And his blue and White Alliance a majority. But it will strengthen his hand in negotiations. One of the worlds oldest travel firm, the uks thomas cook, has been holding emergency talks with creditors and shareholders, hoping to raise the 250 million it needs to avoid collapse. Ministers say plans to fly holidaymakers back to the uk if necessary are in place, but have dampened hopes of a government rescue bid. Our transport correspondent tom burridge reports. People have been starting holidays today in places like majorca, while their travel agent, britains oldest, battles to stay afloat. Time is running out for thomas cook. Unless a rescue deal is done by tonight, the firm will fold. Weve just flown in from bristol. Were rather concerned, obviously, with regards to whats going to happen, whether well be able to fly home or not. I really couldnt care less. If i get stuck here, i get stuck here, dont i . They cant get in either. Last night, tourists on holiday with thomas cook were tempo
Hello, and welcome. In the last hour, the uks oldest travel firm, thomas cook, has announced it ceased trading after talks with creditors and shareholders to raise the 250 million to avoid collapse failed. Ministers say plans to fly holidaymakers back to the uk are in place. It was one of the Worlds Largest travel firms and employed 22,000 staff, 9,000 of whom are in the uk, and serves 19 million customers a year in 16 Different Countries. Simon calder is the travel editorfor the independent and he joins us from Manchester Airport in the north of england. It meant that nobody will be flying out of here in the morning. Flights we re out of here in the morning. Flights were due to start in three hours time heading off from here to greece and that is not going to happen. Thomas cook has stopped trading and this is it really the mightiest brand in travel. It has been going for 178 years. The numbers are awful. 21,000 people im afraid i going to be looking for newjobs. There is around 1 Mil
The uks oldest travel firm, thomas cook, has announced it ceased trading after talks with creditors and shareholders to raise the 250 million to avoid collapse failed. Ministers say plans to fly holidaymakers back to the uk are in place. It was one of the Worlds Largest travel firms and employed 22,000 staff, 9,000 of whom are in the uk, and serves 19 million customers a year in 16 Different Countries. Simon calder is the travel editorfor the independent and he joins us from Manchester Airport in the north of england. The Tour Operator had been thriving for many decades and staff here are simply stunned by what is happening. The flights are still coming in. Aircraft arriving from cyprus, turkey, some en route across the north atlantic but when they land, they will find that the staff very sadly have lost theirjobs. The passengers will be the last people to enjoy the service and this is being repeated at airports across britain and germany as well as scandinavia. Last flights arriving a
A warm welcome to the programme, briefing you on all you need to know in global news, business and sport. And you can be part of the conversation. Were asking you about our breaking news, the collapse of thomas cook. Are you on a thomas cook holiday . Do you work for the travel company . How are you impacted . Get in touch just use the hashtag bbc the briefing. Lets bring you the details on the story that broke in the early hours. Thomas cook, one of the Worlds Largest travel companies has ceased trading. The final confirmation came about three hours ago, after prolonged talks to try and save the company failed to bear fruit. It was trying to raise 250 million to continue and had asked the uk government for help. Now a major repatriotion operation is underway to bring home the estimated 150,000 uk passengars stranded overseas. Simon jones begins our coverage. Grounded, the uk oldest holiday firm has collapsed after 178 years. A day of frantic negotiations failed. At two oclock this mor
Hello, and welcome to bbc news. The Us Democratic president ial contender, joe biden, has accused donald trump of an overwhelming abuse of power. It follows reports he tried to pressure ukraine into opening a corruption investigation against mr biden and his son. President trump has not denied the reports, claming it doesnt matter what i discuss. This is what mr biden had to say about the affair a litte earlier. I know trump deserves to be investigated. He is violating every basic norm of a president. You should be asking him the question, why is he on the phone with a foreign leader, trying to intimidate a foreign leader, if thats what happened. But appears to be what happened. But appears to be what happened. You should be looking at trump. Trump is doing this because he knows i will beat him like a drum, and he is using his abuse of power and every element of the presidency to try to do something to smear me. That was a pretty fired up joe biden a couple of hours ago. David willis i