Special report: TUI and First Choice merger
Travel giants TUI and First Choice have merged to form TUI Travel.
The new group will comprise 200 brands worldwide, 30 million customers from at least 20 source markets, a fleet of 155 aircraft in Europe and nearly 3,600 retail shops in the UK, Ireland and continental Europe.
The two companies announced plans to merge just over a month after a similar deal between their rivals MyTravel and Thomas Cook.
Links to news, opinion and analysis on the TUI and First Choice merger are listed below.
News
October 2007
- TUI Travel announces distribution management team - 16 Oct 2007
September 2007
- TUI Travel 'already seeing benefits of merger' - 26 Sep 2007
- Thomson and First Choice staff urged to 'help each other out' - 20 Sep 2007
- TUI Travel announces its UK and Ireland board - 04 Sep 2007
- First Choice and Thomson brands survive merger - 04 Sep 2007
- TUI and First Choice merger complete - 03 Sep 2007
July 2007
- First Choice shareholders approve TUI merger - 25 Jul 2007
- First Choice and TUI publish merger prospectus - 29 Jun 2007
- TUI/First Choice 'will close fewer shops than rivals' - 7 Jun 2007
- EC approves First Choice / TUI merger - 4 Jun 2007
May 2007
- Thomsonfly staff threaten strike over job losses - 3 May 2007
April 2007
- New travel giants must increase margins, warns Accenture - 12 Apr 2007
March 2007
- Rothwell reveals speed of TUI and First Choice talks - 22 Mar 2007
- First Choice boss denies merger was timed to scupper rivals' deal - 22 Mar 2007
- TUI Travel bosses rule out mass shop closures - 22 Mar 2007
- TUI Travel fleet to be cut and rebranded - 22 Mar 2007
- TUI and First Choice to merge to create TUI Travel - 19 Mar 2006
Features and analysis
- Comment: The trade is reeling, but there are opportunities ahead - 22 Mar 2007
- New merger could hinder consolidation - 22 Mar 2007
- Opinion: Big two makes sense for the industry - 19 Mar 2007
- Thomson and First Choice: the statistics - 22 Mar 2007
From the blogs
- TW Blog: More reaction to First Choice and TUI
- TW Blog: Reactions to the First Choice and TUI merger
- TW Blog: First Choice and TUI: more questions than answers
- TW Blog: Now it's First Choice and TUI's turn...
- Travolution Blog: So what about the Big, erm, Two then
External links
Analysis
- What the analysts say - The Guardian
- Merger mania returns - Jeremy Warner, The Independent
- Strategic move or a spoiling tactic? - Harry Wallop, The Telegraph
- First Choice had no alternative - James Harding, The Times
Information from First Choice and TUI
- Merger presentation webcast from First Choice (requires registration)
- Official press release from First Choice (pdf)
- Official press release from TUI Group