Thomas Cook

[User001]

Where's the info regarding this coming from Dobbo, can't find any reference to it online?

 

[Dobbo]

Darkbluedotnet.

Info on one aircraft, my speculation on future purchases/leases...

 

[Land23R]

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38...cook-uk-expands-manchester-us-service-in-s17/

I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but what is the significance of the Air Tanker in terms of capacity, premium economy etc.?

 

[Comet]

Noticed that the Friday JFK from next year doesn't have PE.

 

[User001]

Air Tanker doesn't have Premium, so, explains why you can't find it.

 

[ethanegcc]

Air Tanker doesn't have Premium, so, explains why you can't find it.

Are there any changes in economy? Is it significantly inferior to the refurbished TCX cabins and is it still a 3-3-3 configuration?

 

[User001]

Thomas Cook to launch MAN-Sanya (China) flights within the next 2 years according to a new deal signed with various authorities today.

Secondry Chinese cities could also follow in a seperate deal done with FOSUN too.

 

[ethanegcc]

Thomas Cook to launch MAN-Sanya (China) flights within the next 2 years according to a new deal signed with various authorities today.

Secondary Chinese cities could also follow in a seperate deal done with FOSUN too.

Wow! Any online source? A quick google search of Sanya seems it is quite nice! That was out of the blue?

I just wish it was another Chinese location beginning with S...

 

[User001]

The only online source is via a Blackpool newspaper (it's a visit to Blackpool by the Sanya officials that prompted the news), but, I've also been shown a bit more detail around the 2 seperate deals.

Sanya likely in summer 2018 once weekly, then secondary cities in 2019, but will also use 3rd party airlines.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

Sanya will be a welcome return for Thomas Cook. They previously operated there from MAN back in the days when we called them Airtours International / MyTravel.

 

[ethanegcc]

then secondary cities in 2019

Any secondary cities named or simply just as 'secondary cities'?

 

[User001]

Just named as they are.

 

[Dobbo]

An interesting article in the MEN:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...nchester-san-francisco-direct-flight-11866595

Some extracts that jumped out at be below:

Christophe Debus (chief airlines officer of Thomas Cook):

Commenting on the new route:

"It's a sign of making the UK less London-centric in terms of air travel. We want to be the number one carrier in the north".

On future routes:

“The world is open, I would love to talk about the next step but we are in a certain way, very modest and we only walk what we talk. We won’t participate in speculation but there are other destinations we’ll be looking at - everything west-bound is interesting to us.”

On the TP:

“The transfer facilities at Manchester are not up to date compared with other important airports. We know the airport is on it... It really needs to improve if we want to further develop Manchester.”


Some interesting comments. The final in is of interest. One of the major things that MAN lacks is a proper hub style operation. The ability to quickly and seamlessly transfer a plane load of people from (say) Norwich, onto long haul flight has to be one of the key outcomes of the TP, even if not initially taken up.

 

[ethanegcc]

An interesting article in the MEN:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...nchester-san-francisco-direct-flight-11866595

Some extracts that jumped out at be below:

Christophe Debus (chief airlines officer of Thomas Cook):

Commenting on the new route:

"It's a sign of making the UK less London-centric in terms of air travel. We want to be the number one carrier in the north".

On future routes:

“The world is open, I would love to talk about the next step but we are in a certain way, very modest and we only walk what we talk. We won’t participate in speculation but there are other destinations we’ll be looking at - everything west-bound is interesting to us.”

On the TP:

“The transfer facilities at Manchester are not up to date compared with other important airports. We know the airport is on it... It really needs to improve if we want to further develop Manchester.”


Some interesting comments. The final in is of interest. One of the major things that MAN lacks is a proper hub style operation. The ability to quickly and seamlessly transfer a plane load of people from (say) Norwich, onto long haul flight has to be one of the key outcomes of the TP, even if not initially taken up.

It is nice for MAN to be dubbed as an 'important airport' by a second airline in the past few months, after VS. The transfer facilities do need to be sorted out. If so, BE would work even better with airlines such as CX and TCX.

The comment "everything westbound is interesting to us". Perhaps Seattle, San Diego? If TCX wants to beat VS to be the number 1 all-round carrier in the North, they need to add a Condor style lie flat business class to cater to Business travellers. Their PE and Y products are probably superior to most full service 332.

 

[Land23R]

Good spot Dobbo. I missed it somehow although I always look at the Business section in the MEN and usually the latest news.

Anyhow, I've put the link on 'dried fruit', noting the comments about transfer facilities. And I guess that's mainly between T3 and T1 for TCX pax. I wonder what he'd say if TCX were in T2?

 

[Dobbo]

I assume TCX (and I expect VS and a few others) will want the USPBC seamlessly integrated into the new transfer facility.

I think that would be a major selling point for the airport generally - I don't know how many in Europe have or will have such a facility.

 

[User001]

I'm told the next 3 routes are Cape Town, Mauritius and Sanya.

Going west, San Diego, Tampa and Reno remain targets, but one does wonder if they will attempt the Canadian market again? Obviously ran flights with Canadian Affair in the past, so, either a link up with them again or 'go it alone'. The only thing is, the already served destinations of Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto would be the first targets I would imagine.

 

[Dobbo]

How do you see the Canadian market User? The services are seasonal only, but might TCX capture that market from Transat and Rouge?

There was some intrigue surrounding AC mainline for a time but that seems to have dropped out of the picture.

 

[User001]

Well the Manchester-Canada market is predominantly UK originating, so, TCX could take the market. Given how fragile it seems to be though, would be at the expense of another operator.

If TCX did tie up with Canadian affair, would be the end of Transat in my opinion. The main differ Nce this time would be that with Canadian Affair, Thomas Cook ran the B757 to Toronto, and they don't have that option this time.

 

[Dobbo]

Well if they decide to operate a european feed and have enough routes to offer FF it may be a good thing if they replaced Transat (who I know very little about).