TUI Airways (BY, London Luton) expects that accelerating B737 MAX deliveries will allow it to execute a plan to increase seat-only sales and reduce reliance on tour operator packages, TUI Group's chief airline officer Marco Ciomperlik said during an industry conference in the UK.

"In the EU we have quite a significant seat-only share, but the UK is more tour operator-integrated," Ciomperlik said, as quoted by industry publication TTG.

The airline currently sells around 90% of its seats in the UK as part of tour operator packages. The group's European airlines - TUI fly (Belgium), TUI fly (Netherlands), TUI fly (Germany), and TUI fly Nordic - are less reliant on packages. Ciomperlik said that in Belgium, for example, 40-70% of all seats are sold individually.

TUI planned to expand the seat-only business in the UK already this year, but had to contend with delivery delays at Boeing. ch-aviation data shows the British AOC operates twenty-three B737-8s and thirty-two B737-800s, alongside eight B787-8s and five B787-9s.

"We struggled in 2025 quite significantly because we did not see any deliveries. From this winter, we will have up to 20 deliveries from Boeing. They will replace old B737s and grow volume. We will have six to seven more aircraft in the UK next summer," Ciomperlik said.

The group's EU airlines collectively operate two B737-700s, twenty-four B737-8s, twenty-four B737-800s, five B787-8s, one B787-9, and three E195-E2s.

"This winter into almost the summer we are expecting up to 20 deliveries from Boeing [across the group]," Ciomperlik revealed, adding that the aircraft will be partially replacing -800s, and partially for growth.

The group's spokesperson confirmed to ch-aviation that the new B737-8s will be replacing -800s and wet-leased aircraft, with the overall capacity staying flat.