Justin King was appointed by Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser to examine the company’s approach to issues such as health and safety and crisis management after criticism over its handling of the Corfu tragedy in which two children died in 2006.

Bobby and Christi Shepherd died after inhaling carbon monoxide from a faulty boiler. The inquest in May ruled that they had been unlawfully killed, with a jury stating that it breached its duty of care towards them, accusing the travel giant o obstructing the family’s efforts to uncover the facts surrounding their deaths.

Now according to Sky News, the inquiry headed by King is set to say that tour operators and Abta need to fundamentally rethink the level of disclosure they provide to customers.

Cook is working with the mother of the Shepherd children, Sharon Wood, on a new carbon monoxide awareness initiative which is set to launch within weeks.

King is understood to have concluded that the changing nature of the holiday industry - with consumers sometimes now booking flights and hotel rooms separately through internet-based brokers - has increased confusion a‎bout customers’ rights and the nature of the product they are buying, as well as companies’ health and safety obligations, Sky News said.

King will also say that package holidays have dwindled as a proportion of the overall holiday market, meaning that many consumers do not enjoy the ‎level of protection they assume.
The report will state that Thomas Cook should devolve more authority to frontline staff in resorts to help holiday-makers who encounter serious problems. It will add that its customer service requires significant improvements.

The report was originally due to be published in September, but Cook is understood to have decided to delay its publication until after a cororner’s report into the children’s deaths.

David Hinchliff, who investigated the tragedy, said there was a risk that further fatalities could occur unless action is taken.

A number of King’s recommendations overlap with those of Hinchliff, who ‎called for safety checks to be conducted by qualified health and safety specialists rather than "often inexperienced and overworked" tour representatives.

Cook declined to comment on Sunday.