Thomas Cook ceases trading leaving 9000 UK jobs at risk and passengers stranded

Thomas Cook has collapsed after last-minute negotiations to save the holiday firm failed putting 9000 UK jobs at risk.

The holiday firm failed to secure another £200 million it needed to keep the business afloat.

As a result Thomas Cook bookings, including flights and holidays, have now been cancelled.

All of Thomas Cook’s retail shops will also close with immediate effect.

The firm operates 105 aircraft, they have all been grounded leaving more than 150,000 British holidaymakers stranded abroad.

The collapse has sparked the UK’s biggest ever peacetime repatriation to bring tens of thousands of stranded customers home

The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says it is now working together to do “everything we can to support passengers due to fly back to the UK with Thomas Cook between 23 September 2019 and 6 October 2019.”

The CAA says: “Depending on your location, this will be either on CAA-operated flights or by using existing flights with other airlines.

If you are already abroad you will find all the information you need about your arrangements to get home on this website.

If you are due to depart from a UK airport with Thomas Cook Airlines, please do not travel to your UK airport as your flight will not be operating and you will not be able to travel.

This repatriation is hugely complex and we are working around the clock to support passengers.”

Peter Fankhauser, Chief Executive of Thomas Cook commented: “We have worked exhaustively in the past few days to resolve the outstanding issues on an agreement to secure Thomas Cook’s future for its employees, customers and suppliers.  Although a deal had been largely agreed, an additional facility requested in the last few days of negotiations presented a challenge that ultimately proved insurmountable.

“It is a matter of profound regret to me and the rest of the board that we were not successful. I would like to apologise to our millions of customers, and thousands of employees, suppliers and partners who have supported us for many years. Despite huge uncertainty over recent weeks, our teams continued to put customers first, showing why Thomas Cook is one of the best-loved brands in travel.

“Generations of customers entrusted their family holiday to Thomas Cook because our people kept our customers at the heart of the business and maintained our founder’s spirit of innovation.

“This marks a deeply sad day for the company which pioneered package holidays and made travel possible for millions of people around the world.”

CAA Advice

Customers already abroad

If you are currently abroad and your flight was with Thomas Cook we are providing new flights to return you to the UK. These repatriation flights will only be operating for the next two weeks (until 6 October 2019). After this date you will have to make your own travel arrangements. From a small number of locations, passengers will have to book their own return flights.

For further advice and details of your return journey please read I am currently abroad. Please note that repatriation flights are only available for passengers whose journey originated in the UK.

If you are currently abroad and due to return to the UK after 6 October 2019, please read the additional information section.

If you are ATOL-protected and are having difficulties with your hotel, please read managing difficulties with accommodation.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of Thomas Cook’s package holiday bookings include flights with airlines unrelated to the Thomas Cook Group.  If your return flight is not with Thomas Cook’s airline, it will still be valid. However other elements of the package, such as accommodation and transfers will be affected.

Customers yet to travel out of the UK

We are sorry to inform you that all future holidays and flights booked with Thomas Cook are cancelled as of 23 September 2019.

If you are booked on a Thomas Cook Airlines flight, please do not go to your UK airport, as your flight will not be operating. The Civil Aviation Authority’s repatriation programme will not include any outbound flights from the UK.

If you choose to book a new flight with another airline out of the UK, you will not be eligible for a repatriation flight.

PLEASE NOTE: Some of Thomas Cook’s package holiday bookings include flights with airlines unrelated to the Thomas Cook Group.  If your return flight is not with Thomas Cook’s airline it may still be valid. However other elements of the package, such as accommodation and transfers might be affected.

Further information is available at I have a future booking and have not traveled yet.