Thomas Cook launches new US route from Manchester Airport

Thomas Cook Airlines has expanded at Manchester Airport with the launch of a new US route.

From May next year, the carrier will be operating direct flights from Manchester to San Francisco as part of an ongoing strategy to expand its long-haul offer.

The San Francisco service is one of several US routes available from Thomas Cook at Manchester Airport, joining flights to Los Angeles and Boston launched earlier this year, and to New York and Miami in 2015.

The carrier has also revealed plans to increase the frequency of its Los Angeles service from two to three flights per week, and its Boston route from two to four weekly flights.

Christoph Debus, Thomas Cook’s chief airlines officer, said: “It’s never been so easy for our customers to reach top US destinations.

“With seven direct US routes from Manchester, five of which we have launched in the last three years, we’re making good progress with our strategy to grow our long-haul network.”

He continued: “It’s also great news for the North of England as not only can passengers reach the stunning scenery of Northern California direct, they are also connected with the booming business hub of Silicon Valley.”

Thomas Cook has reported a surge in the number of people jetting off to the US, with passenger figures more than trebling in the last two years.

The CEO of Manchester Airport, Ken O’Toole, commented: “We are pleased that Thomas Cook Airlines continues to grow from Manchester Airport and look forward to working closely with them in future as they expand further.

“The addition of a new San Francisco service and increased frequency on the existing Los Angeles and Boston routes means there will be more than 2.2m seats on sale between Manchester and the States in the coming year.”

He added: “That represents growth of more than 25% over two years, with more seats added at Manchester than at any of the other top 25 airports in Europe, cementing our position as the global gateway for the North.”