tui latest travel news

Why did Tui tell us we could rebook our cruise - then fail to help us? TONY HETHERINGTON investigates

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.  

G.W. writes: We booked a fly-and-cruise holiday with Tui. Shortly before departure, we found we needed a US Esta (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) permit as the cruise included the US Virgin Islands. 

We were denied this because we visited Cuba in 2022. We called Tui for help and were relieved to be told we could rebook for a later holiday, free of further charges. However this turned out to be a lie.

Tony Hetherington replies: You freely admitted to me that Tui’s Marella Cruises offshoot does warn that passengers will need an Esta or a full US visa. 

The Esta is easy to get for most tourists. However, your visit to Communist Cuba meant you needed a full visa, with its more rigorous checks.

You told me: ‘I think the fact that an Esta or visa is needed for a specific cruise destination should be in the cruise itinerary — not three pages down in the small print.’

And sure enough, it really is in small print, with only the same prominence as Tui’s age limit for drinking alcohol on board the ship.

What happened next should scare any Tui customer.

You called Tui and recorded the conversation. 

The agent, who gave his name as Omar, assured you: ‘We can go ahead and amend the holiday free of charge to any other new holiday that you like.’ 

Omar even explained: ‘If it’s less expensive, we’ll refund the difference.’

All you had to do was choose a replacement holiday and ask Tui to book it. Your problems were over, Omar insisted, telling you: ‘Don’t stress any more, it’s totally fine.’

But this was a lie. When you next called Tui, you were told that Omar would call you back and sort things out. Again, a lie.

You rang Tui once more and were told a manager would contact you urgently. Another lie.

 And by then it was too late to stand any chance of getting a US visa.

Just 24 hours before you were due to fly to Barbados to board the Tui cruise ship, you were told that, because you had booked a package holiday, part of which was now barred to you, you could not get on the plane. This was just another lie.

You boarded the plane, flew to Barbados, and booked into a hotel at your own expense to cover the lost week on board the cruise liner.

Back home, you complained to Tui, but were told the German-owned company regarded the matter as closed. You requested transcripts of your calls to Tui, and Tui replied by refusing but offering you £200.

You reckon the cruise ban and hotel bill cost you several thousand pounds, so you said no. Tui doubled its offer to £400, which you also turned down.

Tui told me: ‘We are sorry to hear of Mr & Mrs W’s experience.

‘It is stated before finalising any booking on a Marella Cruise visiting the US, that an Esta is a requirement of travel. 

'Unfortunately, misinformation was provided to Mr & Mrs W after their Esta was denied, to which we have offered £400 as a goodwill gesture for our customer service error.’

So a string of lies becomes just a ‘customer service error’, and the loss of thousands of pounds warrants a so-called ‘goodwill gesture’ of only £400?

I invited Tui to reconsider but it did not even bother to reply.

You could threaten to sue Tui, but based on past experience, I don’t think Tui would care. It is a rich company with lawyers who could run up your legal costs without leaving their desks.

So you asked me to let you have a final word: ‘We want your readers to know how Tui are prepared to treat their customers.’

And now they do.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email [email protected]. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. 

Sun 23 Jun 2024

2024 newspaper of the year

@ Contact us

Your newsletters

Why are Tui flights and holidays being cancelled? The cancellations explained as airport chaos continues

Tens of thousands of customers will be affected until the end of june as the half-term travel chaos continues.

Half-term breaks and the Jubilee bank holiday have been ruined for thousands of British families as airlines have cancelled or delayed thousands of flights.

Tui customers are the latest to be caught up in the disruption, with the UK’s largest tour operator announcing that 180 flights would be cancelled from Manchester airport up until 30 June.

Some six flights per day will be cut at the northern hub, which accounts for around a quarter of Tui’s Manchester schedule and will impact around 34,000 travellers.

More from Travel

It following disruption and last-minute cancellations, with many families were due to take their first trip overseas since 2020.

Holidaymakers due to travel from Cardiff have also been affected by Tui cancellations.

The travel company has said the changes to services from Manchester are “due to ongoing challenges”.

