Thomas Cook Increase Flight charges

Direct booking news: Thomas Cook is ending free luggage allowances on flight-only bookings made through the group.

The new Thomas Cook flight booking rules come in on March 2 and will end the current ruling which allows customers to put luggage of up to 15kg in the hold free of charge.

Instead Thomas Cook passengers who have bought flight-only tickets will have to pay £8 each way on a short haul flight and £15 each way on a long haul flight to stow luggage weighing up to 20kg in the hold.

Only customers buying a Thomas Cook direct package holiday from the operator will be exempt from the changes.

Customers wishing to avoid the charges and travel with their luggage will instead be liable to excess luggage allowances set by the airline servicing the booked flight.

The charge will be mandatory for customers booking within four days of departure.

A Thomas Cook spokesman said: “”This change to charges is in line with the flight-only market.”