Holidaymaker compensated £3500 after being placed on drip at the Esra Hotel in Turkey
Simpson Millar LLP’s travel law solicitors have recovered £3,500 from TUI UK Limited, the parent company of well-known brands TUI Holidays and First Choice Holiday, for a holidaymaker whose holiday to Turkey was ruined by gastric illness.
The holidaymaker, from East Ealing, London, booked to stay at the Esra Hotel in the resort of Altinkum in Turkey on an all-inclusive board basis and blamed the illness on the serving of “cold food” and “pink chicken” at the hotel.
He ate exclusively within the hotel before suffering with symptoms of illness that included abdominal cramping pain, diarrhoea, fever and myalgia. These symptoms lead to severe dehydration which resulted in the holidaymaker being placed on a drip.
Poor hotel hygiene standards
When commenting upon the hotel’s hygiene standards, the holidaymaker recalled how the hotel food was generally cold or lukewarm as it was left to sit on the buffet for extended periods of time and how on one occasion, chicken was served that was pink a raw in the middle. Concerns were also raised about dirty cups, glasses and cutlery being used.
Acting on behalf of the holidaymaker, Andrew Tarling, one of Simpson Millar’s travel law experts said:
Have you been the victim of illness on your holiday?
Anyone that has suffered from an illness as a result of travelling on such a holiday is advised to seek professional advice before accepting a tour operator’s offer.
Our holiday claims team is comprised mainly of ex-tour operator staff and we are happy to provide free advice to anyone that has been ill as a result of holiday abroad and in many cases we can help on a “no win no fee basis”.
Commenting upon the service received, the holidaymaker in this case commented on how everyone was “helpful” and “nice”, stating that he would recommend Simpson Millar to others.
The issues raised by my client in this case are all too common. I am contacted by people on an almost daily basis that have suffered from holiday illnesses I would say that around 90% of the time, undercooked food or food served at inappropriate temperatures are wholly to blame. There is no excuse for serving food to holidaymakers that is not fit for human consumption.
“In this case, an offer considered to be “derisory” was put forward by TUI UK Limited with sensible settlement proposals only being made once expert medical evidence was obtained and legal proceedings were proposed.
“Tour operators know that many of the customers that they sell holidays to are unaware of their legal rights and will accept a low value offers, often in the form of voucher against a future holiday, which can be a fraction of their legal entitlement. The provisions of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/3288) give holidaymakers that book regulated package holidays much greater protection than they might imagine.”
Andrew Tarling,
Holiday Compensation Claims Manager