The collapse of cheap holidays firm – Goldtrail has affected the holiday plans of about 50,000 British holidaymakers this summer.

On Friday, many travellers checked in to the airports to learn that their trips were cancelled due to the firm’s collapse.

About 16,000 Goldtrail holidaymakers were stranded abroad in Turkey and Greece after it went into administration.The British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that it would be making arrangements to fly the holidaymakers back under the Air Travel Organiser’s Licensing scheme.

The CAA has advised that all inbound flying from Turkey and Greece will operate as scheduled over the weekend, and up to and including Monday 19 July 2010. Passengers who were to return to the UK have been advised to go to the airport as originally scheduled. The details of inbound flights from 20th July, would be posted on CAA’s website later along with details of the refund claims.

Goldtrail, based in New Malden in Surrey, opened in 1996. It specialised in cheap holidays to Turkey and more recently to Greece. A BBC watchdog report last year had accused the company of putting up its customers in sub standard accommodation. However the firm clarified its position saying that the destinations it served were third world countries with “lower standards”.

Two major UK travel firms – Freedom Direct Holidays and Flyglobespan closed down last year causing disruption to thousands. 

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