Thomas Cook Tour Operator a little bit shaky

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 10:06

Its been announced that Thomas Cook Tour Operator are in negotiations with Banks about the size of their loans and makes them a little bit shaky at the moment. This was on Sky News at 8.00am UK time.



Do Thomas Cook operate in Larnaca?

Navek



Joined: 01/06/2008
Posts: 2656

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 10:40

Hi dalartokat,

Thomas Cook operate at both Larnaca and Paphos...

http://book.flythomascook.com/skylights/cgi-bin/skylights.cgi?module=CP&page=DEALS_PAGE_CYPRUS

Got friends booked with them, they've already lost money with Globespan.

Hope Thomas Cook don't go the same way :-(...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/leisure/8906093/Thomas-Cook-shares-drop-50pc-as-it-talks-with-its-banks.html

Navek

flossie44


Joined: 05/03/2009
Posts: 223

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 11:11

We read recently in the finance section of the Times that Monarch are having financial problems. Keeping my fingers crossed as we (and I bet many others) have booked flights with them next year. Wish i had known about Atlas Jet starting to fly from Manchester!



flossie

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 13:01

Navek, listening on this morning on Radio it looks like they will be OK for now as they will not pay out dividends to the shareholders to save money. But as usual it will be the workers that will suffer and there's 31,000 of them, that may be worried today. So eventually there could be people losing there jobs.



Apparently Thomas Cook did a lot of business in France and the French liked going to Tunisia and Egypt, because of the problems in these places they have lost money.



Hope this does not affect your friends too much.

Coachie



Joined: 29/07/2008
Posts: 2135

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 14:44

900 milliom owed and their shares dropped by 51% this morning.If any one has booked with the COOP Travel, they belong to T>C> as well. Think Iwill have a gander at Monarch,s situation....

paddywack


Joined: 04/05/2009
Posts: 959

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 15:04

It is called a recession,perhaps some of you have not joined in yet, holidays are the first to go, hence holiday companies are bound to feel the crunch.

lovingcyprus


Joined: 02/03/2007
Posts: 1272

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 15:15

I don't know what all the fuss is about, just pay for your flights with a credit card. It might cost you a little extra but at least it gives you peace of mind

Cyprusquest


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 428

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 15:20

loving 7 -its not only the money lost but the new cost of flights IF available that is the problem for lots of people.

girne 29


Joined: 06/12/2007
Posts: 1488

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 15:37

Paddywack



The sp drop has very little to do with the recession. Its more to do with the troubles in North Africa ,that being the premier destination of Tmas Cook.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 16:41

Thomas Cook - travel trade press quotes today:-

Interim chief executive Sam Weihagen said: “The message is that it’s business as usual. We are trading in all our businesses and we are within our financial covenants with all the protection in place like any other travel company. Customers should not worry at all.”



Cook said there had been a deterioration of trading since October and it needed to ensure it had enough cash in the bank to see it through the winter lull. -- the company stressed that it still expects to report a headline operating profit for the year ended September 30 of £320m, ....

.... While trading in the UK has been tough, interim chief executive Sam Weihagen said the most difficult markets were France and Belgium .....

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 17:20

paddywack. Getting through Manchester airport in September even when kids had gone back to school was a nightmare you wouldn't have said there was a recession, Thomas Cook had 12 desks open and took us more than 1 hr to check in we were there 4.30am for 7.30 flight got through passport control at 6.50am

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 17:30

Please fasten your seat belts as we are expecting a bit of financial turbulence.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 19:22

75% wiped of share values now , bbc news at 5 uk time , city analysts advise to sell shares in thomas cook .

paddywack


Joined: 04/05/2009
Posts: 959

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 20:44

Msg 13,

That advice will help no end.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 20:55

depends on how you view it paddy ? cut your losses ? or wait for a bail out ? penny in the pound scenario , the city guys are seldom wrong .

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
22/11/2011 23:03

What a rotten shame. My first job when I left school was with Tommy Cooks at Green park. They had a huge office and I believe something like 1200 people on the staff. Ah the heady days of yesteryear. Buyt life is full of changes and there is always someone that loses out.

GinaC


Joined: 26/11/2010
Posts: 372

Message Posted:
23/11/2011 12:08

With the ability of most folk being able to book flights, hotels and car hire direct over the internet without incurring the added cost of an agents booking fee I think the days of these agents is coming to an end.

