Thomas Cook

[lbaspotter]

But surely there must be a cut off point where even the most optimistic supporter admits that 'something isn't quite right'.....

I totally agree that somethings not quite right user001. But until we get some kind of confirmation from either Thomas Cook Holidays or Leeds/Bradford Airport management surely its all speculation and hearsay.

As the saying goes: "You've got to speculate to accumulate"

 

[pug]

My opinion stays the same. That is Thomas Cook taking seats on the new Monarch flights, rather than having the cost of a single seasonal based aircraft.

Either way, passenger numbers will grow considerably next year as things stand.

 

[User0001]

To be honest, now TCX have pulled out, it gives the other flights a fighting chance, as 4 carriers on the same routes was too much for an airport the size of LBA.

The issue is not the size of the airport or its existing passenger numbers, but the size of the demand that already exists in the immediate catchment area. The airport's strategy for clawing back the demand that is leaking out to airports like MAN, is to increase the choice of brands it has available, which in turn broadens the appeal to a wider customer base.

 

[White Heather]

As an optimist I remain convinced that when Thomas Cook bring out their next brochure editions, LBA will be back, despite the fact that it doesn't feature in their list of airports for 2013, and as I have posted previously, I would expect that they will utilise Monarch, Jet2 and possibly Thomson. I don't think it is a co-incidence that Jet2 have launched one of the TCX routes (Zante), nor that Monarch are picking up Antalya, previously a TCX route only. Or that Jet2 are increasing capacity on Mahon, whilst Monarch are also operating there, and then Thomson are doing Enfidha. When you look, all TCX routes are going to be covered by one of the other three. So who is to say that Thomas Cook won't continue with all their routes, but buying seats on one of these other operators.

Another point is that when I specifically asked a question of LBA management at the last meeting, about Thomas Cook, they clearly tried to avoid answering it, despite having a months notice that the question had been raised. In the end they denied knowing anything about what Thomas Cook were doing, which I simply do not believe. Airport management don't 'not know' what their main tour operator is doing. To me the silence all smacks of contractual issues.

I remain hopeful that before long, perhaps when Cosmos announce their plans in conjunction with Monarch, Thomas Cook will then be able to do the same, once they know the seat availability on each flight. For sure I think there will be a reduction though for the reasons outlined by User001

 

[lbaspotter]

Well here's the latest from Thomas Cook regarding next summer 2013. So are still no wiser as to what's happening.

Hi,

The Leeds/Bradford routes have not been decided yet by our products teams, please keep checking online or contact our travel advisors on 0844 879 8400 to search for alternatives.

Kind Regards
Chris

 

[empire]

Thomas Cook seem to be starting to put Leeds on sale for next summer. One flight has now gone on sale, Friday Tenerife taking seats on the Monarch scheduled.

 

[752]

Just been on the TCX website and it says flight times could be subject to change so they do not seem any wiser about what they are doing.

 

[White Heather]

That doesn't really follow. Flight times subject to change means that they don't know for sure what the times are and/or they are not under their control, which if they are using Monarch/Jet2 (as has seemed likely for some time) they won't have such control. It is more or less a disclaimer so they are not held responsible for changes they don't directly make.

Have Monarch actually set their times yet? I doubt it, so if the carrier doesn't know for sure then TCX certainly don't. Even when they have published times they are often subject to change.

However, if they now have TFS on sale, that is, surely, a good sign that we are not losing them as a brand at LBA, only that we are losing a TCX base, which is more bearable considering we have gained Thomson and Monarch instead.

 

[752]

On the TCX website it is saying flights are operated by Monarch, with Monarch flight times, however looking again to book from LBA it is saying, Sorry, there are not enough seats available on the outbound flight for your party size. Please select alternative flight times, select a different departure date via the Departure Date filter or amend your criteria and search again. We apologise for the inconvenience. [Error Code: c162] so they no longer look bookable, however a positive is that LBA is back on the booking system but HUY has not been uploaded yet.

 

[lbaspotter]

The Thomas Cook Holidays summer 2013 flights to Tenerife which were on sale yesterday which were shown using Monarch have now been removed from the site and Leeds/Bradford is no longer available to book again for next summer.

 

[Malaga]

Just to add confusion, Monarch flight w/c 29/4/13 Sunday has flight number MON3549/99,
1520/0130*. Apparently bookable at the moment but not with Thomas Cook.

I will trawl through the system when I have time and see what else turns up (if anything)!

Regards

Malaga

 

[lbaspotter]

Somebody has just sent the following message to Thomas Cook on there Get satisfaction customer page this afternoon:

Source: http://customer-community.thomascoo...tm_medium=email&utm_source=reply_notification

Hi , Is there an update on wether Thomas Cook will be flying out of LBA in 2013 , Thanx

With-in minutes they replied with the following message:

Hi
We should have confirmation of these flights at the start of August.
Kind Regards
Paul

It looks a little more promising compared to there earlier replies last month that they sent to me.

 

[Hull City Fan]

Does anyone know which aircraft is operating the Thomas Cook flight from Palma to Leeds this evening as Palma airport has this aircraft listed as doing the rotation???

EDIT: Also being used on the Humberside rotation too.

 

[lbaspotter]

Does anyone know which aircraft is operating the Thomas Cook flight from Palma to Leeds this evening as Palma airport has this aircraft listed as doing the rotation???

EDIT: Also being used on the Humberside rotation too.

Its been operated by the current Leeds based Swiftair, MD83, EC-KCX. She has been leased by Thomas Cook today . It positioned out empty from Leeds to Humberside as TCX804F so to operate the Humberside to Palma, TCX8044 service. It looks like she will operate the TCX95JC back to Leeds as well.

Meanwhile the based, A320, G-DHJZ operated out a snormal this morning doing the TCX25MR to Palma but looks to be now operating a few extra w-legs today. So she will position in from London Gatwick in the early hours of tomorrow morning as TCX973F

Hope that helps..

 

[White Heather]

So they obviously fixed the engine on the MD83 pretty quick then? Who fixed the failed compressor? Does anyone have any details as to how long it took to repair?

 

[stevolba]

A compresser stall doesn't always lead to the engine being repaired, it can happen when the aircraft is in flight for example because of uneven airflow over the turbines or for a verity reasons and in this case the pilot reduces the power to the engine slowly and then increase the power, but 9 times out of 10 this is done by the flight computer, but I presume on the MD they would of just inspected the engine for damage

 

[Liam12189]

Re: Weather & Technical Diversions, Delays & Cancellations

Hi guys, flying with Thomas Cook on Thursday to Zante, any idea what plane it will be? or is it too early to tell?

Thanks

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Yet again TCX are up to their all tricks of leaving LBA without an aircraft to operate a flight they said they would. I have a friend who text me saying she's being delayed 2 & half hours, so unless the IBZ aircraft is on its way back how on earth they going to operate it when ones off to manchester? Tbh just shows they don't really care about lba anymore.

 

[masere]

The a321 has just landed, I watched it on the webcam. a319's/21's, MD83's, and the Flybe Embraer the other day, all making nice changes from the usual. Now if we could only get that elusive 777........

 

[White Heather]

Today's LBA -TFS flight left LBA almost 5 hours late and is shown as 4 hours late back into LBA, at 0430 Monday morning. The aircraft appeared to be an A320 as I saw one leave on 14 this evening, so it appears they have now fixed it. Whatever it was that was wrong with the A320, they flew it back to LBA to fix and parked it on the Eastern end of the apron where its been for the last couple of days whilst the A321 was operating in its place.