Extra flights set to bring stranded travellers home

ALMOST 1,000 Irish holidaymakers left stranded overseas after the collapse of one of Britain’s largest tour operators will be brought home this week on flights arranged by the Commissioner for Aviation Regulation.

The authority has arranged 12 additional flights to bring home customers of XL Leisure Group’s Irish arm, XL Holidays, since the travel group went into bust on Friday morning.

Up to 200 other holidaymakers due to finish their holiday this week will make their own way home and claim their costs from the commission on their return.

Today, 188 passengers will be flown from Bourgas in Bulgaria to Dublin, while a further 104 will be flown from the Bulgarian town to Knock. Tomorrow 160 passengers will be flown from Palma in Majorca to Dublin and on Wednesday 166 passengers will be flown from the Greek island of Santorini to Dublin; 140 will be flown from two other Greek islands of Zankinthos and Mykonos to Dublin on Thursday and 166 will be flown from Faro in Portugal to Knock.

Commissioner for Aviation Regulation, Cathal Guiomard, said after Thursday the number of Irish people due to return home would have dropped very rapidly to about 30 and would be in single figures the following week.

With such small numbers involved, hiring a separate flight was not justified, he said.

It emerged yesterday that the former auditor of XL, KPMG, had warned of “financial irregularities” at the firm two years ago.

The accountancy firm claimed in a strongly worded resignation letter in 2006 that it was blocked from investigating alleged misrepresentations by company directors that could have resulted in “material errors” in financial statements.

“We are no longer able to conclude that the financial statements give a true and fair view of the profit of the company and its subsidiaries,” KPMG wrote.

An investigation into arrangements between XL and a supplier concluded that information had been “misrepresented” to KPMG. The auditors concluded that, as a result, “financial statements were likely to contain material errors”.

Meanwhile, a Ryanair flight from Faro in Portugal to Shannon was delayed on Saturday after the aircraft hit some birds.

The plane was landing in Faro when the incident occurred but, according to Ryanair, an inspection cleared it for takeoff.

On the return flight some travellers became concerned about a smell in the cabin.

The captain brought the aircraft to a stop and passengers left the plane.

The aircraft was inspected and the smell was found to be related to the earlier bird strike. It was cleared for takeoff and left Faro the following morning.