Transport minister Marc Pons said on Thursday that Majorca will lose 25,000 tourists in October because of the collapse of Thomas Cook.

Speaking after a meeting of the airport coordination committee in Palma, Pons explained that Thomas Cook in the UK had this year transported 170,000 people on flights to and from Majorca. These were just 20% of all Thomas Cook passengers.

A greater number come to Majorca with German and Scandinavian subsidiaries. Some of these are still operating, such as Condor.

Because of the tour operator's collapse, the coordination committee decided to delay for four weeks the activation of the 2020-2022 air connectivity plan for Majorca. This involves investment of 260 million euros in infrastructure at Son Sant Joan Airport. The committee comprises representatives of the Aena airports authority, the regional government, the Council of Majorca and Palma town hall.

Pons noted that 1,100 British tourists were to be repatriated on three flights from Palma yesterday. More than 3,000 have been repatriated, while a further 5,000 will be by the sixth of October.