TUi Airways

[Foxlimayankee]

It wouldnt surprise me if there will still be a long haul announcement which is being kept quiet until the official one from tui or cwl. DSA is getting a weekly SFB

 

[Jerry]

It wouldnt surprise me if there will still be a long haul announcement which is being kept quiet until the official one from tui or cwl. DSA is getting a weekly SFB

If there is to be a long haul route I'd have thought the airport would want to announce it in a different week. So they get 2 sets of fanfares and extra promotion of the airport.

 

[Sean123]

Great news !

 

[Jerry]

News

26 March
TUI UK launches ambitious summer 2019 programme from Cardiff Airport

• Additional aircraft based at Cardiff Airport
• Increase of 100,000 seats
• Three new unique routes – Dubrovnik, Naples and Hurghada
• More destinations for 10 and 11 night holidays and additional flight added to Mahon

26 March 2018 – TUI UK’s first programme launch after last year’s re-brand reveals ambitious growth plans with an additional aircraft positioned out of Cardiff Airport, more 10 and 11 night holidays and three new unique routes for summer 2019.

Recognising that not everyone wants to holiday for 7 or 14 nights, customers can find more 10 and 11 night stays thanks to an additional aircraft based in Cardiff.

Customers now have the options of 10 and 11 night holidays to Zante, Corfu, Rhodes and Kos in Greece as well as Paphos, Cyprus for next summer. Customers flying from Cardiff Airport will see an increase of 100,000 seats offering holidaymakers more choice and flexibility than ever before.

With a dynamic regional aviation plan focussed on mid and short haul destinations, new holiday opportunities will be opened up for passengers flying from Cardiff Airport with flights and holidays to three new and exciting destinations going on sale, complementing a wealth of existing routes on offer. Cardiff Airport will see a 10% share of TUI’s overall passenger growth for summer 2019.

The soaring popularity of Croatia, the enduring and consistent appeal of a Mediterranean cruise and the resurgence of Egypt are reflected in the programme. Flights and holidays to Dubrovnik (Croatia), Hurghada (Egypt) and Naples (Italy) have all been added to the programme from Cardiff Airport for next summer. The Naples flights have been added to support the new homeport for Marella Explorer 2, the new ship from Marella Cruises’ programme.

There has also been an additional flight added to the programme for next summer to Mahon, Menorca in Spain for customers flying from Cardiff Airport.

TUI UK’s Commercial Director Richard Sofer said: “Summer 2019 is the most ambitious programme we have ever introduced. We are focusing firmly on expanding access to our amazing range of holidays through an extended regional flying programming concentrated on the core destinations holidaymakers want to travel to, while offering the flexibility of holiday duration they want.

“We’ve increased our capacity by basing an additional aircraft in Cardiff, adding 100,000 additional seats and three new routes from Cardiff Airport for summer 2019. We are also giving customers even more opportunity when booking their summer holidays with more 10 and 11 night holidays.”

Deb Barber, CEO of Cardiff Airport, said “Today’s fantastic news demonstrates TUI’s commitment to delivering even more choice for Welsh customers in response to recent passenger growth at our national airport. It’s particularly exciting to see new routes to Naples, Dubrovnik and Hurghada – which will be ideal for holiday makers and cruise enthusiasts alike, not to mention even more flights to Greece, Cyprus and the Balearics.”

Thousands of free kids’ places will be available across all TUI and First Choice holidays and deposits will be just £50pp short and mid haul and £125pp long haul. Summer 2019 holidays will be on sale from Friday 5th April.
https://www.cardiff-airport.com/new...s-summer-2019-programme-from-cardiff-airport/

 

[Jerry]

Looking at the airports press release and Naples and Dubrovnik are new destinations, Hurghada contiues from the winter though the airport as classed it as new guess it is for the summer. Frequency increases on Paphos, Rhodes, Zante, Corfu and Kos it looks like as well as Menorca. Depending on the frequencies it looks like an extra 9 flights so possibly either some of these routes will get an extra 2 flights or other routes may get an increase as well. Though with Hurghada they could just use 1 of the aircraft once on day. The release on the 5th should clear things up.
I'm definitely going to have to book a few days off to get some photos of Eurowings and Norwegian as it's probable they won't be returning in 2019.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

And all those of little faith who have been saying in recent years that TUI had lost interest in CWL.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

If there is to be a long haul route I'd have thought the airport would want to announce it in a different week. So they get 2 sets of fanfares and extra promotion of the airport.

I think CWL is just too close to BRS for that at this stage. Like we said in a previous discussion, the longer the flight the further people will drive.

Likewise, great news. Hopefully TCX will feel the need to grow and keep TUI's pencils sharp.

 

[Jerry]

I think CWL is just too close to BRS for that at this stage.

Maybe but Orlando has always been quite popular from South Wales and there is bound to be a lot of leakage to TUI's competitors of which some of it could be mopped up by by a CWL Florida flight. I'll keep my fingers crossed but to be hinest what they announced today is far better than a weekly Orlando flight.

 

[Sean123]

Maybe we'll get a based dreamliner next !

 

[alphagolf]

Maybe we'll get a based dreamliner next !

Don't think we will see that just yet, TUI have just announced further long haul expansion at BRS with an additional Cancun flight per week which will require a dreamliner based at BRS at least 5 days a week.

I think to have an additional based short/mid haul aircraft based is more beneficial to CWL than a once a week Orlando at this stage.

It good to see CWL slowly but surely growing in a managed fashion which will hopefully see routes maintained and not dropped after a season.

