Last updated 11:48, Thursday, 02 October 2008

ANYONE who has ever become embroiled in a wrangle with a large faceless company will know how Tracey and Shane Booth felt when, despite many calls and emails, they were unable to recover the costs of a ruined holiday flight from Easyjet.

In the end they took them to court where a judge found in their favour, awarding £2,280 with interest and costs. The couple’s flight home from a skiing break in Austria was cancelled at the last minute and they opted to drive home at the airline’s expense.

When the firm failed to pay up the Booths decided to send in bailiffs. Result: A promise of reimbursement within five days and an apology.

Wow, I wish there were more people like the Booths, willing to stand up to the intransigence of firms that don’t treat them with proper respect.

I once had a six month battle with a major national supplier.

Many times I felt like giving up the ghost, before, tired and emotional, eventually reaching a reasonable outcome.

I could never discover where this firm’s call centre was based or the names of any of their senior bosses. None of them was listed on their website. I was fobbed off time after time by anonymous figures at the end of a phone showing sympathy, promising action and doing nothing.

All of which makes me full of admiration for the stickability of the Booths and their determination not to daunted.