Airlines are facing criticism from the Government, with EasyJet and British Airways among the other carriers cutting hundreds of flights over the past week.

Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, is due to meet aviation bosses and said that “despite government warnings, operators seriously oversold flights and holidays relative to their capacity to deliver”.

Which Tui flights are affected?

Six Tui flights a day (43 per week) will be cancelled from Manchester airport until Thursday 30 June.

Tui has yet to provide full details of all the services that will be cancelled.

Flights from Cardiff have also been disrupted. In one incident at Cardiff airport, travellers due to depart saw their entire holiday package cancelled after they boarded a plane that was due to take off for Tenerife, as the flight and accommodation was booked through Tui.

The company said the flight cancellation was due to “operational and supply chain issues” alongside the increase in the number of people travelling overseas.

A Tui spokesperson added: “We’re incredibly sorry to those customers who have been impacted by the recent disruption to our operations. We understand that last-minute cancellations are incredibly disappointing and we would like to reassure our customers that we are doing everything we can to get them on holiday as planned.

“Whilst every cancellation is regrettable, the vast majority of our flights are operating as planned, with more than 26,000 customers taking off yesterday on holiday.

“We’d like to apologise again for the inconvenience caused and we thank customers for their understanding. ”

What is causing the disruption?

The aviation industry is facing widespread disruption with some 7,000 flights cancelled worldwide over the last weekend.

Airlines and airports are facing staff shortages as they adjust to the resurgence in demand following the lifting of Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions.

A Tui spokesperson highlighted “ongoing disruption” to its operation at Manchester. But Tui has said that its flights from all other UK airports are planned to operate as normal.

Will I be refunded if my flight is cancelled?

Yes, Tui passengers whose flights have have been cancelled will receive a full refund within 14 days.

The company is to refund all customers who are affected by cancellations and provide “an extra gesture of goodwill”.

Holidaymakers who have already had their departure axed were given a £200 voucher.

Can I claim compensation?

If you were informed of a cancellation less than 14 days prior to your scheduled departure date, you have the right to compensation .

Affected passengers whose flights were less than 1,500km are due £220, rising to £350 for flights between 1,500km and 3,500km.

Tui has advised passengers who are due compensation to claim the cash.

Do you have a question about travel? Email us:  [email protected]

Most Read By Subscribers

Press release

• Press releases
• TUI Stories
• FY24 Q2/H1 Results
• TUI returns to the Prime Standard
• Finance Communication
• Interviews, speeches & presentations

TUI Group expects strong travel summer 2022

Currently already 85 per cent of the booking level of summer 2019 achieved – return to significantly positive ebit in the current financial year possible.

• Free cash flow at 1.24 billion euros due to strong operational ramp-up
• Liquiditiy increased to 3.8 billion eurps even after return of around 700 million euros in credit lines
• Net debt decreases to 3.9 billion euros
• Returning of government credit lines to be continued soon
• New bookings in the last six weeks across all markets above level for summer 2019
• Industry-typically weaker winter quarter (Q2 2022) was significatöy better than previous year
• 1.9 million guests travelled with TUI in the reporting period – almost ten times as many as in the same period last year (Q2 2021: 0.2 million)
• Turnover of 2.13 billion euros in Q2 2022 – nine times higher than in the same period last year (Q2 2021: 248 million euros)
• Q2 Underlying EBIT loss of 330 million euros, almost halving the prior Q2 of 633 million euros
• TUI Hotels & Resorts delivering a third successive quarter of positive earnings since the start of the pandemic
• TUI CEO Fritz Joussen: "The high demand for travel and the very good business performance confirm our forecasts. 2022 will be a good financial year. Capacity almost reaches pre-Corona level of 2019. After two years of crisis, we expect TUI to become profitable again in the current financial year with a significantly positive underlying EBIT. This is the basis for new growth."

