Thomas Cook-2
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 636
Originally Posted by TheLambtonWorm
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW England
Posts: 148
Originally Posted by TheLambtonWorm
1. What will happen to the Thomas Cook stores that are also in the same locations as Hays? (I can think of one Thomas Cook store in a shopping centre near me which is a few doors down from a Hays Travel store that was rebranded from a First Choice store a few years ago - ironically the Thomas Cook store is an ex-Going Places/MyTravel store which was retained after they closed their original pre-merger store downstairs and is next door to a still-unoccupied ex-Co-op Travel store)
2. Just how many of these stores will be kept open long-term?
I see from the article Hays have them for 6 months, so I guess we'll find out in due course. Either way, I hope as many of the ex-Thomas Cook staff as possible who are still out of work are able to get jobs in their old stores under the Hays banner.
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 1
Originally Posted by stewyb
good news indeed!
I hope they don't send our Brexit 'team' in..
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Oban, Scotland
Posts: 1,561
I would have thought that the main asset which they have bought will be the customer accounts.
What geographical area do Hays cover at the moment? In Scotland the only chain of independent travel agents AFAIK is Barrhead Travel.
What geographical area do Hays cover at the moment? In Scotland the only chain of independent travel agents AFAIK is Barrhead Travel.
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Under the flight path
Posts: 2,378
Good news indeed! I do have two questions though: -
1. What will happen to the Thomas Cook stores that are also in the same locations as Hays?
1. What will happen to the Thomas Cook stores that are also in the same locations as Hays?
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 1
Originally Posted by MCDU2
379m turnover and 10m profit is the takeaway for me....Hope this doesn't sink the poor Hays family if it turns sour and they have gotten someone in to do some due diligence for them.
Less than 0.3% profit seems a bit 'iffy' to me so maybe they are just taking a big gamble that having an extra 150% of shops will boost that.
I wish them good luck.
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Newcastle
Age: 45
Posts: 34
I hope they do have a cunning plan , buying the part that sunk Thomas Cook seems crazy idea.
If Tui , Jet2 etc reduce commission to agents Hays travel will soon find themselves in the sh**.
Could we see the start up of a new airline to service the old TC routes ?
If Tui , Jet2 etc reduce commission to agents Hays travel will soon find themselves in the sh**.
Could we see the start up of a new airline to service the old TC routes ?
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 886
Originally Posted by Grahamy
I hope they do have a cunning plan , buying the part that sunk Thomas Cook seems crazy idea.
If Tui , Jet2 etc reduce commission to agents Hays travel will soon find themselves in the sh**.
Could we see the start up of a new airline to service the old TC routes ?
If Tui , Jet2 etc reduce commission to agents Hays travel will soon find themselves in the sh**.
Could we see the start up of a new airline to service the old TC routes ?
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posts: 1,006
Originally Posted by LiamNCL
Did the shops really sink Thomas Cook (shops only selling TCX package holidays) or was it part of a failing business deemed not needed under so much debt ? Good luck to Hays , Local North East company who must see past the internet to take this journey on.
Referring to TUI and Jet2 reducing commissions, both discount online with TUI not being able to be matched by an agent against the online price. Jet2 also give an online discount and if the agent matches it, they make about 4%. With easyJet Holidays going to be sold through agents, plus agents now being able to book On The Beach (albeit in different branding), I dont see why it should be a problem. Most independents wont book TUI as a first choice anyway now.
It is a massive gamble, but they have done this in the past on a smaller scale buying Bath Travel which by all means was successful.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 244
Hays have their own tour operation using various airlines for long haul as well as short haul too which has been very successful for them as has cruise and stay holidays. They know what they are doing and wouldn't put anything at risk, they have not had to finance this by debt which is another bonus too.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posts: 1,006
Very true TravelAgent, they seem to have taken the mantle of where Bath Travel took off in the south. Although they haven’t had to finance it, the stores are going to have to pay their way in the long run.
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 886
Those who work for Hays up in the N.E cannot praise him enough for what he does for his staff , Certainly a rarity in this day and age and long may it continue i wish his new venture and ex Thomas Cook staff the very best of luck.
