Yes there is a smoking area. When you are airside, go straight through the shops towards the viewing window, go upstairs to the food hall and it is signposted. I've no idea what it's like though.

Ok thanks Sunaddict, that will make hubs a very happy bunny when I tell him.

Mdollar,

I would agree with Sunaddict. There's not a lot of point getting there that early and even with online check-in, you still have to drop your bags off that morning so it might not be much of a time saver to just regular check-in. If you're there 3-3.5 hours before your departure time, it should be quiet anyway and 3 hours is the recommended time for long haull. The desk numbers are 1-13 in T1 (far left corner) with desk 1 normally assigned to baggage drop-off. Have a great holiday.

Darren

Thomas Cook cabin crew to vote on industrial action

Thomas Cook cabin crew are considering taking industrial action following the breakdown of talks with management over the company's redundancy plans.

Unite the Union said 498 jobs face the axe but it has been unable to agree redundancy terms with management.

Some 1,300 of Thomas Cook's 1,800 cabin crew will be balloted within the next week, it said.

The cabin crews fly from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, and Stansted.

In a statement issued today, the union said it has asked the company to put a "realistic" voluntary severance package on the table, but that the management had "point blank refused" its offer of two weeks per year redundancy pay.

Unite had requested a minimum of three weeks per year, plus a lump sum payment of £5,000. The average cabin crew pay is £15,000-a-year.

Unite regional officer, Mick Whitley said: "The company was only interested in putting in place the building blocks for voluntary and compulsory redundancies.

"This has left Unite with no other alternative but to suspend the consultation talks and hold a consultative ballot with the Unite membership at Thomas Cook. The ballot will be conducted within the next week to gauge the feeling of our members.

"We are completely against the redundancy terms and any compulsory redundancies purely to make more profit. The group has made £320m this year and is paying out a fortune in bonuses and dividends, as well as sponsoring the Olympics."

Thomas Cook will reduce the size of its fleet by from this winter as part of a cost-cutting drive. It has announced plans remove six long-haul aircraft by the end of the year and has confirmed publicly that it plans to shed 250 jobs. It also plans to eradicate the rank of assistant cabin manager, said the union.

With permission from Travelmole

Mdollar,

I would agree with Sunaddict. There's not a lot of point getting there that early and even with online check-in, you still have to drop your bags off that morning so it might not be much of a time saver to just regular check-in. If you're there 3-3.5 hours before your departure time, it should be quiet anyway and 3 hours is the recommended time for long haull. The desk numbers are 1-13 in T1 (far left corner) with desk 1 normally assigned to baggage drop-off. Have a great holiday.

Darren

Thanks Darren! I've decided as we'll be up early any way we'll just do the regular check in. Never had any prob's queuing in the past as we always get there early and don't have to wait long.

Hi dazbo,

Might be a bit early but could you tell me what our aircraft will be......? Fri, 21 Sep 12 18:55 Depart Manchester TCX 2882 at 18:55 to Dalaman..... Then Sat , 06 Oct 12 Depart Dalaman TCX 2823 at 02:25 to Manchester. I know it's an early ask , but we are a familly of three and would prefer a 3-3 configuration. Any other flights on that day in 3-3 format would be greatly appreciated......!

Cheers Ash........!

barjiash,

It's too early to know but the Friday evening fligth is normally a Boeing 767-300/ER rather than a Boeing 757-200. That could change though as I won't have the aircraft schedule for a while yet.

Darren

I've just seen that Thomas Cook appear to stop their Sunday flights from Stansted to Enfidha towards the end of April next year and Thomson start Wednesday flights just after this. If I want a holiday late April/early May would I be able to book out on TC and back on Thomsons?

Aslemma,

You can book anything you like as long as the flights are available on the dates you wish to travel. You don't have to book return flights, you can book one way with any airline.

Darren

Thanks for that Darren. Strange that companies don't seem to know that. I've been looking at booking fights through Travel Republic etc and they all say 'no flights available' though both TC and Thomsons say there are. In the end it seems it is irrelevant for me this year as I'd forgotten I have to be back in the UK by the end of April for my grandson's 18th birthday so it will have to be TC. I had been hoping to go a couple of weeks later to give the country time to warm up.

Hi
Just wondering how many of TC A330's are assigned to the Hajj flights? Also is it just one of Monarch's that are doing them?Thanks

Sunaddict,

G-EOMA (A332) has been leased to Garuda Indonesia for the Hajj from Monarch, and G-MDBD (A332), G-OMYT (A332) and G-TCCB (76W) from TCX.

Darren

Thanks for the rapid reply Darren Just another question - wrong forum sorry - but is that the only A330 that Monarch have?

Sunaddict wrote:

Just another question - wrong forum sorry - but is that the only A330 that Monarch have?

No, they have 2; G-EOMA and G-SMAN.

Darren

Thank you

Hi,

Just wondering what aircraft type will be operating MANCHESTER - HOLGUIN 18/7/2012.
(sorry no flight number)

Thanks,
Oliver

olivaaar,

It'll be an Airbus A330-200. Extensive aircraft information is on our What Aircraft? guide (link below).

Darren

Thanks :-)

Just wondering because i dont want to be stuck in a -300 with 29'' legroom and over-isle tv's for 10 and a half hours.
Something else to look forward too now

We chose flight with Thomas Cook at Easter due to early departure time, meaning we would arrive early in the day. We paid quite a lot for these flights.They have now emailed to kick us off that flight and put us on one departing over 3 hrs later. When I looked on their website, there is a flight leaving just an hour later than the one we had booked. My daughter said they had done this to her and she rang them and got the flight nearer to her original time. I rang customer services and they tried to charge me £100 for the flight leaving an hour later! They claim my daughter's flight must have been moved to one 12 hours later for them not to charge her. This wasn't the case. They also cannot promise us the seats we paid extra for.
I have told them I will never book with Thomas Cook again. No wonder they are struggling when they routinely change flights to worse times and keep passengers waiting for hours due to 'delays' once on board. Customer service? Screw the customer more like!