p10-11 wyatt pt2 dec19 17/12/08 20:55 Page 11
ttglive.com
Phil Wyatt exclusive interview news
gone belly up – Wyatt
P
A
Photos
The collapse of XL sparked the biggest passenger airlift in travel industry history and cost many staff their job. Phil Wyatt recalls “some people wanted to hit me”, after he announced XL’s failure
done everything we could,” recounted Wyatt, 100% focused on one job while having two roles. “I do drive a car with the number plate K155
tears welling up in his eyes at the memory. “And I should have got corporate refinancing XLA. It just means ‘I love XL Airways’, nothing
Regaining his composure, he continued: “I experts like International Rescue in to help. else,” Wyatt insisted. “I do love the name Kiss,
went home and tried to get some sleep, but had They could have saved XL. but Kiss Flights is nothing to do with me.”
to be up at 5am and back at the Gatwick Hilton “It should never have gone belly up. Due to Wyatt was also keen to defend his fellow
for the press conference. I thought about very bizarre outside conditions, what happened, colleagues’ reputations.
having my say there, but didn’t. happened. The whole thing was illogical, “When people have a go at individuals like
“Those tears I cried up on that stage weren’t believe me, and I want people to know this.” Paul Moss [former Freedom Flights managing
crocodile tears: they were real. Afterwards, I Wyatt had nothing but praise for the CAA. director], I want them to realise that these
went back to the office. It was very emotional. “They could not have been more supportive. people lost a lot of money too,” he added.
Some people wanted to hit me and some They really worked with us to try to save the “I want to make sure staff at XL and the likes
wanted to kiss me. My daughter and niece were business. I was also delighted that [the of Mike Greenacre [the managing director of
two of many made redundant on that day. divisions in] Germany and France, and the 750 The Co-operative Travel who has been publicly
“I got my bag and went home to my wife.” staff who work in those two businesses, were critical of the XL situation], are aware that Paul
saved. Both were really cash positive.” and the rest of the management team who had
MISTAKES shares in XL all lost a personal fortune.
“If I’ve made mistakes it’s that I should never KISS FLIGHTS “In total, the management owned over a third
have got someone else in to run a business I Wyatt was determined to put a lid on the of the company and lost over £100 million. I
was a majority shareholder in. rumour that he was behind Kiss Flights and that personally lost over £36 million,” said Wyatt.
“I should have encouraged Peter Owen to it had been set up as a “parachute” business “The doubters have got to stop thinking that
step down from Silverjet, as no one can be to drop into when he knew XL was in trouble. this was some machiavellian plan.”
19.12.2008 11
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56