TUI Airways

[ROC10]

Originally Posted by dmouse88

Do we know what happened to G-TUIE on flt BY660/661 over period 16th to 19th Dec, was it tech.

It’s led to a horrible delay on this afternoon’s LGW-LPA (scheduled 16:10 on 757). After arriving from GOI, G-TUIE ferried MAN-LGW and has departed on this flight at 22:58. The 787 issue would appear to have somehow led to a 757 shortage at LGW. There have been 738s idle at LGW for hours but I guess the flight must have been towards the upper end of 757 capacity.

[Flightrider]

Is there any chance that we could delegate the blow-by-blow accounts of the hourly movements of the TUI fleet to the Spectators' Balcony forum? Any meaningful news about TUI fleet changes or developments is being crowded out in the noise about where G-TUIE has ended up today. "Topics about airports, routes and airline business" is the header, and it's getting rather difficult to identify that in amongst the analysis of Flightradar24 data as to which aircraft has landed where.

[Gurnard]

The posts do concern "airline business" so have some relevance in this Forum. Best approach for any frustrated readers would be to skim-read and simply ignore what fails to inspire them.

[22/04]

Do airlines have special arrangements to get engineers to countries like India which would require Visas - and parts which would bear tariffs. Would engineering support from say Air India available locally be used?

[ROC10]

Originally Posted by Gurnard

The posts do concern "airline business" so have some relevance in this Forum. Best approach for any frustrated readers would be to skim-read and simply ignore what fails to inspire them.

Well said.

[Vokes55]

Originally Posted by 22/04

Do airlines have special arrangements to get engineers to countries like India which would require Visas - and parts which would bear tariffs. Would engineering support from say Air India available locally be used?

There would be engineering support from a local firm to cover the basics. For bigger jobs which require larger parts, I’d imagine a select number of engineers would get Indian visas issued before the start of each Winter season, much like the pilots and the cabin crew.

From what I gather, on this occasion it was an administrative issue with the aircraft chartered to carry the part out there.

[Dannyboy39]

Originally Posted by 22/04

Do airlines have special arrangements to get engineers to countries like India which would require Visas - and parts which would bear tariffs. Would engineering support from say Air India available locally be used?

Air crew get 72 hours on a GD anywhere in the world, which includes flight engineers. I dare say if a problem is longer than 72 hours, you'd get local support.

[flyerguy]

Originally Posted by Dannyboy39

Air crew get 72 hours on a GD anywhere in the world, which includes flight engineers. I dare say if a problem is longer than 72 hours, you'd get local support.

even the flight crew and cabin crew need a visa for a 24 hour layover in Goa so I doubt an engineer would be able to ‘walk in’

[22/04]

even the flight crew and cabin crew need a visa for a 24 hour layover in Goa so I doubt an engineer would be able to ‘walk in

I did ask because I know from experience India can be tight about these things.

[ROC10]

TUI are struggling today on what is arguably the first proper day of the ski season flights. They have had to charter a EuroAtlantic Airways 767 to operate yesterday’s LGW-LPA well over 24hrs late (must’ve been cancelled yesterday) and are suffering hefty delays from various bases. Definitely sent too many aircraft off to Sunwing this winter methinks (10 x 738). I suppose it must’ve been agreed prior to the MAX groundings but they’ll certainly be regretting it now.

[Vokes55]

TUI aren't "struggling" any more than any other airline. Almost every flight (from any airline) heading South or East today is picking up an ATC slot.

I'm sure the management will take into account the opinion of a FR24 obsessed spotter though.

[rog747]

Originally Posted by ROC10

TUI are struggling today on what is arguably the first proper day of the ski season flights. They have had to charter a EuroAtlantic Airways 767 to operate yesterday’s LGW-LPA well over 24hrs late (must’ve been cancelled yesterday) and are suffering hefty delays from various bases. Definitely sent too many aircraft off to Sunwing this winter methinks (10 x 738). I suppose it must’ve been agreed prior to the MAX groundings but they’ll certainly be regretting it now.

TUI flights are package holiday flights, and as such they are not normally ever ''cancelled'' but merely delayed (however badly) and here in the LPA case TUI seems to have subbed in an ACMI airline to play catch up.
Am surprised TUI let the LPA delay slip to 24+ hours but guess ACMI availability for a larger 757 capacity type was limited.
Normally TUI do a better job than most in getting their program back on track.

The Sunwing 738 winter swap round is likely bound by a contractual plan as you mention, and therefore TUI UK would have to let those planes go back over to Canada for Sunwing's busy season.
I would think it would have been untenable to renege on that contract at short notice, especially as Sunwing have their own MAX's grounded.

As for next winter (20/21) which sees huge expansion with new, and reintroduced routes for TUI I guess they are planning hard now with regard to covering the program, (let alone this coming summers!!) plus the nagging doubts of whether they will ever see the MAX RTS, then add in the looming retirement decisions = Do we/Don't we? of the remaining 757/767 fleet.

[toledoashley]

Had a notification today that a TUI LGW-GVA will be operated by EnterAir instead - same flt number/terminal/times etc.

[ROC10]

Has G-OOBC been WFU? It has flown to China via Dubai. Could be maintenance but seems pretty far.

[SWBKCB]

Originally Posted by ROC10

Has G-OOBC been WFU? It has flown to China via Dubai. Could be maintenance but seems pretty far.

Left the fleet - going for freighter conversion.

[ROC10]

Originally Posted by SWBKCB

Left the fleet - going for freighter conversion.

Thanks, I did think that might be the case as all of the other recently-withdrawn 757s (except BYAW) have gone to SF Airlines in China for cargo purposes.

[jethro15]

Originally Posted by SWBKCB

Left the fleet

Short term only

[ROC10]

Originally Posted by jethro15

Short term only

In what sense? Maintenance I’m guessing?

[MKY661]

It’ll be going for the annual charter tour, would be my guess

[ROC10]

Originally Posted by MKY661

It’ll be going for the annual charter tour, would be my guess

Could be but I don’t think so. G-OOBD and G-OOBF have already done that this year and to my knowledge, the tour never originates in China.