TUI to start flying from June as lockdown measures are eased

(Photo: Getty)

Travel giant TUI is planning to resume flights to main holiday destinations in Europe by the end of June.

“We are planning to start flying again from end June, in time for summer vacation,” chief executive Fritz Joussen told Rheinische Post in Germany.

He said the Spanish island of Mallorca, a favourite hot spot for German travellers, would be likely to be the first destination.

“We want to resume flight traffic to Mallorca from mid-to-end June. Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria are also well-prepared,” Joussen told the paper.

Earlier this month, TUI, the world’s largest tourism group, said it would cut 8,000 jobs and look to shed 30% of its costs as it gears up for a July restart to European tourism.

The decision comes as airlines look to ramp up flights from next month.

Last week Easyjet said it will start flying again from June 15 in the UK and France as lockdown measures are eased.

The company will restart a small number of flights on routes where there is sufficient customer demand to support profitable flying.

When flights resume customers and cabin crew will be required to wear face masks and no food will be made available.

Meanwhile Ryanair plans to restore 40% of its flights from July 1, while British Airways is due to make a “meaningful return” to service in the same month.

The global aviation industry has taken a battering from the impact of coronavirus, with most airlines only going ahead with a handful of flights.

Britons have been warned against all but essential travel, in line with many other countries, while the prospect of a compulsory two-week quarantine for people returning to the UK could put even more people off flying.

(Mark Shapland - Yahoo Finance UK)