To think there’s no point in saving Thomas Cook because no one will book with them now anyway

[Bearbehind]

Just that really.

Obviously I hope all those currently abroad and already booked are brought home quickly and / or compensated but what’s the point in them carrying on

Would you book with them now?

I haven't booked with Thomas Cook since they tried to strand me and dh in Mexico despite us having paid for the flight and having tickets to confirm that. We had been in the North American area for almost a year so only booked tickets for the journey back to the UK with them and they had taken the money (around £600 I seem to remember) but when we turned up at the airport we weren't on the passanger manifest and there apparently weren't any seats for us.

They did fly us home on that same plane but it was touch and go for a bit and certainly they were surprised that I wouldn't back down.

Of course many people will book with them if they offer the best deal.

Holidays to Egypt, Turkey are pretty much fully booked, and there are causes for a lot more worry than a bit of financial upset.

Presumably if they do go bust anyone who has booked a holiday’s travel insurance will cover the cost of lost deposit or payments. If so, I see no reason to avoid booking with them in future, should they get through this period.

No I wouldn't but would never have booked with them anyway after the way they treated a close friend who worked for them for many years.

Presumably if they do go bust anyone who has booked a holiday’s travel insurance will cover the cost of lost deposit or payments

Yes If it’s a package holiday it is covered by ATOL.

If you booked a DIY holiday (I.e booked flights and accommodation yourself separately) generally you are not covered by any protection scheme. You either need to claim back from your credit card provider or insurer. But only some travel insurances have SAFI cover. And I bet a fair number of people won’t have this specific cover this as it’s typically the most expensive insurance. You cannot get it retrospectively either, as in buying the insurance today will not pay out as TCs issues are now known. And none of that helps when you cannot afford to book onto another flight because the cost has gone up or there is no other airline that flies that route to book onto.

I would if they offered good deals to be honest. I have good travel insurance that would cover me if anything happened. I would only book a package though.

extortionate prices in the school hols

Off peak prices are less, as in all other transport etc..

@Hollycatberry thanks I assumed all holiday insurance included cover for insolvency. I’ve just checked and my policy does. I’ll make sure I keep an eye out when renewing

Would you book with them now?

Sadly, no - which is a shame as I have friends on Florida's gulf cost and used to love their MCH-ORL flight (what's not to love with an uopgrade for only about £90?)

Goodness knows who I'll use now, but it won't be TC

I didnt know people still used travel agents. We just book our own flights and accommodation, usually air BnB.

@Triglesoffy you mean that incident that was absolutely nothing to do with Thomas Cook and was years ago - they've managed just fine since then, this has nothing to do with it. It's to do with incompetent CEO's of days gone by.

you mean that incident that was absolutely nothing to do with Thomas Cook and was years ago - they've managed just fine since then, this has nothing to do with it. It's to do with incompetent CEO's of days gone by.

Thomas Cook were found to have breached their duty of care. The absolutely did have something to do with the deaths of those poor children.

And they haven't managed fine since then, TC have been close to the edge for a long time.

I didnt know people still used travel agents. We just book our own flights and accommodation, usually air BnB.

Lots of people use TC airlines for flight-only. We did when flying to Orlando in 2017, and booked a villa separately. Their flights were far cheaper than the alternatives (BA or Virgin) for our dates.

I wouldn’t book with them again, however. Our travel insurance covers airline insolvency, but not for companies already known to be in trouble at the time of booking. I don’t think Norwegian and TC flights are currently being covered by insurance providers for new bookings.

This will be the death of almost all travel agents. Most people book their own holidays now.
There is a move to travel less for the environment anyway.

Yes, I would book with them of the deal were right.

Even if there's a considerable risk that the "deal" won't exist when you come to fly?

Yes - because I pay by credit card and would get a full refund from my credit card company

I'd still book with them, i find them well priced and so far have had fantastic service from them. Loved my flight to Mexico, lovely plane and fantastic crew

It’s frustrating because I’m sure from London there is plenty of choice but right now TC are providing some valuable routes to the US which will be lost. And whilst I’m sure another airline might eventually step in and take those routes it could take months to do so. Unfortunately everyone is assuming Manchester and other airports have the same flights choices as London

From London Thomas Cook are the only airline to offer direct flights to Goa...

