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Marella Cruises

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Marella Cruises fleet

Marella voyager, marella discovery, marella explorer, marella discovery 2, marella explorer 2, review of marella cruises.

Marella Cruises (renamed in 2018 from "Thomson Cruises", tui.co.uk/cruise) is a "TUI Group"-owned and "TUI UK and Ireland"-operated British cruise line, that offers low-price voyages in Europe, Caribbean, and Asia. The company's older vessels are chartered from Holland America Line and Celestyal Cruises . Marella's new fleet consists of TUI-owned ships formerly owned and operated by Royal Caribbean and TUI Cruises .

In late-April 2020 was officially announced that the liner Marella Celebration will be retired (either sold or scrapped ) after 15 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK. The ship was scheduled to be homeported in Dubrovnik Croatia (June through October 2020, and May through October 2021), in Limassol Cyprus (Nov-Dec 2020, and March-April 2021) and in Dubai UAE (Dec 2020 through March 2021). All these voyages (which are still listed at CruiseMapper) were canceled.

In mid-October 2021, TUI announced that Mein Schiff Herz will be transferred in 2023 to Marella's fleet. Following a drydock refurbishment, the boat will be renamed Marella Voyager , starting operations for Marella on June 3, 2023.

Company history and changes

Initially, Thomson Cruises (UK company) started operations in 1973, but due to rising fuel costs, its passenger shipping operations were terminated in 1976. Thomson restarted cruise shipping in 1995. Marella Cruises is a very popular brand on the British travel market. It was established in 1965 as a division of the UK's largest tour operator and travel agency Thomson Holidays (now TUI UK). Thomson Holidays was a subsidiary of Thomson Corporation (1989-2008 defunct). Marella's parent company (TUI Group) owns hotels, the companies TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises , and the travel brands International Expeditions and Zegrahm Expeditions. The company also owns aircraft and the airlines Corsair International (France), TUI Airways (UK), TUI fly Nordic (Sweden), TUI fly Belgium, TUI fly Deutschland, TUI fly Netherlands.

Two Greek ocean liners were chartered by Thomson in 1973, but the company failed to capture the audience, like other cruise lines of the 1970s. Operations were restarted in 1995 after Thomson chartered the liner Sapphire (originally named MS Italia, built 1965, scrapped 2010) from Louis Cruise Lines (now Celestyal Cruises ). Soon the company chartered other ocean liners, among which Island Breeze (RMS Transvaal Castle, 1961-2003), Topaz (RMS Empress of Britain, 1955-2008), The Emerald (SS Santa Rosa, 1958-2012).

Thomson Cruises aimed an effect on the British market just like Carnival did in the USA. Package holidays had already been very popular in the UK, and the company wanted the same for cruising. Despite the aging ships, Thomson Cruises attracted an ever-increasing number of first-time UK cruisers with affordable fares and presence of the company's travel agencies across Britain. In the 1990s, Thomson started operations as a budget cruise line and improved its product becoming more successful in the UK by improving amenities, ships and services, and introducing a wider range of itineraries.

Royal Caribbean sold its stake in Island Cruises to TUI Travel (Thomson's parent company) in 2008. In 2009 Island Star left the fleet and joined the Spanish brand of Royal Caribbean - Pullmantur. Island Escape joined Thomson fleet in 2009 and continued to offer informal cruises to the UK source market. Thomson Dream (Marella Dream) joined the fleet in spring 2010 being long-term chartered from Costa Cruises .

In March 2015, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) announced they had agreed to sell Splendour of the Seas to TUI in the second quarter of 2016. TUI would lease the vessel to Thomson Cruises in order to replace Island Escape. In May 2015, TUI Group announced plans for Mein Schiff 1/now Marella Explorer and Mein Schiff 2/Herz/now Marella Voyager to be transferred to Thomson UK over the next few years. Shiff 1 (renamed Marella Explorer ) entered Marella's fleet in 2017. In October 2015, Thomson's Island Cruises brand was discontinued after its only ship MS Island Escape (now Ocean Gala ) completed its last voyage with Thomson.

