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Unfortunately, Thomas Cook Airlines has ceased operations.
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About Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines was a British charter and scheduled airline that operated for nearly two decades before ceasing operations in September 2019.
The airline was founded in 1996 through the acquisition of Airworld by the Thomas Cook Group. In 1999, mergers between Flying Colours Leisure Group and Caledonian Airways led to the formation of JMC Air, then in 2003, JMC Air was rebranded as Thomas Cook Airlines.
In 2007, the airline's presence was further strengthened through its merger with MyTravel Group. The following year saw the merge of MyTravel Airways into Thomas Cook Airlines, solidifying its position as a major leisure carrier. Thomas Cook Airlines also merged with other airlines over the next few years to form a single operating segment called Thomas Cook Group Airlines. By 2019, the airline had operated a fleet of over 50 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, serving over 60 destinations worldwide including the UK, Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Thailand, Jamaica and Cuba, among many others.
Unfortunately, in 2019, the Thomas Cook Group faced many financial difficulties due to Brexit uncertainty, political instability in key markets and intense competition from other popular carriers like EasyJet and Wizz Air. In September of the same year, the airline entered compulsory liquidation, leading to the abrupt closure of Thomas Cook Airlines. Its finally flight was MT2643 departing from Orlando and arriving in Manchester on 23rd September 2019.
Baggage Allowance
Carry-on Baggage
All passengers were allowed one piece of carry-on luggage, typically with a maximum size of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm and a weight limit of 6kg for Economy class and 10kg for Premium and Business class.
Additionally, a small personal item like a handbag or laptop bag was usually permitted free of charge.
Checked Baggage
The standard checked baggage allowance for Economy class ranged from 15kg to 23kg, depending on the destination.
Premium and Business class typically had higher allowances, reaching up to 30kg.
Passengers could purchase additional checked baggage allowance if needed.
Check-In Information
Online Check-In
Available 24 hours before departure and closing 1 hour before for most destinations (2 hours before for USA flights). Accessible through the airline's website or mobile app. Passengers could choose seats, print boarding passes, and add baggage allowance if needed.
Airport Check-In
Available at the airport check-in desks. Baggage drop-off facilities were separate for online and airport check-in. Passengers who hadn't checked in online might have faced queues and additional fees.
Self-service kiosks at selected airports allowed passengers to print boarding passes and check-in baggage. This was a quicker option than traditional airport check-in.
Cabin Classes
Thomas Cook Airlines, before its closure in 2019, offered three main cabin classes: Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class. Each class provided a different level of comfort and amenities to cater to diverse traveller preferences. Here's a breakdown of the experience in each:
Economy Class
Seats: Standard airplane seats with a typical pitch of 31 inches on long-haul and 28-30 inches on short-haul flights. Recline options varied slightly depending on the aircraft type.
Facilities: Standard inflight entertainment system with movies, TV shows, and music on individual screens. Complimentary hot meal and drinks on long-haul flights; snacks and limited drinks available for purchase on short-haul flights. Basic toiletries and blankets provided.
Premium Economy Class
Seats: Wider and more comfortable seats with additional legroom, typically with a pitch of 38-40 inches. Some offered extra recline and footrests.
Facilities: Dedicated inflight entertainment system with a wider selection of content and larger screens. Priority check-in and boarding, extra baggage allowance. Complimentary hot meals and drinks, including wider beverage options compared to Economy. Enhanced toiletries and amenities like amenity kits and pillows.
Business Class
Seats: Spacious reclining seats with ample legroom, usually around 44-48 inches pitch, that converted into fully flat beds on long-haul flights. Some even offered direct aisle access and privacy partitions.
Facilities: Personal entertainment system with high-definition screens and a vast library of content. Exclusive pre-flight lounge access at select airports. Priority check-in, boarding, and baggage handling. Gourmet multi-course meals with a choice of beverages, including premium options. Luxurious amenities like amenity kits, noise-canceling headphones, and comfortable bedding.
In-flight Entertainment
Thomas Cook Airlines offered various in-flight entertainment options before its closure in 2019, tailored to different cabin classes and flight lengths.
