Jobs blow as Thomas Cook branches across Renfrewshire shut
Thomas Cook travel agency shops across Renfrewshire have been closed after the company ceased trading and put hundreds of jobs on the line.
The shutters have come down at branches in Paisley High Street, intu Braehead, Johnstone and Renfrew.
And at Glasgow Airport, Thomas Cook’s flights scheduled to depart for Orlando, Florida; Dalaman, Turkey and Lanzarote were all cancelled.
Repatriation flights back to the Paisley hub were also organised from Zankinthos, Minorca, and Lanzarote.
A flight due to come back to Glasgow Airport from Palma was redirected to Birmingham and hundreds of passengers have been affected.
The Civil Aviation Authority is now coordinating the response to the travel company going out of business.
It said that all holidays and flight have been cancelled and are no longer operating, while all of Thomas Cook’s retail shops have also closed.
“The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority are now working together to do everything we can to support passengers due to fly back to the UK with Thomas Cook between September 23 and October 6,” the CAA said.
“Depending on your location, this will be either on CAA-operated flights or by using existing flights with other airlines.
“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.”
The CAA added that repatriation flights will only be operating for the next two weeks and after this date people will have to make their own travel arrangements.
The CAA is also contacting hotels accommodating Thomas Cook customers, who have booked as part of a package, to tell them that the cost of their accommodation will be covered by the government, through the Air Travel Trust Fund and Air Travel Organiser’s Licence scheme (Atol).
Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Gavin Newlands said around 200 staff are employed by the firm across all five sites.
Mr Newlands said: “The liquidation of Thomas Cook is a devastating blow for staff across Renfrewshire and elsewhere.
“With over 200 employees around the county, including many at the airport, it is imperative all the support possible is put in place and help available for those who will lost their jobs.
“For holidaymakers, contingency plans by the authorities have been activated and Thomas Cook customers currently abroad will be flown home over the next two weeks.
“Anyone in this position should contact the Civil Aviation Authority if they haven’t heard from them already.
“I am here to help any staff, holidaymakers or any other constituent who is having issues with any organisation involved in the liquidation and repatriation, and I would urge anyone in this position to get in touch with me.
“Over 21,000 staff around the world now face the dole queue.
“I find that hard to stomach, especially when you consider a support package was possible and would have saved hundreds of millions of pounds in government spending that is now inevitable.
“The UK government and the Official Receiver must look closely at the actions of the main shareholders over recent years and establish why a company with an operating profit of nearly £100 million last year can become insolvent and cause misery for so many of my constituents and people across the country.”
Express readers should visit thomascook.caa.co.uk for further details.