Start-up carrier LoloFlights.com (Bournemouth), trading as FlyLolo, will reattempt its launch this year, planning to offer Christmas flights from the UK to the Canary Islands, reports Travel Weekly. Routes currently available for sale are Manchester International to Tenerife Sur and Lanzarote, Glasgow International to Tenerife, and London Gatwick to Tenerife. It may also consider launching from Bournemouth. Flights will be operated by Spanish carrier Air Europa (UX, Palma de Mallorca).
The British virtual carrier failed to launch UK flights to Greece last summer, citing a lack of demand. Those flights were to be operated by Malta's AirX Charter (AX, Malta International). Adding to the start-up's previous failure was a lack of credibility over its business model which, according to founder Paul Dendle, was confusing to travel providers. FlyLolo was not offering tickets through the Civil Aviation Authority's consumer protection scheme, ATOL, but just as a general sales agent (GSA). Under its new model, it will utilise the CAA's ATOL program.
Dendle has further plans for FlyLolo to expand, and is considering Southampton flights to destinations in Greece and Croatia in 2018, although with a different operator.
"Gatwick is so full, so we wanted to offer an alternative and believe Southampton – just a 60-minute rail journey away – will be attractive," Dendle told Travel Weekly.
The Canary Islands are a popular winter destination as average temperatures are around 23 degrees, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). In December 2016, the Canary Islands welcomed 445,498 passengers from the UK, an increase of almost 25% on the previous year.
