17,000 more Thomas Cook passengers flown back to UK
Around 17,000 people were flown home on specially chartered planes yesterday three days after they were left stranded by the failure of Thomas Cook.
The Civil Aviation Authority said it managed to bring back 95 per cent of all customers whose Thomas Cook flights were scheduled on the day. It flew 71 different flights.
Read more: Thomas Cook: UK will try to recoup £100m repatriation bill from companies
The authority will today embark on its third day of what promises to be the biggest repatriation since the second world war.
It plans to bring home another 16,000 people on 70 flights today, bringing the total to 62,000, or around 41 per cent of the 150,000 who were left stranded abroad.
It comes as transport secretary Grant Shapps yesterday hinted that Thomas Cook’s bosses could be forced to pay back their bonuses.
“The official receiver has the power to require the return of bonuses in certain circumstances,” Shapps said.
“That needs to be fully looked into,” he added, but stressed that it should be left to due process.
The 178-year-old airline fell into administration early on Monday morning after it failed to get the support it needed for a rescue package.
It left the company’s 9,000 UK staff, and 21,000 internationally, in a precarious situation. Thousands are not expecting to be paid as scheduled on Monday and will have to apply to the Insolvency Service to recoup their money.
Labour has criticised the government for not stepping in to save the under-pressure tour operator.
Read more: Thomas Cook: Former workers ‘will not receive pay packets as usual’ on Monday
Shapps yesterday revealed that the government will approach credit card companies and insurers to recoup as much of the relocation costs as possible.
“We are also in discussions with the official receiver to understand what costs can be recouped through the company’s assets as well,” he said.