The bankruptcy of the German tour operator FTI Group in June 2024 was a serious blow to the Canary Islands tourism sector, especially considering its relevance as one of the main source markets for the archipelago. FTI was responsible for bringing 15% of the German market in the south of Gran Canaria.
But the market is reorganized. German number 2 Dertour recorded a 22 percent increase in guest numbers between June and September compared to the previous year. Sven Schikarsky, product manager at Dertour, ITS and Meiers Weltreisen, believes that the reason is not only the increased desire of customers to travel, but also the changing market situation: "Tourists are spread among fewer tour operators, meaning the volume of guests changing," the manager told TRVLCounter.
The background is the bankruptcy of the former number 3, the Munich tour operator FTI. Number 1, TUI, recently announced that it would gain around 300.000 additional customers from Germany. Already in May it was said that reserves in the issuing market, Germany, were 7 percent higher than the previous year. In total, Germany's largest tour operator, which before FTI's bankruptcy already had the largest market share with 30 percent, would increase bookings by more than ten percent. However, this figure is probably quite conservative considering the current travel boom and the strong position of the Hanoverians in the market.
On the other hand, the airline TUI Belgium, a company that has direct flights to bring tourism to the south of Gran Canaria, and operates Boeing 737, Boeing 787 and Embraer E195-E2, has logistical problems with its aircraft. While the Boeing planes are parked at Belgium's largest airport, Brussels-Zaventem, the headquarters of the Embraer fleet is Antwerp airport, 39 kilometers further north. The runway is too short for larger planes.
Antwerp Airport is an attractive alternative for everyone living in the north of Belgium or the south of the Netherlands, the director of TUI Airlines Belgium and the Netherlands said last year. The airport is also very clear. It is less than 350 meters from the parking lot to the plane.
TUI Belgium is currently forced to suspend all flights from Antwerp-Deurne airport. The reason: lack of spare parts in the Embraer fleet. A TUI spokeswoman confirmed to the portal Aviation24.be that the three Embraer E195-E2 are currently grounded due to technical problems.
Data from flight tracking service Radarbox shows that the three planes with identifiers OO-ETA, OO-ETB and OO-ETC are all at Brussels Airport. While OO-ETA and OO-ETB have only been grounded for a few days, OO-ETC has not flown since March. TUI has relocated all flights that should have left Antwerp to Brussels. Passengers were informed of the changes by email. For travelers who have already reserved a parking space at Antwerp Airport, the tour operator offers shuttle buses to Zaventem Airport. It is not known when TUI will operate flights from Antwerp again.
