Editing First Choice Airways (section)

==History==
===Air 2000===
[[File:Air2000_Logo,_January_1994.svg|thumb|left|145px|Air 2000 logo]]
[[File:G-OOAH A321-211 Air 2000 MAN 29MAR02 (6998792492).jpg|thumb|An Air 2000 [[Airbus A321-200]] in 'Tapestry' livery taxiing at [[Manchester Airport]] in 2002]]

The airline started operations on 11 April 1987, launched by the Owners Abroad Group under the name '''Air 2000''', with two [[Boeing 757-200]]s and a flight from Manchester to [[Málaga Airport|Málaga]].<ref name="FI"/> The 757s were re-equipped for extended range and flights to the [[United States]] began in 1989. Their fleet doubled a year later, with one aircraft being based at [[Glasgow Airport]]. In the same year, the airline set up a subsidiary in [[Canada]], to be called ''Air 2000 Airline Ltd''.  This subsidiary lasted only a few days before the Canadian government suspended its licence. The second attempt was more successful and became [[Canada 3000]].

Long haul services to [[Mombasa]] in [[Kenya]] were introduced during the 1988/89 season. The airline was granted a licence for scheduled operations by the [[Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom|CAA]] in 1992, which commenced in 1993, initially between London-Gatwick and [[Paphos]], Cyprus. Scheduled services were distinguished by the use of the 'DP' identifier with the flight number, while purely-charter flights used the 'AMM' identifier. Over the next few years scheduled routes to Cyprus from Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle were introduced. 

Expansion saw new bases in the UK established, with [[Dublin]] becoming the airline's first overseas hub in 1996. In 1997, the airline signed a lease deal for two [[Boeing 767-300ER]] aircraft with [[GE Capital Aviation Services|GECAS]], having also examined the option of introducing the larger [[A330-200]], but opting instead for the 767.<ref>{{Cite web |last=1997-12-17T00:00:00+00:00 |title=Air 2000 to expand long-haul operations with 767-300 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/air-2000-to-expand-long-haul-operations-with-767-300/18794.article |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref> In 1998, Air 2000 parent company [[First Choice (UK)|First Choice]] purchased rival tour operator Unijet for £110 million, with Unijet's in-house airline [[Leisure International Airways]] (LIA) being fully integrated in to Air 2000.<ref name="FI"/> This included the entire fleet of aircraft and an order for two [[Airbus A330-200]]s. Before the merger, LIA had planned to replace its two 767s leased from [[International Lease Finance Corporation|ILFC]] with the newly ordered A330-200s, but in 1999 First Choice cancelled in favour of retaining the two [[Boeing 767-300ER]] alongside the two it had ordered from GECAS.<ref>{{Cite web |last=1998-07-08T00:00:00+01:00 |title=Air 2000 makes LIA fleet merger first priority |url=https://www.flightglobal.com:443/air-2000-makes-lia-fleet-merger-first-priority/21807.article |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=1999-03-17T00:00:00+00:00 |title=Air 2000 delays A330s in favour of 767s |url=https://www.flightglobal.com:443/air-2000-delays-a330s-in-favour-of-767s/25421.article |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref> In 2000, additional scheduled services were introduced from eight UK airports to six major Spanish and Portuguese holiday destinations. Air 2000 received a new colour scheme which, by March 2004, the ''Air 2000'' branding was removed and ''First Choice Airways'' branding added.

===First Choice===
The airline carried 6.5 million passengers during 2002. The 2005 total was 6.0 million - fifth highest passenger figures of any UK airline. In 2004 it announced plans to refurbish another six Boeing 767-300 aircraft to expand its long haul operations. The airline was the first in the UK to use the [[Boeing 777]]-style interior on their 767 fleet. The company had six aircraft flying long haul in 2007, in a two class layout, 63 Premium, 195 Economy. All seats featured Panasonic seat back entertainment and mood lighting in Star Class Premier.

On 23 April 2007, First Choice confirmed it is to close its bases at [[London Luton Airport]] and [[Cardiff]] from 1 November 2007 however due to the merger with Thomsonfly who also operate from these bases, the combined airline will still operate from these bases.

===Merger with Thomsonfly===
In March 2008, the tourism division of the airline's parent group [[TUI AG]], merged with [[First Choice (travel firm)|First Choice Holidays PLC]], forming the new company [[TUI Travel]]. Both Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways would be merged as Thomson Airways.

Thomsonfly Limited changed its name to Thomson Airways Limited in November 2008 and the Thomsonfly operating certificate was changed to Thomson Airways with effect from 1 November 2008. On that date, [[Thomsonfly]] and First Choice Airways both rebranded their operations to [[Thomson Airways]], merging with a fleet of 75 aircraft. There is however an order of 12 new Boeing 787 aircraft which will make the fleet 75 once more.

As of 2 October 2017, Thomson Airways began operating under [[TUI Airways]], leaving any vestige of UK travel heritage behind.