TUI expects a strong travel summer in 2022, with all indicators pointing in this direction. A significantly improved second financial quarter and a strong booking and business performance show that the tourism group is on the right path and is finding its way back to former strength. At 1.9 million, the number of customers travelling with TUI in the period under review increased almost tenfold year-on-year. Turnover was around nine times higher and the usual seasonal loss was almost halved compared with the same period last year. Fritz Joussen, CEO of TUI Group: "The strong Easter business was already the first important indicator. The high demand for travel and the good business performance now confirm our forecasts. 2022 will be a good financial year with a strong travel summer. In terms of capacity utilisation, we are almost reaching the pre-Corona level of 2019. After two years of crisis, things are clearly progressing and we expect to become profitable again in the current financial year with a significantly positive underlying EBIT. This is the basis for new growth."

Key financials improved: free cash flow at 1.24 billion euros – liquidity position increased to 3.8 billion euros despite return of credit lines – net debt reduced to 3.9 billion euros

The strong return of the operating business generated significant cash inflows in the period under review, resulting in a free cash flow of 1.24 billion euros. TUI continues to have KfW credit lines to fall back on, but is not currently drawing on them. Following the return of credit lines of around 700 million euros, the Group had around 3.4 billion euros in liquid funds at its disposal at the beginning of April. The liquidity position was further improved by the significant increase in business momentum and the continued global realignment with successful cost management. As at 6 May 2022, TUI had 3.8 billion euros in financial resources.

TUI had announced that it would reduce the Corona aid as quickly as possible and lower the Group’s debt. At the end of the period under review, TUI’s net debt stood at around 3.9 billion euros, compared with around 5.1 billion euros in the previous quarter. The target remains unchanged at a gross leverage ratio of below three. Due to the positive business development, the stabilisation of the market and the ongoing transformation of the company, the basis has been created to gradually return the KfW credit lines and to reduce the German government's participation.

Strong travel summer 2022 expected: 85 per cent of summer 2019 booking level achieved, new bookings currently above summer 2019 level – markets UK, Germany and Netherlands show high momentum

The booking trend remains unabatedly high. In the period under review, 1.9 million guests travelled with TUI – almost ten times as many as in the same period last year (Q2 2021: 0.2 million). For Winter 2021/22 and Summer 2022 combined, TUI currently counts 11 million customers. After the short-term dampener due to the omicron variant, bookings are picking up significantly. In the past six weeks in particular, new bookings were above the comparable level for summer 2019. As in the weeks before, the particular momentum continues above all in TUI Germany and TUI Netherlands. Both markets saw double-digit growth in Summer 2022 bookings in April, above the comparable booking level for Summer 2019. In terms of the overall development of bookings for Summer 2022, TUI UK continues to lead the way, currently showing an increase of 11 per cent compared to Summer 2019.

Group-wide, booked volumes are currently at 84 per cent of summer 2019, the last regular financial year before the Corona pandemic. TUI confirms its expectation to almost reach the booking level of summer 2019 in summer 2022. Two trends are confirmed: Holidaymakers continue to book more at short notice and at the same time spend more money on their trip. Average prices remain high at +13 per cent for Winter 2021/22 and +20 per cent for Summer 2022. The reason for this continues to be the high proportion of package tours booked. Customers trust the TUI brand and hand over the complexity of travel planning with flights, transfers and hotel rooms to TUI tour operators in the markets. At the same time, TUI guests book longer stays on average and they have more budget for additional services, such as a higher hotel or room category.

Overview Winter 2021/22 and Q2 2022

For Winter 2021/22, TUI had advised to reach the lower to middle corridor of 60 to 80 per cent of pre-crisis capacity. In Q2 2022, 71 per cent of pre-crisis 2019 capacity was operated. This puts the Group above the mid-range corridor of original expectations for the period. Overall, more than 3.3 million guests travelled with TUI in Winter 2021/22. The significantly improved business performance with strong booking momentum saw turnover climb to 2.13 billion euros in the period under review – nine times as much as in the same period of the previous year (Q2 2021: 248 million euros). The usual seasonal loss was almost halved to -330 million euros (previous year: -633 million euros).

