Thomas Cook collapse sparks largest peacetime repatriation mission in British history
- UK government charters dozens of planes to bring back tens of thousands of stranded passengers
- Thomas Cook had been seeking £200 million from private investors to save it from collapse
The collapse of iconic British travel operator Thomas Cook has thrown the travel plans of thousands of customers into chaos.
Minutes after the tour operator filed for liquidation early Monday, holiday makers took to Twitter and social media platforms to vent their anger and seek help over nixed holidays and flights.
Layton Roche, of Bolton, UK, tweeted he and his bride-to-be were packed and ready to get on a plane to the Greek island of Kos to celebrate their wedding. He implored Thomas Cook to keep it together for the “next 24 hours” to make it happen.
Four hours later, the bad news hit.
The bankruptcy filing of the 178-year-old travel company in London, effectively cancelled all holidays and flights booked through the company’s units, leaving the UK to mount what it said will be the largest peacetime repatriation of hundreds of thousands of stranded travellers.
As the company seeks protection to work through its mounting debt problems, tourists and holiday makers are inundating the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority for help to make their way home, leaving some who have paid for but not yet started their trips out of luck.