Travel company TUI had planned to take many Norwegians to Thailand this winter, but the company is now sharply reducing departures. The reason is low demand.
– We would have liked to take many Norwegians to Thailand this winter, but now we see that the demand is not what we had hoped. We had initially set up 10 departures from Oslo to Phuket and Krabi, but now we have reduced that to three departures. One for Krabi and two for Phuket, says Nora Espengren, director of communications for TUI to TV 2.
Doubts about Corona
Aspengren believes that the reason for the drop in demand could be due to several things.
– Many may still be unsure about flying long distances, whether in light of the war in Ukraine or due to the restrictions of Corona. As a result of the war, the flight from Oslo to Thailand has become about two hours longer because we cannot fly over Russia.
The wing does not reduce
At the same time that TUI is reducing the number of departures for Thailand, its main competitor Ving says they do not have the same plans.
We have 14 departures from Oslo to Phuket from December 19 to March 20, and we have no plans to cut that back, says Mary Ann Zachrisson, Venge’s country director for TV 2.
“We launched a new show with reclining seats on airplanes and this show has become very popular,” says Zachrisson.
Increases capacity during autumn holidays
At the same time that TUI is working to reduce the number of departures to Thailand this winter, they are now reporting increased access to holiday destinations in Europe during the fall holidays.
Going south: Batalavaca is a beach and settlement area approximately midway between Arguineguín and Anfi del Mar in the municipality of Mogán in southwest Gran Canaria. Photo: Arill Riise/TV 2
Autumn holidays sell very well, and Gran Canaria is especially popular with families with children. We are now increasing capacity with five new departures to Crete, Rhodes and Gran Canaria, among others, says the Director of Communications.
It is increasing in several places in the country
TUI is increasing capacity during the fall holidays from the following airports; Oslo, Trondheim, Stavanger, Kristiansand and Hogesund. Fall vacation takes place in weeks 40 and 41, depending on where in the country you live.
“It’s heartening to see that so many people want to spend their fall vacations in the South and get some sun and warmth on their bodies before fall and winter fully arrive,” concludes TUI’s Nora Espengren.
Feng mentions that they sold 90 percent of all seats for their flights south during the fall break, but they don’t want to expand the offer.
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