(Recasts with slots sold to Jet2.com)
LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - British budget airlines easyJet
and Jet2.com have bought the take-off and landing slots
of failed travel company Thomas Cook at London Gatwick and
Manchester airports, respectively.
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 bought Thomas Cook's slots at London Gatwick and
Bristol airports for 36 million pounds ($46 million), while
Jet2.com, owned by Dart Group, bought slots at
Manchester, Birmingham and Stansted for an undisclosed price.
London Gatwick and Manchester had been Thomas Cook's main UK
bases, and the liquidators have now sold all the available slots
in Thomas Cook's UK portfolio.
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.
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 Emelia
Sithole-Matarise and Louise Heavens)
easyJet (EZJ)