The Markets & Airlines segment with the regions North (UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark), Central (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland) and West (Netherlands, Belgium and France) recorded 1.9 million passengers in the reporting period. The load factor across all markets was 84 per cent. Overall, the regions' results improved due to a strong pick-up in business, especially in the second half of the reporting period. The Northern Region reduced its seasonal loss to -181 million euros (Q2 2021: -221 million euros), the Central Region narrowed its loss to -21 million euros (Q2 2021: -123 million euros) and the Western Region posted an underlying EBIT of -57 million euros (Q2 2021: -83 million euros). Overall, the result of the Markets & Airlines segment improved by 168 million euros compared to the previous year. 

For the third consecutive quarter since the start of the pandemic, the Hotels & Resorts segment achieved a positive result. In the months January to March 2022, underlying EBIT was 24 million euros (previous year: -103 million euros). Average revenue per bed-night rose by 17 euros year-on-year to 86 euros, while occupancy rate improved by 29 percentage points to 65 per cent.

For the Cruises segment, the Group expects a recovery in the second calendar half of the year. In the reporting period, many ports were still closed and restricted routes in January and February, so that normal business activities were not possible. In January, only eight of the total of 16 ships were in service; since April, the entire fleet of TUI Cruises, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Marella Cruises has been in operation again. In addition, the trend towards later and shorter-term bookings continues in this segment as well. Underlying EBIT in the segment totalled -74 million euros in the period under review (Q2 2021: -55 million euros).

The development in TUI Musement , the growth area for tours and activities, benefits from digitalisation, the integrated business model, the breadth of offerings in popular destinations and the return of the operating business by opening up destinations. In Q2 2022, almost 700,000 excursions, activities and tours were sold, ten times more than in the second financial quarter last year. The number of transfers increased more than eightfold to 2.5 million. The sector's typical winter loss was almost halved in the reporting period, with underlying EBIT at -17 million euros (Q2 2021: -29 million euros). TUI Musement is to become the leading global platform for excursions, tours and activities, which is why exclusive offers in particular are being consistently expanded. The "TUI Collection" portfolio has been relaunched and will grow from 350 to 650 high-quality experiences available only from TUI. In addition, the Group expects an increase in sales via third-party providers, so that sales of excursions, activities and tours in TUI Musement will outperform the increase in capacity planned for the Markets & Airlines segment in financial year 2022.

About TUI Group

The TUI Group is one of the world's leading tourism groups and operates worldwide. The Group is headquartered in Germany. TUI shares are listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover and at the London Stock Exchange. TUI Group offers its 19 million customers integrated services from a single source and forms the entire tourism value chain under one roof. The Group owns over 400 hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU, TUI Blue and Robinson and 16 cruise ships, ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 in the luxury class and expedition ships in the HANSEATIC class to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and cruise ships operated by Marella Cruises in the UK. The Group also includes Europe's leading tour operator brands and online marketing platforms, for example for hotelonly or flight-only offers, five airlines with more than 130 modern medium- and long-haul aircraft and around 1,200 travel agencies. In addition to expanding its core business with hotels and cruises via successful joint ventures and activities in vacation destinations, TUI is increasingly focusing on the expansion of digital platforms. The Group is transforming itself into a global tourism platform company.    Global responsibility for sustainable economic, environmental and social action is at the heart of our corporate culture. With projects in 25 countries, the TUI Care Foundation initiated by TUI focuses on the positive effects of tourism, on education and training and on strengthening environmental and social standards. In this way, it supports the development of vacation destinations. The globally active TUI Care Foundation initiates projects that create new opportunities for the next generation.

Kuzey Esener

• Key figures (PDF)
• Press release (PDF)

We use cookies to provide you with an optimized website experience. They include cookies for the operation and optimization of the website as well as cookies for analyses, retargeting and to provide personalised content on websites by third party providers. By clicking on Accept you are agreeing to the use of non-essential cookies. If you don't want that, you can Decline All the use of cookies or change your Settings at any time. For more information, including the processing of data by third party providers, see our Cookie Notice . You can find further information on the use of cookies at any time in our Cookie Notice and our Privacy policy . You will find the Imprint here.

