Bristol: TUI Airways Route News & Base Updates

[superking]

with a few more routes we can run with 2 aircrafts through the winter months.
perhaps ezy will look at gambia from brs. i dont know if they do it from anywhere else,but if they dont lets have a first for brs.

 

[Marko1]

There's also an enfidha service all winter plus the second a/c is needed on Monday too.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

the egypt route was worked a few years back,but the unrest in egypt put paid to it. they concentrated on ssh. like taba was done a few years back but went the same way , due to unrest in egypt.

TOM also started to fly to Luxor in the winter of 2011 but this was halted part way through the season because of the Egyptian unrest.

gambia worked ok till hamberg airlines folded, they could find no airline to take it on in the middle of the season.
first choice did it one winter,which they are now part of tui group.

i dont know how their pax numbers were, perhaps localyokal can help.
sure is good news, lets hope it all goes ahead with good pax numbers.

The winter Gambia operated for the best part of a decade from memory. Astraeus operated it for a while on behalf of a tour operator or operators and at 2 x weekly for at least one winter, although flights were usually in conjunction with another airport such as GLA. First Choice did it from just BRS but as has been said the route ceased when Hamburg International folded and the tour operator could not find another carrier, albeit the recession was playing its part by then.

 

[forest1979]

Haven't seen anything official on the BRS website about these two new winter routes? Is it normal to see them in the Thomson booking engine and not announced on the BRS website?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Haven't seen anything official on the BRS website about these two new winter routes? Is it normal to see them in the Thomson booking engine and not announced on the BRS website?

BRS is usually very good at publicising new routes. Maybe because they are for next winter the airport is holding back in case some people get the wrong end of the stick and think they are for this winter.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Someone must be reading this forum - I can't imagine who it might be 😉 - but this press release has appeared on the BRS website from today.

[textarea]More choice and more variety with new routes for Bristol sun seekers

Thomson and First Choice add new routes and increase capacity from Bristol Airport

Thomson and First Choice are pleased to announce that in winter 2015/16 they will be adding capacity at Bristol Airport through the introduction of new routes to Sal in Cape Verde, Hurghada in Egypt and Paphos, Cyprus.

The new route on Thomson Airways to Paphos will capitalise on the popularity of Cyprus and allow customers from Bristol and the local area to make the most of Thomson Cruises’ exclusive Cruise & Stay programmes in the region, which includes calls at Ashdod, Israel (for Jerusalem and Bethlehem) and Athens, Greece.

Thomson and First Choice have also announced that, in winter 2015/16, the popular Fuerteventura flight will now operate on a Saturday allowing holidaymakers to maximize their time in the sun with as few days annual leave as possible.

The move is part of the UK’s leading holiday company’s strategy to ensure customers across the UK can fly from their local airport and stay at the best hotels in some of the most exciting destinations.

Bristol customers will now have even easier access to some of Thomson and First Choice’s most popular flagship hotels. These include Thomson Platinum Lifestyle Melia Dunas Resort in Sal, Cape Verde, Thomson Couples Constantinou Bros Pioneer Beach Hotel in Paphos, Cyprus and the new Thomson Sensatori Aprohodite Hills in Cyprus opening in May 2015.

Karen Switzer, Director of Aviation Planning for Thomson and First Choice, said of the move:

“Regional airports are an important part of our strategy and this latest announcement of new routes and increased capacity demonstrates our commitment to Bristol Airport and the local area. We know from the success of similar routes across a number of regional airports that customers like the flexibility and ease of travelling from their local airport and we expect these routes to be popular with customers from the West of England next year.”

Shaun Browne, Aviation Director at Bristol Airport, said:

“We are delighted Thomson and First Choice have chosen Bristol Airport to offer these exciting new destinations, building on their strong existing programme. This is great news for holidaymakers across the West of England, for whom the combination of exotic new destinations and improved flight options to popular favourites is sure to be a winner.”[/textarea]

http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/media-c ... omson.aspx

I missed Paphos if it was included with TOM's announcement few weeks ago. In recent years it's been summer only from BRS with the charter airlines, with only easyJet serving the route year-round.

 

[Marko1]

Anyone why a thomson fly 767 is on approach to brs as I type ?

 

[conns757]

based 757 is tech after arrival from ALC

the 767 is covering BRSTFS ..

 

[conns757]

S16 on sale soon - more TUI ex BRS!

 

[Marko1]

I've read Catania , hurghada and sal for summer 2016. No mention of long haul though

 

[TheLocalYokel]

S16 on sale soon - more TUI ex BRS!