For FY2017, company's turnover was GBP 502 million, with EBITA (earnings-before-interest-taxes-depreciation-amortization) GBP 86,5 million and total number of served passengers 308,000 (101,7% occupancy). For FY2018 (fiscal year), TUI Group's earnings (from the 3 cruise brands - TUI, Marella, and Hapag-Lloyd) increased by 10,7% - to EUR 901,9 million. The company's turnover was EUR 324 million (26,8% increase over 2017). Group's average daily rates increased to EUR 178 euro (TUI, up from EUR 173), EUR 141 (Marella, up from EUR 131) and EUR 615 (Hapag-Lloyd, up from EUR 594).

In March 2018, TUI Group announced that to Marella's fleet will be added Marella Explorer 2 (formerly SkySea Golden Era, initially Celebrity Century), with scheduled delivery in December 2018. The liner was previously operated by SkySea Cruise Line - Asian joint venture company (owned by the RCCL-Royal Caribbean and Ctrip International). SkySea was the first contemporary brand developed for the Chinese market. Operational between May 2015 - September 2018, the new cruise line handled nearly 300 voyages and around 0,5 million passengers.

Marella "cruise and stay" holiday package deals include hotel or apartment at the beginning or at the end of the voyage.

Onboard cuisine offers everything you can think about - from healthy options to exotic local specialties and culinary choices on offer. Daytime entertainment with Marella cruises is great for all members of the family. There are also different activities for children onboard and special children's menu for junior diners. You can relax each evening in the wide range of bars and lounges or enjoy first-class entertainment with singers and comedians.

Marella fly-cruise deals from the UK to the Caribbean are served by regional TUI Airways flights from UK airports ( Cardiff , Doncaster Sheffield, East Midlands, Greenock-Glasgow , Newcastle , Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester, London -Gatwick). Flights are to the company's Caribbean homeports Bridgetown Barbados and Montego Bay Jamaica . In 2019 were introduced "cruise-only flights" to Malaysia from Manchester Airport. The TUI Airways service (via Boeing 787 aircraft) connects to Langkawi Island - homeport for Marella's Far East Asia voyages. Such direct flights (TUI Airways) are also offered from London-Gatwick and Birmingham.

On select cruises, Marella offers free all-inclusive upgrades on the fleet's older liners. The new vessels ( Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2 ) offered these all-inclusive packages as standard fare inclusion. Since summer 2019, TUI's Marella brand operates with all-inclusive cruise deals fleetwide.

Since November 2022, Marella UK (via partnership with OneSpaWorld Holdings/health and wellness company) provides ocean-inspired wellness products and services on all its ships. The range of OneSpaWorld's services includes Ocean Body Treatments (massages and polishes), Ocean Facial, Ocean Salon Services. On Marella ships, OneSpaWorld uses premium beauty brands like Elemis, L'Oreal, Kerastase. The brands owned by OneSpaWorld include Mandara Spa, Bliss Spa, Chavana Spa, Glow Spa.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Marella UK suspended its entire fleet's passenger shipping operations (all liners) by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 14, 2020, through late-June 2021.

Next are listed all Marella ships and their first departure dates/regions/homeports in 2021-2022 - DISCOVERY (Sept 3/Mediterranean-Greece from Corfu/"Aegean Discovery"), DISCOVERY 2 ( April 5, 2022 /Mediterranean from Palma de Mallorca), EXPLORER (June 25/ UK from Southampton ), EXPLORER 2 (July 10/ UK from Newcastle ).

