TRAVEL operators West Midlands Trains and London Northwestern Railway have offered help to holiday makers affected by the demise of Thomas Cook.
The rail companies are offering free travel or refunded tickets to and from Birmingham or Liverpool airports.
It comes as ‘repatriation’ rescue flights are being arranged by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Government to bring back more than 150,000 British passengers stranded abroad.
Given the logistical issues of repatriating so many people, passengers have been warned there are no guarantees every flight will be able to return them to the airport they left from.
While all train companies have already agreed to allow passengers booked on their services to travel on an alternative service, West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway have gone one step further by offering free travel to displaced Thomas Cook customers dropped at a different airport.
The companies have also pledged refund train tickets which were bought for holidays which are no longer going ahead and are not covered by travel insurance.
Andy Camp, commercial director for West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway, said: “Following the collapse of Thomas Cook we know there will be a lot of stress for passengers as they try to make alternative arrangements to get home or replan their upcoming holidays.
“With both Liverpool John Lennon and Birmingham International airports on our network we want to do our part to help those who have been affected or displaced by this sad situation.”
To claim their free travel on West Midlands Railway or London Northwestern Railway services, passengers should show relevant Thomas Cook documentation to senior conductors.
For cancelled holidays, passengers’ travel insurance should cover the cost of any rail tickets, but if customers experience difficulties with this they should contact WMR / LNR. The refund will apply even if the ticket type is usually non-refundable.
