Thomas Cook Airlines
380295
222338505
2008-06-28T20:25:50Z
SempreVolando
5579399
Fleet total updated in infobox
{{Infobox_Airline |
airline=Thomas Cook Airlines|
logo=Thomas Cook logo.png|
logo_size=130px|
IATA=MT|
ICAO=TCX|
callsign=KESTREL|
parent=[[Thomas Cook Group]]|
founded=[[1 September]] [[1999]]|
headquarters=[[Manchester]], [[United Kingdom]]|
hubs=[[Manchester Airport]]<br>[[London Gatwick Airport]]|
focus_cities=[[Belfast International Airport]]<br>[[Birmingham International Airport (United Kingdom)|Birmingham Airport]]<br>[[Bristol International Airport|Bristol Airport]]<br>[[Cardiff International Airport|Cardiff Airport]]<br>[[East Midlands Airport]]<br>[[Glasgow International Airport|Glasgow Airport]]<br>[[Leeds Bradford International Airport|Leeds Bradford Airport]]<br>[[Newcastle Airport]]<br>[[London Stansted Airport]]|
fleet_size=42|<!--Check this matches Fleet table below-->
destinations=100 [http://www.flythomascook.com/skylights/html/route-map.shtml]|
key_people=Frank Pullman ([[Managing director|MD]])<br>Steve Solomon (DFO)<br>Martin Mahoney (Chief Pilot)|
website=http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk|
}}
[[Image:Thomas Cook Airlines 757.jpg|thumb|right|[[Boeing 757]]-200 at [[Glasgow International Airport]]]]
[[Image:Boeing757-G-JMAA.jpg|thumb|right|[[Boeing 757-300]] at [[Manchester Airport]]]]
[[Image:thomascookairlines b757-200 g-jmce arp.jpg|thumb|right|[[Boeing 757-200]] at take off]]
[[Image:thomas cook a320-200 g-vced arp.jpg|thumb|right|[[Airbus A320-200]]]]
[[Image:Thomas-Cook-A330-243-YVR.jpg|thumb|right|[[Airbus A330|Airbus A330-243]] landing at [[Vancouver International Airport]]]]
{{Otheruses4|Thomas Cook Airlines in the UK|Thomas Cook Airlines in Belgium|Thomas Cook Airlines (Belgium)|Thomas Cook Airlines in Scandinavia|Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia}}
'''Thomas Cook Airlines''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[charter airline]] based in [[Manchester]], [[United Kingdom]]. It serves main holiday resorts in [[Europe]] (particularly the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]), [[North Africa]], [[Asia]], [[North America]] and the [[Caribbean]] from main bases at [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] and [[London Gatwick Airport|London Gatwick]].
The airline also operates services from smaller bases at [[Belfast International Airport|Belfast International]], [[Birmingham International Airport (United Kingdom)|Birmingham]], [[Bristol International Airport|Bristol]], [[Cardiff International Airport|Cardiff]], [[East Midlands Airport|East Midlands]], [[Glasgow International Airport|Glasgow]], [[Leeds Bradford International Airport|Leeds-Bradford]], [[London Stansted Airport|London Stansted]], and [[Newcastle Airport|Newcastle]].
On [[30 March]] [[2008]], [[MyTravel Airways]] was fully integrated into Thomas Cook Airlines UK Ltd. The airline will operate a fleet of 42 [[Boeing]] and [[Airbus]] aircraft during the summer 2008 season, making it one of the largest airlines in the UK.
Thomas Cook Airlines UK Limited holds a [[Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom|United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority]] Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats. <ref>[http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=183&pagetype=90&pageid=340 Operating Licence]</ref>
== History ==
The airline was established on [[1 September]] [[1999]] and started operations on [[27 March]] [[2000]]. It was created as [[JMC Airlines]] through the merger of [[Flying Colours (airline)|Flying Colours Airlines]] and [[Caledonian Airways]], following the integration of the Carlson Leisure group with [[Thomas Cook]], which brought both airlines under common ownership in October 1999. JMC Airlines was renamed as Thomas Cook Airlines UK on [[31 March]] [[2003]] <ref>[http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/ab55eea81d36ea14c8d8f88fffe456f5/compdetails Name change to Thomas Cook Airlines]</ref>. The airline is owned by Thomas Cook.
