COMPENSATION!!!!!!
Thomas Cook have compensated me, at long last. I have a cheque in my hand as I write.
Now modesty forbids me to inform you as to the amount of the cheque, so I'll just leave it for you to speculate. However I will say this - It cost me £46 to fill my car up with petrol last night (price had just risen by 1p per litre) - well the cheque would not have covered that - it was, as they say, a gesture of goodwill!!!
They have sent a quite long apologetic letter also, but as I don't possess a photocopier I can't post it. I'm happy enough because they have acknowledged there was a major problem and they are in discussions with the Cuban Consulate in the UK and the local authorities to provide extra facilities at Santa Clara Airport.
With regard to Excel Airways the issues that I have raised will be discussed as part of future negotiations with Excel and they thank me for bringing them to their attention. They do say that the seat pitch was in excess of the minimum guidelines as set out by the Civil Aviation Authority, but I would strongly dispute that, as the seats only moved 2 inches maximum.