30 SEPTEMBER 2019

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Article from BTNews 30 SEPTEMBER 2019

Thomas Cook rescue in full swing

Well over half of the 150,000 holidaymakers stranded abroad after the Thomas Cook collapse last Monday had returned to the UK by yesterday (Sunday 29 September) nearly a week after the CAA’s repatriation operation began. Over 350 flights have been involved so far.

Operation Matterhorn continues until 6 October, by when all Thomas Cook clients affected are expected to have been brought back on the days they were originally booked to fly.

CAA chief executive Richard Moriarty said: “Despite the challenges of this unprecedented situation, I am pleased our Operation Matterhorn is on track with around 61,000 people flown home in the first four days – more than 40% of the total.

With repatriation under way, attention last week focused on the background to the collapse, particularly how the directors of Thomas Cook had reportedly paid themselves £20m in the past four years.

In parliament, transport secretary Grant Shapps said all parties had considered options to avoid how the company could avoid being put into administration, adding: “Ultimately, however, it was Thomas Cook and its directors took the decision themselves to place this company into insolvency proceedings.”

A dedicated employment fair for the thousands of North West workers who lost their jobs following the collapse, including supply chain employees, will be held at Manchester Airport this Thursday, 3 October.

The CH-AVIATION database lists the following aircraft chartered by the CAA.

Miami Air International: one B737-800
Eastern Airlines: three B767-300s
euroAtlantic Airways: one B767-300 and one B777-200(ER)
Privilege Style: one B767-300(ER)
Atlas Air: one B747-400
Evelop Airlines: one A330-300
Malaysia Airlines: one A380-800
Titan Airways: one B757-200, one B737-400 (wet-leased from GetJet Airlines), one A320-200 and four A321-200s (all wet-leased from Avion Express), one A320-200 (wet-leased from SundAir), one A321-200 (wet-leased from Olympus Airways), two A321-200s (wet-leased from SmartLynx Airlines); one A340-600 (wet-leased from Maleth-Aero), one A340-300 (wet-leased from Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas)
Hi Fly: one A340-300
Hi Fly Malta: one A340-300

(See also COMMENT in this issue).

www.ch-aviation.com

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport

www.thomascook.caa.co.uk

www.manchesterairport.co.uk

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