麻豆社

Pee Jaay on his final family holiday

A dream holiday turned into a nightmare for one Bridgend family after they decided to Thomas Cook-it.

The fortnight in Spain was 16 year old Pee Jaay鈥檚 last chance to enjoy time with his brother and sister, as he battled terminal cancer.

His mum Helen had hoped for the trip of a lifetime to give them some special memories together. She told X-Ray, 鈥淗e was doing quite well until the February, then we were told the tumour had come back and he only had months to live鈥�.

So she booked a 拢2,000 holiday through Going Places with the help of a donation from the charity Latch, who are based at the Children鈥檚 Hospital for Wales.

Helen says she specifically told the sales rep at Going Places that Pee Jaay would be using a wheelchair and they needed a holiday to accommodate his special needs. She says the Hotel Calypso in Salou was recommended by Going Places. Helen told us, 鈥淸The rep] read through and said yes, disabled, it's not far from the beach. It was lovely she said. So we went for that one鈥�.

Helen says she was told she could fill out the necessary paperwork at a later date, which she did a few weeks before travelling. She says the rep told her, 鈥淚 could come back and do the form because they needed the dimensions of the wheelchair鈥�.

So the family set off on their holiday full of hopes for a relaxing break.

When they arrived in Spain though, things started to go wrong. First Pee Jaay鈥檚 wheelchair had been given to another passenger at the airport, and then the family were put on the third floor of the hotel. The room wasn鈥檛 big enough for Pee Jaay to get around in his wheelchair and Helen says the hotel lifts were unreliable鈥ut Helen claims the hotel manager鈥檚 response was 鈥渋t鈥檚 not my problem鈥�.

When Helen got home she complained to Going Place鈥檚 parent company, Thomas Cook. But it took them two months to send their response. Helen said they sent, 鈥渁n insulting apology letter which I refused because I wanted another family holiday to remember with my son鈥�. They also told her there was no evidence that she鈥檇 made staff members aware of Pee Jaay鈥檚 condition.

Helen contacted the company again, repeating her complaint and was eventually offered 拢150 compensation, which she again rejected.

In April 2011, Pee Jaay passed away.

We asked travel lawyer, Mark Harvey from Hugh James what could be done. He told us Thomas Cook had been mischievous, 鈥淚t was the travel agent, who is part of the tour operator company, which failed to get [Helen鈥檚 requests] into the contract at the beginning as they should have done.

鈥淪econdly the way in which they've dealt with this complaint by being so tardy about it, means I think that this is perfectly fit for ABTA to deal with under their arbitration scheme鈥�.

Helen told us, 鈥淚 would like some satisfaction for my boy. Because they've just been absolutely hopeless. If there's other families, if they're ever in our situation - because that's what Pee Jaay was like because he'd help others so I know he's making me do this now for him, to help other people鈥�.

Thomas Cook have said they're sorry for Helen's loss and they try to fulfil any requests a customer makes for special assistance. They say Helen鈥檚 requests were sent to the hotel and although they don't make guarantees, the team in the resort did try to help the family during their holiday.