Thomas Cook

[cabot]

Glasgow Airport long haul

Is the TCX 330-200 G-MDBD still based at Glasgow for long haul Thomas Cook operations or is it rotated around the UK as and when operations department need it ?

[Envoy320]

all a330's are rotated through various bases throughout the year as and when engineering checks/works are scheduled - generally in Manchester.

[cabot]

I noticed today Monday 7th July according to the BAA Glasgow website 4 long haul TCX flights out starting with 1000 TCX015L to Cancun,1040 TCX234K to Cancun,1245 TCX092K to Orlando then finally a 1535 TCX046K to Toronto.Is this due to the start of the local Glasgow holidays as it seems a huge amount of seats for just one day.Are all of these flights operated with A332 aircraft or are 757's used on any of the routes? Anyone know which aircraft is pencilled in for the Tuesday POP flight TCX035K?

[MUFC_fan]

I think the 757 operates the Toronto route - it does on most days from MAN anyway, with maybe once a week A330.

I think the 757 is fitted for long haul anyway but not 100% sure.

I don't think there will be 4 A330s at Gatwick that day as they will be needed around the country at other bases. 3 seems about right.

Does anybody know the rough placements for a/c this summer?

Thanks.

[cabot]

Glasgow TCX Long Haul

i was just trying to establish if Thomas Cook had 4 A332's at Glasgow today or 3 332's and a 757 and,
which craft was operating the Tuesday POP flight which i'm on.
Just seemed a shed load of seats for a Monday.Never knew they had that many large aircraft there on one day.

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by cabot

I noticed today Monday 7th July according to the BAA Glasgow website 4 long haul TCX flights ...... it seems a huge amount of seats for just one day.

It is normal for the IT operators to switch some resources in July from the English to the Scottish markets for a few weeks, to cover the fact that the Scottish market peaks earlier as their school holidays are some weeks earlier than England. Only happens for a few weeks, then the emphasis goes back to the standard bases. Some done by making additional stops on flights originating in England, others done by positioning the aircraft and not operating out of the English originating point for a few weeks. Tour operators have found, over time, that this is the most effective use of their resources to catch the peak demand and pricing in the two slightly different markets. The ability to charge peak prices more than outweighs the additional positioning etc costs.

[Envoy320]

The 2 flights to Cancun and the flight to Sanford will all be operated by A330-200's and the flight to Toronto will be on the B757-200.

There will also be a flight to Dalaman today on the A330-300

so yes there will be 4 x A330's in Glasgow this morning.

Tomorrow there will be 2 x A330-200's and a late afternoon visit by the B757-300 to operete the earlier Antalya flight.

Busy week for variety of TCX flights as on Thursday the A321-200 will visit and on Friday the B767-300 and A320-200 will also be visiting.

Makes a change!

[MUFC_fan]

GLA is obviously a big deal for TCX!

[Envoy320]

GLA is traditionally busy for TCX in the school holidays.....

If you want to see the whole fleet in one day (virtually) go to GLA in October.....normally around the 9th, 10th, 11th.....

74 departures scheduled for those 3 days this year by TCX...

[BFS101]

Thomas Cook seem pretty on the ball re capacity increases in the regions to suit demand.

BFS has a based A320 season long, however over peak holiday period, end of June to middle July, Thomas Cook group also base a BD A321 and operate numerous TCX flights in from other bases. Also peak flights to Cancun, Puerto Plata and extra capacity to Sanford.

This is in stark contrast to TUI operations from BFS, with based A320 season long and thats it. No peak capacity increases, and to be honest only the most unimaginative destinations.

[MUFC_fan]

TCX now have the widest range of capacity per a/c which I suppose helps massively.

From 180 seats to 350+ and many different in between it does make it more easy to meet the demand as opposed to TOM and MON.

[Envoy320]

From 180 seats to 350+ and many different in between it does make it more easy to meet the demand as opposed to TOM and MON

It does and it doesn't....

Granted - they have varying sizes of aircraft but the planning involved is incredible to move these aircraft around in the summer peaks when they are generally based in other airports.

For example....the B752 normally operates a MAN-Corfu-MAN.....this week it is doing MAN-Corfu-BFS-Corfu-MAN.....

and then back to normal in a couple of weeks time. Sounds easy but a lt of work in preparation.

[MUFC_fan]

Originally Posted by Envoy320

For example....the B752 normally operates a MAN-Corfu-MAN.....this week it is doing MAN-Corfu-BFS-Corfu-MAN.....

How do they work this crew wise? I know charters seem to have their 'days' where they go out in droves, would this be the case. Would they fly MAN-CFU-BFS and then swap with crew who will do BFS-CFU-MAN and they fly domestic or what?

Thanks.

[Envoy320]

How do they work this crew wise? .... Would they fly MAN-CFU-BFS and then swap with crew who will do BFS-CFU-MAN and they fly domestic or what?

Exactly that....

and vice versa of course....one crew would position out to BFS to pick up the aircraft when it came in from Corfu.

[MUFC_fan]

Right. So I guess they would head out on WW to BFS then as passengers and obviously vice versa? I suppose it is cheaper than setting up a larger pool at BFS.

[Envoy320]

Its not the fact that it's cheaper...it's just impossible to set up a crew for the B757 when the type doesn't ergularly operate from that base.

It would be impossible to keep the crew in check for that aircraft unless they kept travelling to other bases which would then prove extremely costly.

[TSR2]

From 180 seats to 350+ and many different in between it does make it more easy to meet the demand as opposed to TOM and MON.

MON also have this size range with aircraft from the A320 to the A330 and the 361 seat A300-604 with the B752 and A321 in between.

[Envoy320]

As do TOM really.....

&37, A320, A321, 757, 767.....

[MUFC_fan]

TCX have the A333 which pushes the larger end plus the 753.

Do MON use the A320 for charter?

[Envoy320]

THE A333 has a full programme for the summer and obviously goes back to T.Cook Scandinavia for the winter.

the B753 has 280 seats so quite useful for short, but higher density routes.

I would have thought MON use the A320 for charter or mainly the A321.