Here we go again

[daviemc]

Thomas Cook in trouble http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/nov/22/thomas-cook-shares-halve-bank-talks?newsfeed=true

[molly malone]

We've booked our flights with them for next year after getting our money back from the holidays4u collapse, hopefully it doesn't happen again.

[Chocoholic]

Was just going to post and daviemc beat me to it. It was predicted back in August though.
I hope it doesn't bite the dust like many others, trouble is if people know they are in trouble there will be no new bookings and they will probably go under. It doesn't leave many left to fly with.
Anyone got a rowing boat?

[speedin112]

the guardian says they will know whats going on by december
i hope its good news as booked for next august

[teac532s]

Hope not , we have booked for June with them. If they do go then who else would be left??.

[jayjay1950]

We also have booked with them for August so going to have my fingers crossed that all goes ok

[kentcabbie]

Just got in from shopping and seen the reports on the web news pages seems the new loan will push their debt over £1b, not good.

[Turuncveteran]

Quite worryingly they announced that although anyone has booked a package holiday is protected under ATOL so 'does not need to worry' - they also said this is not the case for Flight Only bookings.

[dksbbs]

Quite worryingly they announced that although anyone has booked a package holiday is protected under ATOL so 'does not need to worry' - they also said this is not the case for Flight Only bookings.

Make sure you book with a credit card for section 75 protection.

Dave

[kirky]

900 million debts not looking good !

[maryb]

Hi there we are booked to fly out to Antalya Dec 18th with TC and stop for Xmas and New year TC hotel. and booked for next Aug Icmeler with TC fingers crossed.

[Elayne]

we have booked with monarch for nexy year. my daughter has an interview on 3rd december for a reps job with thomas cook!!!!!

[JT]

They have been in that situation for many years

[adewolves]

Yes...but there share price hasn't bombed by 75% before, thats a huge hit by any standards. We normally book with them but this year we're only going to book flights with them...assuming we can get them at the right price around march/April time when they are normally cheaper, we'll just have to wait and see now.

[kirky]

I'm staying away tc I don't want another fiasco like this year Aegean 3 days before departure in August !

[itobradshaw1]

DONT PANIC

[smc4761]

What worries me now is that I have been reading numerous forums and the general consensus seems to be dont book with Thomas Cook at the moment wait and see what happens. Now if people do stop booking this will only make the situation for them even worse and this really could force them to go under.

Who would that then leave to cater for the mass market, TUI (Thomson, First Choice) and some specialist companies eg ICR and not really that much else.

Thomas Cook sold around 19 million holidays last year. Even allowing for the recession surely at least around 12 million holidays would ave to be booked and people will not have a choice. No competition, prices will go through the roof and TUI are already very expensive

Stewart

[icmeler1sttimer]

Oh no! I have booked flights with TC for next August. Will I be able to get my money back if they do go bust? I did use a credit card to pay for them through an internet based travel agent thinking this would be a better way just in case.

[Bigdaddydawg]

No one wants yet another holiday company to go under, but in some ways T.C. only have themselves to blame. When H4U went under earlier this year T.C. had the chance to be heroes. They could've stepped in and took masses of extra bookings and saved hundreds if not thousands of people the misery of missing their holiday.
Instead they decide to take advantage of the situation and hike up their prices to the ridiculous knowing that people will either have to pay it or lose their holiday altogether.

[adewolves]

TC made a massive mistake buying the co op shops, online booking is growing all the time, so they go and buy street stores...and lo and behold are now going to shut hundreds from the high street, and we all wonder why they're so much in debt.