Thomas Cook

[White Heather]

As I advised a few days ago, I wrote to LBA management with regard to the loss of the Thomas Cook base to seek confirmation and clarification and today, I received the response below on behalf of Chris Sanders, LBA's Aviation Development Director. I have copied his response exactly as given and it confirms what we know - 2 Antalya's, 2 Dalaman's and 1 Palma, with the Turkey flights on TCX A321's and the Palma on an Air Europa Boeing 737 800. As you will also see, the loss of the base is entirely due to the lack of available aircraft and applies to Luton also. It appears that their planned base was to use leased aircraft which are no longer available - or there are insufficient aircraft available overall to meet Thomas Cook's requirements. So both new bases have been cancelled. You will also note the comment that customer demand had been good. So at least we now know why the cancellation has occurred and that it is NOT relating to poor bookings. I honestly couldn't see that to be the case given the short time since they announced the routes. Let's hope Thomas Cook have another go for 2019 and get it right this time.

Further to my update prepared for the last meeting, we have now learnt that Thomas Cook are unable to base an aircraft at Leeds Bradford next summer as they have been unable to allocate an aircraft to either Leeds Bradford or Luton – the two bases which they announced in the immediate aftermath of the Monarch collapse. Both bases were planned to receive a third-party aircraft operated and flown by another airline but crewed by Thomas Cook cabin crew. The market for such aircraft has become extremely tight for next summer and very unfortunately we have lost out. Bookings had been good and we take some solace in the fact that the remaining Turkey flights are all on larger A321 aircraft. They tried to protect as much of the flying using non-based aircraft as they could but, again due to aircraft availability, they have only been able to retain two weekly flights to Dalaman, two weekly flights to Antalya and a weekly Palma flight. The Dalaman (Thu/Sun) and Antalya (Mon/Fri) flights will be operated by larger Thomas Cook A321 aircraft while Palma (Mon) will operate with an Air Europa Boeing 737-800.

 

[a300boy]

I will give them credit for telling it how it is ! We need some good news and soon.

 

[markietg]

Tenerife(Sunday)and Ibiza(Monday) available now to book for Summer 18 but they’ve taken a seat allocation from Tui.

 

[Finger66]

Perhaps TUI should now be basing a 752 to accommodate the TCX allocation!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Perhaps TUI should now be basing a 752 to accommodate the TCX allocation!

The 757s are being phased out of the TUI fleet. All should be gone within the next 2-3 years.

 

[White Heather]

The 757s are being phased out of the TUI fleet. All should be gone within the next 2-3 years.

That's OK Local Yokel - still time to give LBA one next summer. TUi can fill their 737 800s easily enough by themselves so giving Thomas Cook an allocation seems counter productive unless they upgrade the aircraft. Changing to the 757 would provide an extra 40 seats (approx) which could then be available for Thomas Cook.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

That's OK Local Yokel - still time to give LBA one next summer. TUi can fill their 737 800s easily enough by themselves so giving Thomas Cook an allocation seems counter productive unless they upgrade the aircraft. Changing to the 757 would provide an extra 40 seats (approx) which could then be available for Thomas Cook.

That would then mean a 757 already allocated to an airport for next summer being moved leaving that airport down on seats if it was then replaced by a 738. I'm not sure where the remaining TUI 757s are based. I know that Bristol has two and I would assume that airports such as Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham have some too.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

757's for TUI are needed are more slot restrained such as MAN LGW as well as been needed for performance out of BRS and then for seat capacity out of BHX.

What would be better @White Heather would be 2 737-800's.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

757's for TUI are needed are more slot restrained such as MAN LGW as well as been needed for performance out of BRS and then for seat capacity out of BHX.

What would be better @White Heather would be 2 737-800's.

LBA has the same sort of performance limitations as BRS so it might be thought that a 757 would have been allocated from the beginning. However, BRS will have 2 TUI 738s based next summer as well as the 2 757s. Summer 17 saw 1 738 + 2 757s and the 738 performed some of the longest routes at times - Canaries and Greek islands for example - with so far as I know no limiting features.

 

[lbaspotter]

I honestly think we will end up with a Boeing 737-800 as usual based at LBA. Definitely can't see us getting a 2nd based Tui aircraft at LBA this coming summer 2018 now as its just too late in day to sort that out. Have you seen how many flights Tui have had to sub out 3rd party operators next summer?
The Boeing 757-200's fleet is based strategically because as ready been mentioned to operate from slot constrained airports LGW, MAN and those that need the extra capacity BHX, BRS and NCL. Also they are placed at airports that have flights down the Cape Verde Islands like GLA as its out of range of the Boeing 737-800's.

Saying that it will be interesting to see how Thomas Cook Airlines get on with using the larger Airbus A321's next summer into LBA. Especially in low viability

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I honestly think we will end up with a Boeing 737-800 as usual based at LBA. Definitely can't see us getting a 2nd based Tui aircraft at LBA this coming summer 2018 now as its just too late in day to sort that out. Have you seen how many flights Tui have had to sub out 3rd party operators next summer?
The Boeing 757-200's fleet is based strategically because as ready been mentioned to operate from slot constrained airports LGW, MAN and those that need the extra capacity BHX, BRS and NCL. Also they are placed at airports that have flights down the Cape Verde Islands like GLA as its out of range of the Boeing 737-800's.

Saying that it will be interesting to see how Thomas Cook Airlines get on with using the larger Airbus A321's next summer into LBA. Especially in low viability

TCX has had two A321s based at Bristol for several years which is an equally 'difficult' airport as LBA and I'm not aware of any issues.

 

[White Heather]

I am sure we have had A321's land at LBA in low vis conditions in the past. Didn't Monarch do it occasionally in more recent times? Over the years we have had First Choice, BH Air, and a now defunct Spanish Airline (whose name I can't remember right now) all using the A321 regularly out of LBA. I don't recall them having any particular issues.

 

[lbaspotter]

Well if that's the case lets hope that Thomas Cook have updated there SOP's since they last regularly operated aircraft out of LBA. Otherwise if not can foresee diverts...

 

[a300boy]

I think you are correct lbaspotter but as I do not know much about the A321 landing performance we will have to wait and see. If a A319 cannot autoland with more than a 6 kt tailwind I would think the A321 might be restricted too. However summer operations would hopefully not be a problem.

 

[SNOWMAN]

U.K.leisure had A321 at LBA we used them on the malaga flights,i was very lucky to have a jump seat 14 landing when flying back from holls,one of the captains who used to put is self on the lba flights to keep currant was dave henry i am sure many of the old B.I.A.S.members will remember him.

 

[White Heather]

U.K.leisure had A321 at LBA we used them on the malaga flights,i was very lucky to have a jump seat 14 landing when flying back from holls,one of the captains who used to put is self on the lba flights to keep currant was dave henry i am sure many of the old B.I.A.S.members will remember him.

Air UK Leisure and an A321? That is a new one on me. I recall their original 737 200 and they then re-equipped with 737 400s. I don't recall them ever operating anything out of the Airbus factory?

 

[mdobuk21]

Had an A320 G-UKLK

 

[a300boy]

They never had an A321 and Dave Henry was a F27 then B738 and B763 Captain.

 

[SNOWMAN]

They never had an A321 and Dave Henry was a F27 then B738 and B763 Captain.

hi 300boy
senior moment have just been looking through my old photos and found one of dave and my wife at the side of the 737-400 at lba we have known dave since he was a f27 captain at lba.

 

[oldendays]

Air UK Leisure did operate at least one A321 as I recall. I'm sure I remember seeing one at Mancheste. Possibly absorbed into the Air 2000 fleet quite quickly.