Pride, broken hearts and recruitment opportunities

Thomas Cook cabin crew have posted images of their final flights with the company and social media is awash with images of yellow hearts as people react to news the operator has gone out of business.

Passengers on the last Thomas Cook flight applauded crew before it landed in Manchester from Orlando.

Staff on the flight were moved to tears when the passengers had a whip-round after finding out they had lost their jobs.

Also in Manchester, where a third of Thomas Cook’s UK staff work, Travel Counsellors invited the operator’s staff to gather at its head office in case they ‘all wish to be in one place’. "Coffee is on," Travel Counsellors said.

Travel Counsellors UK MD and CCO Kirsten Hughes said: "It is extremely sad news for many thousands of Thomas Cook customers and of course the staff that have been made redundant, and as an industry we must come together to offer support to these people and focus on helping those affected."

Cosmos and Avalon Waterways UK CEO Giles Hawke said: "We are sad to learn that Thomas Cook has entered compulsory liquidation, our thoughts are with all the staff and customers affected.

"A number of Thomas Cook customers are booked on tours and cruises with Cosmos Tours Ltd – Cosmos, Globus and Avalon Waterways – and we can confirm that every booking with us, via Thomas Cook, is safe and customers’ holidays will go ahead.

"Over the coming days we will work with all our customers affected to confirm their bookings and travel plans."

Recruitment opportunities
Several homeworking and high-street companies are highlighting job opportunities for staff who have found themselves out of jobs. TUI has said it will announce details of a job fair on its website and social media tomorrow (Tuesday).

Travel Counsellors is planning a series of Thomas Cook Care events across the UK, starting this week, covering practical steps to job hunting, mindset, well being and industry opportunities.

Homeworking company Holidaysplease is holding four recruitment days this week, from Tuesday to Friday, in Birmingham.

Your Holiday Booking travel has said it is ‘waiting to help and support those who have found themselves without a job’. The Travel Network Group has also said it welcomes approaches from ex-Thomas Cook staff.

Other companies offering opportunities include: Cruise.co.uk: Savvi Travel, which is looking for staff in Ampthill and Olney; Its So Travel is looking for full and part-time staff at its new shop opening in Cambridge next month, as well as at its St Ives branch. Baldwins Travel has vacancies in the Kent region, while Kosmar is looking for staff in the Sheffield area.

Barrhead Travel is looking for consultants, assistant managers, store managers, regional managers and team leaders across the UK; Virgin Holidays has a position for a manager in London, as well as assistants and advisors in various regions

Recruitment company C&M has set up a dedicated email helpline ([email protected]) to help any staff affected. It is also taking phone calls on: 020 7796 1800; 0161 238 4488 or 01737 309 980.

More details of job opportunities can be found on industry Facebook group Travel Gossip, which has invited travel companies to post opportunities on its site.

"I am very thankful for the support the people are posting and the jobs available," one Travel Gossip member said.

A former Thomas Cook employee said: "It saddens me, not just for the company I grew with since I was 17 years old, but for my daughter, her fiance and her dad, who all work there and have done for years, doing a tremendous job, along with a lot of other loyal members of the Thomas Cook family.

"For the people who think ‘so what’, ‘it’s just another company’, it isn’t. Even though I took early retirement a few years ago, I still say ‘WE’ when I’m talking about TC…it’s still with me an always will be."