TUI Airways UK (BY/TOM) (formerly Thomson Airways) has begun operating the Boeing 737 Max 8 from UK airports, but the start didn’t go quite to plan.
So far, TUI’s latest aircraft first flew from Manchester Airport (MAN/EGCC) on the 3rd December 2018 but just days later, G-TUMA was in a hangar having a repair after being hit by a baggage truck in Keflavik, Iceland.
The aircraft flew to Keflavik on the 5th December where the incident occurred. TUI then attempted to fly from Keflavik to Cardiff Aviation Limited at St Athan (DGX/EGDX) to have the repair carried out but as the aircraft was unable to land at St Athan, it diverted to Manchester where the work was carried out by another company.
The 737 Max 8 is the latest generation of Boeing’s best selling aircraft. It offers increased comfort for the passenger as well as improved fuel efficiency for operators.
TUI Airways UK is the first UK airline to operate the type and John Murphy, Managing Director TUI Airways said, “Today we continue on our journey to be Europe’s most carbon-efficient airline as we welcome the first of these Boeing MAX aircraft into the TUI Airways fleet, joining our TUI Group colleagues who took delivery earlier this year.
“We have a strong history with Manchester, we launched the very first Dreamliner here back in 2013 so it made sense for us to make the North West a major hub for the new MAX and are proud to offer a diverse range of holidays destinations from the region.
“As a holiday airline, we believe the experience begins the moment you step on board, and by having one of the youngest, most modern fleets we hope to offer the very best service for our customers.”
Manchester Airport is TUI’s second biggest hub after London Gatwick (LGW/EGKK). The second 737 Max 8, G-TUMB has just been delivered to the airline.
