Staff volunteered to fly holidaymakers home from Larnaca in Cyprus on Wednesday just 48 hours after the British firm collapsed leaving more than 150,000 holiday-makers stranded. Photos were shared online showing teary-eyed staff in full uniform thanking passengers who had dug deep into their pockets and tipped them for their kind gesture and gave them a standing ovation. Thomas Cook passenger Michelle Jubb posted the scene on Facebook, adding there “wasn’t a dry eye on the plane”.

She said: “Last night our repatriation flight was a Thomas Cook aeroplane, with Thomas Cook cabin crew, dressed in their uniform, smart and proud.

“The only difference from normal was this crew were not being paid! They had volunteered to bring people home!

“There was no food or trolley service, but they had managed to scrape together teabags and coffee so passenger could have a hot drink.

“After a quick conversation with some other passengers we decided to do a collection for them, the passengers on the plane where so bloody generous, and the crew had something for their trouble.”

She added: “To the crew of ZT1155 on the 25th September – thank you.”

The news comes as more than 90,000 Britons remain stranded abroad and may not be home until next week.

Staff who had lost their jobs were “incredibly hurt” to see members of the senior management team being given a round of applause at the Frankfurt office after the travel company collapsed on Monday.

The chief executive officer Jean Christoph Debus said he was “truly sorry” after a video shared on Facebook showed him being applauded by staff from Thomas Cook’s Germany airline subsidiary company, Condor.

The 36-second video shows Condor staff clapping and cheering as senior management from the airline and Mr Debus walk past smiling.

The video was made following an announcement that Condor would receive £336million (380 million euros) from the German government to keep it operating.

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A former employee told Express.co.uk: “We were always told we were a Group Airline – UK, Germany (Condor) Scandinavia and Balearics.

“So much so that when Condor had financial difficulties and was performing poorly, we were propping them up.

“It’s tone deaf and incredibly hurtful to see many members of the senior management team, including Christophe Debus (Chief Airlines Officer) cheering and clapping, whilst UK employees are at home with no job, no pay and their lives broken.

“Many people have been with the airlines for 10, 20, 30 years. It’s heartbreaking.”

Thomas Cook ceased trading in the early hours of Monday after it was unable to secure a last-ditch rescue deal.

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An estimated 150,000 people are being brought back to the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in a flight programme costing £100 million.

About 9,000 staff in the UK face redundancy.

Mr Debus, who is the chief airlines officer for Thomas Cook Group Plc, has since apologised and said his reaction was “relief”.

He added the video was filmed “immediately” after the announcement that Condor would receive money from the German government.

He said: “I am aware that a celebratory video has been shared across social media. I never, ever intended to cause offence or appear inconsiderate.

“I am heartbroken that any of my colleagues feel that I have been, and for that I am truly sorry.

“It was filmed immediately following the Federal Government’s announcement to grant Condor 380m euros to keep Condor flying.

“The reaction of myself, the Condor management and employees was one of pure relief that Condor could continue to fly and more redundancies within the Group Airlines were prevented.

“I realise, however, that this video was inappropriately timed and I am sorry.

“My thoughts remain with colleagues in the UK, Oberusal and across Europe who have worked so hard for our Group Airline and yet have had the worst possible news this week.”

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