U.K. Civil Aviation Authority launches program to bring home Thomas Cook customers

Thomas Cook customers in the U.K. yet to travel should not go to the airport as all flights leaving the U.K. have been canceled. / Thomas Cook Heathrow airport facilities photo.

-Published: Tuesday, September 24, 2019-

U.K. Civil Aviation Authority launches program to bring home Thomas Cook customers

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff and wire services

On Monday Thomas Cook Group, including the U.K. tour operator and airline, has immediately ceased trading.

According to the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority, all Thomas Cook bookings, including flights and holidays, have now been canceled.

“There are currently more than 150,000 Thomas Cook customers abroad, almost twice that number were repatriated following the failure of Monarch”, said the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority in its statement.

The U.K. Government has asked the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority to launch a repatriation program over the next two weeks, from Monday, September 23rd to Sunday, October 6th, to return Thomas Cook customers to the U.K.

“News of Thomas Cook's collapse is deeply saddening for the company's employees and customers, and we appreciate that more than 150,000 people currently abroad will be anxious about how they will now return to the U.K.,” said Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive of the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority. “The government has asked us to support Thomas Cook customers on what is the U.K.'s largest-ever peacetime repatriation.”

Due to the unprecedented number of U.K. customers currently overseas who are affected by the situation, the Civil Aviation Authority will manage a fleet of aircraft from around the world to bring passengers back to the U.K. with return flights.

Passengers in a small number of destinations may return on alternative commercial flights, rather than directly through the Civil Aviation Authority's flying program. Details and advice for these passengers are available on the dedicated website thomascook.caa.co.uk

The Civil Aviation Authority has launched a special website where affected customers can find details and information on repatriation flights, as well as advice on accommodation for both ATOL and non-ATOL customers.

Due to the significant scale of the situation, some disruption is inevitable, but the Civil Aviation Authority said they will endeavor to get people home as close as possible to their planned dates. This will apply to both ATOL protected passengers and those who are not protected.

“Customers currently overseas should not travel to the airport until their flight back to the U.K. has been confirmed on the dedicated website,” said U.K. Civil Aviation in its statement.

Thomas Cook customers in the U.K. yet to travel should not go to the airport as all flights leaving the U.K. have been canceled.

ATOL Protected passengers with future bookings are entitled to a full refund for their canceled holiday. Passengers currently overseas may also make claims for the cost of replacing ATOL protected parts of their trip, or for out of pocket expenses as a result of delayed flights home.

The Civil Aviation Authority will be launching a service to manage all refunds by Monday, Sept 30th, once the flying operation has progressed. Customer service will seek to process all refunds within 60 days of receiving complete information.

Further information will be available on the dedicated website in the coming days, “but please do not submit anything to the Civil Aviation Authority in the meantime as the organization continues to focus on the repatriation flying program to return more than 150,000 passengers to the U.K.,” said the authorities in its statement.

To find more information on U.K. Civil Aviation Authority updates on the flying program, visit the dedicated website, thomascook.caa.co.uk

Thomas Cook Group plc was a British global travel group. It was formed on 19 June 2007 by the merger of Thomas Cook AG, itself the successor to Thomas Cook & Son, and MyTravel Group. The group operated in two separate segments: a tour operator and an airline. Thomas Cook went into compulsory liquidation on Monday.

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