Tui Airways will operate an extra weekly flight to Melbourne Orlando International airport starting Friday 22 May, increasing its Manchester-Orlando schedule to three-times-weekly.
The addition grows Tui's Orlando programme to eight weekly departures; other UK departure airports include Gatwick, Newcastle, Glasgow and Belfast International. Tui's three Manchester departures will be on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
It comes after Aer Lingus last month confirmed it would close its transatlantic base at Manchester airport, where it operated routes to Orlando, Barbados and New York.
Aer Lingus is putting on extra Dublin-Barbados services this spring to cater for Manchester passengers, while Virgin Atlantic is putting on extra flights to plug the gap, and has pledged to further extend this next winter.
Chris Logan, Tui UK and Ireland commercial director, said: "Florida remains a firm favourite with our customers, with tens of thousands flying direct from Manchester last summer.
"From 22 May, we’re adding an extra Manchester-Melbourne flight, complementing our wider UK programme to Florida from Gatwick, Newcastle, Glasgow and Belfast, giving even more of our customers the chance to enjoy Florida’s world-class parks, beaches and attractions."
Stephen Turner, Manchester airport chief commercial officer, added the extra flight would offer people in the north more flexibility and choice. “There’s always a special buzz around any flight to Orlando," he said.
Tui Airways is the only UK airline operating direct flights to Melbourne Orlando International. It will operate a total of 239 flights to Orlando this year.
Monday flights, which depart Manchester at 11.05am, will operate from 4 May to 26 October (with a break from 22 June to 13 July).
Tui's Thursday flights will depart Manchester at 11.10am from 7 May to 29 October, while the new Friday flights will depart Manchester at 10am and operate from 22 May to 30 October.
