Airlines look to go local this summer

Business development by Linsey McNeill

Airlines look to go local this summer

Clients to benefit from regional services

Paphos: Club Travel 2000 has added charter flights from Manchester

East Midlands: JMC will base an A320 aircraft at the airport

AGENTS have more chance than ever of being able to satisfy their clients’ desire to travel from local airports this summer as both scheduled and charter airlines have expanded their services beyond the southeast.

Charter carriers are increasing the number of destinations they offer from regional airports. Congestion at Gatwick is also benefiting the provinces, with operators being forced to expand elsewhere.

Avro commercial director John Fitz-Gerald explained: “If business continues to be as strong as it currently is we will run out of seats this summer.

“It’s difficult to get slots at Gatwick Airport, so if we add more flights, they may have to be from Birmingham or Manchester Airports.”

Unijet has expanded itsflying programme from Bristol and Cardiff, adding flights to Alicante, Malaga, Minorca, Faro, Fuerteventura, Palma and Tenerife. It has also raised the number of seats on flights from Birmingham and East Midlands.

Aviation director Claire Trevis said Unijet’s acquisition by First Choice had given it access to a larger flying programme.

East Midlands will also have more business from JMC this summer. The operator is basing a 180-seat Airbus A320 at the airport in order to operate flights to popular short-haul destinations.

JMC Airfares general manager Rob Thompson said: “Although we were able to offer seats on other airlines from East Midlands, having our own aircraft doubles our capacity.”

Manchester has new transatlantic flights from bmi british midland.

The airline is operating scheduled services to Chicago and Washington.

Monarch Airlines has also launched a daily Malaga service from Manchester.

Club Travel 2000 has added more charter flights from Manchester as well as Glasgow and Prestwick. The routes are Manchester to Paphos and Malta, Prestwick to Faro, Las Palmas and Reus, and Glasgow to Malta. It is also adding flights from Manchester to Arrecife.

Cosmos seat-only product manager Jonathan Winn said although Manchester was the operator’s best performing regional airport for seat-only sales, it was encouraged by its business from airports outside the southeast.

“East Midlands, Birmingham and Newcastle Airports are all performing well this year.We continue to receive good support from agents within these regions,” he said.

“We are strengthening our relationship with them and all other key regional departure airports, with the intention of increasing our flying programme across the regionals for 2001/02 where possible.”

Liverpool is spending £32.5 million expanding its passenger terminal, which it hopes will bring more airlines into theairport.

Business services manager Robin Tudor said: “All the main charter operators fly from here already but there is room for growth.

“There are six million people in our catchment area and we are hoping we will be able to offer them a greater choice from next summer.”

&#42 See page 48 for Croatia Airline’s charter expansion to Dubrovnik