Package holidays return to Southend (From Echo)
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Package holidays return to Southend
1:00pm Saturday 4th August 2012 in Local News
By Stephen Hackwell
Flights – the route TUI Travel planes would take
ONE of the biggest package holiday companies in the world will start flights from Southend Airport next year, the Echo can reveal.
TUI Travel, which includes the famous Thomson and First Choice brands, has struck an agreement with airport bosses to offer all-inclusive deals.
The first destination, served twice a week throughout next summer, will be the sun-drenched Majorcan capital, Palma.
TUI chiefs are keen to move away from congestion-clogged major airports and say many more flights could be available from Southend if it proves a popular choice for customers.
A spokeswoman for the company said: “There is always the potential for more destinations. “At the moment we are focusing on our schedule for next year and we’re delighted to be able to enter into this partnership with Southend Airport.
“We want to allow our customers to fly from their local airport.”
Southend Airport has undergone a £100million transformation, since Stobart Group snapped it up for £21million in December 2008.
Aer Arann, now operating under the Aer Lingus Regional banner, began flights to Waterford, in Ireland, in March 2011 and has since added thrice-daily services to Dublin.
In April 2012, easyJet started flights to nine overseas destinations and will add a further two – Geneva and Venice – within the next six months.
But the airport has yet to crack the lucrative package holiday market.
Because companies, such as TUI, either use their own airlines or charter other aircraft for flights, they can be more flexible in the number of destinations they offer and when those routes are available.
The Palma flights are scheduled to leave Southend at 7.30am on Tuesdays and Saturdays, returning at 1.30pm on the same days.
Crucially, the airline believed to be lined up to run the route, Germania, operates aircraft with more powerful engines than easyJet.
That means despite Southen-d’s limited runway, flights to the Mediterranean coastline and Canary Islands could be possible.
As well as Palma, Thomson and First Choice also offer holidays to more than 80 other destinations, including Portu-gal, Italy, Greece and Turkey.
Alastair Welch , Southend Airport’s managing director, said: “We can confirm we are working closely with Thomson and First Choice as part of their strategy to allow customers to fly to holiday destinations from their local airport.”
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (57)
3:08pm Fri 3 Aug 12
paintlad says...
6:13pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Rickeh says...
6:27pm Fri 3 Aug 12
AspergerKidJoe says...
7:14pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Felix Billy says...
7:23pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Mannersway says...
8:18pm Fri 3 Aug 12
j-w says...
1:16pm Sat 4 Aug 12
Soouthchurch59 says...
"Happy days are here again"
2:13pm Sat 4 Aug 12
emcee says...
Aborting a take-off at the point of rotation...now that's scary. I know, I've been there....Qantas 747, Hong Kong.
4:40pm Sat 4 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
So if ever you see me on your flight PANIC!
But one question remains why run to the press......
6:09pm Sat 4 Aug 12
jolllyboy says...
Read carefully - it says All-inclusive holidays ie First Choice.
So all those bing drinkers, golf enthusiasts and second home owners together with those who pay for all inclusive will be very happy.
Until the planes go somehwere decent..............
.........
look what happened to the last lot of package hols from Southend.
10:16pm Sat 4 Aug 12
tricklesthegreek says...
10:23pm Sat 4 Aug 12
lucy10 says...
i dont fly no more but would love to again good luck to you
11:29pm Sat 4 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
Where has anyone said it was an aborted flight, that would have been an aborted TAKE OFF not a LANDING the two are very very different.
Let me enlighten you between the two.
Take off is what the little airplane preforms when it wants to get in to the air.
Landing is what it is doing when it wants to get back down.
This was a go around or if you prefer an aborted landing, so the little airplane wanted to land but Mr Pilot decided he was not happy with say a cross wind (nasty Mr wind getting angry he needs telling off!) so Mr Pilot made the little airplane abort his landing to go around and try again, the second time Mr Cross Wind had gone so the little airplane could land.
It is not something that needs to be reported as its normal operating procedures to perform a go around if the pilot is not happy with something, if it was a technical problem with the little airplane it would have been reported.
The press and a nimby blowing things totally out of proportion YET AGAIN!
So when are you leaving town please say soon… You really made my day when you announced you were going now sadly it looks like no time soon so I am sad about that.
11:38pm Sat 4 Aug 12
Diannah says...
1:06am Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
1:19am Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
6:19am Sun 5 Aug 12
southendmike says...
What in heaven's name were you on about?
8:50am Sun 5 Aug 12
Norfolk says...
You obviously don't know that mrttev63 suffers from a disability.
9:36am Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
9:53am Sun 5 Aug 12
jayman says...
se
however..
a year away means I will believe it when I see it
10:14am Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
Jayman just because a jet engine has more power will not make it noisier, look at the Rolls Royce Spey (BAC1-11) compared to that of the CFM56 (A319)
The Rolls Royce Spey produced 12,550 lbf whilst the CFM International CFM56-5 produces 22,000–27,000 lbf.
