This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
September 23, 2019
Palma airport in Spain's third-busiest airport was a scene of uncertainty on Monday as anxious Thomas Cook passengers waited for alternative flights to Britain.
Among those waiting were Clare Osborne and her family, who were scheduled to fly back to the UK but were now facing a tight deadline to reach a funeral in Glasgow on Tuesday.
"We've been told we're supposed to be going to Manchester airport at 9:00 pm tonight, but that's still a three-and-a-half hour journey to Glasgow," Osborne said, expressing her anxiety about the situation.
Volunteers distributed water to the passengers as they queued in the slow-moving line to check in to the alternative flight to Manchester. British government officials, identifiable by their yellow vests decorated with a Union Jack, were also present to provide information.
"They have been a great help," said John Raid, who was waiting with his wife and grandson. They had been scheduled to fly back to Newcastle on Monday morning but were now on an evening Iberia flight to Manchester.
From Manchester, they were told a bus would be waiting to take them to Newcastle, about 145 kilometers away. Raid praised Thomas Cook staff for providing assistance and a free transfer to the airport.
"It's one of these things that happens," he said.
However, not all passengers were satisfied with the information they were receiving. Some complained that they were not getting clear instructions from the collapsed company about how to get home.
