Thomas Cook

[David_itl]

Possibly maintenance - if the flights numbers were something like MT4900 then they will be.

 

[Chilly Dog]

Also seen flights between Manchester and Abu Dhabi recently on Flightradar24. Are these charters?

They're flagged as charters in the GDS:

03OCT 03OCT ..3.... MAN AUH 2145# 0755 MT3706 332*C

MT 3706 WEDNESDAY 03 OCT 18
---------------------------------------------------------------
BRD TIME T D/I OFF TIME T D/I FLY/GROUND EQP E
MAN 2145 1 I AUH 0755 # 1 I 7:10 332 E
---------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL FLYING TIME MAN - AUH 7:10
---------------------------------------------------------------
CLASSES
MAN-AUH Y O A B M H V K E T U G Q W
---------------------------------------------------------------
CHARTER SERVICE

 

[Dobbo]

Routesonline have now picked the charter up. Assume it's Grand Prix related.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/3...-uk-schedules-abu-dhabi-charters-in-oct-2018/

 

[Dobbo]

Some more routes:

Manchester – Funchal eff 03MAY18 2 weekly A321 (32B; last served in April 2014)

Manchester – Girona eff 05MAY18 1 weekly A321 (32B)

Manchester – Mytilene eff 05MAY18 1 weekly A321 (32B; last served in October 2016)

Manchester – Santa Clara eff 12MAY18 1 weekly A330-200

Manchester – Thessaloniki eff 02MAY18 2 weekly A321 (32B; last served in September 2012)

Manchester – Dubrovnik 13MAY18 – 07OCT18 2 weekly A321 (32B)

Manchester – Varna 22MAY18 – 25SEP18 1 weekly A321 (32B)

https://www.routesonline.com/news/3...k-uk-s18-new-short-haul-routes-as-of-06dec17/

 

[User001]

Routesonline have now picked the charter up. Assume it's Grand Prix related.

https://www.routesonline.com/news/3...-uk-schedules-abu-dhabi-charters-in-oct-2018/

Possibly cruise? There are the Aqaba and Colombo charters then too?

 

[Dobbo]

That may be true, I don't know the date of the Abu Dhabi GP, but Thomas Cook are offering packages to see it.

TBH - I don't know why you would send an aircraft there when there is so much capacity to the area via Emirates and Etihad.

 

[Little G]

Not sure if it’s been reported here but TC are committing an A332 to Condor to fly FRA-KUL 5Nov 2018 to 22Apr 2019 (Routesonline) One less for MAN expansion.

 

[rutamkrd]

Not so it will be one of the Air Transat leases as these are booked to Thomas Cook rather than Condor.

But anyway deep winter we already lose two to Scandinavia the A332 OY-VKF returns and one other.
These then operate down to Thailand from the cold dark north.

 

[Jerry]

Spotted this review of the Thomas Cook Premium Economy product on Twitter on a Manchester to Holguin flight and the product looks really good. Looking at just the video it seems a better product than Delta's Comfort plus and Air France's Premium Economy.
https://twitter.com/MT_Aviation/status/942499258653175810

 

[David_itl]

Flash sale until noon tomorrow on San Francisco flights
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/trips-and-breaks/thomas-cook-sale-san-francisco-14168125

 

[Liverpoola380]

Does anybody know if TCX have any plans to replace the A330's anytime soon, some of them are quite old now!

 

[Jerry]

I believe the oldest are 18 years old now so they have a few years left in them. So maybe an order for 6 aircraft maybe in a couple of years or possibly some second hand aircraft if they can get them.

 

[Aviador]

First time poster! Welcome to Forums4airports @Liverpoola380

 

[Yawner]

Long haul fleet plans aren't yet known but must be in the minds of the board as Condor 767s are ageing too. A joint order would make sense and I guess an all airbus fleet would have merits.

 

[Jerry]

I wonder if they might consider looking at the A321neoLR. It might mean that from Manchester they could look at opening up destinations to the US in which an A330 is too much capacity or add some more frequency to routes like JFK and Boston.

 

[Liverpoola380]

Long haul fleet plans aren't yet known but must be in the minds of the board as Condor 767s are ageing too. A joint order would make sense and I guess an all airbus fleet would have merits.

Yes I would think it will be all AB, the A330 NEO must be on their radar they could probably get them quicker than a 787 and cheaper too. A350's would be nice!

 

[Jerry]

Yes I would think it will be all AB, the A330 NEO must be on their radar they could probably get them quicker than a 787 and cheaper too. A350's would be nice!

I think for Thomas Cook A350s might be too big. A330 800 would suit them.

 

[Aviador]

I think for Thomas Cook A350s might be too big. A330 800 would suit them.

View attachment 7334

Why do you think that? I would have thought the A350 would be an ideal option for them. Don't forget, the aircraft comes in three variants, the 800, 900 and 1000. Fewer airlines have opted for the smaller variant but it would offer excellent short field performance and it would be an ideal replacement for the A330.

 

[Jerry]

View attachment 7334

Why do you think that? I would have thought the A350 would be an ideal option for them. Don't forget, the aircraft comes in three variants, the 800, 900 and 1000. Fewer airlines have opted for the smaller variant but it would offer excellent short field performance and it would be an ideal replacement for the A330.

If you already fly the A330 then why not just replace it with the A330? For what TCX do the A330 800 is a good size for them. Maybe they'd consider a few A330 900 if they add a business cabin for routes like NYC and maybe Gatwick? I don't think Airbus are going ahead with the A350 800 so instantly they'd be replacing their fleet with a much bigger aircraft. I think its 10 metres longer than the A330. I think they'll stick to what they know and that's the A330.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

I'd say they will probably stick with the A330 and A321neo allows flight deck flexibility. Not only this if the group orders A330 it will allow for a consistent movement in seasons so that TCX don't have, for instance, 3 or 4 different A330 configurations at MAN.