Now compare the noise each produces, the Spey would rattle your fillings out than smack you round the back of the head just for fun, the CFM56 is much much quieter.
So to state a bigger more powerful engine would be louder proves you are putting your foot in it yet again with no research and a pointless “fact” that is for from true.
So hang your head in shame at yet another embarrassing failure.
10:53am Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
11:05am Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
41,600 in May, 66,700 in June the July figures not out yet.
The nimbys proven wrong yet AGAIN!
11:14am Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
11:51am Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
11:59am Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
12:09pm Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
12:10pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
Just think if it was build fullsize to start off with, walking in to the terminal and finding your check in desk is right at the far end and you need to walk past rows of closed desks would you be happy with that? So start off small and with quick easy swift service.
The vast majority of people who have used Southend say once they have landed and got off the aircraft they are in their car within 5 mins! What other airport can do that none that I have ever used.
12:14pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
12:32pm Sun 5 Aug 12
BigT2005 says...
12:41pm Sun 5 Aug 12
mrttev63 says...
2:50pm Sun 5 Aug 12
jayman says...
i wouldn't know what the inside of a jet engine looks like (i assume its quite complicated) and i don't care whether the jet is a ' rolls Royce spin-o-matic 9000F with extra sprockets)
the small 'modern' little aircraft that that takes off will be quieter (yet louder then a very small aircraft) then the modern large aircraft that is heavier and produces more thrust to take off from a very short runway.
stop dumping industry data as a defence max.
im still waiting for the independent noise monitoring results to be released by the airport. It should have been published months ago..
4:44pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
Anyone who remembers the BAC1-11 will know just how loud it was, compare that to an Airbus A319 and the difference between the two is clearly evident.
If you want the independent sound monitoring recordings why not contact the council/airport or better still set one up yourself that way you can track the information yourself.
Your saying “very small aircraft” I take it by this you refer to the flying club aircraft, most people have said that they find these make more noise for longer than the Easyjets, as they take longer to pass overhead and at a lower altitude than the Easyjets, so you are in a group of one there!
I’m not a spotter just a researcher for fact true fact.
Fact not nimby fiction wins out once more.
10:11pm Sun 5 Aug 12
j-w says...
11:00pm Sun 5 Aug 12
MarkTurner says...
11:23pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
Point 1: I am not an Arsenal fan so I am not an arse.
Point 2: I live on Mendip Crescent a bit closer than the people of Leigh don't you think.
So instead of poping up on here and calling me an arse why don't you look back at other postings and read them you learn a lot that way.
Do you own a car?
Have you ever flown?
Do you smoke?
Heat your house?
Use supermarkets?
Buy foreign made products?
Use leccy?
All of the above have some sort of fossel fuel used to provide so before you start preaching about the environmental effects of aviation pollution why not take a look at what YOU use that creates pollution.
But greenies are all the same do we as say not as we do, look at that bloke from HACAN who protested about heathrow but FLEW out of heathrow to the US... Do as I say not as I do... Very apt.
Its a case of I can fly over your house but you are not going to fly over mine.
11:24pm Sun 5 Aug 12
jayman says...
8:32am Mon 6 Aug 12
j-w says...
9:39am Mon 6 Aug 12
r6keith says...
1:46pm Mon 6 Aug 12
Leighdweller says...
2:24pm Mon 6 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
9:15am Tue 7 Aug 12
Norfolk says...
12:39pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Ian P says...
4:59pm Tue 7 Aug 12
maxell says...
5:08pm Tue 7 Aug 12
j-w says...
11:01pm Tue 7 Aug 12
steve@eastwood says...
Thanks for explaining the noise query, you cleared it up perfectly.
Just to put a little moan in though. I live in Eastwood some way off the flight path and most mornings we are woken up by these so called "quiet" planes taking off, I am not against the airport expansion at all, in fact I am all for it. But I will say that the noise from these planes at full throttle when taking off is a real pain.
Rant over.
I'll get my coat.
7:11am Wed 8 Aug 12
rodgdodge says...
Surely modern aircraft should manage that easily now!
7:59am Wed 8 Aug 12
smiffy1980 says...
So so much cheaper to book your flights on your own and then contact hotels directly...........G
et with the times people.
3:30pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Barry Bas says...
4:09pm Wed 8 Aug 12
tophatdt says...
6:38pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
Package deals are ATOL protected DIY Hols are not.
6:56pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
7:34pm Wed 8 Aug 12
j-w says...
There is absolutely no truth in the rumours circulating in Southend regarding the new museum planning application
The report referred to on the Save Our Cliffs website which purportedly recommends the scrapping of the plan does not exist
8:16pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Max Impact says...
I must be one of the few people on Planet Earth who has never sent a Tweet!
Wonder how/who started it.
3:49pm Thu 9 Aug 12
Leighdweller says...
That's my understanding anyway.
The other alternative is to book with a decent 'proper' hotel that only requires payment when you check out - or cancelation 24 hours prior to arrival - and at least you're limited to the exposure on your airfares.
2:03pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Felix Billy says...
8:12am Sat 11 Aug 12
Norfolk says...