Leeds Bradford: TUI Airways Flights, New Routes & Schedule Updates

[Hull City Fan]

I'm surprised that the PMI service is being operated on a Tuesday. Am I right in thinking that it was operated on Thursdays last year? I wonder if the fact that Tuesday being a 'quieter' day the B767 has become available, but still if they can fill it, they might as well use it.

Yes tomleeds that is correct. Thomson Airways operated their flights to Palma last year on a Thursday and will do so again this year.

Looking across the board, it seems Tuesday is the new day for Palma flights for non Thomson bases (Leeds, Durham, Norwich & Aberdeen)

 

[Hull City Fan]

Summer 2012 flights as they appear in the brochure.

[rimg]http://i54.tinypic.com/24b4369.jpg[/rimg]

 

[tleeds]

So have we got flights on Tuesday and Thursday, or just Thursday?

 

[Hull City Fan]

So have we got flights on Tuesday and Thursday, or just Thursday?

Sorry, I didn't write that very clearly did I. Flights to Palma operate once weekly on a Thursday this year and once weekly on a Tuesday next year.

Hope this makes sense now!

 

[tleeds]

oh sorry, I made the mistake I didnt read 'Summer 2012' and assumed it was 2011 and then didn't understand what you were on about, thanks a lot Hull City Fan.
At-least we know they are still committed, as White Heather has said, to the airport until 2012. Like she has said also - I hope that they maybe broaden their network. TFS would be good in summer with the amount of package deals they offer and maybe a few others...? :rockon:

 

[Aviador]

It's still a pathetic offering for the UK's largest inclusive tour company from one of the largest city regions in the country.

 

[tleeds]

Very true Aviador, but I think they seem quite happy at DSA. I for one would be very, interested to see how many people travel to either MAN or DSA and fly on a Thomson Package who live in the Leeds/Bradford Metropolitan area. I would've thought the number would be quite high.

 

[Hull City Fan]

It now looks like Thomson's are getting Air Europa to operate their weekly Palma flight from Leeds Bradford next Summer 2012 (using the same times as before). A quick holiday search on Thomson's website shows this.

A big blow for the Airport, going from a big bodied Boeing 767 Thomson Aircraft to most probably a rather small (compared to this year) Air Europa Boeing 737.

 

[tleeds]

Yes, but at least we will see Air Europa back at Leeds again 😆

 

[White Heather]

It could all change again before then - if bookings are really good, they could yet switch it back to a TOM aircraft and something bigger. I wouldn't take much notice of anything in the brochures at this stage - things tend to change with every edition they print!

 

[a300boy]

I have not seen it reported anywhere yet so just to note yesterdays first Corfu of the summer was operated by a B757-200 G-BYAT I believe . So maybe it will be a B767 on the Palma and a B757 on the Corfu throughout the summer.

 

[a300boy]

Also meant to point out that Thomson have cut flights significantly at Robin Hood and curtailed there operations into Humberside for summer 2012 if reports are to be believed so expansion at Leeds is unlikely for a while.

 

[jason1-11]

When I saw that DSA was down to two based aircraft next summer, I knew the displaced aircraft would show up as a based LBA unit.

Just shows how little I know!

 

[White Heather]

Thanks A300boy - that is really good news. It actually reinforces what has been said above - this time last year, there was nothing to indicate that we would have a 763 on Palma, or a 752 on Corfu, both of which represent a capacity increase on last year.

 

[752]

what is the point in thomson opperating into LBA? they have cut SSH & are now cutting PMI, that leaves 1 summer route, and 1 winter one, is there any point in them operating, will they ever expand or drop LBA all together?

 

[tleeds]

Ap1995, Thomson have always had some sort of presence at LBA. They have always been committed to keeping some sort of operations out of LBA as well, but as soon as DSA opened they ran there with their operations, stating cheaper landing fees amongst many other things. The introduction of Jet2 was a turning point for Thomson, or Britannia as it was then. They had LBA all to themselves effectively until Jet2 arrived and as soon as DSA opened they went there with their operations, as still now they effectively run DSA.

The problem with Thomson is, they know that the LBA management team want them to base an aircraft here and start building-up a considerably large network as we have seen before. They did have based aircraft, from as far as I recall from 1993? to 2006 and many of the Yorkshire people grew to use them a lot. Thomas Cook have since collected a fairly large market from LBA as they are the biggest reputable 'Package Holiday' operator from LBA.

I think that really to be honest, Thomson are probably regretting leaving LBA, as they did have a very large repetitive audience at LBA. I remember my grandparents using Britannia and Lunn Poly twice a year, without fail, to Mainland Spain, The Balearics and The Canaries. Many people used them again and again, until people starting to picture their own holiday together; Cheap Flight with Jet2, rent an apartment and the typical package holiday was diluted.

Thomas Cook have since filled in the gap at LBA, so I think that give it maybe a few years until Thomas Cook increase their operations with maybe a larger aircraft, and Thomson will soon be very interested again..

 

[Hull City Fan]

what is the point in thomson opperating into LBA? they have cut SSH & are now cutting PMI, that leaves 1 summer route, and 1 winter one, is there any point in them operating, will they ever expand or drop LBA all together?

Thomson aren't cutting Palma from Leeds at all! (From Humberside yes, Leeds no!). Only difference to this year is that flights will be operated by an Air Europa (AEA) B737.

 

[752]

but still it is a negative reductions on the route, i guess if Thomson didnt want to operate from LBA they would withdraw all routes all together, i hope they will expand soon!

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I personally believe it to be a negative move from Thomson. It is clear that, in recent years, they have attempted to consolidate their operations as much as possible. In all honesty, I'm surprised that they haven't pulled out of the airport altogether. In this respect, I believe it is only a matter of time. The loss of Humberside, the scaling back at Doncaster and the loss of capacity on the Palma at LBA is very telling methinks. The main issue is Manchester. People in Yorkshire are more than prepared to fly from Manchester and that seems to be the mindset that Thomson have at the moment. I'm sure demand is absolutely massive from LBA for Thomson to return. However, there are a number of problems with that.

Aside from the above issue of consolidation, there is the reason the airline left in the first place, which is down to management to resolve and, of course, the small matter of a full apron and a full terminal. Where exactly could another aircraft be parked overnight in the summer? Whichever way we look at it, LBA has reached capacity and cannot expand in terms of based aircraft. Ryanair based 4 planes to Manchester just recently. I'm sure they may have stuck an extra one at LBA, had the capacity been available.

It's all very good and well demanding and expecting expansion but, at the moment, all that can be expanded is the non based, non peak capacity - such as Thomson flights to Palma - and this is not forthcoming.

 

[White Heather]

As I have posted before, this time last year the PMI flight from LBA was not due to be operated by a TOM 767-300, so there is every possibility that if bookings warrant it, the AEA 738 could be replaced again by something bigger. Lets not get all negative now. Its best part of 8 months away yet!