Seattle Calling - Thomas Cook Airlines announce new Manchester to Seattle Route for Summer 2018

Thomas Cook Airlines is today launching its long haul-flight programme for Summer 2018 and announcing a new route from Manchester to Seattle, USA from May next year. The addition of Seattle reinforces Thomas Cook Airlines’ position as the largest long-haul carrier from Manchester, serving more USA routes than any other airline.

Surrounded by water, mountains and forests, Seattle is the largest city in Washington and offers a multitude of things to see and do. From the breath-taking views at the top of Space Needle and the iconic Seattle Great Wheel to the tastes and smells of Pike Place Market, one of the country’s oldest farmers market, holidaymakers will be spoilt for choice. For those wanting to venture further afield, the Victoria Clipper makes for an unforgettable trip to Canada.

Tickets for summer 18 are now on sale with the first flight to Seattle taking off on 27th May. This new destination follows the recent introduction of San Francisco (SFO) and the year-round service to New York (JFK) from Manchester. With prices to the USA from £399 return, Thomas Cook Airlines is a smart choice for customers wanting to explore the US. All tickets include free checked-in baggage (up to 50 pounds) as well as meals and inflight entertainment on seat-back screens with a choice of free and paid-for premium content, featuring more than 30 movies and 50 TV shows.

“We are proud to be continuing our expansion to the USA by launching Seattle as a new destination next year. Our German Condor operation has served Seattle for many years and the year-round service has been really popular with our passengers”, said Christoph Debus, CEO Thomas Cook Group Airline. “We work closely with partner airlines, allowing us to connect customers to 90 destinations within the USA. Alaska Airlines, based in Seattle is an important partner offering our customers even more choice to the likes of British Columbia, Alberta, Alaska and Hawaii.”

Thomas Cook Airlines is the biggest long-haul carrier from Manchester Airport. It has the largest number of long-haul aircrafts (eight Airbus A330) and serves the most non-stop long-haul routes – with more to the USA than any other airline. The addition of Seattle underlines its commitment to Manchester airport as the long-haul hub of the North, and broadens the choice of destinations for holidaymakers and business travellers in the region.

Collette Roche, Interim Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “To secure a direct route to Seattle is further testament to the role Manchester Airport plays in the North and UK as a whole. We now offer more than a dozen direct destinations to the USA, meaning we have grown the number of seats on sale to US destinations at a greater rate than any other UK airport this year.

“This is hugely positive news for the 22m passengers in our catchment area – which spans from Scotland to the Midlands and Merseyside to Yorkshire, and the millions of people a year who connect to our long haul network from locations across the UK and Europe.”