Thomas Cook
GLA-DLM tonight
The wife was on this flight, delayed departure for around 3 hours, aircraft was FCLB if i remember correctly. Anyone know what the delay was down to? And if you can arrange a longer delay on the way back....
Just kidding. Honest.
OTEA
Just kidding. Honest.
OTEA
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It's a question of waiting for the new CEO to decide the recovery strategy and implement the plan.
Whatever master plan is eventually revealed, I wish them well.
Alba Gu Brath
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Interested to know what you base that assumption in TSR2. Look at Jet2 Holidays, EasyJet & Ryanair Hotels, etc. All are offering flights, hotels, transfer, excursions, car hire, etc as a 'package', albeit as individual components. Whilst the traditional method of booking a package holiday may have changed (travel agents) the actual holiday content itself pretty much stays the same. Us Brits still like our 2 weeks in the sun. You need only look at the number of flights into PMI, IBZ and MAH to realise that. And although most have tried the lo-cost flight only method, a lot of people don't like the idea of booking everything separately. TCX need to look at how to brand and market the new package holiday before they miss the boat again.
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Big Tudor
I am of course basing my statement on the number of passengers using charter flights. Ten years ago, the ratio of charter to schedule passengers at Manchester was in the region of 60+% in favour of charter. This has dropped continually with the rise of low-cost scheduled flights and now only accounts for less than 25% of passengers using Manchester.
Big Tudor, the traditional package holiday is dying. That's not to say that we no longer enjoy the same old popular destinations. People these days are somewhat more confident in booking separate components of their holiday. It has been spear headed somewhat by the lower fares that can often be obtained by the LCC's but can also be attributed to the greater flexibility offered by 'dynamic' or self packaging. Many more people now take durations other than the usual 7/14 nights to fit their plans. They have a greater choice of flight times and can package themselves with a hotel they want. All of those variables aren't always compatible with the package holiday offered by TCX etc. Further to that we are also seeing lots of short breaks. 10 years ago nobody would ever go to TFS or even Benidorm for just the weekend. Today it is quite common. That never used to be possible or prohibitively expensive. Today's greater flexibility is precisely why the traditional package holiday is fighting to survive. It won't die I don't think but it will never return to its hey day. It will however adapt (about time) and I think TCX are going down the right road by offering EZY flights to give their packages a bit more flexibility whilst still offering the attributes that those who prefer what a package offers.
Alba Gu Brath
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I agree that the traditional package holiday is going/has gone. However I do think the package holiday per se is still very much with us, albeit in a different form.
The choices we were presented with at the advent of lo-co were very attractive and promising. The idea of buying each component from a different provider was supposed to increase our choice and drive down prices through increased competition.
However, I am not convinced that this is how the majority of people are booking their holiday: they are still using a single supplier for most if not all of the pieces, probably because it is easier. Also because the 'Big 2', i.e. EZY and FR use clever marketing techniques to keep people on the website and persuade them to book there and then, or to at least consider their offerings if we decide to book later. As stated, the flexibility in duration that daily services provide is a huge selling point for all manner of travellers. TCX & TOM need to innovate to capture peoples imagination and get a piece of the action. They also need to be less prudish about chasing business. FR in particular have no qualms at all about pursuing the passengers £/€ at every opportunity.
TSR2
Can understand the numbers are down; the mergers of TCX & MYT and TOM & FCA and the loss of XL, etc, would have had a fair impact on the charter programme. But I wonder how many of these lo-co pax are travelling on a 'package' without realising it?
The choices we were presented with at the advent of lo-co were very attractive and promising. The idea of buying each component from a different provider was supposed to increase our choice and drive down prices through increased competition.
However, I am not convinced that this is how the majority of people are booking their holiday: they are still using a single supplier for most if not all of the pieces, probably because it is easier. Also because the 'Big 2', i.e. EZY and FR use clever marketing techniques to keep people on the website and persuade them to book there and then, or to at least consider their offerings if we decide to book later. As stated, the flexibility in duration that daily services provide is a huge selling point for all manner of travellers. TCX & TOM need to innovate to capture peoples imagination and get a piece of the action. They also need to be less prudish about chasing business. FR in particular have no qualms at all about pursuing the passengers £/€ at every opportunity.
TSR2
Can understand the numbers are down; the mergers of TCX & MYT and TOM & FCA and the loss of XL, etc, would have had a fair impact on the charter programme. But I wonder how many of these lo-co pax are travelling on a 'package' without realising it?
I haven't bought a package for some years now, despite going to some of the classic places for them like Majorca. We now tend to start with finding a hotel, then work backwards for flights. But what I do always do is look at the package sites (TCX and Thomson, at least) to see if they do the same places. I think I'm going to give this up as a waste of time.
What I find is their websites are just too annoying to penetrate. When I say I want to go to Corsica I don't want the next page to present a huge range of options from Barbados to Turkey, nor am I impressed with the constant use of "perfect" or "deals" or "hurry only x seats left" in every sentence. In the old days of Brochures, you could pretty much flick in an instant to where you were going, and accommodation, flights (with times) and price was all there on the page. Now it takes for ever. I've just had another look at the TCX website for where we went last, apart from a notable number of software bugs in the logic, I can find the destination, I found the hotels some minutes ago but now I can't again, and ..... oh, all too difficult.
