Confusion among XL customers
The CAA has issued a statement with regard to the collapse of XL Leisure following confusion among customers.
It is urging customers protected by ATOL not to cut their trips short but to continue their holidays as normal.
“Some holidaymakers are going straight to the airport and even buying flights home with other airlines when they should have continued their holidays as normal,†said a spokesman.
He said staff with Thomas Cook, Thomson, First Choice, Virgin Holidays and other tour operators are helping to make sure XL customers are aware of the ATOL protection.
The CAA estimates there are around 30,000 customers who booked packages with XL, or XL owned tour operators such as Travel City Direct and Kosmar, still on holidays in resorts throughout the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Florida.
The CAA is also offering capacity to enable those passengers who had bought only a flight with XL Airways – and are therefore not ATOL-protected – to fly back to the UK at a reasonable price.
It confirmed that 29,610 customers have either returned to the UK or flights have been arranged for their return since the collapse of XL on Friday morning.
Currently 126 flights have been arranged. UK airlines – BA, bmi British Midland, Monarch Airlines, First Choice Airways, Jet2.com, Astraeus and Virgin Atlantic – are providing aircraft to fly to 37 destinations around the world bringing passengers back to nine UK airports.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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