I've read Catania , hurghada and sal for summer 2016. No mention of long haul though

Slightly odd that Catania is included with TUI already knowing that easyJet has started a service there this summer. Last year TUI announced Marrakech but later withdrew it with easyJet operating to RAK.

At this stage it seems that rumours of a return to transatlantic long haul with TUI are misplaced. It appears that Severnside will continue to miss out as I've not heard any news that TUI long haul will operate from CWL next summer. Maybe TUI is awaiting the outcome of a political decision regarding APD devolution before committing itself.

 

[forest1979]

Looks like u are right about BRS. Piece in the travel weekly about S16 schedule and long haul expansion..

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/ ... genda.html

 

[Marko1]

Press release on the official airport website discusses the three new routes plus '"increased capacity" . Anyone in the know know whether this is larger aircraft or higher frequencies .

 

[superking]

Press release on the official airport website discusses the three new routes plus '"increased capacity" . Anyone in the know know whether this is larger aircraft or higher frequencies .

it has to be extra rotations on certain routes. they use 2 b757 and from this summer a b738. the only bigger planes they have is the b767 and the b787.
cant see the b787 used for short haul. they use a couple of b767 on short haul, and long haul if a problem with the b787 as cover.
im sure the b767 will be withdrawn soon as the new 787 is delivered to cpmplete their b787 order.
they have a massive order for the updated b737, which will be spread around the tui group.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Press release on the official airport website discusses the three new routes plus '"increased capacity" . Anyone in the know know whether this is larger aircraft or higher frequencies .

it has to be extra rotations on certain routes. they use 2 b757 and from this summer a b738. the only bigger planes they have is the b767 and the b787.
cant see the b787 used for short haul. they use a couple of b767 on short haul, and long haul if a problem with the b787 as cover.
im sure the b767 will be withdrawn soon as the new 787 is delivered to cpmplete their b787 order.
they have a massive order for the updated b737, which will be spread around the tui group.

I'd agree that the most likely is additional rotations although it might be that one or two weekly rotations will be 'W' operations using a B 767 from elsewhere.

A few years ago a Friday Palma was a 767 each week on a 'W' from another base. Or it might be that some routes are beginning a week or two earlier and/or being retained for a week or two longer at the end of the season.

When BRS does eventually lose its two B 757s there will be a loss in seating capacity with replacement 738s, unless an additional one is allocated. Based on this summer that would mean four based 738s.

 

[User0001]

Just as an FYI Thomson are using the B787 for short haul. Doing quite a few routes from MAN/LGW this summer.

 

[Marko1]

I've had a look at summer 2016 with thomson. There's definitely some expansion with the three new routes plus there's an extra weekly flight to both Corfu and Rhodes. There's also some switching of days for other routes such as bodrum and kefalonia . The only issue I can see is a Sunday pm and Monday pm where four a/c are needed if they intend to operate all routes. Surprisingly no extra capacity has been added to Spain , Cyprus and Turkey next year unless there are plans for more or larger based a/c . Plus only two visits from other bases one tba for Naples plus the usual km Malta service

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I've had a look at summer 2016 with thomson. There's definitely some expansion with the three new routes plus there's an extra weekly flight to both Corfu and Rhodes. There's also some switching of days for other routes such as bodrum and kefalonia . The only issue I can see is a Sunday pm and Monday pm where four a/c are needed if they intend to operate all routes. Surprisingly no extra capacity has been added to Spain , Cyprus and Turkey next year unless there are plans for more or larger based a/c . Plus only two visits from other bases one tba for Naples plus the usual km Malta service

One of the two weekly summer TUI flights to Naples has been operated by a non-based aircraft for several years. With easyJet also doing Naples 2 x weekly in summer it seems to be well served.

I'm glad to see Rhodes increased. It's the one Greek destination that seemed chronically underserved in recent years. I'm surprised that easyJet hasn't picked it up. They're operating Zante this summer which is far better served by the charter airlines than Rhodes, and they've been operating Heraklion and Corfu for several summers with Ryanair in its second season to Chania.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Summer 2015

Does anyone know if the based B 738 that will complement the two based B 757s will be a TOM machine or a third party aircraft?

 

[superking]

Summer 2015

Does anyone know if the based B 738 that will complement the two based B 757s will be a TOM machine or a third party aircraft?

i was under the impression its a based tom 738. all the lists with based units has shown a based tom 738.
i have done a bit of searching and can find no reason why not.
i see a 738 has done a few rotations into brs,and they were on a w pattern.
so do not know when a 738 will be based now ,weather it be tom or other.
i will keep looking,sorry cant be more helpfull.