Thomas Cook India — Terrible experience with Thomas Cook even before journey (booking file no G[protected]

Address:

Kolkata, West Bengal

(Booking file no G[protected] We had planned our Europe trip 1 year in advance and have been waiting for it eagerly. I had booked the tour package East European Dhamaka (also known as Europe Just For You) by Thomas Cook India Limited, covering Budapest, Bratislava, Prague and Vienna, in 6 days 5 nights. Our journey date is 31 May 2015. The booking was done on 23 January 2015 by making an advance payment of Rs 30, 000. Sujit Kumar, of Lake Town branch of Thomas Cook visited my apartment to make the booking. Nilanjan Sadhukhan of the Visa division of Thomas Cook sent me a mail asking for all the visa related documents for applying Schengen visa through Czech Republic Embassy, all of which I submitted at the Lake Town Branch on 11 March 2015. After that that remaining dues of Rs 158, 430 was paid by me on 30 March by visiting the Lake Town branch. After this the experience started turning bad. And from bad to worse. On 12 April I received a email confirmation of the amount I have paid and it showed I have paid an excess of Rs 1, 469. I sent several emails claiming my refund but they were either not answered or stupid resons shown through sms messages. Till today, 25 May I have not received the refund of the excess I have paid. My mails, messages and phone calls to Nilanjan Sadhukhan of the Visa division and Sujit Kumar of the Lake Town branch in mid-April 2015 went answered. Sometimes I received 1 line superficial answers like they will update me shortly and have applied for the visa. I had travelled to Europe 1 year back with MakeMyTrip and they has arranged the Visa 1 and a half month in advance. Not only so, they were very helpful and called us up and provided helpful important information. We received none of these from Sujit Kumar of Thomas Cook. On 10 May 2015, 21 days prior to departure, Supriya Dutta of the Visa Department of Thomas Cook Kolkata called me urgently and said they have to provide additional documents to the Czech Republic Embassy including updated bank statement. When I said, why when I submitted my visa documents 2 months back on 11 March, my bank statements were updated. To this, Supriya Dutta replied they apply for visa 1 month prior to departure. Why were the documents wanted in March in that case? I submitted the additional documents by visiting Thomas Cook Shakespeare Sarani office in Kolkata on 11 May 2015. On 18 May, there was again another surprise waiting for me. Supriya Dutta of the visa division of Thomas Cook mailed me and said they are unable to process the visa for my 31 May journey through the Czech Republic Embassy, so they will apply fresh from Hungary Embassy and I had to submit several new documents including 3 documents that had to be notarized from a court. I had to skip work the next day on 19 May to arrange all papers once again and visiting a court and submitted the papers on 19 May at Thomas Cook Shakespeare Sarani office in Kolkata office. In the meanwhile Sujit Kumar of the Lake Town branch had promised to handover our international tickets and hotel bookings 7 days prior to departure (email proof is there), but failed to do so 7 days prior to journey. Without flight tickets and visa I was unable to apply for and get foreign currency necessary for travel, and international sim cards for our phones. Even today, on 25 May, with 5 days remaining for our Europe trip, there is no communication from Thomas Cook about the visa, flight tickets and hotel bookings. I am calling up the Lake Town Brach and the Visa division of Thomas Cook morning and evening for an update and they have no update and have to say there is huge rush at the Hungary Embassy for visa. This experience is in sharp contrast with the pleasant experience I had with MakeMyTrip.com I had last year. I am feeling tense and duped, and my family is waiting for this holiday for 1 year. My flight tickets to and back from Delhi (from where the journey commences) is already booked and they have no clue when they can give me and my family our Schengen visa to Europe and the tickets. I wish no one faces this terrible experience when they book a holiday. Being a media person, I will build awareness everywhere, through all complaint forums, all leading newspapers, and relevant forums about the experience I faced with Thomas Cook and discourage everyone from choosing the company for their Holiday trips.