Tour operators cancel flights to Mexico

British holiday companies suspended their operations to Mexico today following the outbreak of the deadly swine flu virus.

Tour operator Thomson - owned by Tui Travel - said it had cancelled two flights due to leave the UK today for the Mexican resort of Cancun.

The company added that it was bringing home all Thomson and First Choice holidaymakers already in Mexico.

Meanwhile, Thomas Cook and Airtours, which have about 3,000 holidaymakers in Mexico at the moment, were also expected to suspend Mexico holidays.

The move by the UK tour operators came after the Foreign Office changed its travel advice by advising against all but essential travel to Mexico.

Thomson Airways cancelled its Gatwick to Cancun flight which had been due to leave at 9.15am today as well as axing its 9.30am Manchester-Cancun service. Thomson said repatriation flights were expected to start today.

The company said: 'While we do appreciate that the new news may be a great disappointment to customers, we hope they will also understand that their health and safety is of paramount importance to us.'

It added that flights due to operate to Mexico from tomorrow onwards were under discussion and decisions would be made later today.

Thomson said holidaymakers who had been due to fly out today had the option to make a free amendment to their holiday and select a different destination or alternative up to the same value already booked (subject to availability).

Alternatively, customers also have the option to cancel their holiday and receive a full refund without incurring any cancellation charge.

Thomson has a Gatwick-Cancun and a Manchester-Cancun flight scheduled for tomorrow, while on Friday there is a Gatwick-Cancun service and also a flight from Manchester to the Mexican resort of Cozumel.

Thomas Cook Airlines has a flight from Gatwick to Cancun scheduled for Thursday. A woman passenger was taken ill on a Thomas Cook flight from Cancun which arrived at Manchester Airport this morning.

A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said later that the woman had been treated and had been allowed to go home.

More than 300,000 are thought to hold holiday bookings to Mexico. It is a popular destination for British holidaymakers this year, taking more bookings than closer-to-home favourites such as Portugal.

Currently, there are more than 5,000 Britons in Mexico's tourist resorts. The number of Britons taking a holiday there rose 23% last year while the total is expected to top 333,000 this year.

Tour operators have been hardselling a number of new resorts in Mexico along the Riviera Nayarit on the Pacific Coast.

In January, Mexicana Airlines began running four flights a week from Gatwick to Mexico City. Separately, there are scheduled BA flights to Mexico City, while Thomsonfly has direct flights to Puerta Vallarta.