The plot thickens with the BlueSky-Thomas Cook saga this week as Tnooz learns of moves at the European tour operating giant to ensure its live product system continues to run smoothly.
It is understood that a team of 25 ex-BlueSky Technologies staffers are working on the system for Thomas Cook either as contractors or through agencies.
Thomas Cook is also believed to have submitted a bid for the intellectual property rights for the BlueSky Technologies iTour system.
News of the emergence of a rescue team is likely to anger a number of other former BlueSky employees as information obtained by Tnooz indicates increasing levels of anger over the circumstances leading to the company's demise.
The latest twist also indicates a need by Thomas Cook to maintain development of its reservation systems as talks continue behind the scenes.
Reservations for the entire UK specialist holiday products range are currently handled through the iTour system.
Cooks joins a list of companies throwing their hat in the ring including, as Travolution speculated last week, Comtec, Traveltek and Partners Software.
One of the team of 25 is known to be Mark Earnshaw, former head of application development at BlueSky who joined in May 2008 from Gold Medal Travel. No other former-executive board directors are involved.
The latest comes as MCR, administrators for the collapsed BlueSky company, confirm that the process to find a likely suitor for the BlueSky business and software IPR is still open.
Thomas Cook is declining to comment on the wider circumstances except to confirm the existence of the team parachuted in to run the software in the short term.
In a written statement to Tnooz today, it said:
"Following the administration of BlueSky on Tuesday 29 September 2009, we have taken steps to ensure that there is no disruption to our live product system and engaged 25 ex-BlueSky employees to provide short term cover for our development needs and maintain the current live product system.
"The team began work on Monday 12 October 2009. We continue to review our options in respect of iTour."
More to follow...