The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Holidaymakers ‘will not be left stranded abroad’
Foreign secretary reassures company’s worried customers
Holidaymakers will not be left stranded abroad if tour operator Thomas Cook collapses, the foreign secretary has said.
Dominic Raab assured the firm’s worried customers that contingency planning is in place in the event the business cannot be saved.
His comments came as guests at a hotel in Tunisia reported being locked in by security guards, as staff demanded extra money for fear the hotel will not be paid by the holiday company. And a union leader said employees are working for the firm while not knowing if they have a job or will even get paid for this month.
Thomas Cook Group chief executive Dr Peter Fankhauser remained tightlipped as he emerged from a day-long meeting yesterday after negotiating with creditors in a final bid to save the firm.
He would not comment on whether a deal had been reached or if the firm would consider approaching the government for a taxpayer-funded bailout.
He also refused to say anything to Thomas Cook’s customers as he walked out of the service exit of City law firm Latham & Watkins, in Bishopsgate, London, surrounded by colleagues.
The travel company is at risk of falling into administration unless it finds £200 million in extra funds.
It was feared the collapse would leave up to 150,000 UK holidaymakers stranded.
But Mr Raab told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday morning: “I can reassure people that in the worst case scenario, the contingency planning is there to avoid people being stranded.”
Brian Strutton, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association, said lessons had not been learned from the collapse of Monarch Airlines in 2017.
“Thomas Cook is at the last chance saloon today and decisions about staff and passengers are being taken in secret.
“It’s a much bigger scale than
Monarch.
“There is a real risk that if the worst comes to the worst, proper arrangements may not be in place for the repatriation programme and staff are still working while not knowing if they have a job or will even get paid for this month,” he told the PA news agency.
He said the government did not act on its own review which followed the Monarch collapse, adding: “This is a mess that could have been avoided.
“Ministers need to step forward and take responsibility for the sake of passengers and staff.”
Thomas Cook reassured customers yesterday that their flights continue to operate as normal and all their package holidays are Atol-protected.
But many, including wedding parties, were left in limbo.
Lorna Clark, 33, and her fiance, Paul Ruckledge, who is in his 40s, are due to fly to Paphos, Cyprus, on September 30.
They are among a party of nine, from near Pontefract, West Yorkshire, who bought Thomas Cook flights – which are not Atol-protected.
Ms Clark’s sister-in-law Sarah Cooper, 35, said: “She’s just in an absolute panic.
“There’s nothing we can do until we find out for definite if they’ve gone bust. It’s just horrendous really.”
Thomas Cook said it would not be sending any more tourists to the Les Orangers beach resort in Hammamet, near Tunis, after complaints the hotel was refusing to let guests leave while demanding extra money.