Final repatriation flight for XL passengers lands in UK

The final flight bringing customers of collapsed operator XL back to Britain had touched down in the UK.

Travel Insurance News - 06/10/2008

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Over 80,000 customers of the failed travel company were left stranded overseas, at 40 different destinations, when the XL fleet was grounded in September.

In the days immediately following the failure of the operator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) organised 222 charter services to fly stranded travellers back to the UK.

The alternate flights were free-of-charge to those passengers covered by the ATOL scheme, and others not covered by the ATOL protection were able to take advantage of the flights, but were required to pay for their airfare home.

The passengers covered by the scheme were those who booked their original flights with travel agents that were ATOL members. Those who purchased their tickets directly through XL Airways were not protected.

The CAA’s head of consumer protection, Richard Jackson, said that the authority was now involved in processing refunds for more than 200,000 XL customers who purchased future bookings that were also cancelled when XL collapsed.

In the coming weeks, the CAA expects that it will process 70,000 or more claims for customers adversely affected by the XL failure.

<< Computer problem grounds planes at London airports | Travel News | Thomson may offer new casual cruising option >>