THREE former Thomas Cook staff with a combined 80 years of industry experience are flying solo after opening their own new travel agency business in Larne.
Louise Magill, Ella Whiteside and Caroline Hunter will today launch their new venture 'Holiday Hotspot' at Main Street in the town.
They had all worked for the world's oldest travel firm until it collapsed in September, putting thousands of UK jobs at risk and at the time leaving 150,000 holidaymakers stranded.
Three weeks later, the privately-owned Hays Travel stepped in to rescue the entire retail portfolio of 555 former Thomas Cook shops in the UK, including 22 in Northern Ireland.
But by that stage the redundant Larne trio had decided they'd go into business on their own.
"We were absolutely devastated when Thomas Cook went under, and the last few days leading up to the administration were horrendous," said Louise (38), director of the new business, which was formally incorporated on October 18.
"Working in travel was the only job the three of us have done in our lifetimes. It's all we know to be honest."
She said that when last-minute negotiations aimed at saving the 178-year-old holiday company failed, they had by that stage decided to pool their combined years in the travel sector and go it alone.
"We spoke to solicitors and accountants, identified premises, went through the various business legalities, confirmed our ATOL approvals, and here we are," Louise added.
"We've had a fantastic response from our friends and family, and there is a buzz about the town before we have our champagne opening on Friday afternoon."
She believes there's a "new-found consumer confidence" in small high street travel agents, with people now preferring to sit face-to-face with an industry professional and talk through their holiday preferences.
Louise said that ahead of the Thomas Cook collapse, she and other employees had been receiving positive messages from the company that lulled them into a false sense of security about its finances.
"We'd been reassured all week in the lead-up to Monday September 23 that everything in the garden was rosy, and that we should continue taking bookings. We were led to believe that we were too big to go under.
"But we got nervous on the Friday when we got an email to say critical talks were taking place on Saturday. After all, what major corporation has such high-level negotiations on a Saturday?
"That's when Ella, Caroline and myself toyed with the idea of doing our own thing. Since then we've done everything together, from designing the company name and the branding and the uniforms.
"Now we've arrived - and a new chapter is opening."