• Marella's Caribbean 2021 program was canceled, which affected the ships DISCOVERY (from Montego Bay Jamaica) and EXPLORER 2 (from Bridgetown Barbados).
• DISCOVERY 2's Mediterranean 2021 program (Adriatic and Greek Islands from Corfu) was canceled, and the ship restarted in April 2022.
• DISCOVERY's 2021 homeporting in Palma de Mallorca was replaced with Corfu Greece.
• Two Marella ships (Celebration, Dream) were sold and left the fleet. Marella Dream was originally planned to restart voyages on May 4, 2021. Marella Dream was originally planned to restart voyages on May 4, 2021.

All affected bookings received full refunds (100% monetary) or 110% in FCC (future cruise credit), including on prepurchased through Marella (TUI UK) packages and services. With rebooking, the fare paid is transferred to FCCs (110%). Holiday package bookings (cruise and land vacations) receive 120% refund (in FCC) or 100% cash refund. All refunds are received within 4 weeks prior to the original departure date.

Itinerary of Marella Cruises

With a large selection of destinations and itineraries, Marella Cruises may show you the whole world. With a variety of UK cruises with departures from Southampton , Newcastle and Harwich , fly-cruise holidays from a large number of airports (available departures from over twenty UK airports), Marella Cruises sail in the Red Sea and the Canary Islands during winter, the Mediterranean in summer. There are about a hundred different destinations to explore aboard Marella ships.

Marella's UK-Caribbean fly-cruise deals are via TUI Airways (sister-company, part of TUI Group). The packages include direct flights from the UK (London-Gatwick and Birmingham) to Melbourne Orlando Airport. Marella optionally offers "cruise and stay" packages with a choice of 18 different hotels in the Caribbean.

Marella cruise itinerary changes

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in mid-April 2021 Marella announced a new ex-UK 2021 summer program with itineraries leaving roundtrip from UK ports and mainly coastal cruising along Britain's coast.

Marella Explorer 1 was homeported in Southampton (starting June 25, 2021).

• The 3-night "Sail the South Coast" (mini-cruise itinerary from Southampton) visits Dover and Portland.
• The "Sail the Irish Sea" itinerary (starting August 2021) from Southampton visits Liverpool, Dublin, Cobh.
• Scottish itineraries out of Southampton visit Invergordon, Leith (Edinburgh), Newcastle.
• "A Taste of the West Coast" itinerary (one-way Southampton to Portland) visits Greenock, Belfast, Holyhead.

Marella Explorer 2 was homeported in Newcastle upon Tyne (starting July 10, 2021).

Marella Celebration (1984-built, former ms Noordam and Thomson Celebration) joined the fleet in 2005. During summer, the ship operated Adriatic Sea roundtrips out of Dubrovnik Croatia. During winter it offered Persian Gulf cruises from Dubai . For summer 2018, the ship was relocated to homeport Dubrovnik for an adults-only cruise program with full-day port stays in Bar, Korcula, Zadar, Venice, Trieste, Split. The ship also introduced 2 new 7-day itineraries, themed "Sail Three Seas" (Valletta Malta, Messina Sicily, Cephalonia Island, Igoumenitsa, Kotor) and "Greek Mystique" (Chania Crete, Piraeus-Athens, Kalamata, Corfu Island, Kotor).

• In late-April 2020, Marella announced that the Celebration ship will be retired after 15 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK.
• Marella Celebration was scheduled to be homeported in Dubrovnik Croatia (June through October 2020, and May through October 2021), in Limassol Cyprus (Nov-Dec 2020, and March-April 2021) and in Dubai UAE (Dec 2020 through March 2021). All these scheduled departures were cancelled. Among those were two repositioning cruises (via Suez Canal ) visiting Singapore . Both relocation voyages ("Wonders of the Far East" and "Flavours of the Far East") were planned as 14-day itineraries featuring a late-night stay in Singapore.
• Marella Celebration had also planned 3 new itineraries from homeports Limassol, Dubai and Dubrovnik. The 6-night "Ancient Adventure" (from Dubrovnik) visits Piraeus-Athens and Rhodes Island. The relocation voyages between Limassol and Dubai ("Continental Crossing" and "Arabia Awaits") visited Aqaba-Petra (Jordan) and Salalah (Oman).

