‘All flights & tours cancelled, expect SIGNIFICANT disruptions’: What to do if you are a Thomas Cook customer?

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has set up a dedicated helpline in an effort to mitigate travel chaos and panic among the customers of travel giant Thomas Cook, whose bankruptcy affected an estimated 600,000 people.

"We are doing our best to minimise the impact on passengers, but we do expect there to be significant disruption and delays to travel plans," the watchdog said on a dedicated website that offers advice and guidance to those affected.

For those currently abroad and yet to fly back to the UK with Thomas Cook, British authorities are arranging alternative flights over the next two weeks, as close to original return date as possible.

For those Thomas Cook clients who have a future booking and have not traveled yet, the advice is simple: DO NOT go to the airport, as most holidays and flights booked with agents are now cancelled.

There is an exception for those who booked a holiday package through Thomas Cook but whose flights are with a 3rd party airline: Their flights may not be affected, but other elements of the package – such as accommodation and transfers – will be affected.

Customers whose flights were protected under the Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL) scheme are entitled to a refund via the scheme, while those who are not may be eligible for a refund from a travel insurer or bank.

The task of helping all British citizens return home is challenging and has been called “the biggest peacetime repatriation in UK history” by the transport secretary, Grant Shapps.

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