XL Leisure ground flights and calls in administrators

A spokesman for the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) group has described the collapse of the XL Leisure Group as ‘a huge failure’ is asking British holidaymakers to be patient while arrangements are being made to assist them.

Thousands of Britons on holiday have been left stranded abroad with this latest failure of a major UK tour operator.

West Sussex-based XL Leisure Group called in administrators early on Friday morning, after last minute talks with financial backers Straumur and Barclays failed.

All XL aircraft have been grounded, meaning that 85,000 of the travel company’s customers are stranded on their holidays abroad. Many of the additional 200,000, who have made holiday bookings in advance with XL, are likely to lose out.

XL has employed 1,700 staff around the world, and operated flights to over 50 destinations in Africa and Europe. Its holidays have been sold through such brands as Aspire Holidays and The Really Great Holiday Company.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced that is working on arrangements for XL customers to be flown back to the UK.

Holidaymakers had no indication that the travel operator was in trouble until those scheduled to return home on Friday morning went to the airport to learn that their flight was cancelled.

Several other airlines are reporting a massive rise in demand for seats as XL passengers try to find alternate flights home.

www.xl.com