Thomson Majesty (1992-built) joined the fleet in 2012 and operated roundtrips to Madeira and Canary Islands with departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria. In 2018, the ship was sold to Mano Cruises and now operates as Crown Iris .

Thomson Spirit (1983-built, former ms Nieuw Amsterdam , ms Patriot, ms Spirit), joined the fleet in 2003. The ship offered year-round European itineraries - Western Mediterranean (from Malaga and roundtrip Madeira) and Canary Islands (departures from Tenerife and Gran Canaria). Thomson Spirit's last cruise for Marella was scheduled for October 21, 2018.

Marella Dream (1986, fka MS Homeric, ms Westerdam , Costa Europa, Thomson Dream) joined the fleet in 2010 and left the fleet in 2020. During summer, the ship offered Eastern Mediterranean roundtrips from Corfu Greece. During winter it offered Caribbean roundtrips from Jamaica (Montego Bay), with Transatlantic repositioning crossings between the Caribbean and Europe.

• On October 1, 2020, was announced the r etirement ( end of the charter ) of the 34-year-old Marella Dream - after 10 years of service with Thomson-Marella UK (2010-2020). All Marella Dream cruises scheduled between May 4 and December 30, 2021 (37x itineraries) were cancelled. All Marella Dream Mediterranean 2021 voyages were transferred to Marella Discovery 1, which was rescheduled for homeporting in Palma de Mallorca Spain (instead of Port Canaveral USA ). As a result of the redeployment, Discovery 1's summer 2021 Caribbean voyages were all cancelled.

Marella Discovery 1 (1996, former "Splendour of the Seas" and "Thomson Discovery") joined the fleet in 2016. The ship offers year-round Western Mediterranean roundtrips from Palma de Mallorca .

Marella Discovery 2 (1995-built, fka "Legend of the Seas" / Royal Caribbean and "TUI Discovery 2"), joined the fleet in Spring 2017. The ship operates Mediterranean cruises (leaving from Malaga Spain) and Canary Islands cruises (out of Tenerife to ports in the Canaries, Morocco, and Madeira).

Marella Explorer (1996-built, fka Mein Schiff 1 , initially "Celebrity Galaxy") started operations in 2018, with 7-day Western Mediterranean cruises leaving roundtrip from homeport Palma De Mallorca Spain and visiting popular French Riviera ports in France .

Marella Explorer 2 (1995-built, fka "SkySea Golden Era", initially "Celebrity Century") started operations in April 2019 with 7-day Mediterranean itineraries leaving roundtrip from homeport Naples (Italy) .

Marella Voyager (1997-built, fka "Mein Schiff 1" and "Mein Schiff Herz", initially "Celebrity Mercury") joins Marella's fleet in June 2023. Following a drydock, the boat's Maiden Voyage leaves on June 3, 2023, from Palma de Mallorca (Majorca Island, Balearic Spain) .

• Out of Palma/homeport are visited large port cities in Italy, Spain and France. The 7-day itineraries are themed "Mediterranean Secrets", "Highlights Of The Mediterranean", "Highlights Of The Med", "Magic Of Spain", "Cosmopolitan Classics", "Mediterranean Secrets".
• Marella Voyager's winter 2023-2024 program is in the Caribbean, based on homeporting in Bridgetown Barbados and offers 3x 8-day itineraries - "A Taste of the Tropics from Barbados", "Paradise Islands", and "Tropical Delights". The ship's winter schedule will be open for booking from July 21, 2022.

Itineraries 2024-2025

Marella returns to Dominicana in winter 2024-2025, after a 7-year hiatus (since 2017 under the Thomson Cruises brand).