Yes - because I pay by credit card and would get a full refund from my credit card company

But surely you book a holiday because you actually want to go on holiday so, even if you eventually get a refund, you don’t get the holiday.

I didnt know people still used travel agents. We just book our own flights and accommodation, usually air BnB.

Some package holidays are a hell of a lot cheaper through someone like TC, sometimes it's even more expensive to book direct to a hotel than with them - you book one room, they've booked a lot and got a deal.

Their flight can be cheaper than another airline.

They have exclusivity on some resorts.

Some people don't like the idea of independent holidays in foreign country, and are scared about booking a taxi when they don't speak the language.

No idea what will happen with TC, but the model is nowhere near ready to disappear.

Yes - because I pay by credit card and would get a full refund from my credit card company

But surely you book a holiday because you actually want to go on holiday so, even if you eventually get a refund, you don’t get the holiday.

Depending on timing, I would either just pick up another holiday or reschedule if it were at, say, less than a week's notice

I think people are a bit confused between the different parts of hte business.

The high street travel agent where you go in and Carol helps you book your holiday is a very outdated model. My parents still use that service, because they're technophobes. Thomas Cook have closed some of their high street branches and if they survive this crisis, then I would imagine the rest will follow suit.

However, most people who book packages with TC don't go into a branch. We have been away with them a few times and have never set foot in one of their stores. It's all done online. Some people like the no hassle and security of a package holiday. You can often book with a small deposit and then make payments as and when you wish which allows people to chip away at the total. If a hotel closes or has issues which means you can't stay there, not your problem. The tour operator puts you somewhere else. They do free child places. Plus your holiday is underwritten by that ATOL guarantee. Yes you might get it cheaper buying all elements separately but it's more hassle and less secure. Plus you have to pay the entire cost of your flights at the time of booking.

When Monarch went under, it pulled the plug in the middle of the night when all of its planes were on the ground in the UK, or in the air on their way to the UK. DH is in the aviation industry and says it's all to do with licences to fly and the risk of planes being impounded in foreign airports. They want them all on the ground here. There's a board meeting this evening where they are more than likely to take that decision. Remember that it's illegal to continue to trade when you know your business is insolvent so the board might not have a choice in the matter.

So if you get up at 7am tomorrow and planes are taking off and the TC website is still up, that's a good sign.

I didnt know people still used travel agents. We just book our own flights and accommodation, usually air BnB

Because they can be SO cheap - ie cheaper than the cost of the flight bought separately!!

My understanding is that it would cost less to bail them out, than to repatriate everyone still away. If that is correct (it may not be!), then a bail out makes most sense for the tax payer.

I think the argument the government will put forward for not bailing them out is that the vast majority of repatriation will be covered by ATOL.

We generally use a travel agent for holidays but specify what airline, flights, accommodation etc so that we have ATOL cover for the package. We also pay the deposit by credit card for additional cover. Our upcoming trip is booked through Trailfinders. We costed up doing it ourselves and TF came out at the same price.

TUI will have the monopoly on package holidays if TC go bust. I feel for everyone involved, they employ a lot of people.

But surely you book a holiday because you actually want to go on holiday so, even if you eventually get a refund, you don’t get the holiday.

Agree with this too. We're booked with Thomas Cook for Scottish half term, leaving on 12th October. I want my week in the sun. I will accept the money back if that's all I'm getting, but it's not what I want.

Also given that it's half term, and less than 3 weeks away, there is very little choice for alternatives. Luckily we are in the position that we could afford to rebook and do something else without waiting for the refund first, but not everyone is.

I feel v sad that TC is in such a state. I grew up within commuting distance of Peterborough, and for many school pals being employed in their head office was a thing to aspire to. I do feel for those who could lose their jobs.

But I really don't think I could afford to book with them even if a bale out goes ahead.

I sometimes look for package holidays to take the kids on, but find it considerably cheaper to wait for Emirates, Qatar, Lufthansa etc to have a special offer to the far east and book my accommodation independently. Normally we end up having a two week holiday in beachside villa with private pool in a stunning location for the fraction of the price TC and others quote for 1 week in accommodation set well away from a beach with a shared pool.