British passengers have been left stranded at a number of European destinations by the collapse of SkyEurope, the Slovakian-based budget airline, which has suspended all operations.

The low-cost airline operated routes from London Luton and Manchester airports to destinations including Bratislava and Kosice in Slovakia, as well as Vienna, Austria, and Prague, Czech Republic. In a statement, SkyEurope said that it had filed for bankruptcy after attempts to set up a financing facility to meet a liquidity shortfall failed to materialise just weeks after airports in Prague and Vienna suspended all of the airline's flights over unpaid debts.

Ireland-based budget airline, Ryanair, has become one of a number of low-cost carriers to offer 'rescue fares' for passengers that have been left stranded as a result of the demise of SkyEurope, Meanwhile, UK travel association ABTA has again called on the government to plug a gap in passenger finance protection, which currently does not guarantee cover for passengers whose flights are not booked as part of a package holiday.