Thomson Airways
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Manchester
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Most Inept Marketing in the Industry?
Afew months ago, I reluctantly 'unsubscribed' from Thomson marketing e.mails because despite my Manchester postcode and Manchester preference in their database, all the offers I received were tailored to Doncaster / Sheffield departures. Every destination plugged from DSA was also available from MAN (but this wasn't mentioned). If Thomson wish to send me *relevant* offers then I am receptive as I actually do like their holiday product. But if they wish to waste my time ... well, forget it.
Having recently booked another Thomson holiday, marketing e.mails started hitting my inbox again. And again, all about Doncaster. As I went to hit 'unsubscribe', a box appeared begging me not to axe them and inviting me to insert my preferred airport choice instead. I decided to give them a chance - offers from MAN would actually be of interest to me - So I inserted MAN as my choice.
And guess what? Today comes ANOTHER marketing e.mail again with ALL short haul offers operating ex-DSA. And ALL to destinations also served down the road from my postcode ex-MAN (and their database does have my Manchester postcode on file).
I HAVE UNSUBSCRIBED.
But the questions must now be asked:
1) Does Thomson have the most inept marketing department in the industry?
2) Does Thomson have the most inept computer programming department in the industry?
3) Is the problem a combination of both? Or is just one department at fault?
4) After a year of this nonsense, is the company ever planning to sort out the problem? Is somebody getting paid for this rubbish?
5) Thomson famously has a huge marketing budget. Are the shareholders content to see it wasted with basic programming errors affecting huge portions of its target market going uncorrected for a year? And as for the website ... still one of the most user-unfriendly out there. For example, if you are interested in 'anything' falling wholly within a rigidly defined set of dates, the Thomson site forces you to insert each possible destination one by one for its own individual search. And when a result emerges, small print appears saying this holiday DOESN'T actually fall within your (rigid) dates (but we decided to waste your time with it anyway!).
And yes, Thomson are aware of the MAN/DSA problem because I myself highlighted it to them months ago.
Good airline, Good holidays, Atrocious backroom support. What a missed opportunity.
Having recently booked another Thomson holiday, marketing e.mails started hitting my inbox again. And again, all about Doncaster. As I went to hit 'unsubscribe', a box appeared begging me not to axe them and inviting me to insert my preferred airport choice instead. I decided to give them a chance - offers from MAN would actually be of interest to me - So I inserted MAN as my choice.
And guess what? Today comes ANOTHER marketing e.mail again with ALL short haul offers operating ex-DSA. And ALL to destinations also served down the road from my postcode ex-MAN (and their database does have my Manchester postcode on file).
I HAVE UNSUBSCRIBED.
But the questions must now be asked:
1) Does Thomson have the most inept marketing department in the industry?
2) Does Thomson have the most inept computer programming department in the industry?
3) Is the problem a combination of both? Or is just one department at fault?
4) After a year of this nonsense, is the company ever planning to sort out the problem? Is somebody getting paid for this rubbish?
5) Thomson famously has a huge marketing budget. Are the shareholders content to see it wasted with basic programming errors affecting huge portions of its target market going uncorrected for a year? And as for the website ... still one of the most user-unfriendly out there. For example, if you are interested in 'anything' falling wholly within a rigidly defined set of dates, the Thomson site forces you to insert each possible destination one by one for its own individual search. And when a result emerges, small print appears saying this holiday DOESN'T actually fall within your (rigid) dates (but we decided to waste your time with it anyway!).
And yes, Thomson are aware of the MAN/DSA problem because I myself highlighted it to them months ago.
Good airline, Good holidays, Atrocious backroom support. What a missed opportunity.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Live at LGW & Work in LHR .... Doh!
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Another Dreamliner issue tonight - Thomson
Aircraft forced to return to Manchester.....
Story here..... Thomson Dreamliner suffers ?technical issue?: ITV News | The Airport Informer
Story here..... Thomson Dreamliner suffers ?technical issue?: ITV News | The Airport Informer
Last edited by ArtfulDodger; 12th Jul 2013 at 19:27.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: England
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Shed - Agree with you.
Recently returned from long haul holiday and before departure had several e:mails asking if we wanted "extras". Also a couple of phone calls to check we didn't want "extras" and on one I asked if day before check-in was available and was told no because of the deparure time of the flight was after 1200. When checking in on the day, after queueing for 25mins as desks were for all Thomson flights, the check-in agent said that we could have used day before check-in. I was not amused.
Also when we landed back in UK the cabin crew were keen to inform us on the PA of the new Thomson long haul destinations being introduced. Perhaps not the best thing to do when our flight had just come from a destination being dropped by Thomson in April 2014.
Flight and holiday great but they need to improve in other areas.
Recently returned from long haul holiday and before departure had several e:mails asking if we wanted "extras". Also a couple of phone calls to check we didn't want "extras" and on one I asked if day before check-in was available and was told no because of the deparure time of the flight was after 1200. When checking in on the day, after queueing for 25mins as desks were for all Thomson flights, the check-in agent said that we could have used day before check-in. I was not amused.
Also when we landed back in UK the cabin crew were keen to inform us on the PA of the new Thomson long haul destinations being introduced. Perhaps not the best thing to do when our flight had just come from a destination being dropped by Thomson in April 2014.
