Condor continues Phoenix flights to Germany despite parent company's insolvency

Condor Airlines, a German-based leisure airline, will continue to fly between Phoenix and Frankfurt even as its parent company, Thomas Cook Airlines, has filed for insolvency and cancelled flights.

The U.K.-based airline Thomas Cook had been negotiating with creditors and banks to obtain refinancing. However, on Sunday those efforts fell apart with the company announcing on its website that it was ceasing trading and that all "future flights and holidays are cancelled."

Though the announcement has stranded Thomas Cook passengers worldwide, the news does not currently affect its subsidiary Condor, which operates as a German company. It operates a seasonal schedule from Sky Harbor and is currently scheduled to operate flights from the Valley to Germany until October and begin its 2020 season in April.   

"We will continue to concentrate on what we do best: flying our customers to their holidays safely and on time," said Ralf Teckentrup, CEO of Condor, in a statement issued Sunday evening.

Condor said to "prevent liquidity constrains" the airline is asking the German government for a state-guaranteed bridging loan. According to Condor, its application is under review. 

Condor is one of the oldest airlines operating in Germany, having operated in the country since 1955. It's also a popular leisure airline for many European travelers. 

Condor started offering flights between Frankfurt and Phoenix in 2018. The route's success surprised the airline, causing airline officials to add additional flights and extend its schedule in 2019 and again in 2020.

The popularity of the route also attracted the attention of Lufthansa, which announced it is adding its own service beginning in April under its Eurowings brand. 

Condor continues to provide updates on its website Condor.com. 

You can connect with Arizona Republic Consumer Travel Reporter Melissa Yeager through email at melissa.yeager@azcentral.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

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