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 1
Originally Posted by LiamNCL
Those who work for Hays up in the N.E cannot praise him enough for what he does for his staff , Certainly a rarity in this day and age and long may it continue i wish his new venture and ex Thomas Cook staff the very best of luck.
Gave up after 5 mins. Needs work - or a visit to a Hayes shop?
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,020
I read a comment that because Hays don't own an airline / cruise ships / hotels, it will allow them to be "nimble" in how they go about their business, presumably meaning directing customers towards packages that provide satisfaction to all parties. Perhaps having expertise in the the business you run is about to come back in fashion.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: BHX LXR ASW
Posts: 2,205
I would imagine not having their own airline, cruise ships, hotels etc Hays are in an excellent position to negotiate deals from various companies especially as they've taken on the TC shops.
TUI's reputation seems to be going downhill (through no fault of their own) due to the 737 Max issues.
TUI's reputation seems to be going downhill (through no fault of their own) due to the 737 Max issues.
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW England
Posts: 148
Originally Posted by toledoashley
Very true TravelAgent, they seem to have taken the mantle of where Bath Travel took off in the south. Although they haven’t had to finance it, the stores are going to have to pay their way in the long run.
Good luck to Hays with taking on these stores. I don't expect all of them to stay open due to some of them only being doors away from existing Hays Travel stores, but it's a big vote of confidence in the High Street to be taking on a large amount of real estate in a time when most others are retreating. I do hope many of the former store staff who are yet to find work are taken on again.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Leeds, UK & Cork, Ireland
Posts: 1,008
Many blamed the shops for dragging the rest of the group down. The really is that TCG imploded under debt from a series of acquisitions. Its happened time and again, Swissisr being one of the most famous, but House of Fraiser are another example. The difficulty in an integrated model like TCG no-one can truly tell which part of the business pays for marketing, IT, HR, Training, H&S, etc. It's not even that easy to tell where the money is coming from. If someone buys a Thomas Cook Airlines flight via a TC store how do you allocate the revenue? An industry-standard commission structure, perhaps? But if that store didn't exist would the passenger have booked with TCX, or ended up on Virgin, for example?
Hopefully Hays can make a go of this, the scale of expansion is huge. Apparently 55 stores will open today. Thats a huge sumner of stores to open in one day, with a defunct brand and no Thomas Cook product to sell. I assume they paid next-to-nothing for the travel agent business, essentially they are taking over the leases. There is no mention of being able to use the Thomas Cook brand or TUPE of staff.
Hopefully Hays can make a go of this, the scale of expansion is huge. Apparently 55 stores will open today. Thats a huge sumner of stores to open in one day, with a defunct brand and no Thomas Cook product to sell. I assume they paid next-to-nothing for the travel agent business, essentially they are taking over the leases. There is no mention of being able to use the Thomas Cook brand or TUPE of staff.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posts: 1,006
Originally Posted by brian_dromey
Many blamed the shops for dragging the rest of the group down. The really is that TCG imploded under debt from a series of acquisitions. Its happened time and again, Swissisr being one of the most famous, but House of Fraiser are another example. The difficulty in an integrated model like TCG no-one can truly tell which part of the business pays for marketing, IT, HR, Training, H&S, etc. It's not even that easy to tell where the money is coming from. If someone buys a Thomas Cook Airlines flight via a TC store how do you allocate the revenue? An industry-standard commission structure, perhaps? But if that store didn't exist would the passenger have booked with TCX, or ended up on Virgin, for example?
Hopefully Hays can make a go of this, the scale of expansion is huge. Apparently 55 stores will open today. Thats a huge sumner of stores to open in one day, with a defunct brand and no Thomas Cook product to sell. I assume they paid next-to-nothing for the travel agent business, essentially they are taking over the leases. There is no mention of being able to use the Thomas Cook brand or TUPE of staff.
Hopefully Hays can make a go of this, the scale of expansion is huge. Apparently 55 stores will open today. Thats a huge sumner of stores to open in one day, with a defunct brand and no Thomas Cook product to sell. I assume they paid next-to-nothing for the travel agent business, essentially they are taking over the leases. There is no mention of being able to use the Thomas Cook brand or TUPE of staff.
