Airline's fall creates barmy army
By Andre Paine, The Evening Standard
Last updated at 09:11 09 December 2004
Five thousand travellers from Britain - including hundreds of cricket fans - have seen their Christmas trips to South Africa ruined after an airline collapsed.
Budget carrier Civair has cancelled all its flights. Their customers included 300 from the 'Barmy Army' - England's loyal travelling contingent of cricket fans, who had planned to see their team take on South Africa in the winter test series.
They and other travellers now face the prospect of losing their money.
Civair, which billed itself as a long-haul version of EasyJet and Ryanair, marketed itself to sports fans, UK-based South Africans and winter sun holidaymakers.
It planned to fly three times a week from Stansted to Cape Town, for as little as £200. The airline now says it cannot fulfil its commitments, blaming a backer for failing to come up with promised funds. Tickets with another airline will cost about £700.
Katy Cooke, secretary of the Barmy Army, said: 'We recommended Civair to a lot of people.' Civair chief executive Andy Cluver apologised to customers.
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