LONDON, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- At least 285,000 people have been affected by the collapse of XL Leisure Group, officials of Britain's third-largest tour operator said.
An estimated 85,000 people who booked vacations or flights through XL Leisure were affected immediately, while the remaining 200,000 customers have advance bookings, Sky News reported Friday.
XL Leisure Group Chief Executive Phil Wyatt said the operator faced a "huge challenge" to bring home 67,000 customers currently abroad on vacations since XL Airways planes have been grounded.
The company, blaming the collapse on rising jet fuel prices and a downturn in the economy, left its own staff "in the dark" over its financial situation, former employees told Sky News.
All XL Airways flights have been canceled and customers have been advised not to go to the airport.
Britain's Civil Aviation Authority called the collapse "probably the biggest holiday operator failure of the past 20 years."
