Thomas Cook stores are bought by Hays Travel saving thousands of jobs
HAYS Travel has agreed to buy all 555 Thomas Cook stores, saving up to 2,500 jobs that were lost when the travel group collapsed.
Boss Irene Hays described how emotional ex-employees broke down in tears and held one another after being offered new jobs at her company.
Hays, the country's largest independent travel agent chain, says it has already recruited 595 former Thomas Cook workers.
Thomas Cook left 9,000 people in the UK without a job last month, forcing ex-staff to visit food banks and borrow money to make ends meet.
But thousands of these employees have now been offered a lifeline after it was confirmed a "significant number" will be offered new jobs.
The travel company added that it plans to reopen all the shops with immediate effect with some opening doors as soon as tomorrow.
Employees of Thomas Cook's airlines and tour operator companies are encouraged to speak to administrators , while retail and aircraft maintenance staff should speak to KPMG to make a claim via its or email TCemployees@kpmg.co.uk.
The government has a for more information for Thomas Cook passengers and staff.
Hays, which is headquartered in Sunderland and has been operating for 40 years, currently has 190 shops across the UK.
It uses other tour operators to sell holidays to customers including Jet2holidays and TUI.
Hays confirmed jobs will be available for former Thomas Cook retail staff.
Thomas Cook is now in the hands of the Official Receiver who are in charge of dealing with the insolvency process.
David Chapman, the official receiver of Thomas Cook, said: "This represents an important step in the liquidation process, as we seek to realise the company's assets.
John and Irene Hays, managing director and group chair of Hays Travel, said: "Thomas Cook was a much-loved brand employing talented people.
We look forward to working with many of them."
Thomas Cook ceased trading with immediate effect on September 23 after the travel firm was unable to pay £200million to its creditors.
The travel firm's demise sparked the largest peacetime repatriation since World War Two after 150,000 passengers were stranded abroad.
Hays isn't the only company offering work to ex-Thomas Cook employees.
Last month we reported how axed Thomas Cook staff have been lined up for new jobs at BA, easyJet, Flybe, Tui and Virgin.
Employees who have lost their jobs are advised to make a claim to the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payments Service for arrears of wages.
More information can be found on the .
It comes after The Sun revealed how Thomas Cook cabin crew have been struggling to pay their rent and bills after their final wages aren’t paid.
While Thomas Cook boss Peter Frankhauser hit back at claims he is a fat cat - despite trousering £8.3million from the collapsed travel firm.
Which? has more advice on what to do as a result of the .
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