A CHIRK couple flown home from their holiday by redundant Thomas Cook staff, despite the firm’s collapse, have praised their actions.

Julie Fawcett and her husband Stuart, were left unsure of how they would be travelling back to the UK, after Thomas Cook went into liquidation on the last day of their holiday in Fuerteventura.

The couple had their scheduled flight cancelled; however they were able to travel home on a plane organised by British government officials and staffed by Thomas Cook employees.

A Thomas Cook pilot and some of the company’s stewards and stewardesses agreed to get the passengers home after being made redundant just hours beforehand.

Julie was overwhelmed by the generosity shown by the Thomas Cook staff in such upsetting circumstances.

“Our flight had been cancelled following the news about the company’s liquidation, but the British Government officials were very efficient in getting us home,” she said.

“The flight was manned by Thomas Cook staff who had just learned they had lost their jobs, but still agreed to do it for us.

“They weren’t in their usual uniform, they were just wearing plain clothes. It was very upsetting.

“They were unable to sell any food on the plane, they were just allowed to supply water.

“A cabin crew member gave a short speech before the flight set off, talking about how they were shocked and upset by what had happened.

“All of the passengers on the plane were very supportive of the crew members, and we have to commend the work of the staff and the officials at the airport.”

With more than 150,000 British people estimated to have been among the 600,000 Thomas Cook holidaymakers who were abroad when the airline collapsed, Julie and Stuart were not the only ones left unsure about how they would get home.

She added: “It was all a bit confusing. We were up on the last night of our holiday keeping an eye on the news, because we knew the company’s collapse was on the cards.

“We then had a text from our son to confirm the news in the morning, and he sent us a website which kept us updated with our travel arrangements for getting home.

“There was no sign of any reps in the hotel, and some couples were being asked to pay up to 2,000€.

“The staff at the hotel were unsure what was going on.

“We were lucky to have had our holiday, unlike some others.

“The situation really could have been much worse.”