Thomas Cook

[Raymond Lin]

Last time I used Thomas Cook would have been the second time I went to Japan in 2010. We actually ended up stuck out there for a few extra days due to the Icelandic volcano shutting down European airspace. The tour manager was excellent and I couldn't fault how everything was handled in anyway. In fact the experience gained in that trip probably helped a lot in getting confidence for travelling there again self organised after that

I remember that, I was actually in the air back from HK when it happened, landed, got home in the evening, went straight to bed and woke up to find out what had happened. If we had caught the flight after we would've either been diverted to Spain or something. Was very lucky.

 

[Kenai]

As an aside, is anyone else finding the media portrayal a bit ott?

Talk of 'rescue flights', 'rescue missions' and the like, you'd think these holidaymakers are being advanced upon by hostile forces

 

[Raymond Lin]

As an aside, is anyone else finding the media portrayal a bit ott?

Talk of 'rescue flights', 'rescue missions' and the like, you'd think these holidaymakers are being advanced upon by hostile forces

Media like labels and names, it's "catchy".

 

[Rotty]

if anyone is affected and has to pay more for rebooked flights be aware that section 75 with the credit card companies also covers consequential, when Monarch went under I rebooked flights which were more expensive and got the difference back as well as the refund or original flights

 

[Kronos]

As an aside, is anyone else finding the media portrayal a bit ott?

Talk of 'rescue flights', 'rescue missions' and the like, you'd think these holidaymakers are being advanced upon by hostile forces

Johnny foreigner = hostile forces I thought?

 

[Megahurtz400]

All these people saying Travel Agents are always more expensive than booking yourself I have to disagree.

For certainly holidays yes.

I'm a big fan of a lazy beach destination all inclusive every now and again, just to recharge the batteries, and have always tried to see if booking these separately is cheaper, and most of the time a travel agent is cheaper.

Probably more to do with the agents "owning" certain hotels I imagine.

 

[stockhausen]

No message.

 

[chrcoluk]

25% of revenue was going on servicing debts, thats mental.

 

[dowie]

As an aside, is anyone else finding the media portrayal a bit ott?

Talk of 'rescue flights', 'rescue missions' and the like, you'd think these holidaymakers are being advanced upon by hostile forces

Well most of the package holiday crowd did vote to leave the EU, it would be cruel to leave them stranded there!

 

[awaybreaktoday]

Thomas cook is a price worth paying for brexit....

 

[peterwalkley]

Well most of the package holiday crowd did vote to leave the EU, it would be cruel to leave them stranded there!

Its ok, all the incoming flights are heading to North Wales.

 

[Mr Badger]

This defies logic to me that anyone on here is mad enough to use a travel agent. I don't think I've used a travel agent in my entire adult life, certainly not Thomas Crook. It's often far cheaper and more flexible to do it yourself.

If you haven't used one how do you know they are more expensive? Did you compare prices every time?

All these people saying Travel Agents are always more expensive than booking yourself I have to disagree.

For certainly holidays yes.

I'm a big fan of a lazy beach destination all inclusive every now and again, just to recharge the batteries, and have always tried to see if booking these separately is cheaper, and most of the time a travel agent is cheaper.

Probably more to do with the agents "owning" certain hotels I imagine.

Indeed. I haven't gone into a physical travel agent shop and booked anything for many years, but I've booked numerous package holidays online through the likes of Tui and Thomas Cook. I've also put together my own flights, accommodation, transfers etc. but in recent years the price has usually worked out more than booking a package. EasyJet flights (when including luggage etc.) certainly seemed to get a lot more expensive (I once scored return flights to Turkey for 2 of us including luggage for £200, last time I looked it was over £600) and the sort of apartments we look at booking don't seem to offer a discount when booked direct, but bargain packages can be found from travel agents.

If you are limited by the need to go to a certain place on a popular date then of course the travel agent price might be high, but a bit of flexibility can usually bring that down.

 

[Lopéz]

Thomas cook is a price worth paying for brexit....

I think TC's massive debts had a lot more to do with their collapse than Brexit.

 

[Lopéz]

This defies logic to me that anyone on here is mad enough to use a travel agent. I don't think I've used a travel agent in my entire adult life, certainly not Thomas Crook. It's often far cheaper and more flexible to do it yourself.

Thomas Cook aren't really a "travel agent", they are a tour operator.
You don't have to be "mad" to use a tour operator - in fact if you are looking for a mainstream holiday to a mainstream destination then tour operators such as Tui (Thomson) or Thomas Cook are often the best way of doing it.

 

[Megahurtz400]

If you haven't used one how do you know they are more expensive? Did you compare prices every time?



Indeed. I haven't gone into a physical travel agent shop and booked anything for many years, but I've booked numerous package holidays online through the likes of Tui and Thomas Cook. I've also put together my own flights, accommodation, transfers etc. but in recent years the price has usually worked out more than booking a package. EasyJet flights (when including luggage etc.) certainly seemed to get a lot more expensive (I once scored return flights to Turkey for 2 of us including luggage for £200, last time I looked it was over £600) and the sort of apartments we look at booking don't seem to offer a discount when booked direct, but bargain packages can be found from travel agents.

If you are limited by the need to go to a certain place on a popular date then of course the travel agent price might be high, but a bit of flexibility can usually bring that down.

This is true, I suppose not having kids so having the choice of anytime of the year to go to an all inclusive adults only hotel means you can look whens cheapers and make a decision on the pros/cons, while if you had kids and were limited to school holidays I can see people taking the decision to book a flight and self-catering villa somewhere would be cheaper.

 

[413x]

When used Thomas Cook it was the cheapest option. Helped that found 600 pounds off vouchers online for it .

Thank goodness the gov didn't give them money. It would have only prolonged the inevitable

 

[Azza]

25% of revenue was going on servicing debts, thats mental.

I think TC's massive debts had a lot more to do with their collapse than Brexit.

Looking at the numbers they were making on average about £14 per customer on ebit!?!

 

[adam cool dude]

Pilot should have done a barrel roll TBH.

 

[Greebo]

Pilot should have done a barrel roll TBH.

Nah he should have buzzed the tower

 

[esoteric]

A 1 minute video on Youtube by the Telegraph boils the collapse down to the internet and global warming.