Tourists return after XL collapse

Repatriation flights are bringing passengers home

Northern Ireland passengers caught abroad by the collapse of tour operator XL have been arriving home on flights arranged by the aviation authorities.

About 600 holidaymakers were abroad on flights from Belfast International Airport when the firm collapsed.

The firm flew from Belfast to Corfu, Crete and Rhodes.

Philip Dunwoody from Limavady, who is returning on Tuesday from Crete from a holiday with his brother, said they had been lucky.

"They have been very good here arranging the flights home, so it has not affected us too much," he said.

"We had booked through a travel agent not with XL direct so we haven't had to pay any extra.

"The flight home is close to the original flight time we had originally been given."

More than 29,000 holidaymakers have been brought home after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) organised 126 flights back from 37 destinations.

The regulator said most of the 85,000 tourists affected were covered by an Atol protection scheme.

Repatriation flights from Corfu to Belfast were on Monday and the CAA has also arranged flights to Belfast from Rhodes on Thursday.