XL goes bust!
 

XL, the third largest tour operator in the UK has gone bust. This affects not only package holiday makers but anyone booking with them directly for cheap flights - for which they are unlikely to get any money back, unless from their credit card:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7611639.stm

Fortunately we didn't chose them for our trip later this month (they were an option) but I feel sorry for all those who have lost out on this. Who is next?

The curse of West Ham strikes again.

Businesses: Never sponsor West GHam.

It's the curse of sports sponsorship

If XL had used the money they squandered on the Hammers to pay their fuel bills, and the money entertaining themselves at The Den on a better product, they might not be in this mess.

How can grown men possibly delude themselves they'd sell a single extra holiday by sponsoring a football team? By being quite devoid of judgement, that's how.

So the answer to Maria's implicit question: never pay anything in advance to a business that sponsors its directors' hobbies. Remember: Northern Rock sponsored Newcastle United.

If you bank with Barclays, this is God's way of telling you to put your money somewhere that's not run by overgrown schoolboys.

'tis true. I don't know anyone that has ever based a buying decision on sports sponsorship.

O2 sponsor the goons. I have an O2 mobile. Says it all really.

Thanks, guys. There's been no mention of that on the news channels this morning, but lots of mentions about how "heartbroken" Wyatt is and his "tearful" press conference where he mourned that he "tried everything" to save customers' holidays. He blames rising oil prices.

I see that EasyJet has started offering "rescue fares" of £75 to anyone stranded at a destination served by EasyJet.

One family said they tried to get to Florida by a U.S. airline but that ticket prices jumped from £300 to £1000 in an hour. Hope that's because all the economy seats were sold and only biz seats were left and NOT because of last minute price gouging.