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Post by artisans on Jun 1, 2009 20:01:07 GMT 2
Thomson Holidays (TUI) are about to launch a massive holiday campaign which is unlikely to include Greece. A bit like the products on supermarket shelves, the more times the product turns over, the more profit they make. In simplistic terms, destinations with a two-hour flight time can have four return journeys in any 24 hour period and those like Corfu can only have three. Visitors will be persuaded to travel to those places rather than the ones they would prefer. It has been said that the monopolistic position of the 'big two' tour operators means that much of ABTA and ATOL's policies must take into account the needs of TUI & Thomas Cook.
Thomson's motto is 'Holidays Built With You In Mind' and the worst thing is that they probably believe their own propaganda! If this was really their mission, then Roda would not be 'full', smaller tour operators would be able to buy spare seats and aircraft would be available from all regional airports to Corfu.
Our only hope is that some of the best companies to offer real customer service, often emerge from a recession - bring on the competition!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2009 22:27:24 GMT 2
This is just what First Choice did a few years back, and what the other two have been doing over the past four years by buying holidays in Eastern Europe, but at the same time taking the flights away from such places as Corfu and other Greek Islands. This is one of the main reasons I found out from Travel Agents why there is a lesser market for Greece. It is not the fact that no one wants to go, it is that they can not get there.
As you pointed out, whilst they do this, they decrease the number of spare seats available. I only hope that the ombudsman see this in time and realise that a monopoly is taking place.
One thing I do hope is tha Manchester Airports are successful in buying Gatwick if it goes ahead for sale. Bournemouth being part of the MAG Group could benefit from this with more aircraft and routes opening up from there.
More DIY Holidays. This will put the muck in the fan for them.
Chris
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