U.K. Travel Insurer Contacting Clients Stranded by Collapse of Thomas Cook

Saga Plc said on Monday it was securing alternative flights, where possible, for customers who are due to travel imminently and have been impacted by the collapse of Thomas Cook.

The over-50s tourism and insurance firm said in an email that cruises or holidays booked through Thomas Cook will continue with Saga as planned.

The world’s oldest travel firm Thomas Cook collapsed on Monday, stranding more than half a million holidaymakers around the globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history.

“We will ensure that the repatriation of any guests, who are in resorts and due to return to the UK, runs smoothly… We are already contacting our customers who are due to travel on a Thomas Cook flight … to discuss their alternative options,” Saga said.

Saga had revamped its travel business following former partner Monarch Airlines’ collapse in 2017. The failure of Monarch affected nearly 900,000 passengers in total and hit Saga’s tour operations.

Saga, which owns Saga Holidays, Saga Cruises, Titan and Destinology, warned last week that Brexit has hurt its travel insurance business and made consumers reluctant to commit to holidays in 2020/2021, after earlier anticipating an impact only this year.

Shares in Saga, which runs the Saga Sapphire and Saga Pearl II cruises, were marginally higher at 50.95 pence at 0817 GMT.

(Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; editing by Rashmi Aich)