With the collapse of tour operator Thomas Cook, the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) starts what is called "the largest repatriation in peacetime".

In the coming two weeks, dozens of aircraft will be deployed to collect a total of 150,000 stranded holiday makers.

The number of stranded British tourists is therefore twice as high as it was two years ago when holiday flyer Monarch went down. 600,000 Thomas Cook customers are stranded worldwide.

Just like at the time, the British government has asked the CAA to set up a two-week repatriation program, called 'Operation Matterhorn'. Travelers are flown back to the UK free of charge. Anyone traveling back after October 6 must arrange a replacement flight themselves.

The CAA says in a statement that it has secured a fleet of aircraft from all over the world to pick up stranded travelers. This includes an Airbus A380 from Malaysia Airlines and Boeing 767s from the American charter company Eastern Airlines.

In some cases, passengers fly home on regular scheduled flights.

The CAA has opened a special website where information about the repatriation flights for travelers can be found. This only applies to travelers who have traveled with Thomas Cook Airlines from a British airport.

Thomas Cook Airlines' fleet consists of 34 aircraft, including 27 Airbus A321s and seven A330-200s. That fleet remains on the ground due to the bankruptcy of the parent company. The BBC reports that creditors are already seizing aircraft. The last flight, from Orlando, landed in Manchester on Monday morning.

--- D'Bridge 3.99
* Origin: AVIATION ECHO HQ (2:292/854)