Post by Admin on Sept 23, 2019 6:44:14 GMT
Thomas Cook has collapsed after last-minute negotiations aimed at saving the 178-year-old holiday firm failed.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the tour operator had "ceased trading with immediate effect".
It has also triggered the biggest ever peacetime repatriation, aimed at bringing more than 150,000 British holidaymakers home.
Peter Fankhauser, Thomas Cook's chief executive, said the firm's collapse was a "matter of profound regret".
Commenting as the company entered compulsory liquidation, Mr Fankhauser also apologised to the firm's "millions of customers, and thousands of employees".
The tour operator's failure puts 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK.
The government has chartered 45 jets to bring customers home and they will fly 64 routes today. The size of the fleet will make it temporarily the UK's fifth largest airline.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to help stranded holidaymakers, but also questioned whether company directors were properly incentivised to "sort such matters out".
He said: "It's a very difficult situation and obviously our thoughts are very much with the customers with Thomas Cook, the holiday makers, who may now face difficulties getting home."
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the tour operator had "ceased trading with immediate effect".
It has also triggered the biggest ever peacetime repatriation, aimed at bringing more than 150,000 British holidaymakers home.
Peter Fankhauser, Thomas Cook's chief executive, said the firm's collapse was a "matter of profound regret".
Commenting as the company entered compulsory liquidation, Mr Fankhauser also apologised to the firm's "millions of customers, and thousands of employees".
The tour operator's failure puts 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK.
The government has chartered 45 jets to bring customers home and they will fly 64 routes today. The size of the fleet will make it temporarily the UK's fifth largest airline.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to help stranded holidaymakers, but also questioned whether company directors were properly incentivised to "sort such matters out".
He said: "It's a very difficult situation and obviously our thoughts are very much with the customers with Thomas Cook, the holiday makers, who may now face difficulties getting home."