London (AFP)

The possible bankruptcy of Thomas Cook spoils the holidays of thousands of tourists who fear being stuck away from home if the group stops its activities, even if they should then be supported by the authorities.

Some 600,000 tourists are currently on holiday with trips organized by Thomas Cook, including 150,000 Britons. The pioneer of tour operators is mainly present in Europe and around the Mediterranean, with Antalya (Turkey) and Majorca (Spain) for flagship destinations.

Jackie and Amy Ward, a mother and daughter on holiday in Mallorca, told Sky News that their holidays in the sun had been "ruined" by the uncertainty surrounding their return.

Jackie Ward said she suffered from heart disease and did not take enough medication with her if she can not return on Monday as planned. Sky News said a stranger would have offered to pay a ticket to this tourist, originally from Newcastle, Britain, to make sure she can get home safely no matter what.

The anguish also affects the hundreds of Thomas Cook claimants who are seeing their incomes threatened, some of whom risk having to go out of business if the tour operator goes bankrupt.

In Hammamet, Tunisia, officials of the hotel Les Orangers thus briefly delayed the departure of a group of tourists, "the time to verify that the payment" of their stay had been made, told AFP a spokesman of the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior.

According to a tourist interviewed by AFP, hotel officials asked for additional payments as a precaution given the situation of Thomas Cook while the tourists of this group had already paid the costs of their stay.

- Fiancée "devastated" -

In addition to the travelers who are worried about their return, others are sorry that their travel plans, sometimes organized for a long time, fall in the water.

Britain's Chloe Hardy told AFP she had to fly for two weeks in Zante, Greece, for her wedding on Oct. 2, a Thomas Cook bridal trip she had booked there are more than a year.

Thirty friends and a member of his family and that of his fiancé must join them. "This all-inclusive vacation, wedding and hotel, was booked through Thomas Cook for a cost of around 45,000 pounds," which is more than 50,000 euros, she says.

On the social network Twitter, many pour out their frustrations. "I'm supposed to be traveling on Tuesday and I'd like some info," complains @ JoshSmith1990.

"I'm flying on their company on Friday, I wish they did not leave us in the fog so much, it's a stressful weekend for all of us," says Leah05733909.

British authorities like Thomas Cook, however, reiterate that all organized tours purchased in the European Union are protected under an EU directive. In Britain, the ATOL guarantee will come into play if Thomas Cook goes bankrupt, and the repatriation of holidaymakers will then be organized by the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Two years ago, the CAA had already orchestrated the repatriation of some 85,000 people following the bankruptcy of the British airline Monarch. But a bankruptcy filing for Thomas Cook would be of a different magnitude.

Recently, thousands of passengers from the Icelandic airline Wow found themselves stuck in Europe or North America when the low-cost carrier suddenly announced in March that it was shutting down.

© 2019 AFP