Thomas Cook Travel On the Edge

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Fri 20 Sep 2019 7:27 am

Just for information, this company has been teetering on the edge for some time and potentially there are some 150,000 people that could be stranded around the world.

The talk on the news coming in this morning is that it could stop trading in the next 48 hours.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49761464

MnM · Post by **MnM** » Fri 20 Sep 2019 1:56 pm

I saw that too. Shame. Mandy and I did our wedding with them in 2004 in Cyprus. Couldn't fault them at all.

Mollie the cat · Post by **Mollie the cat** » Fri 20 Sep 2019 2:21 pm

Tell me about it! We have flights booked with them to Barbados to join a cruise in December, what a nightmare!

MnM · Post by **MnM** » Fri 20 Sep 2019 3:10 pm

A cruise - wow! Barbados would have been plenty for me. Until Cyprus, the furthest i'd been was Sheerness

Not the point i know but they're ABTA and ATOL protected. (Thomas Cook, not Sheerness).

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Sat 21 Sep 2019 9:39 am

It might get rescued as it is a great brand name but they are deep in debt so the administrators will have to be realistic.

Just goes to show you are never too big to fail if you don't move with the times. Kodak, Blockbuster etc

ttoli · Post by **ttoli** » Sat 21 Sep 2019 10:35 am

MnM

Thomas Cook are not covered by ATOL , but if the passenger booked through a Travel Agent they would be covered by the agencies ATOL licence

From Thomas Cook Website;
Financial Protection:
Not all flights offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme. If you are buying a flight from Thomas Cook Airlines operated by Thomas Cook Airlines Ltd after 22nd November 2015 your flight will NOT be ATOL Protected. If you booked prior to 22nd November 2015 please click here for details of the protection that applies to your booking. Flights operated by other airlines may be protected by Thomas Cook Tour Operations Ltd (ATOL number 1179

https://www.thomascookairlines.com/en/o ... out-us.jsp

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Sat 21 Sep 2019 11:41 am

Did you really mean 2015?

ttoli · Post by **ttoli** » Sat 21 Sep 2019 12:10 pm

Sophie, that is the script on the TC Website, click on the link and scroll to bottom of page.

jofra · Post by **jofra** » Sat 21 Sep 2019 12:10 pm

It's what it says at the bottom of the terms and conditions page - the home page refers to "happenings" in 2017/2018, so perhaps the T&C's specify 2015 due to some alteration at that time in legislation?

Yes and no · Post by **Yes and no** » Sat 21 Sep 2019 8:57 pm

Hope they don’t go bust,got flights to goa with them in January and cyprus shortly,praying for them, well me realy lol

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Sun 22 Sep 2019 7:57 am

For information re questions being asked . Talks are taking place this morning.

https://www.thomascook.com/travel-updates/

Saintsfan · Post by **Saintsfan** » Sun 22 Sep 2019 3:10 pm

Board meeting tonight outcome will be advised after 7 am tomorrow.

Mollie the cat · Post by **Mollie the cat** » Sun 22 Sep 2019 3:15 pm

That dosent sound good, I read thats when most of their fleet are on the ground!

Trigger · Post by **Trigger** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 3:37 am

Gone.

alphamike · Post by **alphamike** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 6:01 am

Thomas Cook website directs customers to https://thomascook.caa.co.uk/ for updates.

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 6:19 am

I wonder how this will impact the South side,s tourist industry.
I for one now have a spare week at the end of next month as the grandkids won't be visiting during the school holidays.

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 7:09 am

Yes ceased trading. Boris Johnson said they asked for £150 million but was refused.

All flights cancelled from today and biggest move to get 150,000 - 165,000 people back.

MnM · Post by **MnM** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 8:43 am

Its the staff and their families i feel for the most. Some went to TC having previously lost their jobs at Monarch so it's twice in 3 years for them.

EnjoyingTheSun · Post by **EnjoyingTheSun** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 9:14 am

Shame, I feel for the staff and those who have lost money. I guess it was too far gone. I must admit I didn't know they were even in trouble. WH Smith have been sinking for years and its a matter of time but nothing on Thomas Cook

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 9:51 am

Looked at an alternative flight for family.Was £800 ,alternative now is over 4000 euros,profiteering perhaps?

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 12:05 pm

13roman58 wrote:Looked at an alternative flight for family.Was £800 ,alternative now is over 4000 euros,profiteering perhaps?

Supply and demand!

Dalartokat · Post by **Dalartokat** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 1:37 pm

EnjoyingTheSun wrote:Shame, I feel for the staff and those who have lost money. I guess it was too far gone. I must admit I didn't know they were even in trouble. WH Smith have been sinking for years and its a matter of time but nothing on Thomas Cook

The company has been in trouble since 2010/11 with a £2 billion pound debt then. More warnings signs came out back in a July/August.

Next one to look out for is Marks & Spencer.

sophie · Post by **sophie** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 2:14 pm

Not making sufficient profit possibly? On BBC Financial Briefing yesterday, they said that TC had cut their profit margin for every customer to between 130 - 150 GBP pp. That's no way near enough to keep going is it.

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 5:04 pm

Keithcaley wrote:
13roman58 wrote:Looked at an alternative flight for family.Was £800 ,alternative now is over 4000 euros,profiteering perhaps?
Supply and demand!

corporate theft but whatever you wish to label it.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 5:52 pm

13roman58 wrote:
Keithcaley wrote:
13roman58 wrote:Looked at an alternative flight for family.Was £800 ,alternative now is over 4000 euros,profiteering perhaps?
Supply and demand!
corporate theft but whatever you wish to label it.

