killed our time near the beach for travel back to the shore. After reaching shore had lunch & proceeded to our respective hotels for rest. Both our families were not interested in travelling in separate groups. Hence we cancelled our Noong Nooch village programme though we had paid for the same.

Had dinner at night without any travel support & guidance.

Next day travelled to Bangkok by bus. Despite request both our families were made to travel in separate bus.

On the road to Bangkok got a call from TC Mumbai who offered us a complimentary lunch enroute. On reaching Bangkok were handed over the itineary also. So FINALLY ON DAY 3 we received the itinerary. TAKE A BOW to THOMAS COOK for such hospitality.

On reaching Bangkok we were relieved to know that we were put in the same hotel as my SIL.(It was such a relief, believe me!). Though tired and under stress we reunited with our family. We were finally together after almost 3 days.

Somehow spent 2 days in Bangkok. Went to poorly organised SAFARI world. But by this time we were all prepared for the THOMAS COOK experience. So were not surprised or disappointed. Reached India without further mishap. It was such a relief that the NIGHTMARE had ended.

OUR NEW YEAR RESOLUTION… SAY NO TO THOMAS COOK. Now my family is petrified of TC. Even the mention of name is sufficient to send chill through spine.