Thomas Cook has announced that it will be basing a fourth aircraft at Newcastle International Airport next summer. This now means that holidaymakers will have even more choice about when and where to go on holiday as 54 Thomas Cook flights will be operated each week from Tyneside. The new aircraft will offer approximately 70,000 extra seats throughout the summer season taking the total number of seats available for holidaymakers to around 300,000.
The introduction of the aircraft means that Thomas Cook has reintroduced flights to Bourgas in Bulgaria. Extra weekly flights will operate to favourite holiday destinations such as Paphos and Larnaca (Cyprus), Dalaman and Izmir (Turkey), Mahon, Ibiza and Palma (Balearic Islands) and Tenerife (Canary Islands).
Ian Derbyshire, Chief Executive Officer at Thomas Cook UK & Ireland, said: “The people of the North East have shown great loyalty to us over the years and that is why it is great for us to be able to make this announcement.
“This underlines our commitment to the North East and to Newcastle International Airport. We are particularly pleased to have made this happen on the back of the problems caused by the recession and the ash cloud crisis. The region has always been strong for us and we see that continuing in the future.”
David Laws, Chief Executive of Newcastle International Airport, said: “This is a tremendous boost for the region and a fantastic coup for us. In the current climate, I believe it shows that the Airport is bucking the trend by being able to achieve deals of this size and significance. From a personal point of view, in our 75th year, it is fantastic to be able to do business with a top quality company like Thomas Cook and I am sure the North East public will respond well to it, as they always do.”
Thomas Cook already offers flights from Newcastle International Airport to Antalya and Bodrum (Turkey), Hurgarda (Egypt), Corfu, Rhodes, Crete, Kos, Skiathos, Kefalonia and Zante (Greece), Faro (Portugal), Reus (Spain), Lanzarote and Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) and Enfidha (Tunisia).
For more information, log on to www.thomascook.com or the local Thomas Cook or Going Places store.
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About Thomas Cook UK & Ireland:
Thomas Cook UK & Ireland is the second largest leisure travel group in the UK with around 19,000 employees, a network of more than 800 high street stores (Thomas Cook and Going Places), leading websites (www.thomascook.com), and some of the world's favourite travel brands.
These brands include Airtours, Club 18-30, Cresta, Cruise Thomas Cook, Direct Holidays, Elegant Resorts, Flexibletrips, Flythomascook.com, Gold Medal, Hotels4u, Manos, Medhotels, Neilson, Netflights, Panorama, Pure Luxury, Sentido, Style Holidays, Sunset, Sunworld Holidays, Swiss Travel Service, Thomas Cook, Thomas Cook Signature, Thomas Cook Tours and Thomas Cook Sport.
Thomas Cook Airlines operates a fleet of 44 aircraft from 19 regional airports to destinations worldwide.
Thomas Cook is an Official Supporter of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the exclusive partner for UK short breaks and trips to the Games. Thomas Cook's London 2012 packages will go on sale in 2011 and will include accommodation, transport and event tickets.
All Thomas Cook holidays are ATOL bonded, which means its customers are looked after whilst in resort or prior to departure should anything affect their holiday, that is out of Thomas Cook’s control, such as the disruption caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash in Spring 2010.
Thomas Cook offers a range of financial services including foreign exchange, the Thomas Cook Credit Card, the Thomas Cook Cash Passport (a MasterCard® prepaid currency card) and a wide range of travel insurance policies. It is FSA regulated for its travel insurance, which is underwritten by White Horse Insurance Ireland Ltd. Thomas Cook in the UK is the world’s leading retailer of the Cash Passport prepaid currency card.
Thomas Cook also has a leading publishing division offering a comprehensive portfolio of more than 300 independently authored travel guidebooks to 150 worldwide destinations.
Thomas Cook UK & Ireland is part of Thomas Cook Group plc (www.thomascookgroup.com).