XL LEISURE GROUP

ABTA has been informed, and can confirm, that the XL Leisure Group ceased trading on 12 September 2008.

ADVICE TO PASSENGERS

Passengers yet to travel

You may find our flow chart useful. 

All future XLUK tour operator holidays are now cancelled and people with advance holiday bookings will not be able to travel. Outbound customers are advised not to go to their departure airport. Customers who booked with tour operators will be able to claim a full refund from ATOL. Information on how to claim is available on the CAA website www.atol.org.uk.

Virgin Holidays - options to help affected Florida holidaymakers

Follow this link for information for XLUK customers who were due to travel with Travel City Direct to Florida:

http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/info/about/re_book_your_holiday/default.aspx?utm_source=yournewholiday&utm_medium=atol&utm_campaign=yournewholiday

Thomson/First Choice - assistance being offered

Follow this link for information about assistance being offered by Thomson/First Choice:

http://www.thomson.co.uk/editorial/press-centre/2008/thomson-and-first-choice-help-xl-customers.html

Passengers currently abroad

If you booked a package holiday with an XLUK tour operator (see list below) or a flight with Freedom Flights then the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL scheme covers you and you will be flown home without needing to pay any money.

If you booked a package holiday or flight through another tour operator and were travelling on an XL flight then the tour operator covers you and you should be flown home without needing to pay any money. Please contact your tour operator.

If you bought only a flight from XL Airways through xl.com or a travel agent, even though you are not covered by the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL Scheme, the CAA will endeavour to bring you home with the minimum of delay. However, there will be a fee to cover the cost. You are not obliged to use the CAA arrangements.

Contact information for ATOL customers

• The ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk has advice for people abroad and people who have booked holidays with the Group. It will be regularly updated as more information becomes available on new arrangements for inbound flights. People who have booked but are yet to start their holiday should also speak to their travel agent.
• The CAA will be setting up an emergency helpline from 06.00 on 12 September. Customers are asked to check the ATOL website before telephoning because the answers they need are likely to be found there, and to call only if there is an emergency.
• Customers abroad: +44 (0) 2891 856547.
• Customers in the UK with advance bookings: 0870 5900927.

Affected tour operators

XLUK was the UK’s third largest tour operating group and included four UK tour operators, all of which held Air Travel Organisers’ Licences (ATOLs):

The Really Great Holiday Company PLC - ATOL 3827 - which traded as:
Cruise City
Excel Holidays
The Florida Skytrain
Transatlantic Vacations
Travel City Direct
Travel City International
Freedom Flights Limited - ATOL 5296
Aspire Holidays Limited - ATOL 6536
Kosmar Villa Holidays PLC - ATOL 1760 - which traded as:
Kosmar Holidays

Further information

XLUK tour operators flew principally from London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol, Nottingham and Glasgow airports. XLUK arranged holidays in the main holiday resorts of the Mediterranean including Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, as well as the Canaries, Portugal, Malta and Egypt. It also operated long haul holidays in Florida and the Caribbean. The majority of holidays were sold through travel agents.

The CAA is working with the Group’s Administrator, Kroll, major tour operators, including Thomson, First Choice, Thomas Cook and Virgin Holidays, and airlines to ensure that UK customers currently abroad are taken care of. Arrangements will be made to pay hotels and in-resort staff to ensure that holidaymakers that booked with XLUK tour operators can complete their holidays and fly home.

Since XL Airways is no longer operating, flights to bring people home will be made with other airlines. The CAA plans to operate these flights as close as possible to the original schedule and we ask customers to be patient while these arrangements are being made.

People who have made advance payments will be able to claim refunds. The CAA advises customers to see their travel agent and ask whether their booking can be transferred to another holiday. Travel agents and customers will be able to download claim forms from the ATOL website.

XL Airways

The Group’s UK airline, XL Airways (XLA), also sold seats direct to the public. People who booked with the airline are not ATOL protected. An estimated 10,000 passengers are abroad that booked direct with the airline.

Customers with advance bookings paid by credit card should contact their card issuer or contact their bank if they paid by debit card. If they took out travel insurance, they should check whether their policy covered airline insolvency.

The Group also operated separate airlines in France and Germany. XL Airways France (operating under flight numbers starting XLF) and XL Airways Germany (GXL) are unaffected by this failure.

Medlife Hotels

In addition, the Group operated an accommodation agency called Medlife Hotels. People who booked with this company are not ATOL protected. Those with advance bookings paid by credit card should contact their card issuer or contact their bank if they paid by debit card. If they took out travel insurance, they should check whether their policy covered holiday company insolvency.

Further advice is available for XL Airways and Medlife Hotels customers from the Group’s Administrators, Kroll, at www.xl.com or by telephone: 0800 068 8991 for customers in the UK; +44 (0) 208 242 4783 for customers abroad. Further information can be found on the ATOL website www.atol.org.uk

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