Can someone explain to me about these Euro airlines?

[Guest C17SimGuy]

What is the deal with Thomas Cook, JMC, and Condor? Are they the same airline? Are they owned by one group? What about the paint schemes? I think this question can also go for TUI? Is TUI a conglomorate of a bunch of airlines too? Thanks for any clarification! -drew-

[Guest bjjones]

JMC and Condor were both independant airlines with associated travel companies, but were then taken over by Thomas Cook meaning both airlines were rebranded into to Thomas Cook airlines, for some reason they decided to remove all trace of JMC, theres now no such airline yet they insisted on keeping the condor title on all the German aircraft which is why they all say 'Powered by Condor'.As for TUI, Britannia Airways was owned by the Canadian Thomson Travel group, Hapag Lloyd along with Corsair were both fairly independant and Neos wasn't in existance. The Thomson travel group along with a couple of others were all then taken over by Preussag along with the affiliated airlines, a German company and they carried on pretty much as normal for quite a while until the TUI brand had been fully decided on, If you look on airliners.net theres some shots of the experimental 737-500, once the brand had been finalised they were officially rebraded as a new group,now all the airlines are Part of TUI and will wear TUI livery except Corsair which is going to remain unchanged, new uniforms are curently being introdced so every airline, travel company, rep will wear essentially the same with basic variations for heat, airport work etc. Now when you go on Holiday with a TUI company evrything is branded the same, the brochure you book out of is blue with TUI on it, the checkin desks are blue with TUI on, then you get on a Britannia 757 which is Blue with TUI, interior thats covered in the TUI brand along with the catering etc, you get off the aircraft and onto a blue coach that's got World of TUI all over it and you get the idea.All the airlines within the individual groups are essentially the same with the same management, Britannia UK is now partly run from Hannover!, Another sign of the groups structure is when you consider the leasing of aircraft for example, Britannia UK has leased a 767 to corsair, Britannia AB have got a 737 operating for BY UK, a Hapag Lloyd 737 is operating for Britannia AB etc, and the main focus now is on fleet renewal to standardise the entire group into only a couple of types, the details of which will be decided later this year ending up with a mostly 737NG/767 (perhaps 7E7, BY were the first outside the US to buy both the 737 and 767 so it wouldn't really be suprising if it happened) or A320/A321/A330 fleet, which would mean that practically the whole HLF and Neos fleets would go, But again strangely Corsair will be receiving used 747-400's in 2004/5.Hope this has kind of answered your question, I've got a book about Britannia somewhere so i'll find it out and add anything I can find.

[Guest Motormouse]

Couple of slight corrections in order,firstly JMC, stands for "John Michael Cook" who in history, was the SON of one Thomas Cook. JMC as an airline came about after Thomas Cookbought out 'Airworld International Airlines', and renamed it (sic) in their image.Secondly 'Condor' was/is the charter arm of Lufthansa,and Thomas Cook is their biggest customer,with the planes operating on a 'wet lease',hence the 'Powered by Condor' to satisfy legal requirements.:-wavePete

[Guest bjjones]

I stand corrected ;-) although there are still a few mistakes, this should clear things up about JMC (as stated by JMC);JMC Airlines is Britain's third largest charter airline. JMC holidays ltd and JMC Airlines were both unveiled to the public on 1st September 1999. JMC Airlines officially began services on the 27th March 2000 after the merging of the Flying Colours* fleet and the Caledonian Airways** fleet, to form one unified airline. Under the ownership of the Thomas Cook group, the new airline was formed because of a merger between the Flying Colours leisure group, which was acquired by Thomas Cook in 1998 and the Carlson Leisure group which included Caledonian Airways. The initials 'JMC' stand for John Mason Cook, the son of founder Thomas Cook, who developed the famous holiday brand...* Flying Colours Airlines began operations in 1997 and operated a fleet of 757's and A320's mainly for Sunworld and other tour operators which were part of the Thomas Cook group. In its short time of existence Flying Colours grew into one of Britains leading charter airlines and operated from 6 UK airports to many popular holiday destinations.** Caledonain Airways began life in 1988 as a wholly owned subsidary of BA. In 1994 Inspiartions bought the airline for

[Guest]

Doesn't JMC stand for James Madison Cook?