Thomas Cook collapses with all flights from Birmingham Airport cancelled

Passengers that were due to fly with stricken airline Thomas Cook have been urged not to travel to Birmingham Airport this morning for their flight.

The collapse of the travel company has left 22,000 jobs worldwide in jeopardy and 150,000 British holidaymakers stranded abroad, prompting the launch of the biggest peacetime repatriation of British citizens.

Talks to save the 178 year old firm, which was set up by Thomas Cook, a cabinet-maker, in 1841 to transport temperance supporters by railway, collapsed last night.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that the government and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has hired dozens of charter planes to fly customers home free of charge.

All customers currently abroad with Thomas Cook who are booked to return to the UK over the next two weeks will be brought home “as close as possible” to their booked return date, says the Government.

The flights will start operating from today.

Thomas Cook has been a partner airline of Birmingham Airport for many years, carrying over 750,000 passengers annually. It was Birmingham’s fifth largest carrier and based four aircraft at the airport.

In a statement, Birmingham Airport said: “Our priority is to support passengers who were scheduled to travel from Birmingham Airport today by providing extra support staff, information and assist with their arrangements home.

“We’re working closely with the CAA and the DfT to also support the effort to repatriate passengers back to the UK over the coming weeks.

“Passengers due to travel with Thomas Cook are advised not to come to the Airport as there will be no more Thomas Cook flights from the UK.”

Anyone booked to travel with Thomas Cook should visit thomascook.caa.co.uk or call 0300 303 2800 from within the UK or +44 1753 330330 from overseas.

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