Lone Oak”

                                                                                                     18 Woodcocks Crescent

                                                                                                     Castledean,

                                                                                                     Bournemouth

                                                                                                     Dorset. UK                                                                                                                                        BH7 7JW

                                                                                                     +44 (0)1202 41 70 58

Ron Stanberry

Bath Travel

2 Albert Road

Bournemouth BH1 1BY

Dear Mr Stanberry,

Recent claim against Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

I refer to my recent conversation with you, with regard to the outcome of the court hearing on Tuesday 12th. December, 2006, in which the Judge ruled in favour of the Defence.

There are serious issues which I am not happy with regard to this verdict, which, as my agent, I would very much like you to take up with Fred. Olsen.

The issues:

1,      Fred. Olsen clearly state in their advertisements “The Officers and crew are always

        on hand to ensure you can enjoy your time with Fred. Olsen .......”

Fact.

         This was not the case as my evidence shows.

       The Judge said, that although the management was not up to expectation this in no

       way, in his opinion, affected the enjoyment of my cruise.

       I was requested to advise the passengers to start enjoying their cruise and not to

       worry about their return journey by the Cruise Director when I went to him with passenger problems.

       ALL complaints with regard to the aircraft were passed to me throughout the cruise for me to deal with.

       Even the distribution of the return flight arrangements were passed to me as the ship had no one

       available to do this!                

2.    Fred. Olsen’s instruction on how to avoid DVT clearly states:

          *        Avoid leg discomfort when seated ......

          *        Walk around the cabin whenever you can

Fact. This was impossible due to a full capacity plane with the gangways ALWAYS

        taken up with people waiting for the toilets, for up to twenty minutes at a time.

3.     The flight. Many passengers, including myself, made many requests for information of the flight

        and upgrade facilities from the time of booking. We were told that an upgrade was not possible.

        This over a period of more than ten months.

        They stated in court that it was up to us or our agents to advise, because everything is covered

        in the legal documentation with the booking. I find this apportionment of blame grossly unacceptable

        when it was Fred. Olsen all along who were informing us that an upgrade was not possible.   

        I cannot accept that either Bath Travel, as my agents,  or myself, are responsible for the failure to

        inform over a ten month period. They were trying to fill an airline at all costs and were not prepared

        to give us an alternative or make us aware of same.

 4.    The aircraft. 

        At the hearing, Fred. Olsen produced a document from Britannia Airways, showing that the

        Boeing 767-300 had already been allocated in 2005 for our return journey. 

Fact.

         When on board the ship, we had our first meeting with the ship’s officers, they were adamant that we

       could not have a replacement aircraft. At a further meeting, where beforehand, I was approached,

       ‘that if I dropped the action for an alternative aircraft,that there would be something in it for me’,

       I was shown a drawing of the 200 series in which we came out in, and asked, ‘what I considered

       wrong with it’. It seemed that   Fred. Olsen were still trying to get us to go back in the same aircraft.

       After further discussion we were told that they had been able to get us a 300 series and would we be

       happy with that. An e-mail document from head office was given to me for distribution amongst the

       passengers affected. Later withdrawn !!! 

Fact.

       Nigel Lingard, Marketing Director, Fred. Olsen. stated in an e-mail to John Aust, one of the other

      passengers who complained to him personally, ‘We moved heaven on earth just to get up to a 300 series

      plane for your return flight - and money would not have found a bigger aircraft than that with 2 days of free

      spare...’

      This would strongly suggest that the document produced in court had been tampered with or

        a new page substituted. This evidence was on the last page. 

5.     Fred. Olsen stated in court, after being asked by the Judge, whether they had contacted ThompsonFly

      about the numerous complaints made to them. They stated that they had but

      had never received a reply back from them. Very strange!

       The judge asked if I had contacted the CAA. I had not.

      I would have thought that it was in the interest of Fred. Olsen to do this. 

       This just shows how much Fred. Olsen cares about taking our complaints seriously. 

      They also stated in Court, ‘that they found it hard to believe that any airline would compromise safety

      in the interest of passengers’  They were not there to see the emergency doors with baggage in front

      of them and a report from one passenger of a wheel chair in front of another.

      The age profile was such, that in an emergency it would have been impossible to evacuate the plane in

      the times recommended by the CAA.

      Sorry that this has been a long ‘precis’; the additional documents are for you to refer back to if required.

      We have nothing but praise for the way in which you have handled our holidays in the past and would be very

      pleased if you could help solve this issue for us.

      Yours sincerely

      David Le Clercq     HOME