Thomas Cook closes Dublin office

Travel company Thomas Cook is planning to close its Dublin-based sales office as part of a review of its Irish operations, with the potential loss of 44 jobs.

The company has put its proposals to staff and is entering a 30-day consultation process with them.

It plans to close its sales office in Park West Business Park, Dublin 12, at the end of May.

Thomas Cook said the move is in response to the continuing growth in online holiday bookings.

The company said it will retain “a strong presence” in the Irish travel market, but will only have an online presence and that will be managed from its UK base.

“We are committed, as always, to exceeding customer expectations and want to respond to the changes in the Irish market and be there for our customers 24/7,” said Reto Wilhelm, Thomas Cook UK and Ireland’s new managing director.

He said the proposal of “greater personalisation and flexibility” to Irish customers via the online channel reflects its “hi-tech, high-touch business strategy”.

“This move exclusively online is right for the Thomas Cook Group and our customers in Ireland at this time. However, we fully appreciate the impact this decision will have on our Dublin-based employees. We are committed to doing everything that we can to support the team over the coming weeks, should our proposal to enter a consultation process go ahead.”

Thomas Cook’s move online in Ireland will see it retreat from the chartered holiday market to focus on offering personalised holiday offers, something the firm said should provide “greater flexibility on flight and accommodation options”.

Thomas Cook will formally cease offering charter holidays here from the end of April. Customers who have already booked chartered trips via the company’s Dublin office will be offered an alternative package and a 10% discount per person.

Pat Dawson, chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents’ Association, said the development is bad for business, bad for travel trade in Ireland, and bad for the consumer as it will further reduce choice and competition, and give the likes of Ryanair and Aer Lingus the chance to “jack up prices”.

The slow death of chartered flight bookings has seen the numbers of such seats sold plummet from around 1.2m in 2007 to a likely 270,000 this year.

Regarding cruise bookings, Thomas Cook will take no bookings for departures after the end of April from its Dublin sales office.