Regarding the LCCs, they in turn seem to be getting beaten back by the mainstream carriers. With our most recent trip, to Sicily, booked about 3-4 weeks before departure, Easyjet was far and away the most expensive, over £600 return from London, BA were significantly less, but Alitalia were less than half the Easy price, and from Heathrow, connecting through either Rome or Milan. But Alitalia's key selling point, just like a previous trip on BA to Nice, was not so much the pricing as a spread not only of all dates but of departure times, every few hours through the day, from which we could pick and choose the best for us. The LCCs can offer just one or two departures a day, often with an 0600 departure or a near-midnight return (which both prevent any use of public transport to access the airport). TCX ? One flight a week, and if you don't want 7 or 14 days, tough.
What I find is their websites are just too annoying to penetrate. When I say I want to go to Corsica I don't want the next page to present a huge range of options from Barbados to Turkey, nor am I impressed with the constant use of "perfect" or "deals" or "hurry only x seats left" in every sentence. In the old days of Brochures, you could pretty much flick in an instant to where you were going, and accommodation, flights (with times) and price was all there on the page. Now it takes for ever. I've just had another look at the TCX website for where we went last, apart from a notable number of software bugs in the logic, I can find the destination, I found the hotels some minutes ago but now I can't again, and ..... oh, all too difficult.
Regarding the LCCs, they in turn seem to be getting beaten back by the mainstream carriers. With our most recent trip, to Sicily, booked about 3-4 weeks before departure, Easyjet was far and away the most expensive, over £600 return from London, BA were significantly less, but Alitalia were less than half the Easy price, and from Heathrow, connecting through either Rome or Milan. But Alitalia's key selling point, just like a previous trip on BA to Nice, was not so much the pricing as a spread not only of all dates but of departure times, every few hours through the day, from which we could pick and choose the best for us. The LCCs can offer just one or two departures a day, often with an 0600 departure or a near-midnight return (which both prevent any use of public transport to access the airport). TCX ? One flight a week, and if you don't want 7 or 14 days, tough.
I recently bought a Thomas Cook package holiday to Bodrum. The purpose of this was that it was actually cheaper than the very same flight alone.
I have a home in Turkey and was surprised at how much TCX were asking for a return flight. I went to a local Travel Agent and they booked me flights, luggage, meals and seat choice, transfers and 14 nights accommodation for less than I had found the same flight on line.
I just threw the accommodation away.
I have found out that this is quite common practice with TCX.
Strange
I have a home in Turkey and was surprised at how much TCX were asking for a return flight. I went to a local Travel Agent and they booked me flights, luggage, meals and seat choice, transfers and 14 nights accommodation for less than I had found the same flight on line.
I just threw the accommodation away.
I have found out that this is quite common practice with TCX.
Strange
Regarding the LCCs, they in turn seem to be getting beaten back by the mainstream carriers. With our most recent trip, to Sicily, booked about 3-4 weeks before departure, Easyjet was far and away the most expensive, over £600 return from London, BA were significantly less, but Alitalia were less than half the Easy price, and from Heathrow, connecting through either Rome or Milan. But Alitalia's key selling point, just like a previous trip on BA to Nice, was not so much the pricing as a spread not only of all dates but of departure times, every few hours through the day, from which we could pick and choose the best for us. The LCCs can offer just one or two departures a day, often with an 0600 departure or a near-midnight return (which both prevent any use of public transport to access the airport). TCX ? One flight a week, and if you don't want 7 or 14 days, tough.
TCX emergency diversion
Looks like TCX2539 Antalya-Manchester G-TCCA B767 has just diverted into Bourgas. Reported smoke in the cockpit, flightradar24 reports landed safely.
Last edited by Mr A Tis; 24th Sep 2012 at 08:30.
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Been browsing flight radar today. Looks like TCX chartered an XL Germany 737-800 and a Travel Service 737-700 to bring the delayed passengers back from Burgas from the diverted 767. TCX994 just about to land and TCX995 due about 2230.
As a result of a 12 hour delay to last nights CWL-AYT, TCX also chartered a Travel Service 737-800 today to operate this mornings TCX7472 originally CWL-PFO, but operated LGW-PFO-CWL with outbound passenger bussed to LGW.
Between that and Monarch's troubles, its been a good week for short notice charterers!
And just noticed this afternoons MAN-NBE was operated by a TOM 767, G-OBYD.
As a result of a 12 hour delay to last nights CWL-AYT, TCX also chartered a Travel Service 737-800 today to operate this mornings TCX7472 originally CWL-PFO, but operated LGW-PFO-CWL with outbound passenger bussed to LGW.
Between that and Monarch's troubles, its been a good week for short notice charterers!
And just noticed this afternoons MAN-NBE was operated by a TOM 767, G-OBYD.
Last edited by caaardiff; 23rd Sep 2012 at 20:13.
Any news on the old girl (GTCCA)?, is she still in Bourgas?
She's had a few bumps (Skyservice) & scrapes over the years, but still have fond memories of travelling on her from MAN to Sydney in 1995 & to Mexico in 1997 when she was GSJMC with Airtours International.
She's had a few bumps (Skyservice) & scrapes over the years, but still have fond memories of travelling on her from MAN to Sydney in 1995 & to Mexico in 1997 when she was GSJMC with Airtours International.
Last edited by Mr A Tis; 24th Sep 2012 at 08:29.
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Thomas Cook are really short of luck at the moment. After doing their best to get the CWL schedule back on track by chartering an airline it looks as if TCX7207 LCA-CWL is stick in LCA with a servere delay. - source
The wife...
Ref post 1322, thanks to good old G-FCLJ, tech in Dalaman tonight! Was due back in GLA at 02:10 BST. According to reps, part to be flown from the UK so earliest departure from Dalaman 14:00L tomorrow. Unless they sub it with something else. Right, where was that beer.....
Last edited by OntimeexceptACARS; 26th Sep 2012 at 21:31.