| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 01/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 5 |
| Copyright: Other |
JMC expands regional airport network to meet 2001 target
Company responds to clients’ call for local departures. Tanya Jefferies reports
CUSTOMER demand has encouraged JMC to strengthen its network of regional airports for 2001.The company is introducing new regional flight options from Exeter and Humberside airports, bringing the total number it uses to 18.
It also plans to position one of its own aircraft, an Airbus A320, at East Midlands airport for the first time.
As a result, the operator’s capacity from this airport will increase from 32,000 this year to 70,000 next year.
Sales and UK operations director Denis Wormwell said: “We have had consistent feedback from customers saying that using a regional airport is high on their list of priorities.We looked at where we had strong distribution and introduced flights from those localities.”
He added that there were enough Thomas Cook agencies, independents and miniples in the East Midlands region to support the growth in capacity from that airport. New routes will include East Midlands to Crete, Gran Canaria, Kos, Malta, Skiathos and Zante.
Overall, JMC has increased capacity by 5% to 2.5m holidays in its 2001 programme. This follows a 7% reduction this year, when the company was consolidating its holiday brands. Meanwhile, prices have been increased by 2%-3%, or roughly in line with inflation.
“Fuel costs have gone up considerably but the pound is very strong,” said Wormwell, who explained that these two factors had the effect of cancelling each other out.
JMC has published its 2001 brochures a week earlier than last year. “For the last couple of years we have launched around the time the current season starts, because people returning from this year’s holiday want to book their next one,” said Wormwell. “It’s a trend that’s here to stay.”
Wormwell: backing the new East Midlands service to Gran Canaria