Thomas Cook: Other Opportunities

[Raj7k]

Nathan on Linkedin has created a quick spreadsheet on Google Docs which might help #thomascook employees as they navigate their way through the job search and identify relevant companies:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sShYUYzMY3RyH_MbYS0OwBJCLszCZvnfJnbaXLl5nNY/edit#gid=0

Here is Nathan profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanjefferson

[jmkni]

Useful spreadsheet, but there may be more than one Nathan on LinkedIn, might help to specify which Nathan :)

[Raj7k → jmkni]

Sorry, just updated his account.

[darkwater]

Some more context: "Thomas Cook collapses as last-ditch rescue talks fail" https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49791249

[baud147258 → darkwater]

And the HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21045550

[godson_drafty]

Why is there not a regulation that states an airline must return its passengers safely home before being allowed to shut down all operations?

[zhte415 → godson_drafty]

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/sep/23/how-secret-...

[sanghi]

Some people are also trying to help the Thomas cook employees find jobs via this sheet i came across:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YnTzcqQn3NyqreuZrAlt...

[CTOSian → sanghi]

more like attempt to collect personal info, do they know what GDPR means?

[Raj7k → CTOSian]

While it is helpful for the end users but definitely privacy goes for the toss in this case.

[snambi]

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

[usr1106 → snambi]

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 → usr1106]

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 → snambi]

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.)

[lwhi → snambi]

Oldest travel company in the world [1]

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cook_Group

[erentz → lwhi]

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

[lwhi → erentz]

The article mentions it was "Founded1841; 178 years ago (as Thomas Cook & Son)"

[kemiller]

Welp... I guess I can finally throw out that 20-year-old uncashed traveler's check.

[riffraff → kemiller]

Why did you have a 20 year old uncashed travelers' check?

[usr1106 → riffraff]

I also have them. I think 3 checks of USD 20 each. (Mine are American Express, though) 20-30 years ago this was the only way to travel intercontinenal. After the trip you did not exchange them back (in Europe) because both buying new ones and cashing old ones involved fees. The last 10-15 years cards have become mostly universal, so it gets less easy to spend them. It thought using them on my last trip to Australia 3 years ago, but I didn't happen to hit a suitable place accepting them, so I brought them back again...

[kemiller → riffraff]

I just found it in old papers and have been carrying it around hoping to remember to cash it at a bank or something. But that does t seem likely now.

[Raj7k → riffraff]

Same question