 

[Cardiffbay]

This news is far better than a weekly Orlando flight. If Cardiff wants to secure an Orlando flight I think it’s far better coming from Thomas Cook oR Virgin now they have A330-200 to compete against TUI

 

[Jerry]

Don't think we will see that just yet, TUI have just announced further long haul expansion at BRS with an additional Cancun flight per week which will require a dreamliner based at BRS at least 5 days a week.

Which could lead them to basing a 787 there and possibly operating a weekly Orlando into CWL but we'll see, what we do know is TUI are willing to operate long haul from CWL just at the moment it's winter focused.

Thomas Cook oR Virgin now they have A330-200 to compete against TUI

Looking at those airlines though it would be great to have them at CWL, i think Thomas Cook is mainly focused on Manchester while Virgin is obviously having problems due to the 787s but tends to use it's 747s for it's MCO flights and they are all occupied. I think TUI is probably the most likeliest option for CWL when it comes to new long haul or increased.

 

[Cardiffbay]

Which could lead them to basing a 787 there and possibly operating a weekly Orlando into CWL but we'll see, what we do know is TUI are willing to operate long haul from CWL just at the moment it's winter focused.

Looking at those airlines though it would be great to have them at CWL, i think Thomas Cook is mainly focused on Manchester while Virgin is obviously having problems due to the 787s but tends to use it's 747s for it's MCO flights and they are all occupied. I think TUI is probably the most likeliest option for CWL when it comes to new long haul or increased.

Would TUI want all of the agro of flying the aircraft to Cardiff when they can just sell this route from Bristol. As we know people will travel for long haul flights. Realistically I think Thomas Cook is the only operator that makes sense.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Would TUI want all of the agro of flying the aircraft to Cardiff when they can just sell this route from Bristol. As we know people will travel for long haul flights. Realistically I think Thomas Cook is the only operator that makes sense.

Yes agreed. I think they'd be shooting themselves in the foot by operating it from CWL too. An Orlando flight would just suck some traffic from BRS and netheir plane would be full.

I do genuinely think a stand alone competitively priced Virgin flight to MCO on an A330-200 would have a fair chance of being a sucess IMHO. It would obviously have to be rotated through MCO as they would never fly an empty one to Cardiff.

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

It will be interesting to see the schedule and whether or not it will be the end of the Turkish Carriers, Eurowings and Norwegian.

Croatia and Naples are two good new additions that should do well for TUI.

If Flybe confirm their 4th aircraft for 2019 that would be a good increase in capacity. It may also entice other airlines to take a look at Cardiff.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Forgot about the Turkish carriers. So if PMI (EW), TFS, AYT and DLM are all brought in house, and potentially moving the late night departures to better times (TUE & FRI PMI/ MON IBZ), worst case scenario it could actually mean an increase of only 7 flights per week. That based on 2 flights per day.
ZTH, KGS, RHO, CFU, PFO & MAH are all said to be increasing with DBV, HRG and NAP being added. That's 9 flights alone so potential with the right timings to throw in the DY, EW and FHY flights in house.
DBV offers a cruise flight from various UK airports which would be a welcome edition to the cruise network.

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

Forgot about the Turkish carriers. So if PMI (EW), TFS, AYT and DLM are all brought in house, and potentially moving the late night departures to better times (TUE & FRI PMI/ MON IBZ), worst case scenario it could actually mean an increase of only 7 flights per week. That based on 2 flights per day.
ZTH, KGS, RHO, CFU, PFO & MAH are all said to be increasing with DBV, HRG and NAP being added. That's 9 flights alone so potential with the right timings to throw in the DY, EW and FHY flights in house.
DBV offers a cruise flight from various UK airports which would be a welcome edition to the cruise network.

They also mention that Naples is a home to one of the cruis ships in 2019 too and we all now how good the South Wales cruise market is.

 

[CWL94]

If they are all brought in house instead of other carriers. If all goes well for S19, there is opportunity to expand by branching out to other carries again for S20 to add capacity/routes back on the in house aircraft.

 

[Jerry]

Realistically I think Thomas Cook is the only operator that makes sense.

Well looks like they have a spare aircraft now so fingers crossed!

 

[Jerry]

This is what Summer 2019 looks like for CWL at the moment. All flights look like they are on TUI aircraft.

Bourgas 1 weekly Monday
Dubrovnik 1 weekly Thursday NEW route
Larnaca 1 weekly Sunday
Paphos 2 weekly Wednesday and Sunday increase of 1 weekly flight
Hurghada 1 weekly Monday
Corfu 2 weekly Monday and Friday increase of 1 weekly flight
Heraklion 1 weekly Tuesday
Kefalonia 1 weekly Tuesday
Kos 2 weekly Wednesday and Saturday increase of 1 weekly flight
Rhodes 2 weekly Wednesday and Saturday increase of 1 weekly flight
Zante 2 weekly Thursday and Sunday increase of 1 weekly flight
Naples 1 weekly Wednesday NEW route
Faro 1 weekly Thursday
Alicante 2 weekly Tuesday and Saturday
Gran Canaria 1 weekly Saturday
Ibiza 3 weekly Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
Lanzarote 2 weekly Thursday and Sunday
Malaga 2 weekly Wednesday and Sunday
Menorca 3 weekly Monday, Friday and Saturday increase of 1 weekly
Palma de Mallorca 7 weekly Monday, Tuesday x2, Friday x2, Saturday and Sunday increase of 1 weekly flight.
Reus 1 weekly Tuesday
Tenerife South 2 weekly Tuesday and Friday
Enfidha 1 weekly Friday NEW route
Antalya 1 weekly Thursday
Dalaman 2 weekly Monday and Thursday decrease of 1 weekly flight
45 weekly departures