Birmingham: TUI Airways Flights, New Routes & Base Updates

[Ray Finkle]

I wouldn't even consider booking a S26 holiday with TUI, they are so unreliable, I would be thinking, will it, won't it ?

No thanks, not interested

I haven't looked past Jet2 for the last few years, although easyjet are now providing some interesting competition 🙂

personally I would like to see Almeria, and Athens return

and new destinations of:-
Greece: - Kalamata, Preveza, Samos
Italy:- Olbia, Palermo
Croatia:- Split

Peveza, Split, Varna, Almeria, La Palma, Phuket, Goa and Banjul.

Won't hold my breath on anything new though.

 

[BHX492]

Looks like we might be seeing even less of TUI own aircraft next summer as Ascend Airways are currently hiring flight crew for both Birmingham and Manchester. In winter crew will be based over in Malaysia then return back to UK for the summer season.

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Looks like we might be seeing even less of TUI own aircraft next summer as Ascend Airways are currently hiring flight crew for both Birmingham and Manchester. In winter crew will be based over in Malaysia then return back to UK for the summer season.

Does this mean Bodrum is completely axed?

 

[Ray Finkle]

It probably says more about me than it does about them but I don't even look at TUi anymore when planning holidays 🙁

Although saying that I have received an email from Jet2 informing us that our flight back from KRK will be operated by Air Explore 🤨

I notice that Ascend Airways have a MAX registered G-WEAH. How nice would it be if it was in tribute to the legendary striker 😁

 

[Matt995]

I notice that Ascend Airways have a MAX registered G-WEAH. How nice would it be if it was in tribute to the legendary striker 😁

Ray, yes it is named after him, their other aircraft it G-HODL, so guess which footballer that is!!! I guess Ascend might be replacing Fly4 Airlines next year, they will be based in Ireland for summer 2025

maybe Ascend could register a new BHX based aircraft as G-RGIS ??? 🤣

 

[Ray Finkle]

maybe Ascend could register a new BHX based aircraft as G-RGIS ??? 🤣

G-BHAM would be nice, could be Jude or Birmingham 🙂

 

[Nethercote2019]

G-BHAM would be nice, could be Jude or Birmingham 🙂

G-BTREV ?

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

So for 2026 obviously tui have a lack of aircraft at this moment in time.

What could we expect in 2026?

 

[BHX492]

So for 2026 obviously tui have a lack of aircraft at this moment in time.

What could we expect in 2026?

They not short of aircraft, they have the right balance for both seasons and they obviously think it’s cheaper to use extra AMCI/wet lease aircraft for the summer season and hopefully in 2025 they finally get delivery of the max 10.

As for 2026 maybe 1 additional based unit

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

They not short of aircraft, they have the right balance for both seasons and they obviously think it’s cheaper to use extra AMCI/wet lease aircraft for the summer season and hopefully in 2025 they finally get delivery of the max 10.

As for 2026 maybe 1 additional based unit

What u expecting for new routes?

 

[BHX492]

What u expecting for new routes?

Nope extra frequencies on existing route. Maybe in the winter we could have flights to connect the river cruises but looks like MAN and LGW got it covered for now

 

[Matt995]

They not short of aircraft, they have the right balance for both seasons and they obviously think it’s cheaper to use extra AMCI/wet lease aircraft for the summer season and hopefully in 2025 they finally get delivery of the max 10.

As for 2026 maybe 1 additional based unit

personnally, I can't see any major expansion from TUI in 2026, would imaging 10 based short haul aircraft, and 2 long haul at best, and I doubt we will see any new routes, possibly a few dropped routes might come back?

 

[BHX492]

personnally, I can't see any major expansion from TUI in 2026, would imaging 10 based short haul aircraft, and 2 long haul at best, and I doubt we will see any new routes, possibly a few dropped routes might come back?

Definitely get the impression they just gave up on UK. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone doesn’t try to buy the UK arm in the future.

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Definitely get the impression they just gave up on UK. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone doesn’t try to buy the UK arm in the future.

