TUI Airways
MCO v SFB v MLB
Most UK and German charter airlines started to switched to SFB from MCO around 20 years ago - Thomson and Monarch being the first to switch.
UK airlines were offered greatly reduced landing fees at Sanford, and therefore many carriers relocated their operations.
Virgin and BA stayed put at MCO
Thomas Cook went back to use MCO in 2014.
TUI's latest move to MLB airport is to tie-in with their large cruise ship operation, with the MLB airport nearer Port Canaveral.
Downtown Orlando is around 45 mins drive from SFB, whereas it is around 75 mins from MLB
Jet2 are mooted to be going to Florida - as charter flights not LCC, so assume SFB or MCO.
Most UK and German charter airlines started to switched to SFB from MCO around 20 years ago - Thomson and Monarch being the first to switch.
UK airlines were offered greatly reduced landing fees at Sanford, and therefore many carriers relocated their operations.
Virgin and BA stayed put at MCO
Thomas Cook went back to use MCO in 2014.
TUI's latest move to MLB airport is to tie-in with their large cruise ship operation, with the MLB airport nearer Port Canaveral.
Downtown Orlando is around 45 mins drive from SFB, whereas it is around 75 mins from MLB
Jet2 are mooted to be going to Florida - as charter flights not LCC, so assume SFB or MCO.
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No tourist will be going to downtown Orlando so that journey stat is basically irrelevant. 20 extra minutes in this context does make a longish transfer after a long-haul flight even worse. If they were moving from International you could make the argument the speed to get through Melbourne would offset that. But they’re not, they’re moving from Sanford where TUI more or less has the monopoly on international arrivals anyway so immigration time will be no different. That was one benefit of Sanford over International, much further by road but much quicker to pass through.
This will be very much advantage BA/VS along with anyone new entrants that might come onto the route.
This will be very much advantage BA/VS along with anyone new entrants that might come onto the route.
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Out of interest, the time to International Drive from each airport is as follows
Sanford 50mins
Orlando Int 20mins
Melbourne 80mins
I know which my preference would be after a 9 hour flight and driving to the hotel. We have had just as long a queue at immigration at Sanford compared to Orlando International
Sanford 50mins
Orlando Int 20mins
Melbourne 80mins
I know which my preference would be after a 9 hour flight and driving to the hotel. We have had just as long a queue at immigration at Sanford compared to Orlando International
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No tourist will be going to downtown Orlando so that journey stat is basically irrelevant. 20 extra minutes in this context does make a longish transfer after a long-haul flight even worse. If they were moving from International you could make the argument the speed to get through Melbourne would offset that. But they’re not, they’re moving from Sanford where TUI more or less has the monopoly on international arrivals anyway so immigration time will be no different. That was one benefit of Sanford over International, much further by road but much quicker to pass through.
This will be very much advantage BA/VS along with anyone new entrants that might come onto the route.
This will be very much advantage BA/VS along with anyone new entrants that might come onto the route.
I would guess the cruise program will include coach transfers to the port. What I’m not sure of is whether they’ll check the luggage straight through to the ship, which is common place with some of their cruise packages.
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Not entirely correct. Most of TUI’s package holidays to Florida come with free car hire. Coach transfers are an added extra (the reverse to their European packages). The coach transfers from Sanford are actually quite pricey. The uptake of ‘free’ car hire is much more popular on their Florida holidays as most people like the freedom car hire gives you in Florida.
Well yeah, I didn’t mean literally a coach transfer. And actually if you’re driving the longer journey is even worse. Sanford has quite an extensive domestic network and some other bits (admittedly it had nothing when the British charters first turned up), the fact Melbourne has so few flights and recent more modest new efforts seem to have failed is quite telling.
Does this mean that Orlando/Disney/Attraction theme holiday sales are on the wane/downturn?
The $$$dollar XE rate is pants and the USA for a holiday now is very expensive, as are all the Attraction passes.
I was in NYC in July and 2 x diner breakfasts (the usual - coffee eggs bacon hash browns English muffin) cost us $32 + tip
2 x diner breakfasts not that long ago would have been $12 for both.
I'm not sure if luggage goes straight from the plane to the ship (via Bonded trucks) for cruise Pax - and yes Pax for TUI cruises will have coach transfers to/from the Port Terminal included.
As for TUI Fly-drive Pax and those with hotel/villa/Disney packages, most of these folk will also have car hire included, or have a TUI transfer.
Time will tell if they are phased by a 75 minute drive to the Orlando area if that is their final destination.
Will any other UK airlines follow TUI into MLB ? Cannot see it happening myself...
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Interesting discussion. To be honest the drive is dependent on the driver, if used to driving on the wrong side of the road, tolls etc then i'm not that fussed about the length of the drive.
What gets my goat most is the wait for the hire car. I always seem to have to wait an age wherever i end up....
What gets my goat most is the wait for the hire car. I always seem to have to wait an age wherever i end up....
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Not entirely correct. Most of TUI’s package holidays to Florida come with free car hire. Coach transfers are an added extra (the reverse to their European packages). The coach transfers from Sanford are actually quite pricey. The uptake of ‘free’ car hire is much more popular on their Florida holidays as most people like the freedom car hire gives you in Florida.
I would guess the cruise program will include coach transfers to the port. What I’m not sure of is whether they’ll check the luggage straight through to the ship, which is common place with some of their cruise packages.
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More expansion for TUI for W20 (source: Travelmole)
TUI adds an additional 580,000 seats for winter 2020
travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg®ion=2&m_id=s~_rnnvs~&w_id=36890 &news_id=2040058
TUI adds an additional 580,000 seats for winter 2020
travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg®ion=2&m_id=s~_rnnvs~&w_id=36890 &news_id=2040058
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