Tour Operator Closes Affecting 4,000

Following the recent tourism troubles suffered by Irish tour operators, another company has left its Irish holidaymakers wondering how they'll get home.

XL Holidays has closed due to financial difficulties and is one of a number of tour operators that have crashed and burned in recent months.

A statement released by the Commission for Avian Regulation on Friday, announced they had been informed the XL Leisure Group PLC and a number of its subsidiaries had been placed in administration by the UK Courts, and has ceased trading with immediate effect.

All flights by the operator have now been cancelled, affecting over 4,000 Irish customers, some of whom have lost their holidays, and others who are now stranded in other countries.

XL Airways provides flights to more than 50 destinations across Europe, America and Africa, and the company's closure has affected up to 85,000 in total throughout it's Europe wide operation.

The Aviation Commission has said it will seek to organise return flights for the marooned tourists, although has advised that passengers should seek to return off their own steam and apply for a refund through its website.

A spokesman for the commission said: "Customers of XL Holidays who have booked directly with this tour operator and paid for holidays and who have yet to commence their journey will be unable to travel. They should make a claim to the Commission for a refund of monies paid using the XL Holidays claim form."

The operator is the second close this week after Futura Gael announced it had ceased trading on Tuesday.

A statement on XL Leisure's website claimed the company had been hit by rising fuel costs and the credit crunch.

(DW/JM)