Travel

Thomas Cook: The Sun’s travel editor Lisa Minot joins holidaymakers on a repatriation flight from Palma to Manchester


THEY’D spent the week panicking they could be stranded abroad after the collapse of travel giant Thomas Cook.

But for a lucky few aboard an A380 rescue flight yesterday, the journey home was in first class style.

 The Malaysian A380 double-decker plane that brought the stranded Brits home on the ground at Manchester Airport

7

The Malaysian A380 double-decker plane that brought the stranded Brits home on the ground at Manchester AirportCredit: ©AndyKelvin / Kelvin Media
 The repatriation flight was part of the biggest evacuation of British nationals in peace time

7

The repatriation flight was part of the biggest evacuation of British nationals in peace time
 Homeward bound at last... Matt and Susan Goldie (left & right) with Tom and Casey Greeves

7

Homeward bound at last… Matt and Susan Goldie (left & right) with Tom and Casey GreevesCredit: ©AndyKelvin / Kelvin Media
 The plane is extra comfortable because it is usually flown on long-haul flights to Asia

7

The plane is extra comfortable because it is usually flown on long-haul flights to AsiaCredit: Marc Paydon

The Sun had exclusive access to the last Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) flight using a 500-seat A380 from Palma, Majorca to Manchester as the CAA enters the second week of its epic mission to bring more than 160,000 Brits home.

As well as the 100,000 package holiday customers covered by the government’s ATOL scheme, another 60,000 flight-only customers were also being brought back at no expense.

The Malaysian Airlines plane – one of 100 hastily assembled to embark on the largest repatriation of travellers in peacetime history – came complete with six luxury first class suites and 66 flat bed business class seats.

It was the luck of the draw for the 233 passengers coming back today.

Delighted Susan and Matthew Goldie, their son Thomas and his girlfriend Casey Greeves were shocked to discover they had bagged the best seats on the plane – 1A,B,C and D.

The Nottingham family gasped as they were shown to their seats by smiling Malaysian crew, with Michael, 63, explaining: “It’s been a horrible week and we just wanted to go home.

“But this is the lap of luxury.

“When we found out Thomas Cook had gone bust, the hotel owner went into panic mode and started demanding we pay them. She had not been paid by the company for three months and was owed more than half a million euros.

“We refused to pay but some others did.

“Thankfully they had their money refunded once the hotel found out the ATOL scheme would pay them.”

It’s a huge exercise and I have 500 staff at the CAA working hard to make this happen

Dame Deirdre Hutton, CAA chairwoman

Care worker Casey, 18, found herself in first class for the first time in her life. She said: “It’s been a really stressful week trying to find out how we were going to get home.

“I have had to spend hours checking the CAA website to find out when we were flying. We only got the details yesterday.”

It was also a welcome surprise for 94-year-old Gordon White and his wife Yvonne, who relaxed in the first class suites with glasses of water and coffee.

Yvonne, a former BBC presenter from Stratford-upon-Avon, said: “The hotel had an exclusive deal with Thomas Cook and they have lost a vast amount of money.

“Although they didn’t ask us for money the quality of the food they served and the quantity definitely went downhill after they found out.”

Back in the economy section, the refined surroundings of a long-haul plane were scant comfort for some after a stressful week.

 Pictured are Robert Hidenbotham with Michelle and Margaret Miles who were left high and dry after a luggage blunder

7

Pictured are Robert Hidenbotham with Michelle and Margaret Miles who were left high and dry after a luggage blunderCredit: ©AndyKelvin / Kelvin Media

One Nottingham family spent three days without their luggage – including vital insulin medication – after it had not been loaded onto a Thomas Cook flight from East Midlands Airport to Palma last Saturday.

Paul, 63, and Margaret Miles, 72, were travelling with daughter Michelle Miles, her partner Alex Reader and pal Robert Hitchenbotham.

Michelle explained: “There was at least 100 of us without our bags.

“They promised to deliver them on a Ryanair flight on Sunday but by then, the company was in the middle of going bust.

“We had to buy clothes, toiletries but most importantly, we had to track down insulin medication for my father. It cost us hundreds of pounds.”

PASSENGERS PRAISE RESCUE OPERATION

The passengers had nothing but praise for the CAA’s repatriation programme.

CAA chairwoman Dame Deirdre Hutton, who was on board to supervise the unprecedented operation, said: “It’s a huge exercise and I have 500 staff at the CAA working hard to make this happen and inevitably there have been hiccups in some places. 

“We’ve had crews going out of hours and weather problems but I am pretty pleased with how it has gone.

“It has been a huge task to get the number of aircraft needed to mirror the Thomas Cook flights.

“The Malaysian crew on this plane were given just 48 hours to get this plane over from Kuala Lumpar.”

Palma Airport was full of government staff with high-vis jackets there to shepherd the weary travellers home.

For Tracy and Chris Smith from Leicester, travelling with their disabled son Connor the well-planned operation was a huge relief.

She said: “Our car is still at East Midlands Airport and we didn’t think Connor would be able to cope with two coach journeys and a plane today so we have our local cab company coming to pick us up.

“They have been amazing in giving us the support we need travelling with Connor.”

More than 60 per cent of those on board faced long coach journeys organised by the CAA to airports including Newcastle, East Midlands, Gatwick and Stansted.

But as the plane finally touched down in Manchester, passengers clapped and cheered as the Malaysian crew announced: “Welcome home. It must be so good for you to be home.”

 Casey Greeves, 18, in seat 1A in First Class of the rescue plane - never been upgraded before in her life

7

Casey Greeves, 18, in seat 1A in First Class of the rescue plane – never been upgraded before in her life
 Pictured about to take the last leg home on a coach is the Dent family Nicky, Tia-Elizabeth 10, Lilly-Mai 9 & Matthew from Lincoln.

7

Pictured about to take the last leg home on a coach is the Dent family Nicky, Tia-Elizabeth 10, Lilly-Mai 9 & Matthew from Lincoln.Credit: ©AndyKelvin / Kelvin Media
Passengers on a repatriation flight were almost brought to tears by a Thomas Cook cabin crew member, who made a raw and emotional speech over the tannoy


We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.


 





READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.