Collapse of British tour operator causes travel chaos

Barely two weeks after the decline of Canadian discount carrier Zoom Airlines wrecked havoc at British airports, UK residents are now experiencing an even worse travel nightmares, following the bankruptcy of a major tour operator. The XL Leisure Group’s fate was nearly identical to that of Zoom Airlines. The company’s planes were grounded this week without any advance notice. The firm reportedly had insufficient funds to pay for basic operational expenses.

XL’s bankruptcy stranded 89,000 travelers in foreign countries, most of whom were Britons. Many of these travelers found themselves stuck at Florida airports, while others could not get home from their holidays in the Caribbean. The New York Times discovered that 200,000 people had made reservations with XL Leisure, a firm which offered Britons access to 50 popular tourist destinations. The carrier confirmed today that all of its planes had been grounded and that the company has ceased operations effective immediately.  Even worse news for travelers is the fact that those who were already abroad will be unable to claim a refund or compensation and will have to purchase another ticket in order to return to the UK. Only those passengers who booked tickets or packages through another company will be able to claim a refund or get rebooked.

Thank you to the New York Times for the initial report.