(Adds detail, background)
LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - British budget airline easyJet
has bought the take-off and landing slots of failed
travel company Thomas Cook at London Gatwick and Bristol
airports for 36 million pounds ($46 million), it said on Friday.
Thomas Cook's UK business and airline went into immediate
insolvency when the company collapsed in September, and a court
appointed an official receiver to liquidate its assets.
EasyJet acquired 12 of summer slot pairs and 8 winter slot
pairs at Gatwick, plus six summer slot pairs and one winter slot
pair at Bristol, in the deal. The airline added that contractual
terms had been concluded.
The acquisition by easyJet marks the first sale in relation
to Thomas Cook's airports slot portfolio. London Gatwick was one
of Thomas Cook's main bases, along with Manchester airport.
Last month Hays Travel bought Thomas Cook's network of
British travel agent shops, while China's Fosun, which had been
the largest shareholder of the group, bought the Thomas Cook
brand last week.
The collapse of Thomas Cook, the world's oldest travel
company stranded tens of thousands of passengers as its UK
business immediately stopped trading.
Its Nordic business was rescued last month, while its German
airline Condor is still operating.
($1 = 0.7805 pounds)
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Jan Harvey and Emelia
Sithole-Matarise)