Thomas Cook adverts pulled from Mumsnet
THOMAS Cook was dealt another blow last night as a leading parents’ website said it would no longer accept adverts from the under-fire travel operator.
The firm is embroiled in a scandal after it claimed a payout from a hotel in Corfu where two children died in 2006.
“Mumsnet users – understandably – felt that we should stop promotional activity for Thomas Cook on the site, given the details that emerged during the inquest, so we took the decision to pull the campaign,” said the website’s chief executive Justine Roberts.
Mumsnet said Thomas Cook was also keen for the adverts to be taken down, as they were inspiring negative comments on the popular forum.
Earlier in the day the boss of Thomas Cook apologised for its response to the incident in which Christi and Bobby Shepherd died from carbon monoxide poisoning at the Louis Corcyra Beach Hotel nine years ago.
The group received £3m compensation while the parents of the children received £350,000. The firm has since donated the £1.5m compensation to Unicef while insurers received the other £1.5m.
Peter Fankhauser, who took over the group in 2009, yesterday said he was sorry for the deaths and expressed remorse at how the group handled the incident.
“I am deeply sorry over this tragedy,” Fankhauser told City A.M.
“This whole process over the last nine years has been a series of mistakes and we failed to show enough compassion.”