Flight and holiday great but they need to improve in other areas.
Shed - one other option to add to your list:
6) Thomson have loads of flights from DSA that need pushing but flights from MAN are doing OK and are selling themselves - so push the DSA flts to the captive audience on their mailing list.
How much to send an e-mail? How much will they make if they can shift DSA flights? It might irritate you, but you didn't book with somebody else so they've lost nothing.
6) Thomson have loads of flights from DSA that need pushing but flights from MAN are doing OK and are selling themselves - so push the DSA flts to the captive audience on their mailing list.
How much to send an e-mail? How much will they make if they can shift DSA flights? It might irritate you, but you didn't book with somebody else so they've lost nothing.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Manchester
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Yes, but the e.mail-list audience is not captive, it is fluid. That is the truth of the matter. Send out too many *irrelevant* time-wasters and others will 'unsubscribe' from Thomson e.mails as I have done. Now special offers from my local airport ... that has the potential to attract a new booking rather than bemused puzzlement. That is the way to use your database successfully. And in Thomson's case, it is not an occasional Doncaster-focused e.mail they push out (I wouldn't object to that) ... it is ALL of them ... 100% hit rate.
If the marketers seriously believe that experienced Thomson regulars from the 'M' postcode area will be fooled into paying for surface transportation / parking etc to DSA for destinations such as TFS, ALC, PMI and AGP ... well, they must be off their rockers. Not the calibre of marketing talent which a company such as Thomson deserves. Disrespecting the intelligence of your loyal customer base never ends well.
On the point of "they've lost nothing" we will never really know ... I couldn't take up their late Manchester offers because they didn't send them to me! I would have welcomed the chance to consider them. I book travel with several operators; Thomson is just one option amongst many although I do like their holiday product.
If the marketers seriously believe that experienced Thomson regulars from the 'M' postcode area will be fooled into paying for surface transportation / parking etc to DSA for destinations such as TFS, ALC, PMI and AGP ... well, they must be off their rockers. Not the calibre of marketing talent which a company such as Thomson deserves. Disrespecting the intelligence of your loyal customer base never ends well.
On the point of "they've lost nothing" we will never really know ... I couldn't take up their late Manchester offers because they didn't send them to me! I would have welcomed the chance to consider them. I book travel with several operators; Thomson is just one option amongst many although I do like their holiday product.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Mansfield, UK
Age: 43
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EMA-SFB in 2014
Hi all
Does anyone know what equipment Thomson are using the on the EMA-SFB route in May 2014 (TOM374/375)? Is it the 787 or more likely to be a 763?
Cheers!
Does anyone know what equipment Thomson are using the on the EMA-SFB route in May 2014 (TOM374/375)? Is it the 787 or more likely to be a 763?
Cheers!
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: South East
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@TCAS_Alert,
For the S2014 season EMA-SFB doesn't switch to a 787 until July 2014. Operates with a 767 from May to that point. BHX-SFB similar situation.
Only SFB ops in May 2014 appear to be from LGW/MAN/GLA and then not all flights.
For the S2014 season EMA-SFB doesn't switch to a 787 until July 2014. Operates with a 767 from May to that point. BHX-SFB similar situation.
Only SFB ops in May 2014 appear to be from LGW/MAN/GLA and then not all flights.
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Ainsdale
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Just a quick qustion for those in the know,
whan are Boeing 767's G-DBLA &. G-PJLO due to leave the fleet?
whan are Boeing 767's G-DBLA &. G-PJLO due to leave the fleet?
G-DBLA still flying though not sure when it's going but pretty shortly I imagine. Also for some Reason Thomson are still using the Jetairfly 767???
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: crawley
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The jetairfly 76 will remain in service until the arrival and entry in to service of the 4th 78 which is expected to mid to late September when the 78 will replace the 76 on shorthaul.
The ema-sfb & ema-cun don't operate in July as the aircraft operates an extra sfb & cun from gla for the Scottish school holidays, the flights return to ema on then 30th July, a smilar thing happens in brs where the aircraft operates from edi instead.
Dbla will be staying in the fleet until the end of August as one of the ex fca 76's is now flying a line of shorthaul ex lgw until then
The ema-sfb & ema-cun don't operate in July as the aircraft operates an extra sfb & cun from gla for the Scottish school holidays, the flights return to ema on then 30th July, a smilar thing happens in brs where the aircraft operates from edi instead.
Dbla will be staying in the fleet until the end of August as one of the ex fca 76's is now flying a line of shorthaul ex lgw until then
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Essex
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What's happened to the 2014 schedule at Bristol??
I thought it had increased to a three aircraft base, but seems to be just two again now. Have they withdrawn their expansion there?
You can still book holidays and flights for the new Marrakech route, but the flight number has the airline code of TBA and it no longer shows on the flight timetable. It doesn't look great to me!
I thought it had increased to a three aircraft base, but seems to be just two again now. Have they withdrawn their expansion there?
You can still book holidays and flights for the new Marrakech route, but the flight number has the airline code of TBA and it no longer shows on the flight timetable. It doesn't look great to me!