Not anymore sunaddict.

Although it's wise to pre-book to avoid disappointment, the general rule of thumb for most airlines is that the earlier you check in the more likely you will get seats together as they try to put parties together as it's actually easier to do that than to split everyone up. They tend to split people up when there's no more room to seat you all together.

HOWEVER as most tour operators now offer seat selection on booking, I think you'll find it will be more and more difficult to get seats together if travelling as a party. For example the two most recent flights I have taken we have seat selected on the earliest available opportunity, literally straight after we get the email that it is available and already half the seats are gone.

Therefore I would advise seat select to be sure, but if not check in ASAP.

hi, can Darren or anyone with knowledge please advise.
we are flying tom2468 next month with 2 infants in the party.
I have prebooked seats to ensure we are all together.
when I phoned to choose the seats I was told we had to sit on the left of the plane as we had infants, this is the same as previous flights I have been with infants.
however when I phoned back with choice of seats I was told we are flying on a 767 so we can sit anywhere on the plane but only 1 infant per row, so we have ended up with rows 7,8,9 seats g h. have I been advised correctly. thanks

jhe,

As you are flying with an infant(s), the row(s) you sit on needs extra oxygen masks to accommodate the extra person on that row. Some aircraft have them on certain rows, some aircraft on every row. As there's normally only 1 extra mask per row, only 1 infant is permitted per row. The 767 has extra masks on every row. You have been advised correctly. You wouldn't have been able to choose seats if you weren't given the correct advise at the time of booking.

Darren

thanks very much darren,we are flying with 2 infants the first time i phoned thomson to choose seats the person i spoke to advised we could all sit on 1 row but infants to the left of the plane, after discussing which seats to choose with my family i phoned back to be told different.
its a relief to know we are okay with the seats we have chosen, thanks again

Hi flying from GAtwick to Antalya on 27 Aug 2013 07.00 flight

Return 06.09.2013 16.25 flight

We have booked extra leg room

What aircraft will we be flying on

I did have an email about seat plan in June but can not access it any more

I have boooked extra leg room both way

edhall,

Please quote flight numbers when requesting aircraft information. There are often several flights. This ensures we get the correct information for you. LGW-AYT-LGW (TOM286/7?) are operated by Boeing 737-800. You'll find extensive aircraft information on our What Aircraft? guide (link below) including aircraft and cabin photo as well as a seat plan.

Darren

Hi Darren, We are finely off to Antalya tomorrow (30th July) on TOM346 from Gatwick. Would you be able to tell me what the incoming flight is to Gatwick Prior to ours. Also my cousin is flying to Antalya on the same day (30th) but from Glasgow on TOM620 would you again also be able to advise what the incoming flight it prior to operating their flight.

Thank you as always,

Gooner

Hi Dazbo thanks for your help, you were correct it was TUI -A ...Living The Dream...... Cannot describe how fantastic the ride to Mexico was....definitely worth the wait .

Thanks again for all your help I will post some photos and review when I return

gooner1977,

The inbound aircraft for TOM620 is TOM1219 from Palma.
The inbound aircraft for TOM346 should be TOM4219 from Kevallinia.

have a great holiday

Darren

Hi Dazbo
Quick question .. We are on the TOM564 flying from birmingham to montage bay on the 16th of aug 2 weeks today. Our check in time on our etickets says 8.20 flights at 11.20 .
Just been on birmingham departures checking that flight for this week and its saying its Tom 564 is scheduled for 1pm is this because the flights delayed or is the time of the normal flight.
The gatwick flights always shows original flight time and any delays Never flown from Birmingham before so a little confused and worried our tickets havent got the right flight times . Thank you

knitter46,

Regardless of what is says on departure boards (that are only relevant for departures that day), you should always check-in at the time given on your tickets. If a departure time is changed, you'll be notified by the airline.

Darren

Does anyone know whether, as it appears now, Thomson have abandoned Cuba as a destination from April 2014 onwards? I was hoping to go back there again in summer 2014 but it seems they have stopped the flights to Varadero and to Holgiun - and stopped them from both Manchester and Gatwick.
I can see schedules for Jamaica - so I guess it is not just that the long haul plans don't yet exist.
Have we lost Cuba as a destination unless we go scheduled?
If so that's really sad - it was a great holiday destination, both via Holguin and Varadero.
Why have Thomson killed it off? Planes always seemed to be fully booked.

Thomson/First Choice, have decided to drop Cuba, Thomas cook has always had the lead and it is their biggest market, also the equivelent hotels are not on par with other Caribbean destinations such as Mexico, Barbados or Jamaica, feedback from customers tend to be lower from Cuba than other markets, highlighting they are not as satisfied with their holidays. It's a shame as Cuba is a lovely country and has some wonderful things to offer.

It's a great shame, and it has been widely discussed on other forums for a few months now. Plenty of unhappy Cuban fans.
I really wanted to go back to the PRDO at Guardalavaca. I wouldn't fly longhaul on Thomas Cook, so until I can come up with a Plan B..................

Aargh! As Thomas Cook seem to have already stopped taking 'flight only' bookings for Holguin, it looks as if the next trip to Santiago de Cuba for me will have to be scheduled via Havana. Such a hassle - connecting flight to London, Paris or Madrid and then connecting flight at the other end to get from Havana to Santiago or the overnight bus. Either way if usually means spending a night in Havana at each end of the trip. Could certainly do without that!

SM

SMa wrote:

Aargh! As Thomas Cook seem to have already stopped taking 'flight only' bookings for Holguin, it looks as if the next trip to Santiago de Cuba for me will have to be scheduled via Havana. Such a hassle - connecting flight to London, Paris or Madrid and then connecting flight at the other end to get from Havana to Santiago or the overnight bus. Either way if usually means spending a night in Havana at each end of the trip. Could certainly do without that!

SM

Thomas Cook are reintroducing seat only on flights to Holguin, albeit they've currently only got the seats for Sept/October loaded. They did say the winter ones would be loaded by the end of June .......

How about trying a campaign on the Thomson Facebook page to try to get them to change their minds?
I've had several great holidays in Cuba with Thomson and I would challenge the statement that hotels are not up to the standard of those in Jamaica.
Example - The Royal Decameron in Runaway Bay, Jamaica - as offered by Thomson - I found to be a truly dreadful place - nothing like as good as the standard of the hotels I've had in Cuba.
And the big thing - you can walk the streets in Cuba in safety. Without being offered drugs at every street corner as happens everywhere in Jamaica.
You can visit the beautiful capital Havana, Cuba alone, in safety.
You cannot visit Kingston Jamaica without an armed bodyguard!
I really wish Thomson would reconsider this terrible decision. By the time they change it, there's a possibility American tourists be allowed back to Cuba, and look how Mexican resorts suffer from the US influence.

I doubt you'll get them to change a business decision, which is what it is. If they can sell other new destinations without the negative feedback they will, and it's good that they are introducing new destinations.
I like Cuba, but I also like Jamaica, and never had a problem wandering off resort. Being offered drugs happens on most street corners in major cities these days.

I agree its a great shame they dropped it for Summer 2014, but who knows, they may reintroduce it again at some point. They've just starting flying to Puerto Vallerta again, and they dropped that many years ago.

You'll just have to fly Thomas Cook if you really want to go back, or Virgin to Havana, or via Canada or Europe. Personally I don't love it that much, so will hopefully get to one of their new destinations in 2015.