Thomas Cook shutters 600 retail stores amid company collapse

British tour operator Thomas Cook has announced that all of the companies in its group, including Thomas Cook Airlines, have ceased trading, leaving over 21,000 staff out of work.

As a result, all 600 of Thomas Cook’s retail shops have now closed, and comes after the company was denied a government bailout of £250m, the BBC has said.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), all holidays and flights provided by these companies have now been cancelled and are no longer operating, leaving over 15,000 British tourists stranded abroad.

The government and the CAA said they are now working together to “support” passengers due to fly back to the UK with Thomas Cook between 23 September 2019 and 6 October 2019. This will be either on CAA-operated flights or by using existing flights with other airlines.

According to the BBC, Thomas Cook’s CEO Peter Fankhauser said the firm’s collapse was a “matter of profound regret”.

A statement by the CAA read: “If you are due to depart from a UK airport with Thomas Cook Airlines, please do not travel to your UK airport as your flight will not be operating and you will not be able to travel.

“This repatriation is hugely complex and we are working around the clock to support passengers.”