Thomas Cook Canada to immerge this spring!

[the dirty sensor]

Rumours that Thomas cook is set to snatch up Skyservice and Canjet to package their Thomas Cook Canada brand and start selling for W10...Fleet change to B737-800's which would be provided by TUI/Canjet and Skyservice's mash-up of A320's and B757's would continue to be phased out until lease returns are complete. Thomas Cook is eligible to market their namebrand in Canada starting spring 10!

[ab33t]

Good news for Thomas Cook and aviation

[CDNFA]

I cant see this happening, for a number of reasons. First off the long term agreement with CJ has with AT (conflict of interest?). Secondly by contracting out flying to CJ and 5G it gives them flexibility to grow and shrink their fleet requirements based on demand and economy having their own airline would involve more risk I would think and im not sure tour operators want more risk. Thirdly Thomas Cook is very present in the Canadian market as Sunquest/Alba why change that?

Would be nice to see but I don't see it happening well at least the purchasing of CJ and 5G. Why those 2? Why not purchase one? Either one would suffice I would think.

[J.O.]

Someone needs to research the foreign ownership requirements for airlines in Canada before posting baseless rumours.

[phonetic]

"Someone needs to research the foreign ownership requirements for airlines in Canada before posting baseless rumours."

Someone needs to go to business school before making comments like that!

[J.O.]

Thomas Cook Canada is owned by Thomas Cook PLC, a UK owned company. Under the foreign ownership rules, they cannot own a majority interest in a Canadian airline. That is why they contract out their flying to Canadian airlines like Skyservice, Westjet, Air Transat, etc. Otherwise, they would have started their own airline back in the 90s. Instead, Sunquest signed up with Skyservice at that time.

[KingAir]

Canada mulls easing airline ownership rules | Reuters

Foreign ownership is restricted to 25% but may go up to 49% very soon. Some people say that it is a done deal.

[CDNFA]

I still don't get what the point would be. Why fix something that isn't broken. Seems that Canjet, Skyservice AT..etc do a pretty good job at providing them the lift they need. Im not to sure I see a benefit.?

[Willie Everlearn]

Thomas Cook HAS to acquire majority (49%) ownership of these 'available' carriers to make ONE large carrier so that in 2 to 5 years it can fall into bankruptcy and fail. Thereby wiping out all three charter carriers. That's how the Canadian airline businesses (I hate the reference, industry) works.
Doesn't it?

What did we learn from the Canada 3000 experiment with Royal and....(yes, them again) CanJet??? Nothing?

...watch this space

[Boeing737jock]

No way!


Air Transat got contract with TK because they have 3 A330 on the ground doing nothing, believe me Transat will never let that to happen!

[Boeing737jock]

Transat got a major contract with Canjet, so again they will not let this happen!
or cancel the contract!


which would be provided by TUI/Canjet and Skyservice's


Tui just buy about 40% in Sunwings, your rumour is funny!

[J.O.]

Canada mulls easing airline ownership rules | Reuters

Foreign ownership is restricted to 25% but may go up to 49% very soon. Some people say that it is a done deal.

But that will do nothing to change the requirement that the airline must remain under majority Canadian control. It would do TCX no good at all to take a minority (and non-controlling) interest in any Canadian company.

For me, the same logic applies to the TUI "investment" in Sunwing. Does anyone else find it highly coincidental that they got an apparent 49% interest in Sunwing for their $100 million investment? Doing the math, that makes Sunwing a company worth $200 million and change. Hmmm.

[airfly]

I really hope this merge rumor will happen. Recently 5G had a lot of Signature flights canceled as they are not selling and also most of their flights are going to SW. Soon Signature will be flying with SW as they just merge together.
5G and CJ I see the possibility of both of them joining forces with TX as they've been doing flights for the tour operator.
Also 5G maintenance has been training to fix B737, but at the same time don't forget 5G is mainly owned now by Girbalt so if TX wants to buy 5G from Girbalt they will need to spend a lot of money. Also 5G is one of the most expensive charter airline out there second to AT.
There is so much involved in this rumor that is a fifty, fifty chance that might happen

[MAN2YKF]

I heard today that the Air Transat deal with Canjet is not going to well and Air Transat are looking to cancel the deal.
Plus, Air Transat will be taking back it's UK routes in spring.
Something to do with when Transat aquired Canadian Affair they had to allwo Thomas Cook to continue operating on behalf of Canadian Affiar for a certain time period.

Air Transat are now roumered to be replacing it's A310's with A330's and a B737 fleet.

So, with that said, Thomas Cook could be here as Thomas Cook Canada, but then again, didn't Transat buy Thomas Cook Canada 2 years ago?

[J.O.]

Transat Tours bought the Thomas Cook travel shops in Canada three years ago. That sale included a non-compete clause for three years that restricted TCX from entering certain elements of the marketplace. That expires very soon. TCX are the largest integrated holiday company in the world and they may see some opportunities that they will now be able to exploit. What those are is anybody's guess. BTW, Thomas Cook still owns Sunquest Vacations, Alba Tours and some related travel businesses in Canada.

[airfly]

So J.O. do you think that's the reason why Alba Tours/Sunquest Vacantion didn't do their Italy program with Skyservice because they are locked in with Air Transat?

[J.O.]

No, it's because Transat gives them seats that are "non-risk" whereas they are on the hook for the entire aircraft when they put an A330 on with SSV. This summer, Transat will only fly two Italian destinations for SQV / ALB, SUF and PSR. The remainder of their passengers will fly on Alitalia. The pricing Alitalia gave them is ridiculously low given that airline's notoriously high cost structure. Alitalia is simply trying to limit competition and sell seats that would otherwise be empty.

[airfly]

I see...i actually saw in theirs sched that they only start the Italy program with AT late June or something for those two destination.

[ng78]

There has been a lot of buzz lately surrounding Skyservice, but nothing has yet materialized. I'm still curious to see what happens with the Canadian tour operators and charter airlines once the busy winter season is over.

[the dirty sensor]

Gibralt wants out. This is the latest. 5G has dropped the ball in a very complicated game of holdem poker. TCX has been in talks with other carriers due to 5G's inability to come to a definative resolve. Problems with crewing and scheduling were experienced, and have heavily weighed on TCX's overall risk exposure and committments. Look for new tails in the future, TCX is not waiting around for 5G to get themselves sorted. There's money to be made mate! Sounds like the crews have really made a mess at 5G!