I booked in Spring 2007 for Summer 2008 - going to Crete with First Choice. According to the website, (searching same dates etc) the flight has now changed to Thomsonfly, although we haven't been notified of this. The flight time is the same though.

last year we booked a first choice holiday to turkey, but we fly with thomsonfly.....

Thomsonfly at Gatwick are moving from the south terminal to the north terminal from 16 April. This is to join up with First Choice Airways who use the north terminal. So presumably this is the first step to a complete merger of the two airlines.

I have now received a letter from First Choice informing me that our FC flight has changed to TOM. The flight times are the same (give or take 5 minutes) but they have given me the option of changing our holiday without any admin fee if these new arrangements are unsuitable... (I've always found FC very good about informing you of even the slightest changes) Actually I'm not happy about about flying with TOM - went with them for the first time last year and was not impressed at all (long delays there and back, horrid flight meals, poor in-flight service, poor resort service etc) but as the flight times have hardly changed I haven't got much reason to complain.

They are all part of TUI group but are still seperate companies. There may be changes to flights (probably saving company money ) but if youv'e book a FC holiday it will be FC who look after you in resort.
We are going to Turkey in May and decided to book Thomsonfly from Doncaster as it was a day flight and all FC flights from that region ie; Man, east mid were night flights.


Jo

ooooo lizzy, we are going from doncaster with thomson to turkey in july.......please let me know wht the flight and airport are like!!!!!

we have a 7am flight! hope you have a lovely time

Will do, Only 10 weeks to go!!!

Jo

Cyberspacekadette, I'm with you totally. We flew Thomsonfly at half term and vowed never again, we had delays both ways which I know can happen to any airline (although this was the worst we've ever had) but we really got the impression they were juggling planes. The plane on the way out was a total crate, cramped and for a 4 hour flight with kids, no inflight entertainment, which we've never had before. I believe we should have had the same one on the way back, but surprise surprise it had technical difficulties so we got something much more modern. I'm not the most confident of flyers so being in something that has had repairs done with bits from a scrapyard (the chinese writing rather gave it away!) doesn't give you much confidence.
I always thought Thomson was a 'quality' outfit and so it's a bit of a concern if First Choice come down to their level as we've always found them to be very good.

Pam

Had a letter this week saying that Eclipse Direct will cease to be due the merger, and will just come under the First Choice banner.

Pam

I was told by an FC employee that we will be seeing TUI reps this year on holiday instead of fc/thomson reps, dont know when this starts exactly.
Also all the planes are going to be canary yellow eventually! Yuck!
My kids will be confused if we dont go on the flower/starfish plane.
They are already sharing flights between the companies on the web sites.
Hope that doesnt mean less bargain hols though!

Haha!! I work for TUI and the yellow planes is the livery for the german part of TUI called TUIfly however I've heard due to feedback from Thomsonfly.com they may not have the yellow planes. Before the merger Thomsonfly was going to be TUIfly with yellow but after the merger now they have changed their ideas apparently and they havent decided what colours to do - Ive heard everything from stay at blue, to blue and pinmk to red and grey????? Nobody knows at the moment. They have asked for staff for feedback (lots of loyal TUI staff I have heard want a modernised Britannia back!!) Anyway, there is lots going on at the mo, such as shops moving to 1 system, brochures for next year are merging some are Thomson and some are First Choice, also on the high street and tour ops, FC and Thomson will remain Thomson will be more of the higher end holidays and adults, whilst First Choice will cater more for families with younger children with kids clubs etc. So its certainly not quiet!! hehe!! Also the airline is merging the procedures in line with Thomsonfly for may and will be one airline from next summer (what it will be called or what it will look like will apparently not be decided until later this year they are still deciding- so hopefully no yellow!!)