178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Aviation news and discussion for anything aviation related.
Post Reply
User avatar
jetskit
Penguin Airways VA
Penguin Airways VA
Posts: 449
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:57 pm
Favorite Aircraft: 757 - 200,787,a319,a320
Location: scotland
OS: Windows 7
Has thanked: 146 times
Been thanked: 109 times
Contact:

178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by jetskit »

Felt like it was appropriate to come back to where my love for aviation began and share this heart breaking news.

Ever since leaving HQ, I started working for Thomas Cook as a travel consultant, I got to experience so much in My time at cooks, I’ve met some amazing people who I will always consider to be my cooks family.

Thomas Cook Group plc was a British global travel group. It was officially named Thomas cook group on the 19th June 2007 by the merger of Thomas Cook AG (itself the successor to Thomas Cook & Son which was founded in 1841 and MyTravel Group. The group operated in two separate segments: a tour operator and an airline.

Thomas Cook went into compulsory liquidation on 23rd of September 2019 after its final flight had touched down in Manchester after flying from JFK, New York. Around 9,000 UK staff and 21,000 worldwide were left without jobs and 160,000 customers left abroad, thus triggering the UK's largest peacetime repatriation since the collapse of Monarch Airlines in 2017.


I will never forget my time with Thomas Cook. It certainly has been a good ride. And without Ysflight, I don’t think I would have ever been with them. I’m devastated and heartbroken.

Thanks for taking the time to read.
Image
"Aviation was not an industry nor a science. It was a love."|YS ATCO|PAVA CEO|
User avatar
Welshy
Staff
Staff
Posts: 2042
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:53 pm
Favorite Aircraft: Sea Jet
Location: Wales
OS: Windows NT
Has thanked: 249 times
Been thanked: 254 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by Welshy »

Most large travel operators will fail, I always book everything individually, all inclusive is going out of fashion and their flights are stupid money compared to budget airlines who's aircraft are similarly fitted out, at least now there's an extra MRTT for the RAF until they re-lease it
YSFHQ Elected Overlord
Overlord of VMFA-125 (CVW-171)
Previously Supreme Overlord of 323rd CAW
Friendly Neighbourhood Miscreant
Head Honcho at Talking Aero and British Defence
If you see me post like this in a thread pay attention!
User avatar
Indy
Staff
Staff
Posts: 210
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 2:07 pm
Favorite Aircraft: A-10C Thunderbolt II
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
OS: Windows 10
Has thanked: 421 times
Been thanked: 254 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by Indy »

Very unfortunate news.

My best-wishes are with their employees, and yourself if you were employed as of yesterday, as I can hardly imagine the amount of stress they must be going through worrying about their financial and personal futures. Hopefully those who have been affected are able to quickly recover from this tragic incident.
Image
Richard Vo
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 528
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 8:19 pm
Favorite Aircraft: A380, JAS-39
Location: Sweden
OS: Windows 10
Has thanked: 320 times
Been thanked: 115 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by Richard Vo »

Jetskit, if you were one of their employee until few days ago, I wish you and your colleagues all the best! I know it must have been tough.
Other airlines have started recruitment, mainly to attract Cook's employees, and I hope you will be able to find a place quickly, and so your colleagues.
The A380 is ahead of its time. With the resilient passenger traffic growth for times to come (reference from Airbus's Global Market Forecast), plus congested airports, the A380 could not be ignored.

By any chance if you have Instagram, please drop a follow on @vhaq_aero and if you have Twitter, please drop a follow on @vhaq_aero. Appreciate that!
User avatar
jetskit
Penguin Airways VA
Penguin Airways VA
Posts: 449
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:57 pm
Favorite Aircraft: 757 - 200,787,a319,a320
Location: scotland
OS: Windows 7
Has thanked: 146 times
Been thanked: 109 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by jetskit »

Welshy wrote: Tue Sep 24, 2019 2:37 pm Most large travel operators will fail, I always book everything individually, all inclusive is going out of fashion and their flights are stupid money compared to budget airlines who's aircraft are similarly fitted out, at least now there's an extra MRTT for the RAF until they re-lease it
The leased a330s are owned by air tanker so will most likely be wet leased to another airline. And there’s rumours circulating that another big brand airline will purchase the remaining a330s that cooks owned. Looks like the a321s are going to get conversions or sold on to BA.

