• Tourism: Thomas Cook asks the British Government for help to avoid bankruptcy and a suspension of payments

The Thomas Cook travel group, with 178 years of history, has entered into suspension of payments after having failed the emergency negotiations with its main shareholder and creditors in order to find a bailout, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed on Monday. .

The company, which employs 22,000 people - 9,000 in the United Kingdom - "has ceased operations with immediate effect," the regulator said in a statement, and currently has 150,000 tourists from that country on vacation abroad , in the absence of being repatriated.

The company has not been able to secure the 200 million pounds (about 227 million euros) it needed as extra funds to guarantee its survival after a full day of crucial meetings held in London.

"All reservations of the Thomas Cook Group, which include flights and vacations, have been canceled," the CAA said in the note.

The Government has arranged for a repatriation program to begin during the next two weeks, which will begin today and last until October 6 in order to return tourists from this country to the United Kingdom.

"Due to the unprecedented number of British customers who are currently on vacation and have been affected by the situation, the CAA has secured a fleet of planes from around the world to bring passengers back to the UK, " said the CAA in the note.

Some of the passengers who are in "a small number of destinations" may have to take alternative commercial flights to those of the program implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority.

It is also warned that because of the "significant magnitude of the situation" it will be "inevitable" that some "alterations" occur and British customers abroad are asked not to travel to the airports until they have their flights back to the United Kingdom confirmed.

" Thomas Cook customers in the United Kingdom who have to travel should not go to the airport because all flights to the United Kingdom have been canceled," the CAA said.

For his part, the British Transport Minister, Grant Shapps , announced that the Executive and the CAA will have "dozens" of charter flights to transfer the affected customers home free of charge.

That head, who considered that the operator's collapse is "very sad news for employees and tourists," said the Executive will also cover the accommodation costs of customers who enjoyed vacation packages.

"But the task is enormous, it is the largest repatriation operation in British history (since World War II)," said Shapps, who also warned that there will be "problems and delays."

Thomas Cook, which operates in 16 countries , has 105 aircraft and has 200 hotels and hotel complexes with its brand , according to its website, had planned to seal a rescue package with the Chinese conglomerate Fosun, estimated at 900 million pounds ( 1,023 million euros).

However, it was delayed by the requirement of banks - such as RBS and Lloyds - to have new reserves for the winter, which the firm has not been able to achieve.

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