Sunday Mail (UK)

Dear clothes, We’re having a lovely cruise on the Med. Wish you were here

Holidaymak­ers hit out after cases are left behind

- Norman Silvester

It was meant to be a dream holiday, one they had saved hard for all year.

But as a group of 30 holidaymak­ers settled into a BA flight to take them on a luxury cruise, the pilot told them: “I have bad news. We’re going to have to leave some of your luggage behind.”

The group’s ordeal began when they left Edinburgh airport last Sunday for the TUI cruise around Spain, having paid almost £2000 per head.

When the passengers arrived in Malaga three-and-a-half hours later, 30 cases were still in Scotland.

It is believed their original plane was not available to f ly and had to be replaced with a smaller one, which didn’t have as much room for cases.

The pilot told them they would have their luggage by 8pm that night but it was still absent by the time the Marella Spirit lifted anchor in Malaga.

The tourists claim travel firm TUI failed to tell them what happened to their luggage.

The passengers were unable to at t end forma l dinners with the captain on the boat or use cer ta in restaurant­s because t he i r formal clothes were still missing.

Bui lding site manager Br ian Cranston and wife Yvonne of Dalkeith, Midlothian, paid £1750 each for their break.

Brian, 56, said: “Most of the passengers are working people like ourselves who saved hard for a holiday.

“We were stunned when the pilot told us that some of the luggage had been left behind in Edinburgh airport

“When we arrived in Malaga the TUI rep didn’t know anything about the missing luggage as no one had told her.

“We then took off on the cruise with only the clothes we flew out in.”

Other passengers helped them out with spare clothes, shoes and toiletries.

Brian added: “Some of the 30 had packed essential medication into their baggage and needed emergency medical help on the ship.

“One was charged more than £100 by the ship’s doctor for replacemen­t medication, another passenger who lost her luggage is 86 and confined to a wheelchair.”

The couple are due to spend another week in Benalmaden­a on the Costa Del Sol following the end of their cruise today.

Brian added: “TUI have done nothing to help us and failed to provide us with any assistance to pay for essential items until our baggage arrives.”

Some of the cases, including Brian’s, arrived late on Tuesday night after it was f lown to Menorca and collected by the ship but there was no sign of Yvonne’s and luggage belonging to other passengers.

Former Royal Navy steward Craig Forbes, from Perth, and partner Phillipa Hydes, both 59, claimed their holiday has been ruined by the luggage fiasco.

Craig said: “I got my case back on Tuesday but Philippa hasn’t got hers. We’ve been told they don’t know where the case is, possibly Zurich.” Kate To all ,63, sister Jeanette Chapman and friend Nancy McVey, 64, from Uphall, West Lothian, got their cases back on Tuesday but said the holiday has been spoiled. She added: “We had to survive three days without any toiletries, deodorants and underwear.”

TUI said: “We appreciate that this is frustratin­g and upsetting, however we immediatel­y offered all customers with missing luggage an initial gesture to cover the cost of essential items.

“We are doing all we can to reunite the luggage with our customers. Our team is on hand to support in any way.”

A BA spokeswoma­n said: “We delivered virtually all the delayed bags to the ship at its very first stop. We are

sorry for the delay.”

TUI have done nothing and failed to to pay for essential items

 ??  ?? LET DOWN The Meralla Spirit cruise ship the group were sailing on FED UP Brian, far left, and other passengers on the ship. Their cases were left at the airport
LET DOWN The Meralla Spirit cruise ship the group were sailing on FED UP Brian, far left, and other passengers on the ship. Their cases were left at the airport

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