NEWS m terribly sorry


guaranteed by the government and ministers refused to step in. Fosun, which had an 18.6% stake


in Tomas Cook, this week said its joint-venture Tomas Cook China, would continue to operate. Fankhauser declined to criticise


the government but noted Tomas Cook’s German airline Condor received a €380 million loan from the German government and said: “I did not ask for that [a loan]. If I had, it would have been for less.” Had the takeover been successful,


Fankhauser said: “At the end of the process, we would probably have been the best-financed holiday company [in Europe].” Fankhauser also blamed bad


luck, in particular the summer 2018 heatwave, saying: “In the first half of 2018, I had never been in a beter booking position. Ten the heatwave came [and] we could not change capacity.” He hailed the industry’s


support for Tomas Cook customers and staff, describing it as


“breathtaking”, and said: “I am hugely grateful.”


i Full interview: Business, back page s in largest-ever Atol refund scheme


repatriation programme landed in Manchester on Monday morning from Orlando. CAA head of Atol Andy Cohen


Andy Cohen tracks the last repatriation flight on Monday


said: “It’s not time for celebration. We move on to geting 800,000 people their money back.” Richard Moriarty, CAA chief


executive, said: “Tis will be the largest-ever Atol reimbursement programme.”


Abta LifeLine chairman Derek Jones and,


inset, Sharon Gadsby feLi e chairman


Tui pledges £25k to boost LifeLine fund


Tui has led the donations to Abta LifeLine as the charity continues its appeal to help staff made redundant by the collapse of Tomas Cook. At Abta’s Travel Convention,


Cook’s long-standing rival pledged to donate £25,000 to help staff in need. Kuoni donated £5,000, Te Midcounties Co-operative and Classic Collection both pledged £1 for each of their own employees and Travel Weekly pledged £10 for each member of its staff. Cook’s failure leſt 21,000


staff, including 9,000 in the UK, of which 4,000 were travel agents, without work. Derek Jones, chairman of


Abta LifeLine and chief executive of Der Touristik UK, said at least £100,000 would be required to meet the initial requests the charity had received from former Tomas Cook employees desperately in need of support. About £46,000 has been


pledged so far. Tere have been 360 applications following more than 400 enquiries from Tomas Cook staff since the firm ceased trading on September 23. “Not everyone has


something to fall back on,” said Jones. “Tat’s why LifeLine is here.” Abta LifeLine director Trudie


Clements described the impact of Tomas Cook’s failure on staff as a “human crisis”. “Te demand is huge and we are doing our best to get back to everyone,” she said. “Tis is unprecedented. Not just in terms of the support we are giving…this is a human crisis.” Former agent Sharon Gadsby,


who worked for Cook for 15 years, applied for assistance from LifeLine the day aſter the company’s failure and has received food vouchers. She said: “My husband is


working and his salary covers the bills, but there is no other money to pay for the weekly shop. I don’t think I slept a wink [on September 23] – even this week I have found myself waking up at 3am.” Gadsby urged former colleagues


to contact the charity if they needed help. “Do not suffer in silence,” she said. “Tese people are here to help you. Do not think that there is no light at the end of the tunnel – there is.” Trough Abta LifeLine, former


Cook staff can access financial advice and get help claiming benefits and emergency financial assistance. abtalifeline.org.uk


travelweekly.co.uk


10 OCTOBER 2019


5


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