Choose which cookies are permitted by using the “Status”-Switch. Save your settings with the button “I Agree”.

You can find further information on the use of cookies at any time in our Cookie Notice and our Privacy policy . You will find the Imprint here.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Tui slashes summer holiday schedule despite bookings surge

Travel firm says flight reductions caused by customer uncertainty over UK coronavirus restrictions

• Coronavirus – latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

The travel company Tui Group has cut back its summer schedule amid the continued impact of British coronavirus restrictions , despite receiving 1.5m bookings for summer holidays since early May.

The world’s largest tourism business said on Thursday that it had returned to generating positive cashflow for the first time in the pandemic thanks to an influx of customer deposits, in a statement to the stock market. It brought in €320m (£270m) in cash between April and June.

However, Tui will run flights at only 60% of its 2019 level during the July-to-September quarter, a reduction from the 75% it had planned in May.

Fritz Joussen, the chief executive, said the cuts to planned flight numbers were mainly down to customer uncertainty in the UK, where the government had made “sometimes too rapid” changes to which countries are open for travel.

“We are missing the bookings from the UK,” Joussen said. “We had a big booking base and then when you change the programme so often then people cancel and amend. The predictability of decisions was not very high.”

Tui has been one of the most vulnerable companies to changes in travel restrictions across Europe during the pandemic. England, one of its largest markets, has kept travel restrictions in place on many of the most popular destinations for longer than expected because of the spread of the infectious Delta variant of coronavirus.

Joussen added that UK demand was lowered further by the costs of mandatory PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests for all passengers, including for those who are fully vaccinated. Tui has offered cheap testing to customers in an attempt to encourage them to book.

The Anglo-German company made a steep quarterly loss of €940m between April and June. Over the first nine months of its financial year from October to June, Tui lost €2.4bn, €100m more than it did in the equivalent period for 2020. However, its financial position will improve during the July-to-September quarter as cash received from forward bookings is translated into confirmed revenues.

It has 4.2m bookings lined up for the whole summer, compared with about 9m before Covid-19 struck.

Tui said the strong rebound in customer deposits reflected “strong pent-up demand, with government regulation a clear limiting factor to our operations”.

The company has focused on reopening in destinations with relatively high vaccination rates and low hospital admissions, with the Balearics, Canaries and Greek islands forming most of its planned capacity for rest of the summer.

There were further signs of pent-up demand for winter long-haul travel as well as early sales for summer 2022, which hit an all-time high, at more than double the forward bookings at the same point before Covid-19.

The company, which has been bailed out multiple times by banks, investors and the German government, will still have to raise more money to cut the debt pile it has built up during the coronavirus crisis.

However, Joussen said Tui’s negotiations with lenders had eased its short-term liquidity pressures. “We are not burning cash any more,” he said. “The good thing is we have the time.”

• Travel & leisure
• Coronavirus

Most viewed

TUI cancels more holidays in latest flight and travel update

TUI has issued an update

• 12:01, 13 SEP 2021
• Updated 12:57, 13 SEP 2021

Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox

We have more newsletters

TUI has released its latest update for holidaymakers - with more trips cancelled due to the ongoing restrictions around travel.

To keep in line with government rules and guidelines, the travel agency has released a list of the countries it is currently operating to.

As stated on its website , TUI is not operating to any and all countries currently on the government's red list of travel destinations - due to the high risk of Covid-19 in those areas.

Read more: Boris Johnson's winter coronavirus plans emerge as PM set to avoid future lockdowns and overhaul major restrictions

To find out if a country you're planning to travel to is on the red list, you can look it up via the government's official travel site .

Find below a list of the green and amber countries that TUI is currently operating to.

