TUI does not help itself in having a lot of departures planned in a short space of time. For example, today at MAN four long-haul flights departing within 30 minutes. This might have worked pre-pandemic but at the moment staffing in many areas is not back up to pre-Covid levels. Handling agents are struggling to employ staff and when they do they take time to train. Likewise security channels at Manchester Airport are still not open like they were pre-pandemic and so at busy times queues can be long. It’s also not easy to alter the timings as these are often set months in advance and there can be significant knock on effects. Hopefully, as things get back to normal the situation will improve.

Cant access the article as its behind a paywall but ch-aviation reports that

UK's TUI Airways to add ACMI B787 capacity from 2Q22

Not sure I understand. They will bring in ACMI capacity to supplement UK or the UK 787s will go elsewhere in an ACMI role..?

I was wondering the same thing, quite a poorly worded title.

I'd imagine its bringing it in for the summer, seeing that the fleet is usually quite stretched during the summer season. I dont know who has spare dreamliners hanging around in a similar config to TUIs though. Maybe Norse Atlantic?

I'm not sure if the 787 capacity being added is ACMI, or 787's are being juggled around between the various TUI AOC's, eg. possibly moving the TUI Nordic Swedish registered 787 back to the UK reg. I have heard that there might be external widebody capacity being added, not sure if they will be 787's though.

The ACMI 787 is being based at Manchester to support TUI flying & 2 x A321on ACMI to be at LGW

The only other airline I could think of other than TUI Nordic, which wouldn’t really be true ACMI, would be EuroAtlantic that are reportedly in the process of adding 2 787-8s from AeroMexico.

See TUI are using Sunwings this year after a very long period, good to see them back hope a good summer ahead
C-FJVE 10/5/22-3/10/22
C-FWGH 28/4/22-1/11/22
C-FYJD 28/4/22-1/11/22
C-GFEH 12/5/22-1/10/22

Do we know where they will be based?

Norwich, for sure as we dont have any TUI based here due to cost, Aberdeen Dublin or Belfast perhaps depending i guess on the schedule for these this summer
Mark

Last Saturday, 26 Feb, there are numerous reports of queues in excess of 2 hours for TUI bag drop at Birmingham and long queues at Manchester, which led to delays in departure times at both airports. Is the handling by TUI or an agent and why was it such a surprise that so many skiers turned up to fly to the Alps?

WestJet takes over Canadian rival Sunwing | Travel Weekly

I wonder how this will affect the current relationship between Tui & Sunwing
"This will add increased capacity, dedicating otherwise seasonal aircraft to operate year-round in Canada, instead of Sunwing supplementing seasonal demand with imported aircraft."
Implies less aircraft needed in Canada during the winter. Nothing to indicate about summer traffic in the European direction.

​​​​​Was going to post are the 4 Sunwing aircraft due this summer still coming? If they are could this possibly mean this will be the last Summer we will see them

Yes and yes. I believe winter 22/23 will be the last time any aircraft will transfer.

Thanks Yeehaw22 for your reply, will be interested who comes in for the Summer bases in the future such as NWI, as its had Germania and of course Sunwing till now.

When TUI send aircraft to Canada for winter, who crews them?

If it is UK crew, how does it work practically? People based there all winter, 3 weeks on/off, or rotational through the entire family.

Interested what its like for UK crew on a medium term run out of the country...

Also am I right by saying, when TUI go to Canada, the aircraft go onto the Canadian register for winter, but Sunwing aircraft retain their Canadian status when spending the summer here? If so, any reason for the different approach?

Only TUI pilots go to Canada on the G reg planes, they're crewed by Sunwing cabin crew who are retrained to TUI procedures.

Thanks. So, do they stay all winter or is it rotated? If you were on the books at TUI, would that be a good gig to get?

There is none that has stayed on the G Register this winter.

Yes if you want to do some flying in interesting places, no if you hate sub-zero temperatures in your downtime

A320s at Doncaster for Summer?
 

Hi, who are operating these please?

The 320s have come from Smartlynx previously so possibly them again

Looks like Smartlynx out of DSA and Avion Express and Titan out of LGW.

Assuming the first two can recruit any crew to fly the aircraft of course.

How many of the DSA and LGW based fleet is planned to be A320's?

does anyone know the plan for NCL pls? I think pre-covid 2020 was planned to be 4 based aircraft some of which were to be leased. Obvs for the past 2 years Its been greatly reduced and very flexible//unpredictable

Last time I checked it was 2x A320 and 2x A321 from LGW and 1x A320 from DSA. Everything else operated by TUI. Newcastle is 4x 738/MAX. The 4 ACMI at LGW is essentially a like for like replacement of Norwegian pre-covid.

By all accounts bottom feeders Avion Express and Smartlynx haven’t got anywhere close to the number of pilots they need for summer, so I’m sure it’ll be a fun summer season for all who’ve decided to go down the path of cheap foreign contractors. TUI, Jet2, easyJet and BA are all signed up.

TUI Summer 2022 Aircraft Allocation
 

TUI current summer aircraft allocation:-

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....87f2bb6ce1.png

subject to change!

Really interesting - thanks for sharing!

Are the Max and 738 used interchangeably or will the Max be used on specific flights when there is a mix at a base?

How will they operate their remaining services from EDI?

does MAN include the additional leased in B787 and the air tanker A330 ? G-VYGK

I believe the Max aircraft will fly the same programme every week, and will not be interchangeable with the 738's, the Max will operate most of the Egypt & Cape Verde flights.

The 3 Edinburgh flights will be operated on "W" patterns by the ABZ or NCL based 738's

The leased in 787 at Manchester, I think is due to be a "spare" aircraft, so not included in my breakdown, and the Air Tanker A330 is not showing in any schedules at present, not certain if it might operate extra flights, or maybe replace a 737/763/787 , hence schedule it always subject to final confirmation.

As already mentioned, there is still a query about the SmartLynx A320's/A321's, and if they have enough aircraft/crews to go around for the summer.

I think the “leased” 787 is just the BLX 789 coming back for Summer but remaining on the SE register. Due to do MAN-CUN

I hadn't realised that Edinburgh operations were being slashed that much, considering that, pre-covid, the one based a/c was fully utilised.

Where's the Sunwing B738s due to be based? Looks like there's four due over this year.

Didn’t it do a number of w patterns?

No more than a couple. Generally an early rotation to the Med followed by an afternoon to the Canaries.

Believe they are going to be based at Aberdeen, Belfast & Norwich, but the 4th one is a bit more uncertain, had heard it might possibly be Cardiff

It looks like the Air tanker may be operating the flight to Tenerife from Manchester on the 06/09/22 by the seating plan shown when booking.

Are you sure it’s not the 767? If Airtanker are operating for TUI I think it’ll be on a backup basis to cover for the lack of spare if TUIP isn’t delivered by Summer.

should be flight TOM2202/3, departure time of 06:55, and arrives back at 17:00, planned to be on the B763