Multigenerational merger | How eSky & Thomas Cook's 'meritocracy' became its competitive advantage

Monday, 23 September 2019, was a dark day in the world of travel and tourism.

Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel brand, collapsed after 178 years of operations, leaving thousands jobless and over 150,000 British holidaymakers stranded abroad.

But over six years on, this once bleak story now has a happy ending. In September 2020, a mere 12 months later, Thomas Cook rose from the proverbial ashes, relaunching as an online travel agent.

And in September 2024, it was confirmed that travel platform eSky would acquire Thomas Cook – a vital step on the high-flying company’s journey to becoming one of Europe’s “leading dynamic package sellers.”