• Croatia (Dubrovnik, Pula and Split)
• Madeira and Porto Santo
• Antigua (non-TUI flights)
• Barbados (non-TUI flights)
• Gibraltar (non-TUI flights)
• Grenada, Iceland (non-TUI flights)
• Jersey (non-TUI flights)
• Malta (non-TUI flights)
• Balearics (Ibiza, Majorca, Menorca)
• Canaries (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma and Tenerife)
• Cyprus (Larnaca and Paphos)
• Greece (Corfu, Crete, Halkidiki, Kefalonia, Kos, Parga, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Thassos and Zakynthos)
• Mainland Spain (Alicante, Malaga and Reus)
• Morocco (Agadir and Marrakech)
• Switzerland (TUI Lakes & Mountains)
• UAE (Dubai) - (non-TUI flights)

Cancelled flights

Due to uncertainty around situations in certain areas, TUI has decided to cancel flights to specific countries.

The travel agency has provided dates for the deadline of these cancellations so people who have already booked the flight and have not yet been informed can cancel their ticket or get a refund.

These are the deadline for flight cancellations to different countries:

Up to and including 30 th September:

Up to and including 9 th October:

• Aruba, Cape Verde (Sal)
• Dominican Republic
• Egypt (Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh)
• Canada (non-TUI flights)
• India (non-TUI flights)
• Indonesia (non-TUI flights)
• Kenya (non-TUI flights)
• Maldives (non-TUI flights)
• Mauritius (non-TUI flights)
• Seychelles (non-TUI flights)
• Sri Lanka (non-TUI flights)
• Tanzania (non-TUI flights)
• Thailand (non-TUI flights)
• Trinidad & Tobago (non-TUI flights)
• UAE (Abu Dhabi)
• USA (non-TUI flights)

Up to and including 31 st October:

• Austria (TUI Lakes and Mountains including non-TUI flights)
• Italy (TUI Lakes and Mountains including non-TUI flights)
• Slovenia (TUI Lakes and Mountains including non-TUI flights)
• Bulgaria (Varna and Bourgas)
• Italy (Calabria, Sardinia and Sicily)
• Mainland Spain (Almeria and Girona)
• Malta (except non-TUI flights)
• Turkey (non-TUI flights)
• Coronavirus
• Traffic and travel
• Most Recent

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Raspberry Pi shares surge again as retail investors start trading stock

Raspberry Pi shares jump 40% after London IPO

Raspberry Pi shares to list at 280p in hotly-anticipated London IPO

Urgent scam warning to anyone booking flights in the UK

Disaster narrowly avoided as plane clears runway with seconds to spare

Boeing 737 cleared busy road by only 100ft because of throttle fault

Couple abandon holiday five days early due to smell and techno music

Raspberry Pi set for June IPO in welcome boost for London market

Tui boss reveals the next big Mediterranean holiday destination

Tui will put staff in houses over hotels amid tourism protest warning

Tui earns record revenue with prices for cruises soaring

Tui delivers record sales amid booming demand for holidays

Raspberry Pi mulling UK listing in boost to London market

Build your perfect family getaway with TUI

The three biggest things that can end a relationship on holiday

Investor appetite for IPOs improving in UK after ‘muted’ year, Peel Hunt says

Bournemouth airport set for 2025 fares war as Jet2 moves in

Flying experts reveals which seats to avoid when booking a flight

BHX: minor Midlands airport or gateway to the world?

Stranded in paradise? You can’t put a price on it

Will friends visiting me in Spain need proof of stay?

Barbados on less than £40 a night: Tui’s limit for stranded passengers

Tui passengers stuck at Barbados airport after vehicle strikes plane

London Stock Exchange sees ‘poor year’ for IPOs but expects more in 2024

How much? Parents can pay 16 times more by sticking to school holidays

EasyJet flies into FTSE 100 while Endeavor Mining gets relegated in reshuffle

Ryanair agrees deal with On the Beach as it draws line under bookings feud

British Airways owner set to defy recession concerns with soaring sales

Package holidays take off for Jet2 as consumers keen to escape ‘rainy island’

Tui to leave London Stock Exchange in favour of Germany

FTSE 100 drops as interest rate concerns weigh on housebuilders

Tui urges shareholders to vote to abandon London listing

Is this last-minute holiday deal too good to be true?

