Granadilla de Abona / Hanover, 21 April 2018

“Tenerife Alegria“ – TUI's first Boeing 737 MAX

  • The Group’s new aircraft will become ambassadors for holiday regions 
  • Paralympic star Michelle Alonso Morales christens the aircraft on the Canary Island of Tenerife

20 million holidaymakers travel with TUI every year. The tourism group is represented in over 100 holiday destinations. TUI has a longstanding and cooperative relationship with the holiday destinations and host countries. TUI would now like to highlight this partnership. To this end, the Group is christening its new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the names of destinations in the holiday regions. TUI Airline’s aircraft are thus becoming ambassadors for these regions.

The Canary Island of Tenerife is one of the most important holiday regions for TUI guests from all over Europe. This is why the island has now given its name to the first of 72 new aircraft that have been ordered. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 of TUI fly Benelux with the registration OO-MAX, was christened “Tenerife Alegria“ today at Aeropuerto de Tenerife Sur Reina Sofía Airport.

The aircraft’s Godmother is Michelle Alonso Morales, a 24-year-old swimmer born in Tenerife. The two-time Paralympic, World and European champion christened the aircraft with water from a stream of the Teide, Spain’s highest mountain. Besides the Godmother, Jose Domingo Regalado Gonzalez, Mayor of Granadilla de Abona, and Gunther Hofman, Managing Director of TUI fly Benelux, also signed the christening certificate. Canary Islands political officials were present at the ceremony, as well as representatives of tourism associations, and the Spanish airport operator AENA, TUI’s hotel partner in Tenerife and local media.

Michelle Alonso Morales: “This was a very special moment for me. I love my island and the people here. I feel proud of the fact that the name of my home is now carried by the aircraft that will become the ambassador to Tenerife. Airplanes bring people together and make beautiful memories possible. I want all passengers of the “Tenerife Alegria“ to always be able to take home many beautiful memories and moments of happiness from their travels.” 

Gunther Hofman: “Tourism brings people and cultures together. Our airplanes are part of the travel experience and the connecting elements to your region. They are a symbol of our partnership. TUI has been represented in Tenerife for over 30 years. Today, the island is one of the biggest and most popular holiday regions for our guests from all over Europe. Our hotel company RIU and our hotel brands TUI Sensatori and TUI Sensimar are represented on the island and many employees also work and live here.”

Compared to other machines of this size previously operated by TUI fly, the 737 MAX is distinguished by a 20 percent lower fuel consumption and thus 20 percent lower CO2 emissions. Additionally, the noise level is 40 percent lower and also contributes to the Group’s sustainability targets. The TUI Group has set itself the goal of becoming Europe’s lowest-emission airline by 2020.

About TUI Group

The TUI Group is one of the world's leading tourism groups and operates worldwide. The Group is headquartered in Germany. TUI shares are listed in the MDAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover. TUI Group offers its 19 million customers integrated services from a single source and forms the entire tourism value chain under one roof. The Group owns over 400 hotels and resorts with premium brands such as RIU, TUI Blue and Robinson and 17 cruise ships, ranging from the MS Europa and MS Europa 2 in the luxury class and expedition ships in the HANSEATIC class to the Mein Schiff fleet of TUI Cruises and cruise ships operated by Marella Cruises in the UK. The Group also includes Europe's leading tour operator brands and online marketing platforms, for example for hotel-only or flight-only offers, five airlines with more than 130 modern medium- and long-haul aircraft and around 1,200 travel agencies. In addition to expanding its core business with hotels and cruises via successful joint ventures and activities in vacation destinations, TUI is increasingly focusing on the expansion of digital platforms. The Group is transforming itself into a global tourism platform company.  

Global responsibility for sustainable economic, environmental and social action is at the heart of our corporate culture. With projects in 25 countries, the TUI Care Foundation initiated by TUI focuses on the positive effects of tourism, on education and training and on strengthening environmental and social standards. In this way, it supports the development of vacation destinations. The globally active TUI Care Foundation initiates projects that create new opportunities for the next generation.

Contact