Further Progress On CAA Repatriation Flights Following XL Collapse - 3.15pm, 14 September 2008
Jim Mason
The Civil Aviation Authority announced that at midday today, 14 September,
it has arranged a total of 94 repatriation flights, which have carried or
will carry 22,090 customers of the failed holiday company XL.
The XL customers who have been repatriated to date are those who had
completed their holidays and were due to return to the UK on Friday (the
day of the XL failure) and this weekend. The CAA’s priority has been to
organise the return of these passengers and this repatriation exercise
should be substantially completed by the end of Monday.
The CAA is also working to replicate as closely as possible over the next
couple of weeks the XL flight programme, to enable the approximately 30,000
people who are still on holiday to continue their holidays in the knowledge
that their flight home will take place as close as possible to the original
planned time. So that XL customers can complete their holidays, the
exercise will continue for the next two weeks.
The flights are organised by the CAA for the customers protected under its
ATOL protection scheme, and the CAA is also offering capacity to enable
those passengers who had bought only a flight with XL Airways and so are
not ATOL-protected to fly back to the UK at a reasonable price. These
‘flight only’ customers who are not ATOL-protected and so paying for their
flight back to the UK are not obliged to use the CAA arrangements.
Richard Jackson, CAA Director of Consumer Protection, said: “The CAA, with
extensive help from the travel trade, has been working very hard to look
after XL’s customers. Our immediate challenge has been to repatriate
holidaymakers due home in the days immediately following the company’s
collapse. We are also working to ensure the timely return of those who are
continuing their holidays over the next couple of weeks.
“No one who is an ATOL-protected customer should feel stranded. Whilst
we’ve had some problems, including adverse weather conditions in the
Caribbean making it difficult to position replacement aircraft, all
customers will be able to return from their holidays, and as close to their
planned flight times as possible. This is a massive logistical exercise,
and its cost will be covered by the CAA’s ATOL funding arrangements.”
The flights currently organised by the CAA are from Alicante, Malaga
(Spain); Athens, Corfu, Heraklion, Kalamata, Kavala, Kefalonia, Kos,
Mykonos, Preveza, Rhodes, Skiathos, Zante (Greece); Bodrum, Dalaman
(Turkey); Cagliari (Sardinia); Faro (Portugal); Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh
(Egypt); Grenada (Caribbean); Paphos (Cyprus); Las Palmas, Tenerife
(Canaries); Mahon (Minorca); Orlando, Sanford (Florida); and Palma
(Majorca). The aircraft are being provided by Astraeus, BA, bmi British
Midland, First Choice Airways, Jet2.com, Monarch Airlines, Thomsonfly,
Virgin Atlantic and a number of overseas airlines.
Thomson, First Choice, Thomas Cook and Virgin Holidays staff are continuing
to provide essential support on the ground in resorts, with cooperation
from other tour operators and the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO), which
is helping to coordinate this operation.
People can consult the CAA website www.atol.org.uk under 'failure of XL
Leisure Group' and 'more information for passengers in resort' for up-to-
date information on all repatriation flights that have been arranged. The
call centre numbers are +44 (0) 2891 856547 for customers abroad; and 0870
590 0927 for customers in the UK with advance bookings. Customers are asked
to check the ATOL website before telephoning as the information they need
is likely to be found there.
Notes to editors:
ATOL (short for Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) is managed by the CAA and
gives comprehensive protection from losing money or being stranded abroad
to 26 million people in the UK who buy air holidays and flights from tour
operators each year. It is by far the largest travel protection scheme in
the UK, and the only one for flights and air holidays sold by tour
operators.
All tour operators selling flights and air holidays must hold a licence
from the CAA. If a licence holder fails, the CAA is responsible for
ensuring customers are either repatriated to the UK or receive a refund of
payments made.
Repatriation costs and refunds are met by the Air Travel Trust fund, the
funds of which come from a £1 per person contribution, called the ATOL
Protection Contribution, each licence holder is required to make when it
accepts a booking under its ATOL. In some circumstances a licence holder
will have also provided a bond, which is used in the first instance to
protect customers.
In the year to March 2008, ATOL enabled over 2,000 customers of failed tour
operators to complete their holidays and return to the UK and 21,000
received a refund of advance payments. For the year, total expenditure on
repatriations and refunds was £7.5 million.
Further information about ATOL is available on the ATOL website at
www.atol.org.uk.