p9 sep19 17/9/08 20:21 Page 9
ttglive.com
xl collapse news
Street talk
JOB LOSSES
Holidaymakers stranded abroad may have hit the headlines
this week but the failure of the XL Leisure Group also saw 1,700
Mary Evans, retired,
people lose their jobs. Kay McLellan spoke to two of them
London
“I’ve flown XL and I’ll be
very careful from now
on. More should be done
to let people know
Travel City staff fight to
what’s going on with
airlines. Next time, I’ll
check that I’m covered
before booking.”
save ‘profitable’ brand
Edwin Coomasaru, 18,
student, London THE COLLAPSE of XL took with it all its Swansea, Gatwick and Florida, Ireland said Travel
“I only know what I subsidiary companies, including Travel City City Direct made a net profit of £17 million last
read in the papers. It Direct, but one employee is leading a battle to year and was also on course to be profitable this
just came completely save his beloved firm. year.
out of the blue. It won’t Lee Ireland (pictured) has been Travel City To show their support for saving Travel City
make me not book Direct’s Blackpool-based Walt Disney World Direct, Blackpool office staff are hitting the town
a holiday, but it’s product coordinator for the past five years and today wearing the firm’s trademark red T-shirts.
opened my eyes.” is desperately seeking an investor to save TCD.
Fearing time is running out, Ireland said he had
spoken to one anonymous potential investor,
David Meisel, 30, while TTG has spoken to two parties interested
driver, South Africa in buying the company from administrators Kroll.
“We’re planning to visit Ireland said: “I know the XL management must
Germany, Italy and have done all they could to create a rescue deal,
France. My partner has but I’m just trying to save Travel City Direct.
applied for a credit “The whole set-up and the people that made
card so we can put it successful are there, and it was making money.
the holiday on that. “Everyone is devastated. We’re like a family –
We were just going to the receivers said they had never seen a
pay with cash before company of this size that was so close-knit.
XL collapsed.” “I am remaining realistic about our
chances, but I wouldn’t have started
Andrew Barker, this unless I thought there was
designer, London some hope.”
“What safeguards are With offices in Blackpool,
there against this sort of
thing happening again?
I don’t think this has put
me off taking a holiday ‘Jobless . . . and stranded’
but I will use my credit
card and look into TRAVEL City Direct employee Emma Jayne Before her holiday, Thomas was sending out
airlines in the future.” Thomas found out XL Leisure Group had brochures and sorting out next year’s budgets.
collapsed and that she had lost her job while on On her return, she was handed government re-
Lisa Chiu, 19, student, holiday in Greece – with XL. dundancy claim forms and is unsure
Gloucester Thomas was the Swansea-based whether she will get paid this month.
“You think it’s never marketing manager for Travel City Thomas said: “I’ve had calls from
going to happen to you, Direct, but she also became one recruitment people, but the first
but you just don’t know, of the 85,000 XL customers stuck question they ask is whether I can
do you? The internet is abroad when the operator collapsed. relocate – but I would like to stay in
easy to use to book a On holiday with her mother in Kos, this area.
holiday but you’re Greece, Thomas (pictured) heard “With the industry in the state it is,
never quite sure what the news on television. now is not the time to go into travel.
you’re getting. It isn’t “I was in complete shock, I had no I wouldn’t want to work for another
really concrete.” idea it was coming,” she said. travel company and be hurt again.”
19.09.2008 09
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