British pilots association BALPA: “Thomas Cook German subsidiary (Condor) rescued while UK staff and holiday makers suffer!”

In a press statement, British airline pilots association BALPA reacted furiously after they learnt that Condor – Thomas Cook’s German airline – has been given six months financing, an amount of £350 million, by its German government while its own British government refuses to act. Full press statement below:

Thomas Cook German subsidiary rescued while UK staff and holiday makers suffer

BALPA has learnt that Condor, the wholly owned German airline subsidiary of Thomas Cook, is being given six months financing by its Government to secure its own rescue deal. Despite its parent and UK subsidiaries going into liquidation on Monday morning, Condor was given £350m capital to continue to operate.

BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said: “Good luck to the Condor staff and customers. But with UK holidaymakers stranded and 9,000 staff out of a job, the Thomas Cook directors need to explain why the UK airline had to be closed but the German one was allowed to continue to operate. How was it funded, because it seems there is nothing left in the coffers for UK staff? And why couldn’t the UK government give the same kind of bridging support as the German government when it was well known that Thomas Cook had a Chinese buyer lined up? It’s a national scandal.”