AR7 Sep12 5/9/08 11:36 Page 78
knowledge seat-only
ttglive.com
winter programmes
well, says Jason Edwards, product develop-
Lucky Sharm
ment director at Global Travel Group.
Book early advice
Shifting capacity from competitive Spanish
routes, such as Malaga and Palma, to non-
While some winter routes struggle, others such as Egypt
euro routes, such as Egypt, over the last
18 months has resulted in a healthy lates
are going from strength to strength. Philippa Jacks
market for Freedom Flights.
asks seat-only operators what we can expect this season
Avro, however, predicts demand for late
deals might drop and lead to over-capacity.
“People who book late are price-led, and due
T
he scrapping of XL Airways’ winter Bucking the trend to the economic climate might not be able
Caribbean programme (TTG August Despite the pessimism of aviation headlines, to afford a winter holiday,” warns Vinales.
29) was a major blow to one of there are some strong performers for the Teleticket’s Chapman agrees the best
the UK’s most important winter coming season. advice for agents this winter is to encourage
destinations – but some destinations such Avro says Egypt has been performing so clients to book early. “There are fewer aircraft
as Egypt look set to thrive. well that it has doubled capacity on its this winter, and there will be fewer aircraft
XL is far from being the only airline to Gatwick-Sharm El Sheikh route in response for the following summer. Agents know this
slash its winter flying schedule this year, as to demand. and can help prepare their regular clients by
Teleticket managing director Neil Chapman “We may have reduced capacity slightly educating them into booking early. Price is
estimates that three million seats have been on some routes but increasing on better still an issue but this winter, availability will
removed from the seat-only market for the selling routes means we really are on a par become as important.”
coming season. with last winter,” Avro’s managing director
He says the Mediterranean has been Michael Vinales points out.
hit particularly hard, but that he can’t Larnaca in Cyprus, and the Canaries, are
WINTER SEAT-ONLY:
blame suppliers for their actions: “I feel other destinations performing well.
the decisions tour operators and airlines Meanwhile, Freedom Flights has added a
SALES AT A GLANCE
are taking is correct, considering the extra Cardiff-Sharm route for this winter.
costs we are all incurring with fuel, plus Teleticket also reports the Canaries are
UP DOWN
the limited spend available to many of our selling well for the peak holiday periods (half-
Canaries Mainland Spain
clients as they review their winter costs at term and Christmas), although spontaneous Egypt Mediterranean
home.” breaks to the Canaries have dropped off.
Cyprus Euro-zone countries
Avro has also tweaked capacity on certain For Triton Airfares, the Canaries,
Non-euro zone countries
routes to try to limit over-capacity. Caribbean and mainland Spain are doing
:
iStock
Pic
Sharm el Sheikh, in Egypt, is to gain more flights from the UK this winter following Avro’s decision to double capacity on the route from Gatwick
78 12.09.2008
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