Predictions for 2026
Can see Marrakesh and agadir increasing for 2026(Surprised they haven’t increased for next summer)
Antalya,Dalaman can see increasing
Tenerife can see it going daily
Hurghada and SSH increasing

Can see kavala being removed as its one weekly service that demand isn’t that great

Melbourne i think we’ll have to see how it does for next summer

 

[Matt995]

Predictions for 2026
Can see Marrakesh and agadir increasing for 2026(Surprised they haven’t increased for next summer)
Antalya,Dalaman can see increasing
Tenerife can see it going daily
Hurghada and SSH increasing

Can see kavala being removed as its one weekly service that demand isn’t that great

Melbourne i think we’ll have to see how it does for next summer

Sorry don’t agree with any of them, demand for Kavala is fine, Tenerife will never go daily, and Egypt can’t see any increase, as they are cutting back on Egypt routes currently

 

[Karl C]

Cheers for your aggressive assessment.
I feel like tui could do better with routes that’s my personal perspective

Oh Ant, just because you don't like someone's reply, doesn't make it aggressive. Matt's been doing this for decades...collating information about Birmingham's routes etc. If I were you I'd listen to what he has to say.
Tui seems to me like it's going the way of Thomas Cook. Same old routes banged out every year, no real expansion. What they give in one hand they take from the other. Now we hear of contraction and less based units...which isn't confirmed yet 🤔
Either way Matt's your man and what he does...he does very very well 👌

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Matt i apologize for the way i spoke.I deleted the comment because i knew someone would have reacted badly to what i said. again im sorry for making that comment i made.I hope we can move on.

In terms of expansion from tui.Whats everyone’s predictions for 2026?

 

[Matt995]

Oh Ant, just because you don't like someone's reply, doesn't make it aggressive. Matt's been doing this for decades...collating information about Birmingham's routes etc. If I were you I'd listen to what he has to say.
Tui seems to me like it's going the way of Thomas Cook. Same old routes banged out every year, no real expansion. What they give in one hand they take from the other. Now we hear of contraction and less based units...which isn't confirmed yet 🤔
Either way Matt's your man and what he does...he does very very well 👌

Thank you Karl, hope your well 👍

Ant, its not aggression, I'm just a realist. I like you passion for aviation, and most of us, especially in our younger years always wanted to see more flights or routes from BHX, but as you get older, you become more level headed, and you realise the reasons why your hopes for new airlines/routes never happen.

TUI is a different case to Easyjet/Ryanair/Jet2. The majority of TUI passengers are booked on a TUI holiday, so if you take Kavala for example, maybe the island does not have enough TUI hotel rooms for an extra flight, or it will require new hotels to be sourced/added, more TUI staff/reps required, or lack of landing slots, handling costs? This has to be taken into account, if the current Kavala route its doing ok for them, why do they need to drop it, or even add extra flights? Kavala has only had 1 flight from BHX for many years now! Tenerife has plenty of flights, so why increase it to daily, what knowledge do you have that means we need more flights? Egypt - well look at is geographical location? Middle East. Can you really see more flights with the current situation in the Middle East, we might be lucky to have any Egypt flights in 2026!

predicitons are one thing, reality another, enjoy the hobby Ant, and keep getting involved on the forums, but some times it better to perhaps tone down your predicitions or if you do share them, be prepared for others to dissagree. This is life, we all have views and opinions, they will be different for all of us! Enjoy the mad world of aviation!! 👍

Matt i apologize for the way i spoke.I deleted the comment because i knew someone would have reacted badly to what i said. again im sorry for making that comment i made.I hope we can move on.

In terms of expansion from tui.Whats everyone’s predictions for 2026?

Ant, it's fine you don't need to apologize, we are all here for the same reason, and if you ever want my help, you are always welcome to message me directly! 🙂

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Is it holidays or flights that get released at midnight?

 

[flymetothemoon]

G-BTREV ?

G-SHAW would be very appropriate today