THE deadly swine flu virus crisis today led the UK's major tour operators to suspend all holiday flights to Mexico.

Flights on Thomson Airways, involving those booked on packages with tour operators Thomson and First Choice, were suspended up to and including May 8.

Thomas Cook Airlines, who take Thomas Cook and Airtours holidaymakers to Mexico, suspended flights for the next seven days.

The axed services included two Thomson flights that had been due to fly to the Mexican resort of Cancun today - one from Gatwick, the other from Manchester.

Thomson had been due to operate two UK-to-Cancun flights tomorrow while on Friday the airline had been due to fly from Manchester to Cancun and from Gatwick to the Mexican resort of Cozumel.

Thomas Cook has cancelled six UK-to-Cancun flights covering the next few days, including its Gatwick-Cancun service on Thursday.

Thomson said its holidaymakers already in Cancun would come home on the flight they had originally booked. The company had not been due to start its summer services to Cozumel until later this week and so has no clients there.

Thomas Cook said that arrangements would be made to bring home anyone already in Cancun who wanted to come back early but that so far no-one had expressed a wish to leave.

The decision of the major tour operators to suspend their Mexican operations came after the Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to the crisis-hit Central American country.

Thomson and First Choice Holidays said: ''While we do appreciate that this news (of flight cancellations) may be a great disappointment to customers, we hope they will also understand that their health and safety is of paramount importance to Thomson and First Choice.''

The two companies said holidaymakers due to travel to Cancun or Cozumel from today up to and including May 8 would have the option to make a free amendment to their holiday and select a different destination or alternative date up to the same value already booked.

Alternatively, customers will also have the option to cancel their holiday and receive a full refund without incurring any cancellation charge.

Those due to travel from May 9 up to and including May 22 will have the option to make a free amendment to their holiday and select a different destination or alternative date up to the same value already booked.

Thomas Cook and Airtours customers who are due to travel to Cancun over the course of the next seven days were advised to contact the store where the booking was made.

A spokeswoman added: ''Our staff in resort are, as always, on hand to respond to any questions our customers have and, in the event that any holidaymaker does want to come home early, then we will look to assist them in curtailing their holiday as normal.

''Holidaymakers who have a Cancun holiday booked for travel in May will be able to amend their holiday, free of charge, and select a different destination (subject to availability and to the same value already booked).''

Nick Starling, the Association of British Insurers' director of general insurance and health, said: ''People who are concerned about travelling overseas should talk to their tour operator or air carrier about whether it is safe to travel, and listen for any Government advice.

''Travel insurance will normally cover the cost of cancelling a trip for a number of specified reasons, including illness, and redundancy.

''If the Government advises against travelling to a particular country or region, check your travel policy, as some may cover cancellation costs, although policies vary.''