A Thomas Cook flight attendant says she only learned that the company collapsed and she lost her job on Facebook

• A Thomas Cook flight attendant said she learned of the company's collapse and that she had lost her job from Facebook.
• The British airline and travel company filed for bankruptcy on Monday morning, leaving 600,000 people stranded. It employed 21,000 people.
• Louise Rudkin, a cabin crew member, tweeted: "Absolutely devastated that I have lost my job - and found out via Facebook."
• Thomas Cook put out statements on its social media accounts on Monday, saying it "has ceased trading with immediate effect" and that none of its accounts would be monitored. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Thomas Cook flight attendant said she only learned that the company had collapsed and that she lost had her job from Facebook.

The travel group and airline, which employs 21,000 people, filed for bankruptcy early on Monday morning, ceasing to trade immediately and leaving 600,000 people stranded around the world.

Louise Rudkin, a member of Thomas Cook's travel crew based in the UK, tweeted on Monday: "Absolutely devastated that I have lost my job - and found out via Facebook."

The company had signaled that it was in trouble and conducted frantic crisis talks over the weekend in a last-minute bid to stay afloat.

Rudkin tweeted on Sunday: "I love my job and I would be terribly sad if I couldn't do it anymore."

Negotiations with the British government collapsed on Sunday, and the company filed for bankruptcy early on Monday morning.

Read more: Roughly 600,000 travelers are stranded around the world after the British travel provider Thomas Cook declares bankruptcy

The company then announced on Twitter and Facebook that it "has ceased trading with immediate effect" and said that none of its accounts would be monitored.

Its website no longer exists, instead re-directing to a help page on the website of the UK's Civil Aviation Authority.

The Guardian newspaper reported that one man whose family member worked for Thomas Cook said the airline was telling people until Sunday that reports of its financial struggles were being inflated by the media.

The newspaper also reported that some passengers experienced support from emotional staff even though they had lost their jobs.

Natasha Brown, who is trying to return from England to Spain, said: "The two reps on the coach thanked us all for the holidays we'd taken with Thomas Cook. And then they started to cry."

Brian Strutton, the general secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association, said: 'The staff have been stabbed in the back without a second's thought."

Read more: The UK expects to spend £100 million flying back stranded Thomas Cook passengers, which is only £50 million less than bailing out the company

Passengers on one Thomas Cook flight on Monday gave money to cabin crew after learning they wouldn't be paid for the flight.

The UK government has gathered 40 jets to bring the 150,000 British customers back to the UK over the next two weeks.