Wizz have said they wouldn’t return. TUI did work well there and shows that without competition DSA could fill the aircraft, just a shame easyjet never found it viable to carry on as we wouldn’t have been having this discussion now.
The loaded question is what are TUI going to do about being No 2 in the UK IT market?
TUI have had their issues post COVID but are now a stronger company than they have been.
At a time when Jet2 have seen fit to remove flight only from weekend schedules the IT package has become more popular than independent travel.
It’s been stated already that Jet2 will not move to DSA, but TUI could accomplish a steal on the Yorkshire/Lincs and North Notts market Jet2 have to themselves at LBA if they committed a 12 aircraft base at DSA, and in doing so help towards regaining their No 1 market position.
There is good social media support for DSA all with the “bring in Jet2” & “ I would use it if they went to …” but that’s only because Jet2 are seen to be offering an acceptable quality, convenient, varied, value product which TUI are also capable of.
People don’t use LBA because they want to, they use LBA because that’s where jet2 fly from. TUI could quite easily position themselves similarly at DSA.
Is it not a case that one airline with the right presence and product could make DSA successful in the same way their competitors make airports similarly successful.