Gatwick: Stranded XL passengers angry at lack of information

Passengers stranded at England's Gatwick Airport today spoke of their frustration at the lack of information they had been given after XL Leisure Group cancelled all its flights.

Julian Castle said he and his wife, Marion, had booked flights to Florida with XL to go on a two-week holiday with friends to celebrate his 60th birthday.

The English couple arrived at Gatwick earlier this morning after flying in from their home in Murcia, Spain.

Mr Castle, 60, said: “We arrived at our check-in desk this morning and were just handed a letter telling us what had happened.

“We’ve been queuing up for about two hours and have been told we can get other flights but we’ll have to pay £695 (€870) each.

“We’re meant to be meeting friends here but they haven’t arrived yet so we can’t decide what to do until they get here. They probably have no idea what’s happened. There’s been no mention of a refund. The letter told us to speak to ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licenses).”

He added that he booked the flights in January and paid the balance in June.

Mrs Castle, 58, said: “We only rang up a few days ago to check everything was okay, and there wasn’t an inkling there was any problem...Why they have to leave it to the early hours of the morning to announce they’re going into liquidation is beyond me. We’re very disappointed and very annoyed.”

Mildred and Steve Simpson, from north London, were also meant to be flying to Florida, along with their 14-year-old daughter, Mary.

Mrs Simpson, 46, said: “We booked everything through XL Leisure Group; our flights, hotel, even our tickets to Disney World. We’re absolutely gutted.

“We booked our insurance through another company though, so we should still be able to get other flights. We’ve been told we might as well try and book into the same hotel as it’ll be empty now as everyone will have booked in through XL.”

Robert and Kelly Spurgeon said they had not been given any information other than that alternative flights to their destination of Tenerife could cost them anything up to £2,000 (€2,500) each.

The couple said they had learnt that XL had gone into administration on the news in their hotel this morning but had thought they should come to the airport anyway.

Mr Spurgeon, 30, who was also travelling with his five-year-old niece and seven-month-old son, said: “We’re meant to be staying in a timeshare so it’s just waiting for us. I booked the flights through XL directly on my debit card so it doesn’t look like I’m going to get anything back.

“We’ve not been told anything but my wife’s been quoted £2,000 for alternative flights. It’s not the end of the world but it was going to be our son’s first holiday so it would have been nice to have gone.”