The adults-only ship Marella Explorer 2 is homeported in La Romana (starting on Christmas Eve/Dec 24, 2024) for a series of Caribbean roundtrips. The itineraries visit destinations in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, Dominica, Antigua, St Maarten, Tortola BVI, and Samana Dominicana (new port for Marella).

Additionally, a third itinerary visits the Netherlands' ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao).

Marella's winter 2024-2025 Mediterranean schedule features two shorter itineraries. Marella Explorer ship starts from Malaga (on December 9th, 2024) heading towards Tenerife Canaries via Gibraltar UK and Casablanca Morocco , with one day at sea. The Marella Voyager ship departs from Palma de Mallorca (on November 2) visiting Spain's ports Alicante , Almeria , and Malaga.

New winter itineraries include 6-night voyages leaving from Marmaris Turkey , Corfu Greece and Malaga.

Marella's summer 2025 itineraries incorporate 10x cruise-and-stay/cruisetour packages.

Marella Discovery 2 is homeported in Limassol Cyprus (commencing May 7, 2025) for the summer, marking the brand's return to Limassol since the winter of 2017 (under the Thomson brand). The liner will operate two different itineraries - "Aegean Gems" ( Kusadasi , Mykonos , Piraeus-Athens , Souda Crete , Rhodes ) and "Grecian Discovery" (Piraeus, Santorini , Crete, Rhodes).

Simultaneously, Marella Voyager (inaugurated in June 2023) is homeported in Palma during summer 2025, introducing 4 different itineraries: "Magic of Spain", "Treasures of the Mediterranean", "Mediterranean Secrets" and "Mediterranean Medley".

Marella's summer 2025 program also introduces 10x cruise-and-land packages providing access to 200+ hotels in destinations like Palma, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Cyprus. These packages allow selection between pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel stays.

Marella Cruises to Cuba

Marella Explorer 2's 7-night itinerary "Flavours of the Caribbean" visits Cuba with an overnight in Havana . The 7-day roundtrip from Jamaica ( Montego Bay ) also visits Mexico (Cozumel), and Grand Cayman Island (George Town).

Marella offered roundtrips to Cuba out of Jamaica ( Montego Bay ) with Marella Dream . Itineraries started in 2017. The maiden voyage was on January 31 (7-night to Grand Cayman, Havana, Cozumel). In 2020, two Marella ships (Celebration, Dream) were sold and left the fleet.

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‘excited’ tui ‘keen to return’ to doncaster sheffield airport.

Tui is “excited” to start engaging with Doncaster Sheffield airport’s stakeholders ahead of the site’s potential reopening, the region’s mayor has said.

In a Facebook post on Friday (12 April), Ros Jones revealed how Tui is “keen to return” to DSA and that the travel giant has kept in “regular contact” with the local authority since  autumn 2022 when the airport closed . 

Speaking to Jones, a Tui spokesperson said: “Tui has always supported Doncaster Sheffield Airport, proudly flying customers from the region and were disappointed when the airport closed. 

“Doncaster Sheffield Airport delivered a fantastic airport experience for our customers, and we are excited about actively engaging with stakeholders about a potential re-opening.”

Last month, the City of Doncaster Council agreed a 125-year lease with the airport’s owners , Peel Group, which had earlier refused to sell the facility. The deal came 16 months after the airport was closed when Wizz Air pulled out. 

The Doncaster Free Press has also reported South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority had granted access to £138 million in funds to reopen the airport . 

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TUI ‘keen to return’ to Doncaster Sheffield Airport

TUI has said it is ‘excited’ about plans for Doncaster Sheffield Airport and has been in contact with operators that are bidding to run it if and when it re-opens.

In an update, Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said TUI was ‘keen to return’ to the airport if plans to re-open it are successful.

City of Doncaster Council has signed a 125-year lease for the airport and is in the final stages of appointing an operator.

Mayor Jones said: “Following our lease announcement last month, we have heard from TUI that they are keen to return to our airport, we have kept in regular contact with them since the structural review of the former DSA site was announced.

