A couple of the 75's are now staying on the uk reg for next season I believe.

They need investment in the long haul fleet to make the product consistent.

I guess the problems back in 2011 might make it difficult to borrow the cash to make that happen.

OO-TCW will transfer to TCX as G-TCAE before next summer

Any idea where it will be based?

No idea at the moment

Could the Air Berlin A330's be of use to increase Thomas Cook long haul or are they going to Lufthansa?

I think 7 AB A330 are destined for Malaysian. I've then heard Titan acquired 1 or 2 of them and then the rest are going to Eurowings as far as I know.

In terms of MT A330, I've been told that OY-VFK is to become G-TCXD and G-VYGM isn't coming back next summer.

G-VYGM is apparently off to Jet2 along with the current G-VYGL

What is happening with G-VYGK as the three year lease is up in Jan ?

Thomas Cook Balearics
 

Preisdruck am Himmel: Neue Airline für Mallorca | tagesschau.de

In German, but probably fairly easy to get translated (badly) using Google Translate.

Apparently being set up to begin services from Spring 2018, using minimum 3 aircraft sourced from within the Thomas Cook group.

Wonder if they will be used, perhaps in part, to fill any capacity shortfalls following the demise of Monarch, and whatever disappears when, eventually, Air Berlin closes down.

English version of above. Plus agreement with Air Transat (travelmole, 2017)

Thomas Cook Group to launch new airline

Thomas Cook is launching a new airline based in Majorca, which will start flying early next year.

Thomas Cook Airlines Balearics will provide seasonal flying from Palma, the Group's most popular destination, and reduce its dependency on third-parties.

The move follows the closure of Thomas Cook Belgium, which will cease operations on October 27. Its aircraft will transfer to Palma.

Thomas Cook has applied for a new Airline Operator Certificate in Majorca, and the Group said the new airline will provide flights to support its other airlines in the UK, Scandinavia and Germany, according to seasonal demand.

It said it would provide the Group with 'greater operational flexibility at a competitive cost', while also allowing it to maintain closer control over the quality and customer experience than its current third-party lease arrangements.

The new airline will start with at least three Airbus A320 aircraft which previously operated for Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium.

These aircraft will initially take over short and medium-haul flights for the Thomas Cook's German airline Condor to replace third-party aircraft leases.

Christoph Debus, chief airline officer Thomas Cook Group, said: "The new airline and base will provide us with the right platform to better manage the seasonal demand in our business, giving us more control at lower cost as we continue to expand the choice of destinations we offer our customers.

"With more than one million Thomas Cook customers flying into Palma every year, we have~a strong existing infrastructure on which to build."

The announcement follows the recent agreement with Canadian Airline Air Transat for the exchange of aircraft on a seasonal basis to better balance the seasonal demand for short and medium-haul aircraft in the European and Canadian leisure airline markets.

Thinks it's a good idea, using PMI when it's a bit quieter.

Personal preference but if i were heading back home, wouldn't fancy the slot 1 departures at 6-7am. Imagine having to leave your hotel by 3am (or even 2am if your over Alcudia way) :\

Many of the German flights leave Palma around then anyway. At airports which aren't noise sensitive, holiday flights regularly leave German airports at 3-4am for the first wave during the Summer.

Horses for courses, the Germans don't tend to like overnight charter flights, which are quite common for UK airlines.

Departing Germany at 3 or 4 am I would rather pay double the price to arrive at a convenient time most hotels have a check in time of 1400 so arriving at PMI 0600 - 0700 what do the Germans do with themselves?

But more on topic I would not choose any return flight which ment I had to leave my hotel before 1000 might just be me but I like to get up at a normal time grab a paper from the news agent have a nice fry up then leisurely get to the airport

I have noticed jet2 have also set up a base at PMI with early departures to the UK forming a mid morning departure back to PMI.

I always get the earliest flight in the morning to my destination arriving at the hotel early and leaving my bags at the hotel, go off to explore the local area, go for a coffee and invariably return to the hotel to check in which is always far earlier than the advertised 2 pm check in, in all my travels it has only occurred twice that I have had to wait till 2 pm to be able to check in at the hotel.

I personally have no problem with an evening flight back to the UK, get up in the morning have breakfast, pack bags, shower, get dressed, check out at either 11 or 12, maybe get an extension on the hotel room for a late check out, put bags in hotels left baggage room with my clothes for my return trip easy to locate, enjoy the rest of the day until returning to my hotel later in the day or evening to freshen up and change clothing, then a Taxi to the airport for my return flight home.

As I tend to go on several 2 or 3 night breaks a year I maximise my stay by getting the first available flight out to my destination and the last possible flight back home, why waste your last day by getting an early flight when you can get a later flight, I do this whenever possible including the many evening flights with British Airways from JFK to LHR I always get the latest flight home so I can at least go out for dinner before my flight home maximising my time at my destination.

My elderly parents especially my father like to get a midday or at least an early flight home so in my opinion I think this is more of an age thing.

The benefit of having the aircraft based in PMI and operating reverse rotations would be that the airport is quieter during these periods - however, with easyJet, Ryanair, Norwegian and Eurowings already doing the same thing now, the benefit has been already eroded quite significantly. With the demise of Air Berlin, the PMI 'peak' periods are already quieter than they were.

I tend to agree with you Canberra, I like to make the most of my time in a destination if I'm only there for a few days. However, if it's a week in the sun, for me the holiday ends as soon as you lose access to a shower. So I'd rather check out and go home.

If you're not a fan of 3-4am departures, don't move any further East. In Eastern Europe and Russia, holiday flights operate around the clock. 1-2am departures to Egypt and Turkey are the norm.

In answer to above quote.They get all poolside chairs sorted and also start hanging towels on them lol.

Yes Jet2/Air Europa just arrived at MAN from PMI at 09.15 so an early start.

Such a snowflake you are . Times past many much most Balearics flights departed the UK late evening and particularly Ibiza. Back in the eighties I arrived their frequently at 3am !
Collected by coach delivered directly to hotel door by tour rep. Signed collected key went to bed and woke at 5 in the afternoon quick shower and onto the liquid beverage
Organised tours had their benefit with Coach transfers and room available on arrival
Btw our German cousins still take advantage of inclusive tour type business models so they get the room on arrival almost any time

Thomas Cook Fleet
 

Does anyone know what Cook's fleet is for this winter and summer 18?

Try Jethro’s fleet listings!