The collapse of Thomas Cook plc, the London based listed tour operator that is a major cruise retailer and which has operations in several countries, has left legions of holidaymakers stranded and a repatriation effort is to be launched.
“Thomas Cook UK Plc and associated UK entities have entered Compulsory Liquidation and are now under the control of the Official Receiver. The UK business has ceased trading with immediate effect and all future flights and holidays are cancelled,” the group’s UK unit said on Twitter.
“A dedicated support service is being provided by The Civil Aviation Authority to assist customers currently overseas and those in the UK with future bookings,” it added.
The collapse of the company left 600,000 people, mainly from the UK, Germany and Scandinavia,stranded at their holiday destinations and creditors of the company have started to seize its aircraft, a BBC news report said.
A rescue operation is already on the way to bring the holidaymakers home. The BBC also reported that the management of a resort in Tunisia had prevented anyone to leave the resort although coaches are waiting outside its gates to take Thomas Cook passengers to the airport.
The company had about a million bookings for future holidays, which will all be cancelled. Thomas Cook, which was founded in 1843, employed about 21,000 people at the time of its collapse.
