Refused: cancer-ruined holiday refund

A woman whose husband is dying of cancer was told by holiday company Thomson to ‘take someone else with you’ when she tried to cancel a Spanish anniversary holiday.

Chris Quick, 58, and husband Keith, 61, of Southsea, had booked and paid for a trip to Benidorm next month. The holiday was going to be to celebrate the couple’s 38th wedding anniversary.

However, after booking the holiday Mr Quick was given the devastating news that he had lung cancer.

Last week he was told that his cancer is terminal and the pair told travel operator Thomson’s Hilsea branch that their trip would not be going ahead.

Thomson warned the couple, who visit Benidorm regularly as they have friends there, that not all of the money would be refunded and suggested Mrs Quick find another travel companion.

Mr Quick told The Daily Mail: ‘I’m so disgusted we have been treated this way.

‘I never expected to get cancer, yet this isn’t an exceptional circumstance for them.

‘All of this has been so emotional and hasn’t helped at all.

‘I wanted to say goodbye to my friends one last time, and I won’t be able to.’

Daughter Kerry Holt, 36, rang Thomson to cancel and was warned that not all the money would be refunded.

She said: ‘The attitude of the person on the phone was appalling – I was told to “shut up” at one point.

‘There was no empathy to my dad’s situation. He didn’t want this to happen.

‘Mum and dad have used Thomson for the past four years and thought they would show more compassion.’

So far, Thomson has paid back £538 for the June holiday, which cost a total of £1,900.

Mrs Quick said: ‘We go out to Benidorm about four times a year every year to see our friends out there.

‘I am so angry about this. It’s not about the money as we are sorting it with our insurance.

‘I want an apology for the way we have been spoken to. This has been a very emotional time for us.