MyTravel Airways
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| MyTravel Airways UK | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:MyTravel.jpg | ||
| IATA VZ | ICAO MYT | Callsign KESTREL |
| Founded | 1990 (Airtours International) | |
| Hubs | Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, East Midlands | |
| Fleet size | 20 | |
| Destinations | 45-85 (dependent on season) | |
| Parent company | Thomas Cook Group PLC | |
| Headquarters | Manchester, United Kingdom | |
| Key people | Frank Pullman (Managing Director), Steve Soloman (Director of Flight Operations), Martin Mahoney (Chief Pilot) | |
| Website: http://www.mytravel.co.uk/flights | ||
MyTravel Airways is a United Kingdom scheduled and charter airline with headquarters in Rochdale, England. It operates worldwide holiday charter services mainly for its parent company Thomas Cook Group. Its operational bases are Belfast International Airport, Birmingham International Airport, Manchester Airport and London Gatwick Airport, with hubs at East Midlands Airport, Glasgow International Airport, Bristol International Airport, Cardiff International Airport and Newcastle Airport.[1]. MyTravel Airways Limited holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats[2]. As of the 5th November 2007, MyTravel Airways will be integrated into Thomas Cook Airlines with the merger to be fully completed by March 2008.
MyTravel Airways serves the United Kingdom market. The Scandinavian market is served by sister airline MyTravel Airways A/S based in Denmark.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Airtours tour operating company was founded by David Crossland and established its own in-house airline, Airtours International Airways, on October 1 1990.[1] It started operations on March 11 1991 flying McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft to destinations throughout Europe.
Cardiff based Aspro Holidays and their inhouse airline, Inter European Airways were acquired and integrated in November 1993 adding new types such as the Boeing 757 and Airbus A320 to the fleet. The MD83's were replaced in 1995-1996 with more Airbus A320's. Also In 1996 the parent company also acquired Danish charter airline Premiair. Airtours also had operations in Germany with airline FlyFTi,[1] operating Airbus A320s until this was merged back into the UK fleet during 2003.
In the 1990s Airtours added long haul capabilities, with the addition of the Boeing 767 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10, flying holiday makers to destinations including the Caribbean and the USA. More Airbus aircraft joined the fleet during the 1990s with Airbus A320s, Airbus A321s and Airbus A330s accompanying the fleet of Boeing 757s, Boeing 767s and DC-10s. In 1995, the airline began offering pre-bookable seats, meal choices and duty free on its flights - a practise that was subsequently adopted by many other UK charter airlines. The Airbus A330-200 aircraft delivered to Airtours in 1999 feature improved passenger amenities over the old long haul aircraft and offer Premium Economy cabins in the form on Premiair Gold, something the Boeing 767 and DC-10 did not offer.[citation needed]
On 27 January 2002, Airtours International became the first airline to use the new Swanwick Air Traffic Centre, as flight AIH550 from Las Palmas to Birmingham was handed over to the new facility. [3]
Following the renaming of the Airtours Group to MyTravel Group in February 2002, the Airtours International and Premiair operations were rebranded as MyTravel Airways with effect from May 1 2002. In October 2002 MyTravel Airways launched its scheduled low-fare airline, MyTravelLite, but this has since been reintegrated.[1]
In common with airlines worldwide, Airtours/MyTravel saw a reduction in customers due to the effects of September 11, 2001. Official statistics from the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (see reference below) indicate that the number of passengers carried by MyTravel Airways UK increased from 7.21 million in 2001 to 7.52 million in 2002. However, the figure dropped to 4.38 million in 2005, due to the number of aircraft being reduced from 45 in early 2001 to 29 in 2005, as part of the restructuring of the wider MyTravel Group. The summer 2007 fleet will consist of 33 aircraft with the arrival of one Airbus A320 from Thomas Cook Airlines and one Airbus A321 from First Choice Airways. MyTravel Airways has connections with Canadian operator, Skyservice. The airlines lease aircraft to each other to meet demand during each country's summer seasons.[citation needed]In late 2004 the last of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10s were withdrawn from service. My Travel was the last British airline to operate DC-10s. In December 2005, MyTravel Aircraft Engineering (MTAE) became a wholly owned subsidiary of MyTravel Group, based at Manchester Airport. The facility performs all light maintenance checks (up to 'C' Check) for MyTravel Airways and MyTravel Airways A/S, as well as work for third party airlines such as Skyservice. MyTravel Aircraft Engineering Caribbean, part of MTAE has bases throughout the Caribbean in Cancún, Cozumel, Montego Bay, Newark, New Jersey and Sanford, Florida, as well as seasonal bases at various Spanish, Greek and Turkish airports as well as Jeddah for the Hajj. It handles more than 3500 aircraft for over 40 airlines a year.[citation needed]
On 12 February 2007 parent company, MyTravel Group, agreed to merge with Germany's Thomas Cook, a deal expected to be completed by June 2007.[1] The company will be quoted on the London Stock Exchange as 'Thomas Cook Group PLC'. By Summer 2008, MyTravel Airways will have merged with Thomas Cook Airlines and will be branded and known as Thomas Cook Airlines with a mix of Boeing and Airbus aircraft.
