WITH many Islanders’ travel plans for 2020 having been thwarted by the coronavirus outbreak, the news that FlyDirect is planning to restart its weekly flights to Tenerife in February next year is likely to be well received.
Having offered direct flights to, and holidays in, this popular Canary Island for the past six years, the team at C. I. Travel Group is confident that there will be a strong demand for next year’s programme.
‘We know that there is a real desire for people to get away on holiday,’ explained the company’s managing director, Robert Mackenzie. ‘Tenerife is always a very popular winter destination and we are confident that, if anything, demand in 2021 will be greater than ever.
‘Naturally there are still concerns about coronavirus levels across the world, but Tenerife is reporting falling numbers of cases and, if that trend continues, our expectation is that, by the time our programme is due to launch, the island will be on the Government of Jersey’s “green” list.’
While the health and safety of passengers is always a priority, C. I. Travel Group – of which FlyDirect is a part – is taking even more precautions than usual.
‘We have built up good relationships with all the hotels on our programme and we are undertaking risk assessments with each property to ensure that the procedures they have in place for protecting passengers in the event of a Covid outbreak are robust,’ said Mr Mackenzie. ‘The flights are operated by Spanish airline Volotea, which has very stringent policies in place to protect passengers, and whose crew always receives very positive feedback from our clients.’
Safety is also enhanced, said Mr Mackenzie, through the nature of the holiday itself, which removes the need for passengers to travel through multiple airports.
‘We have seen a growing demand for direct flights every year and I think that this year people will be keener than ever to book a holiday which enables them to avoid UK airports. Not only does this minimise contact with other passengers, but it also removes the risk of the holiday being cancelled because of the situation in the UK.
‘Additionally, we cannot overlook the convenience factor of a direct flight, with the plane landing in Tenerife at about
6pm and the return flight bringing you back to Jersey for
around 2pm. Within just four hours, you can be relaxing and enjoying the Spanish sunshine.’
And while the island may have a reputation for being a ‘fly and flop’ destination, Mr Mackenzie is quick to remind people of Tenerife’s broader offering.
He said: ‘For many people Tenerife is all about being pampered and enjoying some winter sun, but, for those who are keen to get out and explore, there are lots of attractions and excursions to try. It is an extremely beautiful and diverse island with lots of ecological projects to discover, as well as the opportunity to climb – or take the cable car – to the top of Mount Teide, the volcano at the centre of Tenerife.’
And while health and safety are paramount, Mr Mackenzie is also keen to stress the financial peace of mind that comes with booking a FlyDirect holiday.
‘Firstly, we are part of ABTA, which means that clients’ money is protected in the event of anything happening to the company,’ he said. ‘Secondly, we are making a promise that if we have to cancel a holiday or flight because of Covid, we will either transfer the client’s booking to another date for no charge (although there is a chance the hotel accommodation could be more expensive, in which case the client would need to pay the difference for this) or give them a full refund.
‘If Tenerife is categorised as either amber or red by the Government of Jersey, we would not operate the flights and our clients would receive a full refund.’
lFlyDirect holidays to Tenerife are available to book now by visiting flydirect.je or calling 01534 496677.
