XL leaves thousands stranded
The country's third largest package holiday operator, XL Leisure Group, said on Friday it had gone into administration and grounded all flights, leaving tens of thousands of holidaymakers stranded.
Why is it so difficult to switch broadband?In a statement on its website, XL said its companies, which include Kosmar Villa Holidays and The Really Great Holiday Company, had suffered from volatile fuel prices, the economic downturn, and being unable to obtain further funding.
Manchester-based restructuring experts Kroll have been appointed as administrators.
XL said the administrators cannot continue trading the business and, therefore, all flights operated by the companies have been immediately cancelled and the aircraft grounded.
"Going forward, the administrators are unlikely to be able to trade the business or operate the aircraft," it said.
Britain's Civil Aviation Authority CAA.L said it was working to return home about 85,000 stranded XL holidaymakers.
The CAA estimated there are 50,000 tour operator customers of XL UK abroad, plus a further 10,000 who flew with XL Airways, and 25,000 with other tour operators who shared the XL flights.
A further 200,000 customers have advance bookings with XL tour operators but all future departures have been cancelled.
Travellers who booked their holidays through one of XL's tour operators are protected under a scheme operated by the CAA, in conjunction with ATOL, which will cover the costs involved with getting them back home.
However, those who booked their flights through XL but made their own accommodation arrangements are not protected.
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