UP to 500 holidaymakers could be affected by the crash of Westcliff travel agent Airflights.co.uk.

Staff from the firm, which has called in administrator Valentine & Co, revealed there were 500 active bookings at the time of its collapse.

A senior staff member, who did not wish to be named, said ten former employees would have to apply to a Government compensation scheme to get their wages for September.

Last week, the Echo revealed that one couple who booked through the firm had arrived in Egypt to find their accommodation had not been paid for and they had to stump up the money again.

The staff source said: “There were 500 bookings, but a lot of our accommodation was through large suppliers, who would still honour the booking, so I do not believe there will be many more cases like the one you have highlighted.”

The Airflights website has now confirmed the limited company will go into liquidation, rather than administration as first hoped.

An update, posted yesterday, said: “Regrettably, Airflights Direct UK Ltd has ceased trading and will go into liquidation on October 21.”

Airflights boss Robert Oppenheimer placed another firm he runs, Av8 Tours Ltd, based in north London, into administration a day before Airflights.

He has not been available for comment.