[[Thomas Cook AG (former)|Thomas Cook AG]] & [[MyTravel Group (former)|MyTravel Group PLC]] merged to form [[Thomas Cook Group|Thomas Cook Group PLC]] in June 2007 and opened on the [[London Stock Exchange]], with [[Arcandor|KarstadtQuelle]] retaining a 51% stake in the new company. On [[30 March]] [[2008]] [[MyTravel Airways]] was fully integrated into [[Thomas Cook Airlines]] in preparation for the summer 2008 season, with a fleet of [[Airbus]] A320, A321 and A330 aircraft along with [[Boeing]] 757 and 767 aircraft.
The airline operates for a number of tour operators, however Thomas Cook Tour Operations is the main user of the airline. Thomas Cook Airlines launched its own seat only service in 2005, selling seats directly under the name [http://www.flythomascook.com Fly Thomas Cook].
Thomas Cook Airlines, with tour operator Canadian Affair, offers flights to [[Calgary]], [[Toronto]], [[Vancouver]], [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]], [[Montreal]] and [[Ottawa]] from Birmingham, London Gatwick, Manchester, and Glasgow airports in the United Kingdom. The flights to Eastern Canada are operated by re-configured Boeing 757-200 aircraft with 187 seats and 35" seat pitch. The Western [[Canada]] flights are operated by Airbus A330 aircraft.
==Fleet==
{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse;text-align: center;"
|+ '''Thomas Cook Airlines (UK) Fleet'''
|-bgcolor=lightblue
!Aircraft
!Seats
(Premium / Economy)<ref>[http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk/yourseat_yourchoice.asp Thomas Cook Airlines - Aircraft Seating Configurations]</ref>
!Current Fleet
(June 2008)<ref>[http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&owner=thomas%20cook&pageIndex=2 Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register]</ref>
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus_A320#A320|Airbus A320-200]]
|'''180''' (0/180)
|11
|
|-
|[[Airbus_A320#A321|Airbus A321-200]]
|'''220''' (0/220)
|4
|
|-
|[[Airbus_A330#A330-200|Airbus A330-200]]
|Config 1: '''323''' (45/278)<br>Config 2: '''323''' (49/274)
|7
|One aircraft (OY-VKF) leased from
[[Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia]]
|-
|[[Boeing 757#757-200|Boeing 757-200]]
|'''235''' (0/235)<br>or '''187''' (0/187)
|16
|
|-
|[[Boeing 757#757-300|Boeing 757-300]]
|'''280''' (0/280)
|2
|
|-
|[[Boeing 767#767-300|Boeing 767-300]]
|'''326''' (0/326)
|2
|
|-
|bgcolor=lightblue| '''Total'''
|bgcolor=lightblue|
|bgcolor=lightblue|'''42'''<!--Check this matches infobox above-->
|bgcolor=lightblue|
|-
|colspan=4|<small>'''Config 1''' = G-TCXA Only, '''Config 2''' = All Other A330 Aircraft
|}
===Livery and interiors===
All Thomas Cook aircraft are painted in white, with the blue and yellow Thomas Cook logo on the tail of each aircraft. A light blue covers the underbody of the aircraft. The aircraft cabins feature blue fabric or leather seats and carpets. The same applies on the Boeing 757 transatlantic aircraft, but the seats are leather with a greater seat pitch of 35", seating 187 passengers.
The longhaul fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft feature an all-leather seat configuration with either 45 premium and 278 economy seats or 49 premium and 274 economy seats, and a seat pitch of 33" in economy. The Airbus A330 aircraft also feature seat-back entertainment in both cabins.
== Awards ==
*[http://www.flightontime.info FlightOnTime.info] Runner-Up UK Charter Airline for Punctuality - Summer 2006
*[http://www.flightontime.info FlightOnTime.info] Most Punctual UK Charter Airline - Summer 2002 & Summer 2003
*[http://www.flightontime.info FlightOnTime.info] Most Punctual UK Charter Airline - Winter 2002/03 & Winter 2003/04
== External links ==
*[http://www.thomascookairlines.co.uk Thomas Cook Airlines - Official website]
*[http://www.thomascook.com Thomas Cook - Official website]
*[http://www.flythomascook.com/skylights/html/route-map.shtml Route map]
*[http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcop&opp=Thomas%20Cook%20UK Fleet Age]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Airlines of the United Kingdom}}
[[Category:Charter airlines of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:International Air Carrier Association]]
[[Category:British Air Transport Association]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2003]]
[[es:Thomas Cook Airlines]]
[[fr:Thomas Cook Airlines]]
[[id:Thomas Cook Airlines]]
[[pl:Thomas Cook Airlines]]