Ving Norge, the Norwegian subsidiary of bankrupt charter tour company Thomas Cook, claimed Monday night that its customers could start taking off on holiday again from Tuesday. Thomas Cook’s Nordic operations, Vinggruppen, said it could resume flights despite its owner’s severe financial troubles.
“Early tomorrow (Tuesday) we’ll have three flights that can take our customers on their holidays,” Siri Røhr-Staff, information chief at Ving, told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK). “Two flights will leave from Oslo Lufthavn Gardermoen (OSL) and one from Værnes in Trondheim.”
Details remained sketchy and Ving never did hold a promised press conference on Monday after Thomas Cook’s sensational bankruptcy stranded tens of thousands customers around the world including around 9,000 from Norway. The Norwegian unit said Ving would offer more information later about how it has found a solution to its own situation in Norway.
“Even though I’m sad about the bankruptcy of the Thomas Cook Group and all its employees and loyal customers in many countries, my responsibility lies here in the Nordic countries and with Vinggruppen’s onward journey,” stated Magnus Wikner, chief executive of Cook’s wholly owned Nordic unit that includes Ving Norge, Spies, Tjäreborg, Globetrotter and Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia. All are their own legal and reportedly profitable entities, and even though the airline was grounded on Monday, it reportedly will now be able to resume flights on Tuesday.
“Folks can be confident that Ving’s operations will continue tomorrow,” Rørh-Staff said Tuesday night. “Those of us in Ving Norge have worked intensively the last 24 hours and now we’re just happy. We continue to concentrate on our fantastic guests (customers) who have been incredibly patient and supportive during these difficult hours.”
She added that the roughly 250 Norwegians whose holiday plans were spoiled on Monday when Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia was grounded will be compensated.
Ving also stated on its website that not only will departures “go as normal” on Tuesday, those already abroad and waiting for transport home will receive messages about new fight departures.
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