“We have engaged TUI with the bidders for their return to our airport to be explored and we are hopeful that we will see TUI back in Doncaster.”

The Mayor shared a comment from a TUI spokesperson, who said: “TUI has always supported Doncaster Sheffield Airport, proudly flying customers from the region and were disappointed when the airport closed.

“Doncaster Sheffield Airport delivered a fantastic airport experience for our customers, and we are excited about actively engaging with stakeholders about a potential re-opening.”

Mayor Jones added: “For the next couple of months or so it will be a bit quiet, as the confidential process to appoint an operator reaches its conclusion.

“With the right operator our airport has incredible potential to truly thrive and be the economic stimulus that we all know it can and should be.

“Our vision is for a world leading centre for sustainable aviation and the operator will share this vision and work in partnership with us to make it a reality. Once the procurement process is concluded we will make the announcement.”

See also: TUI confirms date of last flights from Doncaster Sheffield

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TUI could be relaunching flights at this abandoned airport

The airline is coming to the rescue two years after the beloved site closed

Two years after it closed down , Doncaster Sheffield Airport is on the brink of an iconic comeback. Named the UK’s best airport for 2022 by Which? mere months before its closure, there’s been a long campaign to get the site back up and running. 

So far, there’s been some positive progress. In February, a whopping £138 million was pledged to reopen the hub and last month the council agreed on a 125-year lease  for the site.

Now, in another exciting step in the airport’s resurgence, TUI says that is keen to relaunch its flights from there. The airline was the last one standing before Doncaster-Sheffield’s shutdown, after its main operator, Wizz Air, pulled all of its services. 

Ros Jones, mayor of Doncaster, told local media : ‘Following our lease announcement last month, we have heard from TUI that they are keen to return to our airport.

‘We have engaged TUI with the bidders for their return to our airport to be explored and we are hopeful that we will see TUI’s brand back in Doncaster.’

Everything is still to be fully confirmed, but Jones added: ‘With the right operator our airport has incredible potential to truly thrive and be the economic stimulus that we all know it can and should be.

‘Our vision is for a world leading centre for sustainable aviation and the operator will share this vision and work in partnership with us to make it a reality. Once the procurement process is concluded we will make the announcement.’

In other aviation news...

We're getting loads more flights to choose from this summer. TUI is launching tonnes  of new holiday routes from UK airports next summer , there are  direct flights from the UK to this beautiful Caribbean island making comeback  and   a brand-new budget airline getting you to Europe for less . Plus y ou can now  fly to Jordan from London or Manchester , get  direct routes to the Amalfi Coast , or hop on  new budget flights to Munich . 

Did you see that   this seaside resort has been named the UK’s party capital ?

Plus:  The real-life Hogwarts Express has started running again . 

Stay in the loop:   sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter   for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.

• Amy Houghton Contributing writer

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Private operator sought to reopen Doncaster Sheffield airport

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A 125-year lease has been agreed in a “major step” towards to reviving flights from Doncaster Sheffield airport (DSA) following its closure 16 months ago for being financially unviable.

The deal with landowners Peel Group follows more than a year of “detailed and complex” negotiations, according to City of Doncaster Council.  

The next stage in the process of reopening is the appointment of an operator to manage the airport.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Authority last month said it would make £138 million available to the council to allow it to lease the site back from Peel.

Doncaster mayor Ros Jones said: “This is a significant day in our ambition to reopen the airport as the lease has been signed.

“I was determined to find a way to secure the future of aviation in Doncaster and this agreement helps us along the way to reopening our airport and seeing planes taking off once again.

“This is a major step in the reopening process. The next is appointing an operator and investor who will manage and develop the airport.  

“This process is well underway and I am optimistic that I can announce a partnership later in the spring,” she disclosed.

“Let’s look forward to the future with an airport that will help boost the economic and growth fortunes of our city, South Yorkshire and the north.

