There has been a post on the LBA thread that TCX are baseing an aircraft there this summer?? Do you think there is any truth in it??

One A320 will be based at LBA summer 2008. Probably crewed from MAN.

Re GLA Longhaul. Are the Canadian flights returning next year? A330 or 757?

Think Thomas Cook are doing all Canadian Affair's flying at GLA next year, or at least all the YYZ flights

I thought an Iberworld A320 was operating the LBA-based charter programme for Summer 2008?

Ive just got my copy of holiday brochure for Canada for a well know tour operator that uses TCX and TS for its flights to Canada, they are stating that the seat pitch on the A330's of TCX is going to be 33" for summer 2008. Can anyone confirm this, as i cant find anymore info on it anywhere else.

yes, it's true

probably

As far as I have heard, as the MYT A330 A/C go into be painted into TCX colours, they are also fitting the cabin out with leather seats and taking out seats to increase leg room to 33" then the TCX longhaul fleet follow on, it should all be completed by March 08.

Another rumor (nice for the crew) is that on the longhaul fleet crew rest areas are going to be fitted, not sure when tho'

Such a shame the MYT A330s are being repainted.....:(

I know, won't be the same without the blue and orange birds about the ramp.:(

premium?
 

so by next May the MYT/TCX A330s will be all configured the same way with 33" pitch? That's a big step on I guess.

What about the premium cabin, how's that going to look? What's the pitch going to be in there?

haven't heard anything about the prem cabins as yet, but as the seats are wider there and the leg room more than 33" I don't know if it is going to change!

I think that the sservice is probably going to be upgraded tho'?

The Thomas Cook longhaul service has already been upgraded for this summer. Extras such as free soft drinks in all classes and including alcoholic drinks in premium, free IFE headphones, newspapers and entry into VIP lounges when travelling plus and premium among other things. So i expect just the legroom to be increasing as then it will bring them on parr with the rest of the UK holiday airlines. I presume Monarch will follow soon in upgrading their longhaul product, they announced last winter that they were to increase legroom in economy to between 32" and 34" but i don't know what came of this?

I flew on both G-OJMB and G-OJMC only the other week from MAN to PUJ and the legroom is still the same and there are no complementary soft drinks in all the classes. All three of the current TCX A330 are due to have some rows taken out at some point this winter according to the cabin crew.

Boeing 767's
 

Does anyone know what is happening to the Boeing 767's, are they staying in the fleet and operating shorthaul, as all TCX longhaul flights are being operated by the A330. Are they being subleased, returned to leasor. Cant seem to find any definative answer on it.

I think they are staying, A previous poster said that there will be 1 X LGW & 1 X MAN??

I would have thought it would have been more 'economical' to have an all Airbus or all Boeing fleet??

Happy New Year 2008.

Anymore news on the A330 seat pitch
 

We also have booked MAN-SFB for MAY 08 and the TCX Signature Brochures states 33in for Y class but nothing for the Premium. Flew AMM last year from NEMA and that was 36in in Premium. Have the cabin upgrades started and will the Premium have a new pitch, also what is the current premium pitch as this info varies as well, cannot find on the airline website.

Thanks in advance for any info

767's
 

The 2 767's are staying..short haul lines out of MAN..seats back to 326Y..and will be standby for the 330 on L/H when they fall over.
Not sure when seat pitch is changing on 330's but they are taking seats out to enable any 76 rescue.

Seat pitch in premium is remaining as is 35".

The A330 will be ready with a 33" pitch by the end of april.
Economy will have 278 seats in Y.

Thomas Cook Airlines
 

The Thomas Cook Airlines (including ex-MyTravel) fleet looks to be as follows for the summer 2008 season:

11 x A320
4 x A321
7 x A332
16 x B752
2 x B753
2 x B763
42 TOTAL

Does anyone know which aircraft will be based at which UK airports during the season? The base total list, according to the Thomas Cook Group, will be

12 x MAN
11 x LGW
5 x GLA
3 x BHX
2 x BFS
2 x BRS
2 x EMA
2 x NCL
1 x CWL
1 x LBA
1 x STN
42 TOTAL

Just wondering how the fleet will be distributed? Will any airport other than MAN/LGW get one of the A330's?

BFS 2 x A320
BHX 3 x B757
BRS 2 x A320
CWL 1 x A321
EMA 2 x A320
LBA 1 x A320
GLA 4 x B757; 1 x A330
LGW 3 x A320; 2 x A321; 3 x A330; 3 x B757
MAN 1 x A320; 1 x A321; 4 x A330; 6 x B757; 1 x B767
NCL 2 x B757
STN 1 x A320

It will look something like this, there maybe some slight differences for S08

SAM-EMA

Manchester will have both the 767's based there, with the two 757-300's being LGW based.

Will these B767's be doing short haul routes or long haul or a mixture a both this Summer from MAN??

767's are doing short haul, think they may be used for the odd longhaul if one of the A330 goes tech.

What callsign is the merged/new airline using?

Callsign
 

There using "TopJet" until 9th April then using "Kestrel" from then on..:ok:

Keeping the better one then, cheers.

Just driven along the M27 by Southampton airport and noticed a Thomas Cook 757 or 767 (couldn't tell which from where I was) on stand with air stairs against 4 doors. As far as I am aware, they dont fly to Southampton and I didnt even know something that big could land there! Anyone know why it's there?

G-FCLD, a 757-200. Came down from GLA this morning, heading back to GLA tomorrow morning. Don't know why though, must be a special charter.

The Thomas Cook flight is in Southampton for a P and O conference, presume its brought lucky travel agents down to visit the new ship.

Makes sense - Thanks :)

The TCX 757 brought Top performing staff from Thomas Cook's shops and call centre to Southampton for a launch event for P&O's new ship Ventura.

Those "search light" type things I could see in the sky on my way home this evening were probably from the ship then I guess...Wondered what they were at first ;)

Searchlights , Aircraft , Ships and Southhampton all in the same paragraph. It must be deja vu.

g-mljl a330 came down to bournemouth yesterday from man via ncl with travel agents on board. currently this ac is on its way back to man via ncl!

I know TCX are meant to be using Kestrel as of today but i have just heard a TCX depart Birmingham as "TopJet 530K".

Well he got the callsign wrong then.

Very difficult to chop and change callsigns in one's head, as many pilots and controllers found today.

Me included.:}

Yeah maybe, the controller and pilot used Topjet and so did London Control when they were handed over.

Does anyone know it the original TCX A330's are going to be refitted with the downstairs toilets like the MYT A330's or are they remaining as is.

The TCX 330's are going to be staying as they are with reguard to the Lower Deck Lavatories.