I'm not surprised Thomas Cook have gone under

[Burningcheeks]

Their service was shambolic. I actually got up & walked out mid-booking because they gave me no confidence at all. The staff didn't know their arse from their elbow. I was trying to book one of their packages to the Monaco Grand Prix & it was costing thousands. They were making a complete balls of it. If that was happening on the shop floor I wonder what else was happening higher up? I feel very sorry for all those let down & the enormous number of ensuing job losses.

I stopped using them after tge way they treated the family who lost their children to carbon monoxide poisoning. Their behaviour was sickening. Im sorry for those who have lost jobs, holidays and money.

I know it was in trouble before brexit, as I said the coffin was already built. French press are citing brexit as part of the problem. They are NOT citing poor staff.

Very sad - I used to work for them years ago and they were a fabulous company then

Feel awful for all the staff (I still know some) and all the people who have holidays booked (including me, due to go in 4 weeks!) 🙄

urgh! Always one blaming brexit! TC was in trouble before brexit and has been bailed out before! In 2011 long before brexit!!!

Except TC explicitly said that Brexit uncertainty and the fall in the value of the pound were significantly impacting them. Among other things, yes, but Brexit was the nail in the coffin.

This is a really shitty thread from the OP. I can’t imagine what it must feel like to lose your job with no notice, no redundancy (will they even get paid this month?). Extrapolating one experience to 22,000 staff, many of whom now have to worry about whether they’ll be able to keep a roof over their heads is just nasty. But, hey, let’s just give them all a kicking because we were quoted a bit more than expected for a frivolous trip.

@GCAcademic I agree.

Brexit.

"This is a really shitty thread from the OP. I can’t imagine what it must feel like to lose your job with no notice"

It's hardly with no notice, is it? They've been in trouble for ages.

I mean, what, we can't discuss when a company goes under unless the only thing we talk about how awful it is for the staff? Obviously it's awful for the staff but this is like the third time they've been in trouble, so no, it's not surprising.

Haven't travelled for years, but do you get same protection with travel insurance as you do with ABTA and ATOL if you go independently?

I've never used them for a package holiday but we flew long haul on TC airlines. Awful experience. The plane interior wasn't geared for long haul at all and it was twelve hours of total discomfort. The staff treated us like an inconvenience.

We’re now in the position of deposit paid with tc to attend friends wedding in Mexico next year. So need to get that back.

We now have to decide whether to still go. And book ourselves flights etc. The previous booking was a group one so had been done for us by the groom.

TUI seem to be doing well and as far as I can tell they offer the same standard package holidays (we've booked a couple of times with them in the last few years).

How have TUI managed to buck the trend?

The thing that sickens me is that those at the very top of Thomas Cook would have been shielded from the fallout. They’d have the big bonuses and ability to walk easily into new jobs.

Yet those at the very bottom of the chain would not even though it wasn’t their fault that the company went bust.

We experienced nothing but shit from them every time we used them. Therefore we stopped using them but sometimes through other companies we've had to book flights with TC to get the dates and destinations we needed and that EVERY TIME was fucked up.

MarthasGinYard - I'm crew for a different airline, I can't imagine what you must be going though today...it must be absolutely devastating, my thoughts our with you, my airline is sending empty planes out to pick up some of your pax and crew - we are all one big family in aviation and this news is so awful, we are all thinking you

Oh those at the top of the tree who have caused all this will be away in their villas by now.

I hope they get investigated and it all comes out.

We loved our jobs, colleagues, friends we loathed the management,

So corrupt

Butternut thank you.

It's true, it is a big family.

The amazing guys we took on from Monarch have to go through this again too. Devastating.

The plane interior wasn't geared for long haul at all and it was twelve hours of total discomfort. The staff treated us like an inconvenience.

Sounds like our last long haul with BA.

I’ve lost holidays with them, but I feel
Sorry for those families who’s jobs have gone more. What a sickening day for them.

YABU and gloaty. People’s lives have been seriously fucked up and you’re trying to debate a service you decided not to use.

We used them a few years ago as their holiday was the cheapest. The planes had more leg room than Ryan air. Definitely would have used them again but they didn’t go to the hotels we chose to stay at.

How have TUI managed to buck the trend?*

Different business model?

Booking online is great until it goes wrong and your left with no protection and out of pocket. My son book a hotel and flight separately and when he found out that the hotel had messed up booking he lost all the money on the flights as the holiday insurance didn't cover it.

Brexit dividend.

Bigger all to do with Brexit or one hit English summer. Bad management and unsustainable business model.

It is sad when a long-standing company goes bust and I feel for the staff. Most of the customers should be okay though it will take time to sort things out. The situation in Tunisia was awful and hopefully won't be repeated.

To the pp going to Mexico - make alternative arrangements quickly if you can. The reason being that everyone using TC will be booking elsewhere and prices will be pushed up and availability will go down. Hopefully the deposit was paid by credit card and you'll get that back though it may take time. We had Monarch flights booked and rebooked with another airline as soon as we heard the news they had gone into administration. Luckily we were able to do that. Took three months to get back the money paid to Monarch by credit card.