Holiday Makers Grounded as BMI Pulls Out

North-east holiday makers today told of their anger after their summer plans were left in disarray.

Two families said they were told by Thomas Cook that their flight had been cancelled.

A spokeswoman for the firm said the cancellation of 12 flights was due to BMI pulling out of a deal to charter planes. Law student and part-time receptionist Poppy Devine, daughter of Angels Hair Salon owner Tracey Devine, has been hit by the cancellation.

Poppy, and friend Hayley McIrvine, 19, were booked to fly from Aberdeen to Ibiza on June 16. She was told if they still wanted to go they would need to make their way to Newcastle.

Poppy said: "It was going to be my first girls' holiday and we were going to be meeting other people out in Ibiza so we were really excited. It's a massive pain that they have cancelled it and to ask us to go to Newcastle seems extreme.

"We decided to get a refund for the holiday and go to some festivals instead as it wasn't worth the hassle- we were both gutted."

Gwen Anderson, 47, a purchasing assistant, and her husband Duncan Anderson, 49, said the news was a bitter blow for them and their two sons.

Gwen, of Bucksburn, said: "We have travelled with Thomas Cook from Aberdeen to Ibiza for the last two years and it has been great.

"One of out boys gets travel sick and so it's ideal as it means we don't have to drive to another city to fly abroad."

The family were told they would instead be put on a flight from Glasgow, costing an extra £25 per head.

Gwen said the family had to get a train and the money did not cover the expense.

They were due to travel with family friends, the Murrays, who also live in Bucksburn.

A spokeswoman for Thomas Cook said: "It's all to do with BMI. We had an agreement with them to charter planes but they said since the AIG merger between British Airways and Iberia, they can't uphold the weekend charters.

"We had an arrangement agreed and it's been pulled from under out feet and we couldn't find another solution for flights from Aberdeen to Ibiza. We're deeply sorry for any inconvenience caused to our customers."