British pilots vented their fury on Wednesday after Thomas Cook’s German airline arm won approval for a state bail-out as the UK failed to offer a rescue deal.
German airline Condor has been promised €380 million from the Gernan government just days after parent Thomas Cook collapsed under a huge debt pile, with 9000 UK jobs lost.
General secretary of UK pilots union Balpa, Brian Strutton said: “Thomas Cook directors need to explain why the UK airline had to be closed but the German one was allowed to continue to operate."
He added: “Why couldn’t the UK Government give the same kind of bridging support as the Germans when it was well known that Thomas Cook had a Chinese buyer lined up? It’s a national scandal.”
The failure has prompted the Financial Reporting Council to consider looking into an investigation.
In a letter to FRC boss Stephen Haddrill seen by the Evening Standard today, Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “I would be grateful if you could consider the investigation as a matter of priority, and you examine not only the conduct of those directors, past and present, in the preparation of the accounts, but also the conduct and practice of the auditors of those accounts.”
