Scuffles break out at airport as stranded British victims of XL collapse threaten to riot

The group at Larnaca airport in Cyprus became furious that a flight to take them home was repeatedly delayed without explanation.

When an airport official failed to answer their questions, the mood turned ugly.

Exhausted: Passengers tries to get some sleep on a table and a seat at Cyprus airport as they wait for flights home

The incident highlighted the chaos surrounding some 40,000 British tourists marooned around the globe by the collapse of Britain's third biggest holiday operator  -  despite a huge Civil Aviation Authority mission to bring most of them back.

Around 30,000 are entitled to free flights home, once they are arranged, while another 10,000  -  most of whom booked holidays directly with XL Leisure rather than through agents  -  have to pay for new tickets.

Last night the CAA insisted the rescue mission was going well, but Britons all over the world were telling a different story.

In Larnaca, some 400 holidaymakers had been due to fly back on XL flights to Gatwick and Glasgow, but last week suddenly found both flights had been cancelled.

Many were so concerned they cut short their holidays and travelled to the airport on Friday, but were eventually told that all would be flown to Gatwick on one flight on Sunday afternoon  -  with a bus to Glasgow.

In the event, the flight did not take off until late yesterday. Among those trapped in the departure lounge were security company boss Rob Williams, 30, and his manageress wife Kate, 27, from Hereford.

Still waiting: Efforts to arrange a massive airlift for XL passengers, like those stranded on Cyprus, have so far stalled

They had spent £1,100 on an XL bed-and-breakfast holiday. Mr Williams said: 'Most of us turned up around 5pm on Sunday and checked in and went through to the small departure lounge.

'It was only once we went through security they announced the flight would be delayed
until 8am on Monday.

'By then we couldn't get out again  -  people were sleeping on floors. There were pensioners who had put medication into the hold, pregnant women, and mothers who were running out of nappies.

Home call: Derek Larkins is still stranded with his wife Linda in Barbados after tour operator XL went bust

'We'd occasionally get told there was a further delay, but no real information  -  and when one of the airport staff finally came forward early this morning to try to answer questions in broken English, people started getting very angry.

'There were scuffles as people started to try to get out of the departure lounge.'

The flight finally left late in the afternoon, and was due to arrive at Gatwick last night.

Virgin Atlantic boss Sir Richard Branson called for a review of the rules for rescues in such cases, claiming travellers could be rescued quicker if the planes operated by XL were allowed to keep flying, instead of being grounded.

Long wait: British tourists queue at Reina Sofia Airport in southern Tenerife island, the Canaries, Spain, after their flights were cancelled

He said: 'It does not make sense for aircraft to be lying idle.' The CAA last night insisted the rescue was going well.

Around 30,000 XL victims with full protection against the collapse were still on holiday  -  and a spokesman said the rescue mission would continue throughout the week and the next to coincide with the end of their holidays.

Efforts were being made to help the 10,000 not entitled to free flights, with spare seats being offered to them at cost price.