Repatriation of Britons stranded by Thomas Cook collapse under way

A UK government program to help travelers stranded in Greece and other countries after the collapse of travel firm Thomas Cook get back home is under way, British Ambassador to Greece Kate Smith said on Twitter on Tuesday.

The repatriation program also includes assistance for settling outstanding hotel bills through the ATOL financial protection scheme of Britain's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Smith said.

There are currently an estimated 150,000 British holidaymakers stranded abroad, with about a third of that number in Greece.
Codenamed Operation Matterhorn, the repatriation program involves planes chartered from other airlines including British Airways and easyJet.
The CAA advises travelers affected to visit http://thomascook.caa.co.uk. For those overseas, the number to call is (+44) 1753.330.330.