Travel firm sells holiday for £1.40 an hour – but you have to be quick

TUI’s 2024 trending destinations from Greek isles to Florida

School absences soar as parents take children on holiday in term time

Arrest over alleged fake plane parts scam

Global stocks edge higher as hopes of interest rate cuts grow

Holiday giant Tui considers ditching London stock market listing

Holidaymakers are booking more and paying more, says Tui

Tui forecasts earnings to surge again after record year

Holidaymaker who fell ill on trip to Turkey wins legal battle with Tui

Give the gift of an unbeatable break with TUI this winter season

Heatwaves and cost of living ‘spark surge in holidays outside summer’

Storm Babet: Couple ‘frustrated’ after flight home diverted

Train operators advise customers not to travel after disruption from Storm Babet

Rivers ‘will continue to rise’ following Babet as ‘risk to life’ flood warnings issued

Plane skids off runway at Leeds Bradford Airport during Storm Babet

Plane skids off runway at Leeds Bradford Airport

Staff ‘Googled passport rules on a phone’ to reject BA passenger

What’s the problem at Gatwick and which flights will be cancelled

British Airways ruins woman’s holiday by applying wrong passport rules

Rush for autumn cruises after dismal UK summer

Cost of summer holidays up more than a quarter, says travel giant Tui

Tui hails surge in summer bookings but growth held back by wildfires

Holiday bargains are back for autumn travellers

Morocco earthquake: Is it safe to travel at the moment?

First Choice to return with no-fly package holidays

Cost-of-living crisis blamed for consumers cutting summer holidays short

Investors urge UK firms to increase efforts on tackling slavery in supply chains

Travel disruption could last days as thousands stranded by cancelled flights

Ryanair, Jet2.com and Tui ranked worst in UK for website accessibility

Love is in the air: Pair to marry after delayed plane led to chance meeting

Holidaymakers could swap Spain for Belgium, says Tui boss

Brits race for holiday sun amid washout August, say travel firms

Tui expects £21m hit from Rhodes wildfires but holiday demand remains high

Tui sends plane to Africa instead of London Gatwick

Heat and wildfires put southern Europe's vital tourism earnings at risk

Greek prime minister promises ‘free week’s holiday to Rhodes’

5% off all bookings with this Travelodge discount code

£250 off a 7 night stay with the deal of the week - TUI discount code

5% off all hotel accommodations with this Barcelo discount code

25% off selected memberships at National Trust

10% off and above for bookings - June deals with Hotels.com

15% or more off your next city getaways & beach holidays at Booking.com

25% off Expedia flight + hotel reservations

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

We met as first Virgin Atlantic cabin crew 40 years ago – and are still flying high

Share this with

A couple fell in love 40 years above the clouds while working as Virgin’s cabin crew on its first trans-Atlantic route.

The love story of Malcolm and Jacqui King-McKinnon, from Heswall, Wirral, is an epic meet-cute.

Both were working on Sir Richard Branson ’s new creation, Virgin Atlantic – intended to disrupt the business of flying at the time – unaware of each other at first.

But their lives changed forever when Malcolm saw Jacqui at the car park of London Gatwick , wearing the ‘iconic red Virgin Atlantic uniform as she was pulling her suitcase from the boot of her car.’

Before the first encounter on one of Virgin’s inaugural flights from Manchester in the UK to North America, Malcolm offered to help Jacqui with her luggage and the pair walked to the crew check-in.

He said ‘that was it, I was smitten.’

He also committed to taking every flight with her from then on, saying he managed to do ‘a bit of ‘tactical roster adjustment” to get on Jacqui’s next five-night Miami trip from London.

Malcolm, 64, who hails from Troon in Scotland, told Metro.co.uk: ‘It was love at first flight.’

Both knew ‘there was a spark,’ but Mally – as Jacqui calls him – took things slowly ‘as he was, and still is, a proper gentleman,’ she said.

Jacqui, who was born in the Wirral, explained how the pair made courting work despite the transient nature of their job, which they both still work in.

She said: ‘There were occasions where Mally would work on the early flight to Los Angeles and I would work on the second Los Angeles flight, later in the day. It meant we were able to spend quality time together during the layover, experiencing new places and having fun.’

