The family were on holiday in Turkey at the time of the incident
Two brothers were left covered in cuts after a steam room door shattered while they were on a package holiday in Turkey. The children were 16 and 11 at the time and were staying with their parents at the five-star Green Nature Diamond Hotel in Marmaris, Dalaman, on a 10-day break.
CCTV footage showed the moment the glass door shattered as the children left the steam room. Both suffered cuts to their feet, legs and arms and were treated by a doctor at the hotel.
Jet2Holidays initially denied liability for the incident but later agreed to pay the family £7,000 in compensation following a legal claim. The boys’ father, from Harrogate, North Yorks, said the family had been in their hotel room when the older boy returned from the spa.
He said: “We were in the hotel room when the eldest burst into the room. “He was limping, and there was blood everywhere. When we got down there, it just looked like carnage. The door had exploded, and there was blood and glass all over the place.
“Luckily, there was a doctor on site, and he managed to patch them up, but I wanted answers, and the manager was nowhere to be seen. There were no apologies, no nothing.
“When I got to see the CCTV when we were still on holiday, the first thing the receptionist did was put the USB stick in her pocket and said I couldn’t have it. I didn’t know what to do. I got hold of the British Embassy in Turkey, and this woman jumped in a taxi and came to get the footage.
“But then the hotel said she couldn’t have it unless she was with the police. But then she came back with a police officer, and they still wouldn’t hand it over. So, I did a bit of research, and I told them it was my data, it was my children, and there was no one else in the footage, so you need to send it to us.
“Eventually it arrived, but it came after 10 months of pushing and pushing and pushing. I’m glad it did, though, because I’m 100% certain that massively helped us in the process.”
He claims the incident continued to affect the family long after they returned home. The dad added: “It was scary, and we didn’t go on a package holiday for four years because of what happened, and the kids are still concerned about going through glass doors.
“You trust your tour operator to keep you safe. Jet2Holidays let us down.”
Hudgell Solicitors launched a damages claim on behalf of the family, with representatives for Jet2Holidays initially denying liability for the accident and the injuries suffered abroad. After the father finally secured the CCTV footage, Jet2Holidays’ legal representatives agreed to a combined compensation package of £7,000.
Anne Thomson, a senior litigation executive at Hudgell Solicitors and an accident abroad legal specialist, said: “The two boys suffered mild injuries, but this must have been a terrifying experience that stayed with them for a long time. The CCTV footage makes for especially uncomfortable viewing and underscores just how fortunate the brothers were to have avoided serious injury.
“We were disappointed with Jet2Holidays’ lackadaisical approach to genuine demand for answers, just as we were with the hotel’s baffling decision to not surrender the footage for so long. Under ‘2018 Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations’, it is implied that Jet2 exercise reasonable care and skill, not least by ensuring the safety and well-being of their customers.
“This did not happen. They eventually made a satisfactory out-of-court settlement, but we hope lessons have been learned to ensure potentially frightful incidents like this are eradicated in hotels with which they are associated.”
The family said the experience also changed their attitude towards holidaying abroad. The father added: “I can’t thank Anne enough. She kept going and going and going and continually kept reassuring me that this wouldn’t be going to court.
“I didn’t have a clue what to do about making a claim with something like this, but Anne made everything very straightforward. What happened to my lads has hopefully helped raise awareness that big companies like Jet2 need to be held accountable when they are in the wrong.
“They might try to delay and get away with it, but the truth always comes out.”
Jet2Holidays said: “We would like to reiterate how sorry we are about this incident.”
The company added that it had reached a settlement in relation to an incident which occurred in 2022.