Editing MyTravel Group (section)

== History ==
The group was founded under the ''Airtours'' brand in 1972, when [[David Crossland]] purchased a series of small [[travel agency|travel agencies]] in [[Lancashire]], United Kingdom.<ref name=guardian>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/nov/19/theobserver.observerbusiness10|title=Journey's end for the king of the costas?|date= 19 November 2000|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=21 September 2019}}</ref> The group began operating package holidays and launched its own in-house charter airline, in the early 1990's.<ref name=guardian/> It offered their first [[charter flights]] to the [[Caribbean]] at that time for just £299.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/profile-rise-of-the-holiday-maker-david-crossland-will-be-in-his-seventh-heaven-selling-two-million-1496206.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/profile-rise-of-the-holiday-maker-david-crossland-will-be-in-his-seventh-heaven-selling-two-million-1496206.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Profile: Rise of the holiday maker: David Crossland will be in his|website=[[Independent.co.uk]] |date=7 March 1993|access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref>

In 1994, Airtours purchased Scandinavian Leisure Group and in 1996 it bought Simon Spies Holding, a Danish rival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/pounds-10m-danish-buy-takes-airtours-to-finland-1319273.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/pounds-10m-danish-buy-takes-airtours-to-finland-1319273.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=£10m Danish buy takes Airtours to Finland|date=16 February 1996|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=21 September 2019}}</ref>

In 2002, Airtours Group plc, rebranded under the new company-wide banner of MyTravel Group plc. This included a name change for Airtours International and Premiair to MyTravel Airways.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2002/03/06/airtours-and-going-places-pilot-new-my-travel-brand|title=Airtours and Going Places pilot new My Travel brand|date=6 March 2002|newspaper=The Drum|access-date=21 September 2019}}</ref>

In November 2003, MyTravel sold off its North America Cruise Division to NLG (National Leisure Group) of [[Woburn, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20031121005387/en/National-Leisure-Group-Largest-Cruise-Seller-Acquisition|title=National Leisure Group Becomes Largest Cruise Seller with Acquisition of MyTravel's U.S. Cruise Brands|date=21 November 2003|publisher=Businesswire|access-date=21 September 2019}}</ref>

On 12 February 2007, MyTravel Group plc announced that they had agreed terms on a merger with [[Thomas Cook AG]] to form [[Thomas Cook Group|Thomas Cook Group plc]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=MyTravel and Thomas Cook merging |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6353023.stm |newspaper=BBC News |date=12 February 2007 |access-date=6 October 2013}}</ref>