Title: Bruce To The Rescue - Again...
Tags: Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden
Blog Entry: Biggest airlift brings home 22,000 tourists Sunday, September 14 2008 An airlift unparalleled in peacetime swung into operation over the weekend to start bringing home 85,000 tourists stranded abroad by the collapse of travel operator XL Leisure. A total of 94 repatriation flights brought back 22,090 holidaymakers from Europe, North Africa, the Caribbean and Florida in the US. The Civil Aviation Authority, which arranged the £20million operation, described the task as its 'biggest repatriation exercise' to date. 'Our immediate challenge has been to repatriate holidaymakers due home in the days following the company's collapse,' said Richard Jackson, of the CAA.'We are also working to ensure the timely return of those who are continuing their holidays over the next couple of weeks.' Passengers were brought home on aircraft provided by airlines including BA, bmi British Midland, First Choice Airways and Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic. Bruce Dickinson, frontman for rock band Iron Maiden and a pilot for Astraeus, was one of those who stepped in to fly the stranded back. Some 30,000 passengers still abroad will continue with their holiday and their return flights will be covered by Atol, which gives protection to those that have booked through a tour operator.The remaining 35,000 holidaymakers will either return with the help of their travel operators or on CAA flights after paying a fee. Meanwhile, scores of holidaymakers in the Caribbean were reportedly faced with hotel bills of almost £1,000 - despite having already paid for their XL package holidays.Holidaymaker Martin Skillings, visiting St Lucia with his wife, told the BBC he had refused to pay the hotel, and that 34 other guests were in a similar position.As well as those stranded, XL's demise has dashed the holiday plans of about 200,000 people who were expecting to fly off to the sun. Iron Maiden Singer Airlifts 200 Beirut Evacuees July 21st, 2006 Iron Maiden singer and qualified pilot Bruce Dickinson airlifted 200 British citizens who had fled war torn Beirut, Lebanon, back to the United Kingdom yesterday. The 47-year-old flew a Boeing 757 to Cyprus where he picked up the evacuees and flew them back to London's Gatwick Airport. A colleague says, "He was only too keen to get involved and help. He has a strong interest in the welfare of people caught up in international conflicts and cares about what is going on."
VIEW FULL VERSION: Link