Thomas Cook sees pick up in summer bookings

LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - British holiday operator Thomas Cook said on Thursday it had seen an improving trend for summer holidays since it reported first quarter results, with overall bookings up 2 percent.

Thomas Cook (Xetra: A0MR3W - news) , founded 173 years ago, said its winter trading had also remained satisfactory, despite the disruption to the market caused by political unrest in Egypt. Overall it said its margins should improve more than the average selling prices.

Thomas Cook is half-way through a three-year plan to cut jobs, close branches and sell businesses after the euro zone debt crisis, high fuel costs and political turmoil in Egypt and Tunisia brought the world's oldest travel firm to its knees in 2011. (Reporting by Kate Holton; editing by James Davey)