Economy In-flight Entertainment
Individual seat-back screens: Offered a selection of movies, TV shows, music, and games (though the selection could vary significantly depending on the specific aircraft and route).
Audio channels: Multiple channels of music and other audio content accessible through headphones.
Limited options on short-haul flights: On shorter flights, entertainment might have been limited to a few pre-loaded movies or TV shows.
Some options for purchase: Certain routes offered additional content for purchase, like premium movies or games.
Premium Economy In-flight Entertainment
Enhanced entertainment system: Often featured larger screens, a wider selection of movies and TV shows (including recent releases), and more games compared to Economy.
Audio options: Similar to Economy, with potentially additional audio channels.
Free content: The enhanced selection was typically included in the ticket price without requiring additional purchases.
Business In-flight Entertainment
High-definition screens: Boasted larger screens with high-resolution displays for a more cinematic experience.
Extensive content library: Access to a vast collection of movies, TV shows, documentaries, music, audiobooks, and games, often including recently released titles.
On-demand content: The ability to choose specific content rather than rely on pre-loaded channels.
Noise-canceling headphones: Provided to enhance the entertainment experience and block out ambient noise.
Wi-Fi
The availability of Wi-Fi on Thomas Cook Airlines flights depended on the aircraft and the route.
For short-haul flights, there was limited availability - if available, it would have been a pay-for-access service.
For long-haul flights, the airline had started implementing Wi-Fo on some newer models of aircraft. Some offered free basic Wi-Fi for browsing and messaging, while premium packages provided faster speeds and data allowances for streaming and downloading.
Food and Drink
The food and drink options on Thomas Cook Airlines before its closure in 2019 varied depending on several factors, including the cabin class, the flight length, the destinations and the seasonality.
Economy Class Meals
Short-haul flights: Typically offered snacks and cold drinks for purchase, with limited complimentary options like water or juice. Some longer short-haul flights might have had a simple hot meal included.
Long-haul flights: Usually provided a hot meal service with a choice of main courses (vegetarian options were often available) and a simple side dish. Complimentary drinks included tea, coffee, soft drinks, and sometimes a small amount of beer or wine. Additional snacks and drinks were available for purchase.
Premium Economy Class Meals
Enhanced catering compared to Economy: Typically offered a wider selection of hot meal options, including premium ingredients. Snacks and drinks were also more diverse, with some premium beverage choices available.
Priority service: Meals might be served earlier and with more personalized attention.
Business Class Meals
Gourmet multi-course meals: Featured high-quality ingredients and a variety of dishes, including appetizers, main courses, desserts, and cheese selections.
Premium beverage selection: Included wider choices of wines, beers, and spirits compared to other classes.
On-demand service: Passengers could request specific dishes or timings for meals.
Frequent Flyer
Thomas Cook Airlines didn't have its own frequent flyer program however it did participate in other programs through its affiliation with the Thomas Cook Group.
SunClub
Passengers flying with Thomas Cook Airlines could accrue points in the SunClub program, available across several Thomas Cook Group airlines in Scandinavia, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The program offered different tiers with benefits like priority boarding, extra baggage allowance, and lounge access. However, SunClub was primarily focused on these specific regions and not widely accessible to passengers in other areas.
Member Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines partnered with other airlines such as Condor Airlines, Emirates, and Brussels Airlines. Passengers could sometimes choose to earn miles or points in the frequent flyer programs of these partner airlines when flying on specific Thomas Cook flights. This depended on the route, fare type, and booking arrangements.
Destinations that Thomas Cook Airlines flew to
Before ceasing operations in 2019, Thomas Cook Airlines flew to a wide range of destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. Here's a breakdown by country and city:
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Hub Airport
Thomas Cook Airlines didn't have one particular airport to use as its hub. It had multiple bases, primarily in the UK, including London Gatwick Airport, Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport and Bristol Airport.
It also used smaller regional airports such as Belfast International, East Midlands and Newcastle upon Tyne, acting as hubs for specific routes or seasonal schedules.
Fleet
Before ceasing operations, Thomas Cook Airlines' fleet consisted of the following aircraft:
- 27 x Airbus A321-200
- 8 x Airbus A330-200