Website unable to cope with demand

Thomas Cook customers have struggled to apply for refunds after claims the website failed to cope with demand shortly after opening.

Some of the tens of thousands of people logging on received an error message after entering their details, meaning their claim was not submitted.

Aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which operates the dedicated website for Thomas Cook customers, apologised and said it had experienced “unprecedented demand”.

It urged people to “try back again later today”.

Twitter user @kevharrisonposted a message to the CAA which read: “What the hell are you doing? You had weeks to make sure this system is robust.”

Another frustrated customer, with the user name @toddalexandra, described the claims portal as “pointless and frustrating” before urging the regulator to “address this asap”.

The claims section of the website went live at 6am yesterday for those with future bookings for Atol-protected holidays to apply for a refund.

This relates to more than 360,000 bookings covering trips due to be taken by 800,000 people.

Atol-protected customers who were already abroad when Thomas Cook collapsed can also claim for the cost of replacing the parts of their holiday which were financially protected, or out-of-pocket expenses for delayed flights.

The CAA said more than 11,500 claims were successfully submitted by 11am yesterday.

It is aiming to pay refunds within 60 days of receiving a valid form.

The CAA’s final repatriation flight arrived at Manchester Airport from Orlando yesterday morning.

About 140,000 Thomas Cook passengers have been brought home from around the world on 150 aircraft during the past two weeks.

CAA chief executive Richard Moriarty said: “The largest peacetime repatriation ever required an extraordinary effort from all involved.

“I thank everyone who has played their part in delivering this enormous undertaking, including the passengers we flew home for bearing with us as we undertook this complex operation.”