| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 22/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 4 |
| Copyright: Other |
Operator reimburses clients after hotel found to be under construction
JMCdebut tainted by compensation payout
Report by STEVEJONES and JANEARCHER
Operator JMC has been dealt an embarrassing blow after paying out thousands of pounds in compensation in the first week of its debut summer season.The company, which advocates to be customer-focussed, made the payout to 72 holidaymakers who arrived at the Alexander Hotel in Zante to find building work still taking place.
Since its £200m launch last September, JMC has prided itself on becoming the number one tour operator for delivering customer’s expectations. Industry observers said the blunder was an early indication of what the operator could expect throughout the summer.
“It’s all very well saying you’ll be the best but it’s another thing delivering the goods,” said one.
A JMC spokesman said resort staff were assured by the hotelier that building work would be completed in time for the summer season.
But on arrival, customers found that the extension to the hotel was still being built with both rooms and bathrooms incomplete.
Customers were transferred to alternative apartments and offered compensation with all-inclusive holidaymakers offered full refunds.
“It is an unfortunate episode,” a spokesman said. “Staff were told by the hotelier that the work would be finished. They took his word.”
JMC is now set to tighten its procedures in resort. The operator has also picked up the bill in two cases brought against its predecessor Sunworld.
In the first, JMC forked out an interim £50,000 after Sunworld admitted liability in the case of British tourist Michael Botterill who was shot in Turkey four years ago. Botterill was attacked in his apartment in Side and is claiming compensation of more than £750,000.
JMC has also settled with around 250 clients who took action against Sunworld two years ago when they suffered food poisoning at Club Aguamar in Majorca. The spokesman, who stressed both cases were under the Sunworld brand, refused to reveal the level of payments.
Another 400 cases are still outstanding.
n See Cutting Edge, page 74
Head office:assured by the hotelier that work would be finished