Demise of Thomas Cook - an inside view.

Started by Adam1701D, September 23, 2019, 08:40:41 PM

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The Q

Definately a bad day for yourself, the rest of the staff, and the historic name of Thomas Cook..

I suspect the vultures are already circling to buy up bits of the business without the debts. I wouldn't be surprised to See the name TC to be bought and resurected... but it won't be the same.

Bob Tidbury

Yes it's the staff we need to feel sorry for jobs are not that easy to find at the moment , but it sounds like the bosses won't have to worry it's allways the same if they didn't take such rediculouse amounts of money and have fancy offices etc etc then the companies wouldn't  be in such a mess ,I agree they risk a lot of money buying the planes and other equipment and need an office but it sounds to me as if the boss of TC was taking the proverbial .
Just my opinion .
Good luck Adam it makes your planed move more of an option now though.
Bob Tidbury

Adam1701D

Many thanks for all the kind words and support - it is much appreciated.  :thankyousign:

A move to Spain would certainly be lovely but we would need to see what would happen with reciprocal healthcare deals should B****t ever happen. Both myself and my wife have regular prescription medication and we would rely on being able to continue this within another EU country without crippling insurance costs. A lot of ex-pats face being driven back to the UK unless this is sorted and there is no immediate prospect of that happening. I''ll stick with Peterborough for a while longer, I guess...  :)
Best Regards,
Adam Warr
Peterborough, UK

AdrianC

So sorry to hear this Adam. Hoping and praying you find something else soon.

Adrian
If it moves and shouldn't, duct tape. It it doesn't move and should, WD40...

zwilnik

Quote from: captainelectra on September 24, 2019, 10:54:39 AM
Many thanks for all the kind words and support - it is much appreciated.  :thankyousign:

A move to Spain would certainly be lovely but we would need to see what would happen with reciprocal healthcare deals should B****t ever happen. Both myself and my wife have regular prescription medication and we would rely on being able to continue this within another EU country without crippling insurance costs. A lot of ex-pats face being driven back to the UK unless this is sorted and there is no immediate prospect of that happening. I''ll stick with Peterborough for a while longer, I guess...  :)

I'm pretty shocked at what's happened with Thomas Cook. I hope you can apply your talents gainfully elsewhere soon Adam.

What happens with the reciprocal agreements is definitely a worry, but on the health insurance side there may be an alternative for you. When I started my move to Spain I realised that getting my Residentia as an employee of my UK company meant proving means, getting health insurance etc. that would have been tricky and expensive. However I was able to do a different route and set my self up as an Autonomo (self employed person) which then entitled me to apply for Residentia as one of the benefits of Autonomo status in Spain is full social and health coverage on their system. You pay a monthly contribution (mine's about €90 a month this year, eventually rising to the full €300 or so contribution after 2 years) and have to pay for an accountant but it can work out a lot cheaper than getting health insurance privately and even gives you a full state pension after 15 years.

Adam1701D

Many thanks for the info - I did not know about this. As the plan is to run Electra from a Spanish base, there could be a lot of merit in doing it this way.
Best Regards,
Adam Warr
Peterborough, UK

Leon

Adam, aside from the immediate thoughts of the loss of jobs the first thing that occurred to me is that demand for travel still exists and some company will fulfill that need. So, let's hope the disruption to so many lives will be only temporary and not too devastating. What, in your opinion, will be the timeframe for the emergence of a "new" Thomas Cook, and is there a competitor who is most likely to purchase the name and aircraft? Virgin, perhaps? Despite the stigma of bankruptcy, the Thomas Cook name and reputation (which I've always considered favorably) will likely survive as a more sustainable entity.

I've only once used Virgin Vacations, but my impression was that Virgin used a contract travel agency (in the case of the U.S. that company was in Washington state).

Best wishes for your own future!

Leon
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

"A well-read man is defined not for how much he's read but by what he's read!" - an old man

tunneroner61

My wife and I have just got back from Almeria to visit relatives, flying Thomas Cook. The collapse occurred while we were away. I give full marks to the CAA for keeping us informed of arrangements to get us home, which was on the same day and time we had booked to return. Staff at Almeria and Ringway were plentiful and seemed well briefed. The 'rescue' plane was crewed by 'former' Thomas Cook staff on their last, unpaid, flight.  They were quite emotional about the situation. I give them full marks too and our sympathy goes to all the TC staff who have lost their jobs. Interestingly it was a Thomas Cook A321 bringing us home, as TC doesn't, didn't own planes - this one was leased from Avion Express.

regards Norman

njee20

I see they used a Malaysian Airlines A380 to get people back from Mallorca, bit different!

Skyline2uk

Quote from: njee20 on September 25, 2019, 05:39:48 PM
I see they used a Malaysian Airlines A380 to get people back from Mallorca, bit different!

Yes I saw that as well, a real case of "any aircraft available will do".

I did wonder where they found the crew for that big bird at short notice, but suppose if it was on "wet lease" they would have pilots...

Just to add to the commiserations Adam, I wish you all the best.

Skyline2uk

Tank

Sorry to hear about your job Adam.  I hope you can get a new one quickly. :thumbsup:  Awful how such a well established company can just come to an end.  All that history...  :(

joe cassidy

Thomas Cook were not just a travel agent, they were something special.

They issued their own travellers cheques (remember those) in competition with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Bank of America, among others.

I haven't checked but I imagine that the expression "Cook's Tour" is in several dictionaries?

Best regards and good luck to all the ex-TC.


Joe

Gizzy

Sorry to hear of your misfortune Adam.

But at least you have transferrable IT skills? I'm sure it'll turn out alright in the end.

We could do with your talents where I work, as our IT is somewhat lacking!

All the best for your future....
Gizzy

Gentleman, scholar, railway modeller....

guest311

Quote from: Gizzy on September 26, 2019, 03:37:13 PM
Sorry to hear of your misfortune Adam.

But at least you have transferrable IT skills? I'm sure it'll turn out alright in the end.

We could do with your talents where I work, as our IT is somewhat lacking!

All the best for your future....

:hmmm:  Peterborough to Cambridge, not a horrendous commute   :)

Newportnobby

Quote from: joe cassidy on September 26, 2019, 12:13:13 PM
Thomas Cook were not just a travel agent, they were something special.

They issued their own travellers cheques (remember those) in competition with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Bank of America, among others.

I haven't checked but I imagine that the expression "Cook's Tour" is in several dictionaries?


And anyone with the Waddingtons board game* 'Go' will know the Bureau de Change offices were Thomas Cook.
*Remember board games? I have several

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