Thomas Cook Airlines
One way, LAX to Manchester, England
The airline, an affiliate of the Britainbased travel agency of the same name, has made efforts in the last two years to become a stand-alone airline with flights to destinations in Europe, the U.S, Asia and Africa.
The Thomas Cook counter at LAX is in Terminal 2, not the Tom Bradley terminal. It’s tiny; I walked past it three times before someone pointed it out to me.
The plane/your seat: The Airbus A330-200 seemed small for a long-haul flight, but it was clean (no visible dirt). Each seat back had an entertainment screen with a USB charging cord. There were several free movies and TV episodes that seemed selected at random (“How I Met Your Mother,” Season 9, Episode 2, and “Mad Men,” Season 7, Episode 1). You’re better off loading content on your smartphone or tablet, but you can purchase additional movies for about $4 to $4.50. Customer service/flight attendants: Polite, helpful and unfazed when you ask for multiple cups of tap water (free).
What you’re eating: The airline partnered with celebrity chef James Martin to create its in-flight menus. Dinner consisted of cubes of beef and mashed potatoes, a roll, crackers, a piece of cheese and a chocolate cake square. It didn’t taste like a master chef prepared it, but it was edible and included in the ticket price.
Candy, chips, nuts and beverages (including alcoholic) were available for sale. Nonalcoholic drinks are about $2 to $4. Liquor is $3.50 to $12.50. Snacks are about $1.50 to $5.50. You can also buy sandwiches for about $9.
What I paid: One-way airfare, including taxes and one checked bag: $509.99. Seat reservation fee, $57.30. Grand total: $567.29.
Did I save money? Yes. Next lowest oneway base fare LAX-Manchester on Air Canada in the same time period: $732.
Overall grade: B, based on good customer service, the included meal and the good condition of the plane.