I recently returned from a package holiday with Thomas Cook in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Booking Process:
I can't comment on booking through Thomas Cook or thier brochure as i booked through a different travel agent which i have used on many occasions before. However, the documentation provided by Thomas Cook once the booking was confirmed was pretty clear and provided in a timely manner.

Thomas Cook Reps:
The airport reps were decent, pointing you to the right transfer coach etc but thats about it. The resort rep was a very geniune and helpful chap who had lived in the resort for several years so knew alot about the local area and things to do. However I did feel at times that we were just getting quoted a line from the brochure!

The Holiday:
The transfer from the airport was going to take forever on the bus so we got a cab ourselves for less than a tenner...well worth it! The hotel again was very good quality, as described by the travel agent. Thomas Cook seemed to have a good section of rooms reserved near to the beach and pool, many rooms in the resort overlooked the main roads far from the beach but all Thomas Cook holiday makers all seemed to be in the good locations.

The excursions:
I think this has to be the primary reason for picking a tour operator for a trip - the excursions that they can put on for you. We did a couple of fantastic excursions in egypt, arranged through the rep for a pretty reasonable cost. Without this you are potentially in danger of booking something through a dealer who isnt so reputable in the resort itself.

Overall:
Overall i was pleased with the Thomas Cook holiday but couldn't help but feel like just another number. There was certainly a lack of personal service. I had one or two small complaints about the holiday which were brushed aside a bit by the rep and the airport reps which goes to prove that all in all, the customer isnt that important to them.

On the plus side it was nice to have the reassurance that there is a major tour operator behind the holiday should anything go wrong and that there was a rep available in the resort if we had any problems.
I probably would consider Thomas Cook again for a package holiday.