How Wiganers reacted to Thomas Cook collapse

Around 21,000 employees have lost their jobs, including staff at Wigan’s town centre store, and more than 150,000 British holidaymakers are currently abroad and will need to be repatriated as a result of the 178-year-old firm’s collapse, the Civil Aviation Authority said.

Richard Moriarty, chief executive of the CAA, said it had launched “what is effectively one of the UK’s largest airlines” in order to repatriate British holidaymakers.

The CAA said in a statement: “All Thomas Cook bookings, including flights and holidays, have now been cancelled. There are currently more than 150,000 Thomas Cook customers abroad, almost twice the number that were repatriated following the failure of Monarch.

“We know that a company with such long-standing history ceasing trading will be very distressing for its customers and employees and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this news.”

Residents took to Wigan Today's Facebook page to express their dismay at the firm’s collapse, sharing their personal experiences.

Andrea Price said: “I am abroad and was due to return tomorrow night. Not heard anything yet. Sad for the jobs lost! More unemployed. British government could have saved the company.”

Kayla Jade wrote: “My boyfriend’s family are due to fly back tomorrow and their flight has already been rearranged. I don’t think anyone is going to be stranded.”

Lynn Roberts said: “It’s not the first airline and sadly it won’t be the last we had a holiday booked with Monarch when that went bust.”

Stacey Wooton said: “I have also many friends whom have lost their jobs today, both in the UK and overseas, who are devastated, and will put their uniforms on today, because they want to, and not because they have to. Thinking of all affected by the sad news.

Elaine Gittins wrote: “(I have) a heartbroken daughter who has put her heart and soul into her job over the past 18 years. Feel for those that are abroad and have holidays booked but to hear your child breaking her heart, I have no words.”

Graham Vernon: “I doubt very much that the men at the top will suffer any financial heartache. Very sad indeed for all the staff and their families.”

Check-in desks across the country were eerily deserted yesterday morning after the news broke. Passengers arriving at Manchester Airport were met with a statement which read: “All

Thomas Cook flights are cancelled as the airline has ceased trading. The CAA and UK Government are organising flights back to the UK for Thomas Cook’s passengers originating from the UK currently abroad and due to return to the UK on or before 06/10/2019.”

The group’s four airlines will be grounded and its 21,000 employees in 16 countries, including 9,000 in the UK, will be left unemployed. The company also operated around 600 UK high street stores.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the Government had asked it to launch a repatriation programme over the next two weeks, starting on Monday and running to Sunday October 6, to bring Thomas Cook customers back to the UK.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson admitted yesterday that the government had refused a bailout package of around £150m to save the company.Mr Johnson defended his refusal, saying that state intervention would have risked creating a “moral hazard”.

“It is perfectly true that a request was made to the Government for a subvention of about £150 million,” he said.

“Clearly that’s a lot of taxpayers’ money and sets up, as people will appreciate, a moral hazard in the case of future such commercial difficulties that companies face.”