TUI UK launches ambitious summer 2019 programme from Birmingham Airport
Holiday group TUI UK is planning to base another aircraft at Birmingham Airport as it plans to add 120,000 seats to its summer flights programme next year.
It will also offer four new routes – to Split in Croatia, Agadir in Morocco, Halkidiki in northern Greece and Izmir in Turkey – and add flights to popular desinations such as Boa Vista, Chania, Antalya and Dalaman
It is the travel company's first programme launch after last year’s re-brand, with the additional aircraft out of Birmingham Airport adding 11 per cent increase in seat numbers and the new routes.
The company said the new plane would make it possible to offer more 10 and 11 night stays for those who did not want either seven or 14 nights stays.
And it will mean more flights to Antalya and Dalaman in Turkey and also to Chania in Greece and Boa Vista in Cape Verde opening up 10 and 11 night holidays to these two destinations for customers flying from Birmingham Airport. Additional flying has been added to Naples to support the new homeport for the Marella Explorer 2, the new ship from TUI's Marella Cruises line.
The company is predicting Birmingham Airport will see a 16 per cent share of TUI’s overall passenger growth for summer 2019.
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 Birmingham, adding almost 120,000 additional seats and four new routes from Birmingham Airport for summer 2019. We are giving customers even more opportunity when booking their summer holidays with more 10 and 11 night holidays and flagship resorts opening across TUI and First Choice affirming our commitment to our exclusive hotel concepts.”
Tom Screen, acting aviation director for Birmingham Airport, said: “It’s great to see TUI expanding at Birmingham Airport, offering our passengers more choice to popular summer beach and weekend break destinations.
“Agadir in Morocco is currently an unserved route from Birmingham so we are particularly delighted to have this addition to our schedule for summer 2019.”
Thousands of free kids’ places will be available across all TUI and First Choice holidays and deposits will be just £50 per person short and mid haul and £125pp long haul. Summer 2019 holidays will be on sale from Thursday, April 5.
