Couple Grounded in Flight Dispute
By Ben Wright
A Couple say they are disappointed after spending pounds1,600 on a luxury package holiday to Egypt, only to spend a fortnight in Penllergaer instead.
Nervous flyers Kristian Jones and Laura Rose are missing out on the dream trip next week because of a row about an airline.
They said they were not prepared to get on a flight by airline KoralBlue after reading complaints about the airline on an internet holiday watchdog site.
A spokesman for KoralBlue has moved to reassure the pair, saying the aircraft is checked regularly.
Holiday firm Thomas Cook have offered the couple an alternative – at a cost of an extra pounds388. But the couple said it was money they simply did not have.
Kristian, aged 28, said: “It’s ridiculous having to pay for two separate flights when we’d only be on one of them.
“I can’t afford to shell out more money than I have already done and I am not prepared to get on that plane. I’m really disappointed, because I was looking forward to spending my 29th birthday in Egypt. Instead I will have paid pounds1,637 to sit at home.”
Electrician Kristian and sales assistant Laura booked the holiday to Sharm El Sheikh on July 22 at Swansea’s Thomas Cook branch, Oxford Street.
“I was quite excited about going to Egypt, because Laura and I hadn’t a proper holiday together for a few years,” said Kristian, of Home Farm Way.
The couple chose to fly out of Bristol Airport, but said they were unaware of who they were travelling with until they picked up their tickets this week.
Kristian said: “I saw the name KoralBlue on the tickets and had never heard of them before.
“I decided to do a bit of research on them, as we’re both nervous flyers. The last time Laura got on a plane she had to have valium prescribed.”
But the information he saw on the internet about the Egyptian airline didn’t exactly fill Kristian with confidence.
The airline, whose fleet consists of one airplane, comes in for some heavy criticism on website Holiday Watchdog.com.
One user said: “I returned from Egypt today with KoralBlue and the flights were horrendous. Dirty aircraft that smelled of stale tobacco.”
Kristian and Laura contacted Thomas Cook straight away to ask if they could change their flight before they set off next Monday.
“We were told we could fly out of Manchester but at an added expense,” said Kristian.
“I don’t think that’s particularly fair, especially when we’ve spent a lot of money.”
Thomas Cook insisted that KoralBlue was a reputable company, adding it had an excellent safety record.
A spokeswoman said: “Mr Jones and Ms Rose bought a package holiday through Thomas Cook. Any changes to a package, particularly close to the departure date, will incur extra costs. We say in our brochure that KoralBlue operates the regular weekly service from Bristol to Sharm El Sheikh during the summer.
“We would like to assure the couple that, as with all the airlines we use, KoralBlue is fully complaint with the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority safety regulations.
“We offered Mr Jones and Ms Rose alternative flights, but they have chosen not to purchase them. We still hope that they will travel on their original booking and have a very enjoyable holiday.”
A spokesman for KoralBlue said: “Our staff also have more than 10 years experience working with this type of aircraft,” he added.
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