Bollox!

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 5:55 pm

I'll expand on that:

The prime responsibility of any Company is to show a PROFIT!

If they don't do that, then they go to the wall - look at Thomas Cook if you don't believe me!

ttoli · Post by **ttoli** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 6:16 pm

Keith
Myself and my colleagues have spent the day rebooking flights for our clients , Fares with Jet2 that were £350 yesterday are suddenly £900 + and the regional airports where only 2 airlines fly from are even worse, theres profit and profiteering from peoples misery
https://metro.co.uk/2019/09/23/jet2-bra ... -10791556/

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 6:49 pm

An alternative view might be that 'Greedy' passengers contributed to the downfall of Thomas Cook by buying flights at unrealistically cheap prices, which forced the competition like Jet2 etc. to reduce their prices in response in order to attract custom...

The consequence being that everyone was operating on reduced margins.

You can't blame them for taking the opportunity to move back into profit, and if the ones who pay the price are the same ones who benefited from the unreasonably low fares, then it could be said that there's a sort of justice in that, couldn't it?

I suppose that those 'suffering' could always try setting up an airline themselves and see how they get on

Just an 'alternative' point of view... not one that I necessarily subscribe to!

jofra · Post by **jofra** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 8:51 pm

Keithcaley wrote:
13roman58 wrote:Looked at an alternative flight for family.Was £800 ,alternative now is over 4000 euros,profiteering perhaps?
Supply and demand!

Last October, we were booked to fly with Cobalt - they failed; within hours - or less - all other airline prices rocketed....
As it was, ROC government arranged free flights for all those affected - but the commercial businesses (other airlines) tried to grab the opportunity...

TAC · Post by **TAC** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 9:33 pm

jofra wrote:
Keithcaley wrote:
13roman58 wrote:Looked at an alternative flight for family.Was £800 ,alternative now is over 4000 euros,profiteering perhaps?
Supply and demand!
Last October, we were booked to fly with Cobalt - they failed; within hours - or less - all other airline prices rocketed....
As it was, ROC government arranged free flights for all those affected - but the commercial businesses (other airlines) tried to grab the opportunity...

We too were hit by Cobalt for our return home to the UK
No help from the ROC prices went up through the roof 3 days later we got a flight home
Once home made a claim with visa they paid in full for 3 days hotel 3 days extra car hire
The taxi cost to paphos airport and the car parked at Gatwick and the cost of the flights home.
They also paid the full cost of the flights over and the return flights with Cobalt.
Turned out to be a very cheap holiday

Michael410 · Post by **Michael410** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 10:13 pm

Our plans to visit NC in October to meet friends and view properties gave gone out the window as sleazyjet have bumped their prices so high for our dates it is financially impossible for us.

Devastated.Not just for our plans but for the thousands who have lost their jobs.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Mon 23 Sep 2019 11:53 pm

Michael410 wrote:Our plans to visit NC in October to meet friends and view properties gave gone out the window as sleazyjet have bumped their prices so high for our dates it is financially impossible for us.

Devastated.Not just for our plans but for the thousands who have lost their jobs.

They might have actually done you a favour in that case - if your finances are so tight that you cannot afford the flight - because if Brexit does happen at the end of October, it may be that the only way that you will be able to get to TRNC will be via Turkey, landing at Ercan.

Also the newly proposed financial requirements could mean that you would not be allowed to live here if you are serious about the airfare making it 'financially impossible' to fly...

The staff and their families are the ones that I do feel truly sorry for.

Michael410 · Post by **Michael410** » Tue 24 Sep 2019 9:18 am

Thanks for the reply Keith.
I meant financially at this late stage.
£250 Sunday morning £500+ yesterday.One way.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Tue 24 Sep 2019 9:45 am

If you are prepared to be flexible with dates, flight times and airports, there are still some very good deals to be had at 11:45 EST this morning...

13roman58 · Post by **13roman58** » Tue 24 Sep 2019 9:54 am

Not everyone can get to a London airport easily.
The cost of the train is more than the flights

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Tue 24 Sep 2019 10:06 am

Those were just examples!
How about a National Express coach?
Megabus?
Other Regional Airports?
Skyscanner.net?
Very little concerning TRNC is 'Easy'...

Michael410 · Post by **Michael410** » Tue 24 Sep 2019 10:09 am

Thanks again Keith.
Stuck on the dates,work in education.
Stansted across the country from us in Swansea.

Keithcaley · Post by **Keithcaley** » Tue 24 Sep 2019 10:19 am

I just used random dates - nobody so far has given me an actual date!

Bristol to Larnaca using Lastminute.com:

Bristol to Ercan with Kiwi.com £156

I'm not going to post every combination of airport and date, but if people show a bit of initiative and imagination, there are still deals to be had all over...

MnM · Post by **MnM** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 8:52 am

Not much help to anyone but last Wednesday i looked at flights and prices on Skyscanner for 23rd December to 30th (Stansted / Larnaca) including seat allocation, the total was £220 direct with Jet2. Today £249 which could be expected for a week later but they were still cheaper than Wizz who we normally fly with from Luton / Larnaca. Even Pagasus in and out of Ercan / Stansted was only £270.

Saintsfan · Post by **Saintsfan** » Wed 25 Sep 2019 12:53 pm

In June we travelled with Thomas Cook Manchester to Izmir paying £350 for 2 we have used the same flight here on 14th September £685 for 2, because flight only not ATOL covered we looked at booking flight home TA £586 for 2 one way Pegasus £484 for 2 one way, but we are being repatriated next Saturday at the same flight time we booked with TC.

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