Tui Airways adds extra flights by hiring Thomas Cook cabin and crew
Europe’s largest travel company will fly up to two million more passengers in 2020 with the help of former Thomas Cook staff.
Tui Airways has announced it will add an extra 10,000 flights next year by hiring former Thomas Cook pilots and cabin crew.
Read more: Will buyout of Thomas Cook’s 555 high street stores take off
The German travel company will base many of these flights out of former Thomas Cook strongholds, including Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Glasgow.
A lot of the flights will go to destinations that were also regularly covered by the UK company, such as Spain, Turkey, Egypt, Mexico and Florida.
British Airways and Jet2 are also expected to increase their capacity by moving into routes that have been abandoned by Thomas Cook’s collapse.
Tui Airways managing director Dawn Wilson told The Independent that 50 former Thomas Cook captains will be hired.
“I’m particularly proud to be able to commit to offering over 50 Thomas Cook captains the opportunity to join Tui Airways and continue to fly customers on their holidays,” she said.
Brian Strutton, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association, said: “We are really pleased that so many new jobs have been earmarked for former Thomas Cook pilots.
“Tui is achieving its business growth in a morally responsible way.”
It comes after Hays Travel agreed to buy all 555 of Thomas Cook’s high street stores on Wednesday.
Thomas Cook’s entire retail network will re-open immediately, Hays said, and 100 jobs will be created at the buyer’s Sunderland headquarters.
Read more: Thomas Cook customers struggle to recoup funds
Following the appointment of the Official Receiver last month, Hays Travel has already taken on board 421 former Thomas Cook staff, and has further offers outstanding to former employees.
The vast majority of the former store workers will have the opportunity for fresh employment, after the Thomas Cook’s dramatic collapse left them out of a job.