Tui aircraft strategy
 

This was a project that started in 2001 and hasnt stopped since, each year an painful evaluation exercise is conducted looking at all the usual suspects and variants.

Without going into too much detail and confidentiality, its worth mentioning that the other Tui businesses are struggling to intergrate with our French cousins being the main culprits.

There isnt a long term strategy from the Vorstang, waiting to see what the 737 fleet does in terms of performance and expansion.

Airbus came out expensive in terms of engine maintenance and IFE.

Regards

Please dont ask

Jenny move
 

The Jenny move came as a suprise, it wasnt connected to the Kevin move.

The fleet roll over has been an ongoing headache for all the old Bal board, the answer back from across the water is we cannot afford new a/c, regardless of reduced running and maintenance costs. Dont forget 2001 was an excellent year for p/x old boeing and leasing new.

Regards

Please dont ask

TOM to South Africa
 

Hey Guys! Heard a rumour on line today (probably Galley FM) that TOM are basing 2 767-200 in LTN to operate low cost flights to South Africa (Cities not mentioned) any truth in this or has anyone else heard this? Not too far fetched as GSM are operating MAN-CPT. Don't see how it fits in with our business plan but could be a good route. Any one know if its true or just galley FM?

BYCREWLGW

I suppose Thomson could offer holidays to South Africa but LTN. Wouldn't LGW seem more logical since TOM presently has no long haul flights from LTN

Airhumberside,

Well thats what I was thinking, it just doesn't fit in! the only thing i can think of is that Nationwide operate from LGW.

TOM's maintanaince base is LTN?

Yeah it lba its also got the HQ & Ops etc

Hi all,

Good article about Thomsonfly in the current airline world magazine, details about the airlines history, current ops and future plans, for those who don't know.
Nice to see the old Britannia livery again!!
Long live Britannia!! Lol

And long live First Choice Airways even more.............

Cheers all. :ok: :ok:

A good article? I thought it was terrible! Had no real analysis, no base/route details, pax data, no stats, old library pictures that were very boringly illustrated...

Early 90's

Britannia was the UK's second largest airline in terms of passenger carryings.

It was pioneering the low cost model on its Luton Belfast scheduled service (29GBP one way)

It was running charter operations to Australia and New Zealand and South Africa as well as the Thomson stuff to the med, Florida and Caribbean)

It was one of the top 20 most profitable airlines in the world

Its engineering team were second to none and its operational standards also.

And today?

Well done Thomson/TUI management - I hope you are all proud of what you've achieved in the last ten years!

If they could get access to JNB, then they would be on to the money. The demand for that route is massive. There are something like 24 x 744s a week between LHR and South Africa and the load factors are HIGH. Nationwide run out of LGW to JNB three times a week and, I hear, are planning a second machine on the route by the next high season (Dec/Jan) to take them to six rotations a week.

There is certainly room for more but getting the paperwork out of Pretoria (the capital city) will not be easy. SAA and ACSA the Airports Company of South Africa that runs all the main fields, are nationalised companies. But there is money on that route and the number of South Africans in this country, is enormous. I would suggest that LTN is a fabulous jumping off point to catch this market.

Thomsonfly to increase legroom
 

Thomsonfly increases legroom for summer 2007
Thomsonfly is taking 32 seats out from each of its Boeing 767 aircraft to create 33 inches of legroom in its long-haul standard class.

The standard class service has been renamed Thomson Plus, while passengers can pay from £129 return to upgrade to a premium class with a 37-inch legroom

The new cabin layout will be available on all flights for the summer 2007 season, which goes on sale on Thursday.

Thomson said despite the removal of seats, prices will not increase.

The airline believes the move will make it a serious competitor to scheduled airlines on many long-haul routes to destinations.

Its 33-inch standard class legroom is two inches more than British Airways and Virgin.

It will also have seat back, touch screen seven-inch Panasonic televisions and a choice of eight pre-bookable meal choices.

Thomsonfly Premium will offer nine-inch seatback televisions, armchair-style leather seats, CD collections, free wine and newspapers and priority check-in and boarding.

Colin Mitchell, managing director Thomsonfly, said: "Travellers no longer want or expect to be crammed into plane for an eight hour flight at the beginning of their holiday. Expectations have been raised, and we're investing in making sure our customers get the same -if not better- service that they've come to expect from the scheduled airlines on worldwide routes."

That's all very well, but are they still 2-4-2, with zero elbow room? No point in stretching your legs if you can't read the paper or eat a meal.

I think I'll have the 31" pitch and 2-3-2 of BA. (If I flew in Y!)

The new Thomson service:

*Seats will be no wider.
*Thomson often flight shares (i.e. MyTravel, Thomas Cook and Monarch fly long haul for them) meaning not all flights from the Thomson brochure offer this service.
*Touch screen PTVs mean no games will be available.

Expect major announcements from MyTravel and Thomas Cook this next month.

Thomas_Cook_757-300

Blatenty trying to copy FCA then? wondered how long it would take :}

Which is why they need to move to 2-3-2 :*

Totally agree

Good luck to them lets hope it attracts alot of attention! i would love to see Thomsonfly really expand and get back to the top where they use to be in the days of Britannia.

As for the comment copying FCA well the company had to do something!
Through passenger feedback the company have listened and reacted to their comments.

Also with the announcement of new aircraft due soon watch this space!!!

More routes for next year and more long haul.

The aircraft Brit use for the longhaul services are meant to be interchangeable with their shorthaul routes in the summer season arent they? How will this affect them on a PMI run for example? Will some aircraft be kept for cattle class shorthaul?

TCX have already anounnced a new cabin for 2007