Blake Chapman was left £2,000 out of pocket after two of his children fell ill during an all-inclusive Jet2 holiday to Turkey, despite having paid for travel insurance. The family abandoned the trip and flew home early, but says the ordeal cost them around £10,000 in total.
Holiday turns into nightmare
Blake flew out with his 29-year-old partner Abbey Andrews and their three children – Keeton, 11, Tobias, 3, and Vienna, 1 – on August 6. They had paid £8,000 for a 10-day all-inclusive Jet2 holiday in the Turkish resort of Alanya.
But the trip began to go wrong just two days after landing, when the youngest child, Vienna, fell ill with symptoms of severe food poisoning. Blake described how she started projectile vomiting, had really bad diarrhoea and a temperature at around 11:15pm.
He ran to reception and an ambulance was called. At the hospital, Vienna was put on an IV drip, and Blake was presented with a £2,000 bill. He argued the charge because he had paid for higher insurance, but eventually paid it.
Second child falls ill
The following day, three-year-old Tobias began showing the same symptoms. Blake refused hospital treatment for him and consulted a pharmacist instead, fearing another large bill.
Although the doctor's report put Vienna's illness down to dehydration, Blake did not believe it, noting that her blood test showed high white blood cells, indicating an infection.
With two children seriously unwell, Blake decided to abandon the holiday. He tried to contact the Jet2 rep without success, then called the company directly. The family left the hotel and spent another £950 on flights, arriving back in the UK on August 11.
Insurance frustration
Blake said he was not blaming the hotel or hospital, but was frustrated by how they were left in the dark and the slow insurance process. He wanted to spread awareness that even with full travel insurance, families can be asked to pay thousands.
A Jet2holidays spokesperson said they were sorry to hear the family became unwell, and that their in-resort team had tried to contact them, but they had already departed.
