TUi Airways

[Jerry]

"Tui has also announced an extra 40,000 seats for passengers flying out of Cardiff next summer. From April 2024, the airline will operate flights to Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt.

Andrew Flintham, Tui's managing director said "Cardiff Airport will see a significant increase in flight seats offering more holidays to those living in Wales"."

https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-04-21/how-much-will-flights-to-paris-cost-as-cardiff-introduces-daily-flights

 

[Jerry]

CWLs Sunwing aircraft arrived today. C-FYJD is 7 years old and in Sunwing livery. According too FR24 It will operate Mahon and Tenerife tomorrow.

 

[Jerry]

I know it's a different airline and airport but looking at Jet2 for Liverpool Summer 2024 which will be 4 based aircraft with 52 weekly departures and 20 destinations, each aircraft will average 13 weekly departures.
Looking at TUI at CWL for Summer 2024 there'll be 3 based aircraft, 48 weekly departures (4 non based) and 23 destinations, each based aircraft will average 14.6 weekly departures. If TUI keep the 14 weekly departures average per aircraft then it's possible that too get too 4 based aircraft TUI would need too add another 10 weekly departures (assuming the 4 non based flights go based), of course w pattern flights with another airport like Exeter could bring that number down. That would potentially bring CWL too 58 departures a week. Is that a viable possibility for an airport the size of Cardiff?

Below is just what i think could be a potential schedule could be, the increases are 2024 schedule
Palma de Mallorca 7 weekly +1
Tenerife 4 weekly +1
Dalaman 4 weekly +1
Antalya 3 weekly
Ibiza 3 weekly
Lanzarote 2 weekly
Bourgas 2 weekly
Alicante 2 weekly
Malaga 2 weekly
Larnaca 2 weekly
Paphos 2 weekly
Kos 2 weekly
Rhodes 3 weekly +1
Corfu 3 weekly +1
Menorca 2 weekly
Zante 2 weekly
Enfidha 2 weekly
Dubrovnik 2 weekly +1
Heraklion 2 weekly +1
Gran Canaria 2 weekly +1
Kefalonia 2 weekly +1
Reus 1 weekly
Sharm el Sheikh 1 weekly
Bodrum or another route? 1 weekly NEW

 

[geoff]

They have no competition at CWL, and there are many destinations that TUI operate to, that are popular and not operated from CWL. Perhaps they could look at Fuerteventura, Gerona, Almeria, Chania, Varna, Skiathos, they would certainly need a fourth aircraft then. When you consider the competition at BRS where they are competing against a large presence of Easyjet, and Jet2, there must be scope for another aircraft at CWL. Perhaps we could then get some our Welsh travellers back from BRS.

 

[Jerry]

They have no competition at CWL, and there are many destinations that TUI operate to, that are popular and not operated from CWL. Perhaps they could look at Fuerteventura, Gerona, Almeria, Chania, Varna, Skiathos, they would certainly need a fourth aircraft then.

I think if they were going too add then i believe they would look too add on current routes and maybe add potentially 1 new route and my suggestion was Bodrum as Turkey is popular in general.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Trouble is - the pull from the Bristol area doesn't happen I don't think the way members want it to. TUI are competing with its self from Bristol/Cardiff. So I don't think additional routes to niche routes such as Skiathos, Gerona, Chania will work.

As @Jerry has said I would think additional frequencies on routes that they know sell and they don't compete with each other (Bristol & Cardiff) but compliment and allow the airline to grow market share - Turkey, Canaries, Balearics, Greece - is the way to go forward with Cardiff/TUI.

I can see Egypt, Morocco and Cape Verde becoming big for Tui in the next few years so they can cement their position as No.1 in those markets. In a way of throwing a fort up around them before, if at all, the entry of Jet2.

 

[Jerry]

I don't see them doing niche destinations from Cardiff. It will be interesting to see how Enfidha does at 2 weekly.

 

[Jerry]

The TUI base is now 3 aircraft. 2 TUI 737s and 1 Sunwing 737.

 

[CraigW92]

Had a look at my parents booking to Cyprus, Paphos next summer and it appears that the routes which the Sunwing is down to operate this year has an A320 plan next summer instead, I thought this could be down to WestJets acquisition of Sunwing, NWI which has Sunwing also this year is still showing a 737-8, I assume it’ll be one Avion express , smartlynx or maybe Titan

 

[Jerry]

That's interesting! Didn't Avion used too operate the TCX A320/A321 when they were at CWL?

 

[Em0866]

For info, I flew out of LGW to Split last year with TUI but on 320 reg 9H-MLP Avion Express. An ordinary 737-800 coming back.

 

[Jerry]

That's interesting! Didn't Avion used too operate the TCX A320/A321 when they were at CWL?

It was Smartlynx who operated the A321 for TCX.

 

[Jerry]

It looks like TUI have dropped the July too September extra Friday flight for Ibiza, the one that departs at 22.20.

 

[Jerry]

Flight delayed for hours at Cardiff Airport after stag told to leave plane

Passengers booed the seven revellers on the Tui flight while others watched on in horror as the group reportedly began swearing and wolf-whistling at cabin crew

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[Jerry]

Looking at social media and it appears that CWLs TUI operation has 3 different liveries.
G-TUKF is plain white with TUI titles.
C-GLRN is the Sunwing aircraft.
G-TAWX is in the classic blue and white TUI livery.
Definitely some variety for the planespotters!

 

[geoff]

They are certainly having some difficulties these last few days, having to position in aircraft from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester, is it because of tech difficulties or ATC problems?

 

[Jerry]

I believe tech difficulties.

 

[Jerry]

TUI have released winter 2024/25 and this is what it looks like at the moment
Sharm el Sheikh 1 weekly
Lanzarote 2 weekly
Malaga 1 weekly
Alicante 2 weekly
Gran Canaria 1 weekly
Tenerife South 3 weekly
Palma de Mallorca 1 weekly (in April 2025)
Paphos 1 weekly (from 26/2/25)
Only 1 Barbados departure on 23/3/25
So TUI will offer at least 10 weekly departures rising to 12 in April.

 

[geoff]

Nice to see Sharm operating year round next year, it is a pity that they have cut back on cruises from CWL. The airport could really do with some good news.

 

[Jerry]

Nice to see Sharm operating year round next year, it is a pity that they have cut back on cruises from CWL. The airport could really do with some good news.

Fingers crossed it actually goes ahead as in the past they put Egypt onsale but cut it at the last minute. Would be nice too see it operate all year round. With it being Sharm then that might help. TUI do seem to be cutting back on long haul in general.