The Flybe collapse could leave thousands of passengers stranded (Picture: Splash News) Flybe carried around eight million passengers a year between 71 airports across the UK and Europe. Its collapse could leave thousands of people stranded. Overnight, the company announced it had gone into administration, stating that coronavirus was the nail in the coffin for the financially unstable company. Flybe was Europe’s largest regional airline and employed some 2,400 people who were notified of its collapse via email. Following the announcement, the company immediately grounded all its flights and told passengers not to travel to airports if they had upcoming journeys booked. Those who were already flying were diverted to other airports, leaving them deserted with no return flights booked. Others reported being kicked off their planes after hours of waiting on the tarmac for take-off. The deserted Flybe check in area at Manchester Airport (Picture: Kelvin Media ) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Will I be able to get a refund on my flight? Advertisement Advertisement Some travel insurance companies will cover cancelled flights if they are the result of an airline collapse, but not all policies provide this coverage. Holidaymakers can apply to their credit or debit card provider to be reimbursed. Flights bought directly from airlines such as Flybe are not generally Atol protected but those bought through a separate travel company may be covered. What is the Atol scheme? Atol provides protection to holidaymakers when travel firms collapse. The scheme protects most trips booked as a package, such as flights and accommodation, or flights and car hire. It also applies to some flight-only bookings, particularly when the tickets are not received immediately. If a business collapses while you are on holiday, the scheme will make sure you can finish your holiday and return home. Customers who have not yet left home will be given a refund or replacement holiday. Flight departure boards show all Flybe flights at Glasgow Airport are cancelled (Picture: PA ) Stranded passengers are put onto buses to go home to Scotland from Manchester Airport (Picture: Kelvin Media) What if I am already on holiday? When previous airlines such as Monarch Airlines and Thomas Cook collapsed, the Civil Aviation Authority was ordered by the Department for Transport to launch a major repatriation operation to fly them home. Some 600,000 Thomas Cook customers were stranded abroad and needed repatriation when the company went bust. It is not yet clear whether the government will order a similar widespread repatriation of stranded Flybe passengers. Who would pay for this? Advertisement Advertisement The government funds the repatriation of stranded citizens. When Monarch Airlines went bust in October 2017, the government spent £60 million hiring planes to get passengers home wh
