Legendary British traveling company Thomas Cook on Sunday closed doors nearly after 178 years of existing, the company has confirmed.
For ages, Thomas Cook which has undergone transformation over years, has linked tens of thousands across the world to their best tourism destinations.
The company had markets in Asia, Europe, Africa, the US and several parts of Latin America. Over 100,000 customers were associated with it, reports CNN.
On Sunday, over 21,000 people were stranded at various destinations after the company announced it's liquidation following unfruitful talks with creditors.
And following the abrupt closure of business, hundreds of people will now remain jobless. The company was among those listed in London Stock Exchange.
"An application was made to the High Court for a compulsory liquidation of the Company before opening of business today and an order has been granted to appoint the Official Receiver as the liquidator of the Company," it said in the statement.
Peter Fankhauser, Thomas Cook's chief executive, apologized to customers, employees, suppliers and partners.
"This marks a deeply sad day for the company which pioneered package holidays and made travel possible for millions of people around the world," Fankhauser said.
Fosun Tourism's parent company Fosun International is one of China's biggest conglomerates. It owns all-inclusive holiday firm Club Med.
Billionaire founder Guo Guangchang is Thomas Cook's largest stakeholder, according to data provider Refinitiv.
"Fosun is disappointed that Thomas Cook Group has not been able to find a viable solution" for its financial troubles, the company said in a statement.
"We extend our deepest sympathy to all those affected by this outcome," it added.
Repatriation flights are only available for passengers whose journey originated in the UK.
The aviation authority launched a website where customers can find details on those flights.
"Customers currently overseas should not travel to the airport until their flight back to the UK has been confirmed on the dedicated website," the aviation authority said in a statement.
The unfortunate news on the financial market comes amid Brexit politics, with UK expected to delink from European Union by October 31st this year.