There is a topic running HERE Tweetie.

Kath

thanks Kath....will go look....booked with thomascook which seems big stable operation....but with all the hassle going on with freedom direct was curious about the holiday provider they had booked me with

No big mystery, Airtours, Direct Holidays, Manos etc are all just operating brands that are part of Thomas Cook.

http://www.thomascook.com/brands/

I booked with Airtours in May 2007 to go to Turkey summer 2008. Airtours have been trading for many many years selling cheap package holidays. By the time I travelled last July my booking had been taken over by Thomas Cook, wasn't a problem really, I still got the flight/hotel/holiday I booked, just a change of name. I think I had one hiccup over the paperwork caused by the changeover, although perhaps I was lucky. I failed to get an invoice showing that I had paid my final balance. I gave up asking and it turned up a day before my tickets. Might have had a flight time change as well, but I get these all the time if I book a year in advance.

Still not sure if the two company's merged of if it was a Thomas Cook takeover, I assume the later.

I wouldn't worry though, its not like you have booked with one of the companys that offer dynamic packages. You have booked a package holiday so you will be covered by the Package Holiday regulations for what that is worth.

I assume you are worrying because of the Freedom Direct/Hays travel fiasco. IMHO I don't think the Airtours/Thomas Cook thing is the same. If companys like Thomas Cook start failing then the whole Industry will be in turmoil.

what worrys me is the way these companies are joining up but also trading under there own banners as seperate entities....each one using the other.....debt and failings can be manipulated between them....if times getting tough and looks like could fail over all .....one part can be loaded with the debt then fold...thus saving the others...

if online sales take too much of a share of the bookings....and the high st shops not getting enough revenue....and build debt with running costs that becomes greater than profits from bookings....and folds...the retail being seperate and only acting as an agent for the tour operater of the same name....if your money had not been passed on and dissapeared as seems is happening with freedon direct....you could land in same mess...

Thomascook Retail do quote an abta number on their paper work....but quote Thomascook Tour Operations Ltd's atol number.....the Airtours paper work has both symbols on with numbers, and also have an FTO symbol.....and in tiny writing on the bottom says they are the trading name of Thomascook tour operaters...

Airtours confirmation/final invoice does not show as paid in full....it only shows total cost....but states at end to pay travel agent balance when due.....I paid it up in full with one payment.....and my visa reciept is stating Thomascook retail as recieving payment......so my cash is in Thomascook retail Ltd's bank account....and I would be more settled if it was already in Airtours bank account as they seem to be the safest place being covered by all 3 agencies ABTA ATOL and FTO

TWEETIE PIE

All holidays booked within the thomas cook group is atol covered, abta doesn't mean much anymore and abta bond was if your travel went bust and hadn't paid the tour op you were covered, but now that level of protection has gone. The only way thomas cook retail would fail if the parent company in germany failed.

I think abta was wrong to remove the cover if a travel agent failed they would cover the cost of your holiday, but then abta are not their for the consumer but for its members the tour ops and travel agents and its members are abta's only concern and the consumer comes very low on their list of priorities.