- Title: German tourists stranded by Thomas Cook insolvency leave Corfu
- Date: 25th September 2019
- Summary: CORFU, GREECE (SEPTEMBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF CORFU AIRPORT TOURISTS WHEELING THEIR SUITCASES ON STREET TOURISTS GETTING OFF A BUS SIGN ON BUS WINDSHIELD READING "THOMAS COOK NECKERMANN" VARIOUS OF TOURISTS WITH SUITCASES WALKING AROUND BUS VARIOUS OF CROWD OF TOURISTS OUTSIDE AIRPORT VARIOUS OF TOURISTS GETTING OFF SHUTTLE BUS WITH SING ON WINDSHIELD READING: "THOMAS COOK NECKERMANN" LONG QUEUES INSIDE AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURISTS, NO NAMES, SAYING: WOMAN: "It's a catastrophe, it's a catastrophe for the travel industry. I find it really sad and awful that such a good and long-standing company could just go bankrupt because of this thing... Brexit." MAN: "I mean it's bad for the travellers, for the people who are stuck somewhere or can't go on their travels. It's tough for them." PASSENGERS QUEUING AT CHECK-IN DESKS (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURIST, NO NAME, SAYING: "It's just sad for the people who booked with Thomas Cook, I mean the customers couldn't have foreseen this happening, so it's a difficult situation for them, we were just lucky." CHECK-IN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURIST, NO NAME, SAYING: "I heard that it wasn't going to be a problem for German tourists and I wish Condor all the best, that's what I want to say, I want it to work out with the loan and I hope the best for the airline." CONDOR INFORMATION SIGN PASSENGERS AT CHECK-IN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURIST, NO NAME, SAYING: "For the last two days we have been wondering whether it would go ok or not but it's all ok." (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURIST, NO NAME, SAYING: "We're not with Thomas Cook, we are with Condor and according to the internet the flight is taking off." PASSENGERS AT CHECK-IN (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURIST, NO NAME, SAYING: "We haven't had any problems. The return flights have all been guaranteed and I haven't heard anything different in the news." (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN TOURIST, NO NAME, SAYING: "We have had updates every day from the hotel and the travel agency, it has all gone smoothly. We were of course a bit worried but there haven't been any problems." PASSENGERS IN CHECK-IN VARIOUS OF TOURISTS BOARDING CONDOR FLIGHT CONDOR AIRPLANE ON TARMAC AIRPLANE TAXIING AIRPLANE TAKING OFF AIRPLANE IN THE SKY
- Embargoed: 9th October 2019 12:30
- Keywords: Thomas Cook bankruptcy insolvency Condor airline German tourists Corfu
- Location: CORFU, GREECE
- City: CORFU, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA001AY5MJBB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: When travel company Thomas Cook collapsed on Monday morning there were some 240,000 German tourists abroad with Condor.
While Thomas Cook passengers have been scrambling to get home again with many stuck in transit, German subsidiary Condor has said its flights are continuing.
German Condor holiday-makers returning from the Greek island of Corfu who spoke to Reuters said they faced queues and some anxiety but all were confident they would make their flights.
Hotels and the travel company had been providing regular updates, they said.
On Tuesday night Germany's economy minister announced a 380 million euro bridging loan for Condor, owned by insolvent British travel operator Thomas Cook, to enable it to continue flying and save jobs.
The airline, which is profitable, had said on Monday it would carry on its operations despite its parent company's collapse. It is a separate legal entity from Thomas Cook.
The aid, which is subject to EU approval, would help the remaining travellers from Germany who are still on holiday to return home.
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