Marion


Joined: 06/03/2011
Posts: 1816

Message Posted:
23/11/2011 12:37

You could well be right GinaC, except for people who live in far flung places, or don't have computers - so rather than growth in agency fields, it is shrinkage. A bit like the high street shops !

theparson


Joined: 28/05/2011
Posts: 129

Message Posted:
23/11/2011 14:23

Even though the share price has bounced (probably dead cat) back a bit this morning, the writing is on the wall.

Suggest you keep clear of TC if\when you are next considering travel.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
23/11/2011 22:49

Gina Msg 17 - The purpose of agents is to assist you and give you the benefit of our supposed knowledge and experience.

We are agents but also tour operators and if you want our expertise and products you need people like us (i.e. Snow Shoeing in Cappadocia, Solar Eclipse in Australia, Lycian Way guided walks etc etc)

Sometimes you save money going direct sometimes by using an agent but money is not the only thing.

As Marion said many are still not computer people so need help and many are DIY bookers who come to us (and others) to try to help sort out their errors.

With regard to Thomas Cook - their main business is no longer solely as a Travel Agency they provide millions of flights and thousands of other products to you and the travel trade.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
23/11/2011 23:20

msg17 , spot on , the days are long gone when the tourist gets ripped of by tour companies , its easy , go on the internet , you get sorted instantly from the comfort of your own arm chair , if you dont like the price , click on the next carrier , you save loads , why ? because you do it yourself , its kinda like a b&q of the travel industry , thats why so many are going bust these days , and thats why so many tour companies hate the internet , its took 80% of theyre trade , ask thomas cook .

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
23/11/2011 23:55

Not everyone wants to do the work of looking for holidays on the internet, some people like going on holiday with all the work done for them. Those that like to do their own holiday by internet are very often(not all) those that do get stuck when something happens to the airline or travel operator by not taking out Insurance, because they think they don't need it. Recently Comtel Air coming back from India asking its passengers to cough up £20,000 to land the plane, had passengers not being able to claim back anything because they said they had faith in this company as they travelled every year with them and felt they did not need the insurance. Their pockets are hurting now.



All the internet gave was more competition, I hope it won't replace the Travel Agents. As Tom says it gives far more than just booking the holiday. Its not guaranteed that the internet will be cheaper every time.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
24/11/2011 00:23

maybe susanna , can help with future bookings ? best be quick thou , fast running outta airlines , lmfao . and the internet will be cheaper every time , you willbe cutting out the middle man , ie tom , no brainer really

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
24/11/2011 01:49

Les Msg 23 - Are you telling me not to want to use a joiner as I can use a plane, a gimlet, a spoke shave and even a saw. I certainly charge less per hour but take a lot more responsibility than most in the construction* trade, no brainer really

* I happen to know a little about construction and wood; would that qualify me to do your job?

By the way how much do you pay out in a year to bond your clients and for insurances to protect them?

On the other hand we do try to look after clients and like a good joiner I take a pride in my craft, knowledge and ability to help my clients. Often the prices for tours, flights etc include SF (Service Fees) which is the commission that I and other "agents" live off but the airline or operator does NOT take that off when you buy direct.



Our main trade is specialist holidays and you just cant put them together like a kitchen cabinet from B&Q.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
24/11/2011 02:22

mate , if you were /are so good , you would not be jumping on the back of every thread posted on here , you would have a client base , you sell flights / holidays 2nd hand , in these days most people can do this from the comfort of theyre own lounge , most would also make sure they were protected by atol , in fact in these modern times most banks give free insurance on debit cards , as i said , ask thomas cook , i dont do b&q stuff , that was an example , people will always need joiners , but they wont always need travel agents , they will become theyre own travel agent .

Cyprusquest


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 428

Message Posted:
24/11/2011 09:49

rowlo looks like you have it in for Tom look at the amount of stuff he puts out to help others and the service he gives before you complain about when he defends his corner.

Tom dont rise to it not worth the trouble.



John

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
24/11/2011 13:36

From travel trade press today:

Agents have pledged their support for Thomas Cook while the company continues to hit the headlines.

Advantage Travel Centres leisure director Julie Lobue-Said accused the media of over playing the situation & remained confident in selling Thomas Cook holidays.

"We have absolutely no concerns as to what we’re selling and are still recommending selling Thomas Cook products,"