3 ms·

What is Thomas Cook? I have never seen their planes or their name in sites like expedia. Why is it even in news?

• lwhi 7y ago
  Oldest travel company in the world [1] [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook_Group https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook_Group
  • erentz 7y ago
    That article only talks about the company’s formation in 2007 and history since the 2000s. Here’s the predecessor founded in 1841: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook_%26_Son https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook_%26_Son
    • lwhi 7y ago
      The article mentions it was "Founded1841; 178 years ago (as Thomas Cook & Son)"
• usr1106 7y ago
  1. It might depend on your location. In Europe they are huge and it's impossible to miss the news. In America they might have no sales and no consumer business? 2. They mostly sell holiday packages, not much separate flight tickets. So in a way they are the previous generation competitor to Expedia. One reason why they have been in difficulties.
  • snambi 7y ago
    Thanks for the explanation. I have never seen this company in USA. Nowadays, algorithms sell holiday packages in sites like Expedia, it would be very hard to compete with computers with old business models.
    • usr1106 7y ago
      That might be slightly different in Europe. Remember, that nearly every country speaks a different language. The traditional holiday package contains a guide local to the country of origin. That is more difficult to replace by an algorithm during booking. You still need a planeload of people meet the suitable guide at the same destination. (Myself I speak 5 languages and can read 6-8 more to some degree, so I am not their customer. But there are huge groups that speak no foreign language at all. I might unscientifically guess, that Britain, the home country of Thomas Cook is over average in this category. Although Brits are at advantage in the destination, because at least younger locals are likely to speak English.)