A BRADFORD holidaymaker who has returned from a ‘holiday from hell’ due to the collapse of Monarch has criticised the Civil Aviation Authority for how long it took to address problems at her hotel.

Paula Allinson, from Queensbury, and her family were just three days into a fortnight’s break in Turkey when they received the news that Monarch had ceased trading, on Monday, October 2.

Following the news, the manager at their hotel, L’Etolie in Icmeler, Turkey, demanded Mrs Allinson and the rest of the guests at the hotel on Monarch holidays pay £1,500 or face being kicked out of the hotel.

Mrs Allinson said, despite countless phone calls to the Civil Aviation Authority, it took intervention from the Foreign Office and until Thursday for the CAA to contact the hotel saying it would cover the cost of the guests’ stays.

The CAA said it contacted more than 2,200 hotels within the first 24 hours to give them financial guarantees.

Mrs Allinson said: “The holiday was completely ruined by Monarch going bust. We didn’t end up paying, everyone else in the hotel did pay the £1,500, but we were the only ones who refused.

“My experience with the CAA was both good and bad. While they did eventually sort out paying for the hotel and sorted our flights back, I kept getting passed around when I rang.

“I think they have one office in Bristol and one in the Newcastle area and every time I rang I seemed to get through to someone new, I must have spoken to about seven different people. I was told different information each time, sorting the hotel was the biggest problem.

“Eventually the Foreign Office got involved and an email was sent to the hotel, and after that they backed off, and the next morning, the Thursday, the hotel got paid.”

Mrs Allinson said she is seeking compensation for the upset caused by the experience. Her family were flown home to Manchester and transferred to Leeds Bradford.

A CAA spokesman said: “After Monarch Airlines went into administration, a number of overseas hoteliers and accommodation providers asked customers to pay again for their accommodation.

“We recognise the impact this would have had on customers and worked with our partners across Government to minimise any impact.

“Thankfully, the ATOL protection scheme provides full financial protection and those customers will receive a full refund, ensuring they are not left a penny out of pocket.

“Within the first 24 hours, the CAA also contacted more than 2,200 hotel and accommodation providers to give them financial guarantees and ensure ATOL protected customers continue their holidays unhindered.

“As part of an unprecedented flying programme, the CAA brought home many thousands of passengers in two weeks. This was the largest repatriation in UK peacetime and 98 per cent of passengers were returned to the UK on their original day on departure.”