Former Freedom Flights managing director Paul Moss joined new seat-only operator Kiss Flights last week following the collapse of Freedom parent XL Leisure Group.
Moss was among a handful of XL Leisure staff recruited by Kiss as the Civil Aviation Authority and trade representatives continued to organise the repatriation of XL Airways’ clients overseas and refunds to up to 200,000 with advance bookings.
XL Leisure declared itself bankrupt on Friday September 19 with 85,000 customers abroad.
Kiss Flights was established this summer as a seat-only operation of Gatwick-base Meridian Aviation by Michael Smith, a former colleague of Moss who left Freedom Flights in June. Meridian is the UK general sales agent for Air Malta.
The operator has acquired an ATOL to carry 25,000 passengers in summer 2009, operating to the Eastern Mediterranean and Carnary Islands. Smith confirmed he recruited three former Freedom Flights staff last week.
Up to 1,700 former XL Leisure staff are seeking jobs after the collapse of a group that carried 2.3 million passengers last year.