A MAN whose car was written off after it was badly damaged has said he has been “left out to dry”.
Stephen Williams, from Langport, Somerset, said he was told that his motor had been damaged upon his return to Bristol Airport from Prague.
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“I went to Bristol with a car and now I’m at home without one through no fault of my own,” he claimed.
The civil servant reportedly received a text instructing him to call call customer relations at Bristol Airport as he waited from his flight out of the Czech capital.
Stephen was then greeted by an airport worker who informed him that his Honda Civic had been damaged in the fire.
The Yeovil resident was then allegedly told by his insurers Ageas that his vehicle would be written off.
He told the BBC: “So I am left with no car, no money to buy a new one and no way of getting to work except on my motorbike in the winter ice and rain.
“I am a civil servant on a small salary and have been left out to dry – by companies which will make a bigger profit this year at my expense.
“I do not know how I am going to get to work now, I work all the way down in Yeovil so this is a problem.”
Avon Fire and Rescue said they are still investigating the fire and but believe it was caused accidentally.
Stephen also says he feels let down after he claims the airport assured him they would provide a courtesy car before the offer was retracted the following day.
“The first employee said they’d get me a taxi home and if the car is not drivable I would be provided with a hire car,” he added.
“The next day I asked about a replacement car and a second employee told me that I wouldn’t receive one.
“I told them what the first employee had said and they said that was not correct.”
Mr Williams said his insurer Ageas said they will send a salvage company to collect his car and although the company initially said such a claim would affect his no-claims discount, it has now said it will not.
In a statement from Bristol Airport, a spokesperson said: “We recognise the upset this incident has caused and appreciate this is concerning for the small number of customers directly impacted.
“Customers on their return to Bristol Airport were met by Airport teams and were advised of the situation with their vehicle being damaged by fire.
“Customers were offered either a taxi home or hire car rental for 48 hours, paid for by Bristol Airport.
“Customers will need to take up their individual claims further with their own car insurance provider.”
An Ageas spokesperson said: “Mr Williams called us on 11th December to claim for the loss of his vehicle.
“We assessed the damage to his vehicle and called him to confirm that his car was beyond repair and settle his claim.
“This payment was transferred to his bank account yesterday, 12th December 2023.”
