British holiday makers have had their travel plans thrown into chaos when two TUI Airways flights were forced to make a U-turn halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, following the United States military strikes on Venezuela. Both flights operated by the carriers’ Boeing 787s returned to their departure port when airspace was closed, forcing the cancellation of services to their final destination.

BY830 and BY10 were two scheduled flights operated by the airline and tourism operator, shuttling sun-seeking Brits to the beaches and resorts of Barbados. The flights had been expected to touch down at Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI).

U-Turn Over The Atlantic

As first reported by Air Live, the two flights had departed from Birmingham and London Gatwick, respectively, prior to the airspace restrictions being implemented. The airline only found out about the closures hours after the flights had taken off, and were halfway across the Atlantic Ocean.

These sudden changes of plans forced the airlines to return to the United Kingdom to reassess travel plans for the hundreds of passengers on board. At this time, the geopolitical tensions in Venezuela and the surrounding airspace have seen the cancellation of flights by TUI to Barbados, Grenada, Aruba, the Cayman Islands, Anguilla, and Curacao on the dates of January 3 and 4.

TUI Airways becomes one of many international carriers that have had to adjust operations to the region following the airspace closures. Due to the sudden onset of the military escalation in Venezuela, TUI made a swift decision on the safety of its passengers and crew, and decided, even after several hours into the journey, that it was safest to return home.

BY830 & BY10

The first flight affected was TUI Airways flight BY830. The service was operated by the airline’s Boeing 787-9 (registration G-TUIJ). The flight had departed from Birmingham International Airport (BHX) at 9:26 am, some 56 minutes after its initial scheduled departure time of 8:30 am. It was expected to touchdown in Bridgetown at 1:25 pm. The flight turned around mid-way across the Atlantic.

The second flight affected was BY10; this service had departed from London Gatwick Airport(LGW), operated by the airline Boeing 787-8 (registration G-TUIH) at 10:41 am, 36 minutes behind the scheduled departure time of 10:05 am. The service was expected to arrive at BGI at 3:05 pm, but it decided to return to London out of an abundance of caution.

Following the geopolitical situation in the region, many airlines, including TUI Airways, are continuously re-evaluating travel plans and airspace closures. As shared by Travel And Tour World, it is expected that flights from January 3 could be disrupted, including additional flight cancellations.

TUI Airways Fleet

Formerly known as Thomson Airways Limited, TUI Airways is the British division of the TUI Group. The airline offers scheduled and charter flights from the UK to many destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America, and primarily targets the leisure-focused, package holiday customer.

TUI Airways maintains operating bases at Belfast International, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Exeter, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Norwich. The airline remains the fourth largest airline in the United Kingdom after easyJet, British Airways, and Jet2. According to ch-aviation, the carrier operates approximately 69 aircraft, and another 40 are on order. Aircraft specifics below:

The onboard experience of TUI Airways varies depending on routes; long-haul travelers enjoy seatback entertainment and in-flight meals. Short-haul journeys mirror many other European low-cost carriers with buy-on-board offerings available. While seat back entertainment is complementary it is expected that you need to purchase your own headphones. Long-haul flights also offer passengers the choice to travel in economy class or premium (TUI’s version of business class).