“I would also like to thank my fellow South Yorkshire Leaders for backing the efforts of me and this council to save and reopen our airport. This airport is for the whole of South Yorkshire.”

The lease signing forms part of a South Yorkshire Airport City programme which Doncaster Council put in place dedicated to working towards reopening the airport.  

The scheme covers all the technical, legal, procurement and financial work necessary to progress securing the site and preparing essential requirements ahead of a partnership with an operator.  

“The programme is not the name of the airport which would be determined at a future date,” the council added.

South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard said: “There remain steps ahead on this journey, the next one being bringing in a private operator with the capability and experience to turn DSA into the thriving regional airport we know it can be. I am keen to see the council now secure that private sector operator to run the airport as swiftly as possible.

Once they have that agreement in place, the Mayoral Combined Authority stands ready to assess the Full Business Case (FBC) in order to release the funding to support this deal, and to get DSA flying again.

“I know people want us to move quickly and we will, but I have said from the start, we will only ever do things in a way that protects taxpayers while giving both DSA and South Yorkshire the brightest possible future.”

However, the revival of the airport faces opposition from environmentalists.

  Leo Murray, co-director of climate charity Possible, said: “We can’t reopen airports in a climate crisis.

“The reality is that the only way to bring emissions from aviation in line with our climate targets is by taking fewer flights.  

“The good news is that just 15% of us take 70% of all flights, so we just need those of us who take most flights to fly a bit less.

“Given half of us don’t even fly in any given year, the people of Doncaster would be much better served by investment in local transport links rather than an airport which will blight us all with climate chaos.”

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Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Budget airline TUI 'keen to return' to re-opened airport and could be main carrier

Airline TUI has told Doncaster Council that the carrier is ‘keen’ to return to a re-opened Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

The council agreed a 125-year lease to operate the airport with landowners Peel last month, but will outsource the running of the site to an experienced aviation industry operator and are currently in negotiations with bidders.

Yet discussions have also taken place with TUI, which was the last major airline to remain at Doncaster Sheffield when it closed in autumn 2022.

Mayor Ros Jones said: “Following our lease announcement last month, we have heard from TUI that they are keen to return to our airport, and we have kept in regular contact with them since the structural review of the former DSA site was announced.

"We have engaged TUI with the bidders for their return to our airport to be explored and we are hopeful that we will see TUI’s brand back in Doncaster.

“Their spokesman has told us that TUI has always supported Doncaster Sheffield Airport and was disappointed when the airport closed. They are excited about actively engaging with stakeholders about a potential re-opening.”

The final bidders for the operating contract are currently finalising their business plans and have been given access to the site, the former RAF Finningley base.

Mayor Jones also thanked local campaigner Mark Chadwick, who runs a Facebook group raising awareness of efforts to re-open the airport and has lobbied various bodies for information.

She said: “I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Mark Chadwick for all his support in leading the #saveDSA campaign.

"Mark continues to be influential in maintaining public interest and optimism. He helped spread the message of hope far and wide and continues to keep people informed and thus his contribution cannot be understated.

“For the next couple of months or so it will be a bit quiet, as the confidential process to appoint an operator reaches its conclusion. Once there is anything further to announce then of course I will keep everyone updated.”

TUI operated the first flight to depart Doncaster in 2005 under its former brand Thomson, and the final arrival to touch down on the runway from Egypt.

The carrier’s management always opposed Peel’s decision to declare Doncaster commercially unviable, saying it was a popular base with customers.

TUI and Wizz Air were the only major airlines flying out of Doncaster at the time of closure, with TUI subsequently increasing its capacity at Leeds Bradford, East Midlands and Manchester, and Wizz transferring its routes to Leeds Bradford.

The National Police Air Service could also be persuaded to return – their fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters had a purpose-built terminal at Doncaster Sheffield from 2016, but after the closure moved temporarily to Leeds Bradford and now have a permanent base at East Midlands, from where they began flying at the end of 2023.

