TUI announces biweekly flights from UK to New Goa

TUI has announced new flights to Goa, replacing the previous GOI flights that have been cancelled. Customers who booked the old flights will be transferred to the new ones, which will depart and arrive on the same days with minor schedule adjustments. The new flights are a welcome addition for Goa, which had only two weekly charters from TUI last season due to visa restrictions.

The new airport in Mopa, Goa, will welcome its first international charter flights from TUI Airlines UK starting from November 2. The UK-based tour operator will fly twice a week from Gatwick and Manchester to the Manohar International Airport (GOX), which is the first of its kind in India. TUI has not yet revealed any plans to offer charter flights to the existing Goa International Airport, Dabolim (GOI).

“We are delighted to partner with TUI and bring more tourists to the beautiful state of Goa,” said a spokesperson of GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL), the company that operates the new airport.

The first charter flights from TUI are expected to land at Mopa on October 1, according to Dabolim airport authorities. At present, only Air India operates regular flights between Mopa and the UK.

R V Sheshan, the chief executive officer of GGIAL, said that the confirmation from TUI is awaited. "We are working on it. Our aim is to bring more traffic to Goa and benefit the airport and the region," he said.

TUI has also notified its customers in the UK who have booked holiday packages that they will be flying to Mopa instead of Dabolim. "We received the same email. We are flying from Manchester to Mopa on November 13 and then to Candolim. The transfer time is now 45 minutes," said Kerry Ann, a Burnley resident.

According to TOI, TUI's local tour operator has confirmed that charter flights will land at Mopa airport, which is nearer to the North Goa coast and has more parking space for large aircrafts. The tour operator said that there are no plans to operate flights to Dabolim airport at the moment, but added, "Things may change in the future."

Mopa airport, which was inaugurated on January 5, faced some difficulties in accepting e-visas initially, but has now resolved the issue. This is good news for Goa, which saw a drop in foreign charter arrivals due to the e-visa problem last season. TUI said it is shifting its customers to the new flights and cancelling the old ones that were scheduled for GOI airport. The new flights will have the same frequency, but with some minor changes in timings, a source said. Goa welcomed only two charters a week last season, which is far below the annual average of 8-9 lakh international tourists that Goa used to receive before the Covid-19 pandemic.