As for your view on booking things, it’s a great way of saving money, but when things go tits up it’s a disaster. I book things separately too but always ensure I was atol protected by paying the fee in my work to add an atol certificate. I loved package holidays thought because you know what to expect. Friendly staff with you the whole way, reps who can’t do enough to help you. Whereas if you book yourself and something is wrong then it’s all on you to sort it.


Beg to differ on the all inclusive stuff though. Very much still incredibly popular based on my time as a travel consultant.
Image
"Aviation was not an industry nor a science. It was a love."|YS ATCO|PAVA CEO|
User avatar
jetskit
Penguin Airways VA
Penguin Airways VA
Posts: 449
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:57 pm
Favorite Aircraft: 757 - 200,787,a319,a320
Location: scotland
OS: Windows 7
Has thanked: 146 times
Been thanked: 109 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by jetskit »

Richard Vo wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:25 pmJetskit, if you were one of their employee until few days ago, I wish you and your colleagues all the best! I know it must have been tough.
Other airlines have started recruitment, mainly to attract Cook's employees, and I hope you will be able to find a place quickly, and so your colleagues.
Thanks so much, it means a lot. I’m quite lost at the moment though, still trying to get over the fact they’re gone whilst condor and Thomas cook Germany are still operating thanks to the German government bailing them out. My colleagues and cooks family have been doing fantastic jobs of keeping everyone in the loop and trying to help. Recently a cabin crew from Cardiff operated a repatriation flight in the last flying TCX 321. Without getting any payment for doing so, the lovely passengers managed to raise 350 pounds for the crew as a donation. The name will go on forever and definitely live on in the history books.



Thanks for the kind words everyone ;)
Image
"Aviation was not an industry nor a science. It was a love."|YS ATCO|PAVA CEO|
User avatar
Welshy
Staff
Staff
Posts: 2042
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:53 pm
Favorite Aircraft: Sea Jet
Location: Wales
OS: Windows NT
Has thanked: 249 times
Been thanked: 254 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by Welshy »

It maybe owned by AirTanker but the aircraft must be returned to Brize Norton within 24h of an RAF request and therefore very few airlines are prepared to lease aircraft that can be taken off them anytime the RAF wants.

Shame the CAA couldn't have left the operators cert in place long enough for TC aircraft to be used for the repatriation, would have saved money in the repatriation pot (all UK to foreign destination tickets include it IIRC?) as more British airlines could fail within the next year if Brexit happens
YSFHQ Elected Overlord
Overlord of VMFA-125 (CVW-171)
Previously Supreme Overlord of 323rd CAW
Friendly Neighbourhood Miscreant
Head Honcho at Talking Aero and British Defence
If you see me post like this in a thread pay attention!
Neil
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 388
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:59 pm
Favorite Aircraft: C-17 Globemaster
Location: London
Has thanked: 35 times
Been thanked: 106 times

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by Neil »

Was thinking about you when I heard the news, hope everything turns out alright bud!
At first I used to get angry, now I try to be amused.
User avatar
jetskit
Penguin Airways VA
Penguin Airways VA
Posts: 449
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:57 pm
Favorite Aircraft: 757 - 200,787,a319,a320
Location: scotland
OS: Windows 7
Has thanked: 146 times
Been thanked: 109 times
Contact:

Re: 178 year old tour operator Thomas Cook ceases trading

Post by jetskit »

Neil wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2019 6:48 pm Was thinking about you when I heard the news, hope everything turns out alright bud!
Thanks so much Neil, it’s a sad time for the UK travel industry for sure. Have a few interviews over the next few days, TUI or Virgin on the horizon, have a lot of Thomas Cook items that could be worth a pretty penny later down the line, from crew baggage tags to sunny heart badges, pens, TCX ties etc. Will be worth holding on to for the memories :). Good to see you again :)
Image
"Aviation was not an industry nor a science. It was a love."|YS ATCO|PAVA CEO|
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests