Thomas Cook Airlines, a British charter airline based in Manchester, UK, has announced new flights to the Caribbean from Manchester Airport.
Providing travellers with an option to London’s current monopoly on routes to St Lucia and Antigua, Thomas Cook will be offering flights to both destinations from Manchester, via Barbados, from next winter.
The new weekly flights are scheduled to operate until the end of April next year, with the Manchester-St Lucia-Barbados route commencing on November 10, and the Manchester-Antigau-Barbados route commencing a month later on December 19. While a proportion of seats will be earmarked for passengers that have booked an accommodation package with Thomas Cook, around 80 percent of seats will be available as flight only. A late morning departure from Manchester is intended to provide passengers with a convenient amount of commuting or transiting time.
For flight only, prices start from £464 return, while accommodation inclusive packages vary in price dependent on duration of stay and level of accommodation.
Christoph Debus, head of air travel for Thomas Cook Group, said, ‘It’s fantastic news that we’re able to offer UK travellers seat-only and holidays from Manchester to some of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, initially for the coming winter season. With the recent reduction in connections from Manchester to Gatwick limiting the travel options for those from the Midlands, the North and Scotland to connect with Caribbean flights from London, we’re pleased to be able to offer more flexibility and choice for our customers, competing with the very best scheduled and charter carriers.’