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Abandoned UK airport could relaunch TUI flights – two years after scrapping routes

• Kara Godfrey , Deputy Travel Editor
• Published : 11:46, 15 Apr 2024
• Updated : 16:16, 15 Apr 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

TUI could be the first to relaunch flights from a closed down UK airport - two years after it shut.

The tour operator - one of the biggest in the UK - operated the last flight from Doncaster Sheffield Airport back in 2022.

Despite its closure two years ago , a huge petition as well as support from the local council has provided fresh hope it could reopen with flights across Europe.

Last month, it was confirmed that the current landowners, Peel, agreed on an 125-year lease of the airport to Doncaster Council.

And Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones told local media that TUI confirmed they would operate from the airport if it reopens.

He said: "Following our lease announcement last month, we have heard from TUI that they are keen to return to our airport, we have kept in regular contact with them since the structural review of the former DSA site was announced.

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"We have engaged TUI with the bidders for their return to our airport to be explored and we are hopeful that we will see TUI’s brand back in Doncaster."

A spokesperson added: "TUI has always supported Doncaster Sheffield Airport , proudly flying customers from the region and were disappointed when the airport closed."

They said they were "excited about actively engaging with stakeholders about a potential re-opening".

While it is yet to be given the full go ahead, flights could resume to holiday hotspots across Spain and Cyprus.

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Once the 26th biggest airport in the UK - as well as one of the best - Doncaster Sheffield first opened in 2005.

However, the airport struggled following the pandemic .

Wizz Air, who was one of the airport's main operator, pulled all flights, leaving just TUI in operation.

A UK airport currently in operation is to undergo huge changes.

We have heard from TUI that they are keen to return to our airport Ros Jones, Doncaster Mayor

East Midlands Airport 's new £120million renovation project will introduce new scanning technology which will speed up airport security queues, as well as upgrades to toilets and seating.

Along with resurfacing the runways, the works are expected to continue for the next five years.

And last month, easyJet opened its new base at Birmingham Airpor t - the first new UK base in over a decade - with 16 new flight routes.

Other UK airports with reopening plans

It's not just Doncaster Sheffield hoping to reopen - here are some other UK airports with relaunch plans.

Plymouth Airport

Despite closing more than 13 years ago, the local council confirmed that it could one day reopen .

Once welcoming as many as 157,000 passengers a year, routes included Plymouth to London and Wales.

Manston Airport

Another airport hoping to reopen in the UK is Manston Airport in Kent.

After closing in 2014, it has since been used as a filming location, but hoped to relaunch passenger flights by 2028 - although has been met with fierce opposition since.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport closure: Tui confirms date of last flights

• Monday 26 September 2022 at 1:13pm

Travel operator Tui has confirmed the date of its final flights from Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).

Owner Peel Group announced on Monday, 26 September, that it was closing the airport as the business was no longer viable.

It said flights from the base would start "winding down" from 31 October.

Tui is the sole carrier left at DSA.

Managing director Andrew Flintham said the company was "incredibly disappointed" about the decision to close the airport.

He added: "Our flights continue to operate as planned until our last flight on 4 November 2022. We're working closely with our customers and colleagues on the required next steps. Customer communications will be sent to those impacted shortly and we will do everything we can to offer suitable, alternative roles to colleagues."

The company currently has scheduled flights to Egypt and Spain on 4 November.

Mr Flintham said customers would be contacted in departure date order weeks "to outline their alternatives and options".

They would be offered options including moving to another holiday or cancellation and full refund, he said.

"The airport has always been a popular and important regional airport for our valued customers and colleagues in the local area," he said.

"We know how important regional airports are to the UK economy and we’ve always supported any proposals to keep the airport open. We’ve worked with Peel Group, the airport’s owners, and government throughout the consultation process to try and prevent this outcome."  

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