At the start of their relationship, they were able to fly together ‘two or three time a month’ while Jacqui trained to become a flight service manager (FSM), Malcolm said.

‘Once Jacqui became an FSM, we couldn’t operate the same flights, as there can only be one FSM operating a flight at a time, and I was already an FSM,’ the dad-of-two said.

But recently, as a special treat for one retiring captain, the couple were allowed to fly together from their base at Manchester Airport to Barbados – the first time Malcolm and Jacqui flew together since 1997.

Over the years, the couple became parents to two daughters Niamh, now 20, and Freya, 18.

Having a ‘lifestyle that incorporates a job’ meant their crew and company bosses have also become a tightly-knit ‘Virgin family through and through,’ Malcolm said.

One of Malcolm’s standout memories was on the London to Newark route, which was the company’s only route from 1984 to 1986, operated by one aircraft – a Boeing 747 Classic 200 series.

The couple renewed their wedding vows in early June at the famous Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.

To surprise them, Sir Richard took over from the Elvis impersonator to officiate the ceremony that coincided with Virgin’s 40-year anniversary.

@virginatlantic A very Virgin vow renewal 💒 In true Vegas style, our crew Malcolm and Jacqui renewed their vows at the iconic Little White Wedding Chapel . Based at Manchester airport, their love story started when meeting as crew in our inaugural year 1984, and they have been inseparable ever since. Little did they know, we had a few tricks and a special guest up our ruby red sleeves… ♬ original sound – VirginAtlantic

Sir Richard reportedly got the idea for Virgin Atlantic after getting stuck at the airport in Puerto Rico.

In bid to get to the British Virgin Islands to see his girlfriend, he rallied other passengers together to charter a flight to the lush Caribbean archipelago for ‘$39 one way to BVI,’ according to Travel and Leisure .

When back in England, he called Boeing to ask to buy a second-hand 747.

Since he had founded Virgin Records, he told Boeing on the phone he was with ‘Virgin’ when they asked which company he was with, the outlet reports.

The company launched officially on June 22, 1984.

Sir Richard said after Malcolm and Jacqui’s ruby wedding anniversary: ‘Our incredible people are what makes Virgin Atlantic so special – they are mavericks, trailblazers, they are kind and fun.

‘Getting to celebrate two of those people who have been with us since day one was an honour.’

Virgin Atlantic has positioned itself as a champion of individuality in the industry.

In 2022, it allowed staff to wear gender neutral uniforms if they want to.

Previously, company policy was changed to include optional make-up and allowing visible tattoos for both crew and font line staff, and optional pronoun badges.

Passengers can now choose gender neutral markers U or X for their tickets along with non-gendered title Mx.

Virgin's uniform fashion over the years

The company’s uniforms have been created by designers since 1984.

The first uniform was designed by Arabella Pollen, followed by Elizabeth Emanuel in 1991, and John Rocha in 2004.

Launching in 2014, its latest scarlet uniforms are by legendary British designer Vivienne Westwood.

Here are all the women’s uniforms through the years.

@virginatlantic 40 years as the most stylish in the sky. 👠 In honour of our 40th birthday, we’ve curated a stunning display showcasing five generations of our cabin crew uniforms in our London Heathrow Clubhouse. This exhibit features timeless designs by renowned fashion icons Arabella Pollen, Elizabeth Emanuel, John Rocha, and Vivienne Westwood. But before we unveiled them, we had to try them on… ♬ original sound – VirginAtlantic

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

MORE : This sedate little island just off the coast of France comes alive for Pride

MORE : All flights cancelled at two Manchester Airport terminals as passengers warned to stay away

MORE : Becky Hill: My relationship is in a much better place after turbulent twenties

Sign Up for News Updates

Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more.

Privacy Policy

Get us in your feed

German tour giant TUI profits from FTI bankrupcy

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach, writing by Andrey Sychev, Editing by Madeline Chambers

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Business Chevron

Apple and Meta have discussed AI partnership, WSJ reports

Facebook parent Meta Platforms has discussed integrating its generative AI model into Apple's recently announced AI system for iPhones, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.