Thousands of Thomas Cook customers flown home amid anger over directors’ pay
Approximately 15,000 holidaymakers were flown home on an estimated 61 flights on Monday, after the travel company collapsed in the early hours.
Thousands of stranded Thomas Cook passengers will be repatriated on Tuesday as the rescue operation continues into its second day.
Holidaymakers were being brought home amid questions over the multimillion pound sums received by the bosses of the firm prior to its collapse.
The conduct of the directors will come under the microscope as the Insolvency Services fast-tracks an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the company going into Liquidation.
Around 15,000 holidaymakers were flown home on an estimated 61 flights on Monday, after the travel company collapsed.
Some 150,000 tourists will be brought home over the next two weeks in a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) flight programme costing £100 million.
Richard Moriarty, chief executive of the CAA, said the Government had asked his organisation to launch “the UK’s largest ever peacetime repatriation”.
Forty-five aircraft from as far away as Malaysia have been chartered to operate approximately 1,000 flights from 53 airports in 18 countries over the next fortnight.
On Monday evening, the Prime Minister visited staff at the British consulate in New York City, who are working to bring stranded travellers home.
He tweeted: “It’s a tough time for those who have had holidays disrupted but team hard at work to support them.
“Thanks to all the staff who represent our country so well.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Johnson questioned whether directors should pay themselves “large sums of money” as their businesses go “down the tubes”.
Speaking to reporters in New York, he said: “How can we make sure that tour operators take proper precautions with their business models where you don’t end up with a situation where the taxpayer, the state, is having to step in and bring people home?
“I have questions for one about whether it’s right that the directors, or whoever, the board, should pay themselves large sums when businesses can go down the tubes like that.”
Liquidators will now see if any money can be found within more than 25 Thomas Cook companies to hand back to staff and creditors.
Some staff on the final Thomas Cook journeys on Monday evening were informed mid-flight that they had been made redundant effective immediately.
Passengers on the Las Vegas to Manchester service had a whip-round in support of cabin crew and handed over two carrier bags of cash after learning that staff would not be getting paid.
Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, visited crew at Manchester Airport, and said some were owed up to three weeks’ wages.
However, other companies have stepped forward with offers of interview or work in an attempt to reach out to redundant staff.
Virgin Atlantic and EasyJet have both asked former Thomas Cook employees to register their interest for work opportunities, and Great Western Railway (GWR) and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) have both said they are looking for staff.
One of the world’s oldest and largest travel companies, Thomas Cook had been trading for 178 years – having been established in 1841 by a cabinet maker who organised a day trip for temperance movement supporters.
As of this year, the group employed 21,000 people in 16 countries, operated 105 aircraft and 200 own-brand hotels and resorts.
Thomas Cook customers are advised to visit the CAA’s dedicated website, thomascook.caa.co.uk, for more information about what they should do next.