[edit] MyTravelLite
[citation needed]In October 2002, MyTravel Airways launched its scheduled low-fare airline offering called MyTravelLite which used MyTravel Airways aircraft, personnel and engineering. It flew from Birmingham to Alicante, Almería, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Faro, Geneva, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Knock, Lanzarote, Mahon, Málaga, Murcia, Palma, Paris, Pisa, Rimini and Tenerife.
In November 2003 MyTravelLite subsequently launched scheduled low-fare flights operating from Manchester to Murcia and Tenerife but these operations only lasted four months.
MyTravelLite stopped flying on the 31 October 2005 and operations are were covered by the range of MyTravel Airways services. However, this meant that customers could no longer book one way flights and they are tied to 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 21 or 28 night stays.
MyTravelLite was relaunched in November 2006, and will be able to fully utilise the MyTravel Group fleet of aircraft and offer one way and return flights to all major European charter destinations.
[edit] Destinations
Most flights for MyTravel Group Tour Operators are operated by MyTravel Airways as their in-house airline, however, some niche routes to Greece for example, are outsourced to third parties. All routes to Canada are operated by MyTravel Airways on behalf of specialist Canadian Affair. [4]:
[edit] Recline
Launched in May 2004, Recline is the quarterly magazine for passengers, replacing its predecessor; 'VIP'. Each issue includes interviews with celebrities, destination guides, fleet information, route maps, health tips, holiday information, and "Shop Floor" - the duty free guide.
[edit] Fleet
The MyTravel Airways fleet includes the following aircraft (at January 2008)[5]:
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (Premiair Gold/Economy) | Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 5 | 180 | Short/medium haul routes | |
| Airbus A321-200 | 4 | 220 | Short/medium haul routes | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 3 | 360 (49/311) | Long/medium haul routes | |
| Airbus A330-300 | (0) | 405 | Medium/long haul routes | (All on lease to Garuda Indonesia for Hajj flights) |
| Boeing 757 | 6 | Medium/long haul routes | ||
| Boeing 767-300ER | 2 | 297 (30/267) | Long/medium haul routes |
- Note that all aircraft are now registered to Thomas Cook Airlines Trading as MyTravel Airways and may appear in either livery during the migration of the fleet to Thomas Cook Airlines.
[edit] Gallery
Mytravel.arp.750pix.jpg
Airbus A320-200 Landing |
G-FHAJ1.jpg
Airbus A320-200 pushing back At Manchester Airport, England |
P7190184.JPG
Airbus A321-200 and A320-200 on the ground in Fuerteventura |
[edit] Awards
- FlightOnTime.info Most Punctual UK Charter Airline - Summer 2006
- FlightOnTime.info Most Improved UK Charter Airline for Punctuality - Summer 2006
- CAA Air Transport Users Council - Most Punctual UK Charter Airline - Winter 2005/2006
- CAA Air Transport Users Council - Highest On Time Performance of any Analysed UK Charter Airline
- FlightOnTime.info Most Improved UK Charter Airline for Punctuality - Summer 2005
- Danish Travel Awards - Best Charter Airline - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006
[edit] External links
- MyTravel.com MyTravel Airways
- MyTravelLite.com MyTravelLite
- MyTravel Recline E-Magazine
- MyTravel Airways Fleet Age
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e "Directory: World Airlines", Flight International, 2007-04-10, pp. 53-54.
- ^ CAA Operating Licence
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1784121.stm
- ^ http://www.mytravel.com/flights
- ^ Civil Aviation Authority Aircraft Register
- Civil Aviation Authority UK Airline Statistics for 2001 and 2005; total passengers carried by UK airlines. Table 0.1.6
- Air-Britain Airline Fleets 2001 London, 2001. ISBN 0 85130 296 3.
- Air-Britain Airline Fleets 2005 London, 2005. ISBN 0 85130 357 9.
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