X.L in LIQUIDATION

[peli]

hi All
I work nights and for the last couple of hours have been listening to 5 live radio
As of 3.o-clock this morning X.L have ceased trading and all flights cancelled, this is on going breaking news, the experts who have been on the radio are stressing that there are NO flights both now or any time in the future and there are rescue packages being put in place to return people who are stranded and advising people not to bother going to the airport
This Also, includes any tour operator, freedom flight etc who also use XL
Basicaly NO XL planes will fly
I believe that XL are posting advice on their web page
Peli

[peli]

P.S to above
It sounds very bad they have been interviewing people who are at the airport who have no holiday, also an xl pilot who says the inbound staff dont even know and will find when they land that they have no jobs
and all the aircraft are definatly being grounded
Also there are no staff at airports for people to contact it sounds bloody chaotic
I can only feel so so sorry for the families who are in this terrible situation
Peli

[polly]

This is what has been said, I have copied this.

EDIT: For copyright reasons I had to remove this, please provide the link to the article though as we can publish that.

Thanks

Col

[Erik The Viking]

Its a terrible situation to be in, many peoples hard earned holidays gone in a flash. I heard that they were selling tickets right up until midnight last night which is unforgiveable.

I would be seriously pee'd off if i was that guy who turned up at the desk this morning to check in to be thrust a bit of paper saying everythings cancelled.

[reesy1959]

Another blow - this is terrible news for all the people on holliday or due to go soon.

Hopefully alternative arrangements can be made very soon.

[Ang20x]

I'd be devastated, this could also put people off booking flights seperate!

[swc24]

Hi All

Just been on 10.00am news 85000 people stranded abroad hope they all get home safe

Steve

[Not the weakest link]

Ang 20x it certainly does.

I've been waiting for jet2.com flights to Dalaman and nowhere that i can see on their website does it say they're covered by ATOl, because you usually book directly with them, I would assume people wouldnt be covered.

Plus people dont always have any money to fall back on to get
them home when these disatrous events happen if they booked with the airline. I actually dont understand how the airlines aren't covered but if you booked with a flight agency or whatever you're covered. Tis very strange.

I hope everyone gets their money back that hasnt gone yet. and people get home without too many horrid delays, but they must be looking at at least 48 hours delays.

bev

[Ang20x]

Would travel insurance cover this...
I know the majority cover the cancellation of flights but would they cover you when a company goes bust??

[Keith]

Hi Bev
I am like you in that we usually arrange our holidays direct with hotels,flights, transfers etc. and have also registered with jet2.com awaiting prices for flights to Dalaman. The only advice i have been given in the past is that if you pay for your flights with a credit card, and there is a problem at a later stage, the credit cards insurance company will give you your money back
Regards
Keith

[JT]

Its not just people that have booked just the flight that are affected.

There are 1000's of people stranded that have booked the full holiday from the company and its partners so not a flight only related problem.

I have been watching the news all morning and the chairman was nearly brought to tears and was really gutted that his hands were tied and he couldn't bring the people home with his own planes that were sitting on the runways.

I booked a holiday in July with them to Tenerife

[peli]

Hi All
AS I said in my first post, I was listening to this unfolding on live radio, and they had ,some one I think!!, from Atol, or one of them organisations who was answering questions live.
Eric,
The guy on the radio was actually in a booking situation with XL, and was just one click away from comfirmation of him booking with them, right up to minuites before the press release at about 3.o-clock. apparently even the XL staff didnt know !!
Ang20x
Regard to insurance this question was raised, the "expert", said, and it is probably true, that only a few who will have paid "the extra" for cover in this case will be covered, and I got to say how many of us do that, and also how many dont even, "bother with insurance".
Also the question was asked on numourous occasions why it went this far
The answer from the expert, was when is a company, on the point of no return, or is it recoverable??
And at what point do they stop trading, If they moved too soon it would go" t---s up" the other way, I can possibly understand this!!,
But it is no consolation for the people involved

Peli

[waynesworld]

This really is awful.I feel so sorry for the customers stranded abroad wandering if they will get home.The customers who will not now get a holiday.The employees who will not get any redundancy and may not get jobs .
Its all very well the CEO being emotional but he must have known his companies trading position for some time.Why not stop taking bookings,advise the staff the position.At least they could have done something for themselves.
Hasnt the oil price dropped dramatically in recent weeks.Companies were quick to charge customers more when it was rising but how many will be charged less now.
I bet in the next few days there will be a picture in the Sun or the like showing the CEO's massive mansion and expensive cars outside.
If he is really feeling sorry for the thousands of people he has let down why doesnt he make a gesture and put his assets into the insolvency pot.
Sorry to rant but this type of thing makes my blood boil.

[peli]

HI Wyne
I dont know if anyone else was involved.
But last year we had in our family, trouble in 2 separate dealings with XL,my wife and me had a compleat cancellation 2wks before and sister in law had time change by 24hrs.
The explanation was they had a "plane go out of commision!!".
I said then I wouldnt deal with them again,and booked all this years flights with Onur, lucky I did becouse I used XL regular previuos to this!
Anyhow main point here, it makes you wonder if that was the start of their accumalation of troubles! by not being able to afford to repair it,
I belive it was down for the rest of the season
They have probably been ,chaising their a---s ever since?
This then might have been the time for some one to stop them trading!

I feel big companies who deal with the welfare of the public should be more open answerable to the ruling bodies.

But, Heh!! we are only "Joe Public" arnt we!!!

Peli

[feefee1970]

the company seguro also ceased trading a few days ago I know folk that are stuck an an airport Its very sad news
My hoilday company went bust last year but I was very lucky I got my flight there hotel paid and a flight home some where not as lucky

[Not the weakest link]

Re redundancy for staff. if the firm ceased trading, they are supposed to receive statutory redundancy money from the DTI or whatever its called now. If companies know they may have to make redundancies, they have to inform the DTI if its over 100 (from memory) that will be affected.

I would have thought TUI or Thomas Cook would be looking at taking over, at a bargain price.

They've merged / taken over all the other tour ops and airlines such as Thomson / Mytravel / First Choice etc.


Hopefully some emergency charters have been arranged by now, havent seen the news since this morning however.

Good luck to all

[janden]

What really p---es me off is that the CEO of XL stated on TV that they have managed to save the French & German arms of the XL company.
Bully for them the Germans already own the two largest holiday companies in the U.K.
___________________________________

Denis.

[nashy64uk]

Thought XL were a subsidiary of Iceland air?

[reesy1959]

I just found out tonight that the Girlfriend of our Friends Son went to work in Cardiff XL this morning to be told she had no job. She was really upset as expected and to make matters worse, they just signed for their first house last week.

Terrible news for everyone involved in XL, tourists and staff.

[cheriton]

With regards to all the poor holiday makers that are stuck abroad at the moment, not knowing how or when they are going to get home because there is now a shortage of planes to carry them back, why don't the CAA (who, I believe are responsible for repatrionising them) use the grounded XL fleet and their pilots to get them back. A simple solution to me in times of need, but I guess there to much red tape involved for this to be a simple solution.