Thomas Cook Germany in rescue talks
BERLIN — Thomas Cook’s German tour business filed for insolvency on Wednesday in a move aimed at separating its brands and operations from its failed parent, and said it was in talks with potential new investors.
The German government said it was considering an application for a bridging loan from Thomas Cook Germany, a day after it said it would guarantee a 380 million euro ($418 million) bridging loan for the British group’s German airline, Condor.
Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel firm, collapsed earlier this week, sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history and a scramble for survival among many of its subsidiaries.
The German regional state of Hesse, which is also providing help to Condor, said on Wednesday it stood ready to offer financial assistance to Thomas Cook GmbH, and would discuss the matter with the federal government.
Condor and Thomas Cook GmbH, the second-biggest tour operator in Germany after TUI, are both independent units of the insolvent British parent company.
Condor is also expected to undertake insolvency proceedings under self-administration to avoid being entangled in the winding up of the parent company’s financial affairs.
CONDOR LOOKING FOR NEW OWNERS
Christoph Debus, head of Thomas Cook Airlines which includes Condor, said the German airline was selling tickets as normal and was hopeful it could compensate for the 20% of its business that comes from Thomas Cook holidays.
Condor is also looking for new investors, he said: “There are very concrete offers and partners we are speaking to and we are confident that we will find a good new ownership structure.”
Thomas Cook’s Nordic arm, meantime, has said it is looking for new owners, while Polish unit Neckermann Polska said on Wednesday it was insolvent.
Thomas Cook Germany said it had filed for insolvency in an attempt to restructure the business in an orderly fashion and continue profitable operations. It added that a German court could appoint a liquidator as soon as on Wednesday.
“Intensive talks over the last two days with strategic and private equity investors ... have shown us that the German branches of former Thomas Cook with its brands Neckermann Reisen, Oeger Tours and Bucher Reisen have the chance to have a future,” the unit said in a statement.