Replacement flights promise for stranded holidaymakers

The vast majority of holidaymakers hit by the collapse of Britain’s third largest tour operator will be flown back on their original departure date, the aviation regulator said today.

Some 85,000 people were left stranded when XL Leisure Group went into administration early yesterday morning, grounding its fleet of planes and plunging the travel industry into turmoil.

But the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – the body tasked with repatriating package tour customers – confirmed that passengers would be able to get replacement flights on their original return dates or in the worst cases on the following day.

The airlift was yesterday described as the “the most challenging ever undertaken” by XL’s chief executive Peter Wyatt and is expected to cost some £20m (€25.3m).

Overseas package tour passengers are covered under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Atol) scheme.

Specially chartered flights have been brought in, while spare seats on already scheduled flights are being used to bring them back to the UK.

Alongside the 75,000 customers covered by Atol, room will also be available for the 10,000 people who booked XL flights independently – although they will have to pay for the privilege.

All but a few customers were being found replacement flights on the day they intended to travel.

A spokesman for the CAA said: “Some people in Orlando had to stay an extra night, but generally people are flying back on the same day.”

But thousands of outbound XL customers will have to make alternative plans on their own.

Some 200,000 people in total have seen future holiday plans go up in smoke as a result of the tour operator’s collapse, although most will be compensated.

XL went into administration shortly before 3am yesterday after failing to secure a rescue package.

In an emotional statement yesterday, Mr Wyatt said he was “devastated” at the company’s collapse and apologised to his customers and employees.

Speaking at a press conference at the Hilton Hotel at Gatwick Airport, XL’s chief executive said: “Ultimately I blame myself, I’m the CEO, I take legal responsibility for it.”

But he added that the withdrawal of support from lenders had left them with no option but to call in administrators.

Mr Wyatt said: “We have made every effort to refinance the principal debt of the group but, despite significant interest, the group was unsuccessful.

“More recently, record oil prices and a worsening economic environment has meant our economic requirements have increased and our efforts have been overwhelmed.”

He expressed his “gratitude” to XL’s 1,700 staff, who now face an uncertain future.

The high-profile collapse prompted a prediction by British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh that another 30 airlines would go out of business within the next four months.

Today XL passengers affected by the collapse began to trickle back through UK airports.

At Gatwick Airport on a specially-chartered Monarch Airlines flight from Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, Alison Hill spoke of her relief at being back.

The 37-year-old from Redditch, Worcestershire said she was left in tears yesterday as she worried she would not be able to find a flight back to the UK.

Ms Hill, who spent 10 days in the resort with her two-year-old son, Samuel, said she found out that XL had gone into administration as she lay in bed in her hotel room watching the news yesterday morning.

She said: “No one actually told me, I had to find it out for myself.

“I spent the whole day in tears in reception with a very unhappy two-year-old, wondering if I was ever going to get home. A woman staying in the same hotel as me went to the airport and she found out from Thomson about this flight.

“We were meant to leave at 11pm last night and ended up getting this flight at 3.30am this morning, so you could say we were one of the lucky ones.

“There was another flight that was meant to go to Luton yesterday afternoon before ours, and they are still there.”

Virgin boss Richard Branson was hailed as “fantastic” by a holidaymaker who arrived at Manchester Airport today from Florida.

Kayley Hunter and her two friends flew home from Orlando, Florida, with Virgin after being informed of XL’s collapse by their tour operator.

The 23-year-old legal adviser from Darlington said: “Thank you to Richard Branson and his team, you were fantastic.”

Other travellers from the same flight praised Virgin for flying them home and the Americans for their assistance.

None of the travellers spoken to reported paying for the Virgin flight and said they presumed they were covered under their insurance.

XL’s administrators said most people who booked holidays with the troubled tour operator should be eligible for a refund.

Those who paid by credit card or used a tour operator affiliated to the Atol scheme should get their money back.

In some cases travel insurance and payment by Visa debit card also offers protection.

But people who booked a flight directly with XL Airways and paid with another kind of debit card will not be protected – and will have to pay again to get a flight home.