Thomas Cook Airlines will base an additional Airbus A320 aircraft at Bristol Airport from May 1st and increase its number of seats on sale from the airport to over 400,000 for the summer 2018 season.
Taking the airline’s weekly flights from 28 to 39 for the summer ahead, the additional flights on sale include new destinations Egypt, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Costa Brava and Greece.
They join favourite holiday spots like the Canaries and Balearics for both flight-only and package holidays from the airport.
Christoph Debus, chief airlines officer at Thomas Cook Group, said: “We’re very pleased to expand our Bristol programme by 31 per cent this summer.
“It means more customers can enjoy some summer sun in our most popular short and mid-haul holiday destinations.
“We are seeing strong demand for Turkey, with Cyprus and Greece also proving very popular.
“We are delighted to reintroduce flights to Hurghada, too – we have increased the number of seats on sale to Egypt by 14 per cent across the UK this year, flying to both Hurghada and Marsa Alam.”
From March 19th, Tunisia also joined the Bristol programme.
Three sold-out UK flights to Hammermet launched in February this year, increasing to 11 weekly flights across the UK this summer.
Nigel Scott, business development director, Bristol Airport, said, “We are delighted with the substantial 31 per cent growth in capacity using the three based Thomas Cook aircraft operating from Bristol Airport for summer 2018.
“The new Hurghada and Preveza destinations and additional flights to the existing Thomas Cook route network has contributed to this increase.
“The programme offers the choice of flights and holidays available to passengers in the south-west and Wales region.
“We are looking at further opportunities of developing the Thomas Cook and Bristol Airport relationship.”