Thomson expands regional flying for ’06

Thomson is expanding flights from Wales and Yorkshire next summer with new long haul routes and more European services.

The move will see annual capacity at Cardiff International Airport grow by more than 50%, amounting to 500,000 passengers a year.

Thomsonfly is to launch two long haul routes – to Cancun in Mexico, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic – and is adding a second weekly flight to Orlando Sanford in Florida.

New European destinations for summer 2006 include Monastir (Tunisia), Bourgas and Varna (Bulgaria), and Crete (Greece), while frequencies to Malaga, Alicante, Palma, and Tenerife will be increased. New Thomsonfly destinations from Cardiff are also planned for the winter.

The operator is also adding long haul routes to the Caribbean, Florida and Mexico from Robin Hood Airport Donacaster Sheffield from May 2006. Bulgaria and Croatia will also be available from the new airport which sees its first flights depart next week.

The Yorkshire airport will serve 33 destinations in 20 countries next year with the additional Thomson routes. 

The new long-haul routes from Cardiff will be flown by a two-class, 315-seat Boeing 767-300, which will be based in Cardiff three days a week. The airline is supplementing an existing 235-seat Boeing 757 with a 189-seat Boeing 737-800 based at the Welsh airport from next summer to cover the European routes.

Holidays for 2006 from both Cardiff and Doncaster go on sale on April 28 when Thomson launches its 2006 brochures.   

Cardiff airport managing director Jon Horne said: “We have worked hard to secure the long-haul routes against stiff competition from other UK regional airports, and we are delighted to have been chosen by Thomson. 

“The new destinations bring the total of long-haul routes from Cardiff to four: Cancun, Orlando Sanford, Puerto Plata, and Toronto.

“The South Wales and West travel trade have lobbied hard for long haul routes from a local airport for some time and Thomson has now delivered this.

“The decision to allocate additional aircraft and expanded services also demonstrates the airport’s competitive position in the market serving Wales and, increasingly, the West of England.

“The opening of the new rail link to ‘Rhoose Cardiff International Airport’ station in June this year will give the airport’s ambitious development programme a further boost.  Plans to bring intercity trains to the airport station in the near future will build on that potential.”

Thomson sales and marketing director Miles Morgan said: “With improving accesss, through new rail and road links, Cardiff Internatonal Airport has all the ingredients to capitalise on future potential. Adding an aircraft to the base and growing our presence is a stright forward first step towards realising that potential.”

Doncaster airport managing director David Ryall said long haul flights were “a first for Yorkshire”.

Report by Phil Davies