Thomas Cook

[David_itl]

Just wonder what the prospects are for a Seychelles service. Looking at thunderchild's photo of the Air Seychelles 767 got me looking for the stats on the route. I don't have precise dates but recollect Saturday operations for them but in in 1996 there were 4564 passengers and in 1997 just 969 passengers. Reckon we're talking March through to January or a total of 44 services, or 63 passengers per flight. Back then MAN was only handling under 16 million passengers. Even taking into account recent economic problems, now we have a more affluent population than then ergo another "exclusive" destination in Mauritius also appearing after years off the destination boards.

 

[ethanegcc]

I think Seychelles is a good bet for either TCX or TOM. Air Seychelles' return is also possible (although not necessarily likely) as they have launched DUS and I imagine -rightly or wrongly - that MAN is a bigger market.

 

[Dobbo]

What I think it *could* look like in the future:
View attachment 4372
Additions of Sanya, Phuket, Bangkok, Rio de Janeiro, San Diego and Tampa. Thoughts on these and possibly Colombo and Windhoek also?

I suspect Phuket and Bangkok are places TCX have their eyes on, but I expect TG are more likely.

I'd love to see Rio, and the direction of travel is towards that, but I suspect it will be some time before we see such a link.

 

[David_itl]

And routesonline confirmation of CPT http://www.routesonline.com/news/38...chedules-manchester-cape-town-jan-2018-launch

 

[Land23R]

It states bi-weekly. As only Wed. departures are mentioned, does this imply fortnightly?
A bit different from twice weekly if so.

 

[ethanegcc]

https://www.thomascookairlines.com/...tner-airline-routes/usa-mexico-and-beyond.jsp

Thomas Cook are now advertising their partnerships more prominently on their website. Destinations feature include Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Bogota, Guadalaraja, Mexico City, Salt Lake City, Denver, New Orleans and Houston. They now have partnerships with Volaris (Mexican LCC) also.

 

[ethanegcc]

Thomas Cook have changed timings to add an early MAN departure on Fridays to Boston. Leaving Manchester at 0815, arriving BOS at 1030, it will be MAN's earliest TATL flight.

Interesting that we now have quite a range with a departure bank at:
0900 - UAL and certain TCX/TOM
1000- AA to PHL and JFK, AC, SQ, DL (winter)
1100 - VS to ATL/SFO/MCO, more TCX
1300-1400 - TCX, VS to JFK/BOS/MCO, AA to ORD

The earliest is TCX to BOS at 0815, the latest is VS to BOS at 1445 (excluding PK)

 

[ethanegcc]

Thomas Cook have formally announced Santa Clara from May 5th 2018.
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articl...cuba-programme
Destinations in Cuba: Varadero, Cayo Coco, Santa Clara and Holguin. Just need Havana to top off the list!

 

[David_itl]

Poster on airliners.net gave the loads on Boston service per route/airline. I've rearranged it into from high to low:


BOS-SNN (EI) - 94.7%
BOS-OSL - 94.2% (possible case for frequency increase in 2017)
BOS-DUB - 94.04% (explains DL weighing in on the route, that's pretty stacked out the entire month)
BOS-CPH (DY) - 92.8%
BOS-LGW - 92.0% (no let up here as we've seen from the CAA numbers)
BOS-KEF (FI) - 90.9%
BOS-SNN (X9) - 90.7%
BOS-LIS (TP) - 89.0%
BOS-LHR (BA) - 85.1%
BOS-ZRH - 84.3%
BOS-MUC - 84.1%
BOS-MAN - 83.5%
BOS-CGN - 82.6% (definitely got better, even though EW suspended it)
BOS-FCO - 82.0%
BOS-DUS - 81.9%
BOS-AMS - 81.6% (same as July)
BOS-LIS (S4) - 80.8%
BOS-FRA - 79.5%
BOS-TER - 78.6%
BOS-MAD - 78.6%
BOS-LHR (VS) - 78.1%
BOS-CPH (SK) - 77.03% (this is SK's reporting not Privatair)
BOS-CDG (DL) - 76.9%
BOS-CDG (AF) - 75.6%
BOS-CDG (AA) - 63.9%
BOS-LHR (DL) - 59.7% (in August!!!!)

BOS-KEF (WW) - (not reported)

 

[ethanegcc]

This is extremely encouraging to read, and to be up there with the likes of Munich, Zurich and London is very good. Hopefully this year, with extra services, it will remain broadly similar, probably about 80%?

 

[Aceshigh]

Those % figures re LHR are something of an eye opener.

59% IN AUGUST AT HEATHROW?

With capacity and slots at a premium is this not precisely the type of issue that the airport comission should have have given some creative thinking to in terms of maximising load factors for best utilisation?

Surely a pricing mechanism to encourage this is not beyond the wit of man..... especially where a codeshare exists.

And yes LFs at Manchester may ebb and flo but its Heathrow where slots are so scarce ...

 

[Jerry]

With capacity and slots at a premium is this not precisely the type of issue that the airport comission should have have given some creative thinking to in terms of maximising load factors for best utilisation?

Problem is that many of the airlines especially the American ones prefer to operate high frequency services on their main routes with more medium sized aircraft. It's very rare to see a Delta 747 or 777 on an US-European route. It's usually 767 or A330 for Delta. I think Delta operates 1 daily flight from BOS to LHR with Virgin operating a daily flight also. If Virgin ever get their A380's then maybe it would be better to combine the 2 but i doubt they would ever do that.

 

[David_itl]

Resurrecting a weekly 757 to Sharm el Sheikh this winter

 

[ethanegcc]

Thomas Cook Airlines New Uniform was revealed and modelled on an A321 in Manchester. Here is the video:

 

[EGCC_MAN]

Thomas Cook is promoting a 24 hour seat-sale for the MAN-LAX route from midday Thursday 16th. Seats will be offered at £300 return. That's a really good price. Be sure to notify anyone you know who is considering travel to California. On the other hand, it is concerning to note the need to offer fares as cheap as this. Difficult market.

 

[ethanegcc]

Just completed my routes list so annoyed at this! To be announced tomorrow:
Manchester-Thessaloniki
Manchester-Varna
Manchester-Girona
Manchester-Madeira

http://www.aviator.aero/press_releases/33576?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[ethanegcc]

New Routes for 2018:
Manchester-Funchal (Monday/Thursday)
Manchester-Varna (Tuesday)
Manchester-Girona (Saturday)
Manchester-Mytilene (Saturday)
Manchester-Thessaloniki (Wednesday/Sunday)

Great news to see continued expansion short haul at Manchester.
http://thomascookairlinesuk-newsroo...new-own-brand-hotels-for-summer-2018-on-sale/

 

[Land23R]

An extra 7 flights a week certainly helps (assuming no cut-backs).

 

[ethanegcc]

The Madeira flight begins 3rd May, bookable on the holidays website but not yet flight only. Same goes for Varna (begins 29th May) and Mytilene (begins 5th May)

Manchester-Varna

MAN 0525 VAR 1100 2
VAR 1200 MAN 1325 2

Manchester-Mytilene

MAN 0455 MJT 1025 6
MJT 1130 MAN 1320 6

 

[Land23R]

To put MAN's into perspective though, BRS has another 11 flights a week and BHX 9 (plus possibly Varna and Thessaloniki as they were mentioned in the article). How that relates to a/c type and seats I don't know.