Rumours about new destinations or airlines?

[752]

If they did operate an overseas base, would they be routes just to UK destinations or others? and would they serve routes to their non UK bases?

 

[channex 757]

How about Ireland?

Flights out of either Dublin or cork? Because they already operate charter flights out of Dublin and cork because they fly to Newcastle from cork

 

[lbaspotter]

I know I have said this a few time in the past and brought the subject up a few times.

But I am lead to believe that Shaheen Air is now actively looking to restart direct Pakistan - UK operations with their 3x recently acquired Airbus A330-300's. I have been told that they have been in discussions with several UK airports and that LBA may be one of them. But this was not confirmed by my source who's a Pilot on the airbus fleet for Shaheen...

 

[Jordan-34092]

It be good if they introduced a twice weekly Karachi to Toronto service with lba as a stopover. We don't need em on the Islamabad route.

 

[lbaspotter]

Has anyone else heard rumours about a new Turkish destination maybe been offered from LBA soon?

Before anyone asks no its not Turkish Airlines that been mentioned but another Turkish based carrier instead.

 

[752]

Pegasus maybe? I'm sure the once offered flights from STN to DXB via Istanbul.

 

[lbaspotter]

Pegasus maybe? I'm sure the once offered flights from STN to DXB via Istanbul.

Well that didn't take you long Ap1995, As you got it in one!
Yes its Pegasus that was mentioned and the destination was Istanbul. Hopefully there maybe some truth to this rumour for a change. I'm sure I've read elsewhere recently that Pegasus are looking to expand further into the UK markets as they currently only offer flights from London Stansted and have aircraft on order.

 

[Bigman]

What can Pegasus offer (if anything) in terms of onward connections? Would this purely be a point-t-point route if it happened?

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

I think if said airline was to expand judging by its orders it would offer some good connections to Pakistan et al. However it would all need to be timed to perfection - So the aircraft from here would have to land in the region of 1730-1930, with all Pakistan et al. destinations leaving 2000-2200. These will then get back 0400-0600 with the flight leaving back to us around 0630-0800.

I personally think TK would be the best bet all round. They can serve the home market of Pakistan et al, and offering one stop connections to Middle East, Far east and africa. If TK joined i'm sure alot of the pakistan passengers would move over. They would have a reliable journey with TK then PK. We'd loose but gain another carrier All is good. Plus TK have the whole Airbus320 family which would be a perfect fit for our airport as i'm sure at peak times an A321 would fit perfectly but then off peak an A319 would also fit.

 

[lbaspotter]

Just been looking on Pegasus Airlines website http://www.flypgs.com/en/ and it looks like they offer quite a few of there own connections on there London Stansted - Istanbul S-Gokcen (SAW) route. And one-way fares start from £49 one-way which is not bad at all.

I don't think Pegasus are tied in with Turkish Airlines but that doesn't mean connections couldn't be made on to there or other airlines flights. As you can connect onto most airlines flights via Heathrow using non BA partner airlines.

 

[Seasider]

Don't Pegasus operate to SAW and Turkish A/L to IST? If so it would be difficult to Interline.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

As a low cost carrier, Pegasus would surely not offer guaranteed connections? Having looked at their route network, my feeling is that there wouldn't be much in the way of connections available anyway. Istanbul would, therefore, probably be the final destination for anyone using this flight, should it materialise.

 

[a300boy]

What chance do we think we might have of a Brussels service starting again now that Ryanair are opening a base there in February next year.

 

[lbaspotter]

What chance do we think we might have of a Brussels service starting again now that Ryanair are opening a base there in February next year.

I agree a300boy, Would love to see Brussels back as a direct route from Leeds/Bradford again, But would a Boeing 737-800 be to much capacity, Also surely ryanair would only operate it 2/3 times weekly like they did with the Dusseldorf-Weeze route.

I think Brussels Airlines or Eastern Airways would be better suited to the route using smaller regional aircraft

 

[User0001]

If Ryanair were mulling a LBA-Brussels route, then surely they could have tried with Charleroi already?

Granted Charleroi is not the main airport, but, clever marketing has never stopped Ryanair before.

 

[lbia]

A LBA-BRU route would only work with multiple flights a day, a la eastern/flybe/brussels airlines.

I would like Ryanair to try it but realistically with Ryanair serving MAN-Charleroi already, I dont think LBA is in the running.

 

[lbia]

There has been much debate on here regarding the future and the lack of investment for the future. White Heather has reported that LBA's response to this is that they aim to grow by attracting 'non-based' airlines. With the announcement of SAS, hats off for getting them in but a twice weekly flight on a regional jet isn't going to offer significant growth. I've had a think about what other airlines and routes that the LBA management team are thinking of for this future growth. I've listed a few airlines that could potentially fly into LBA on non-based aircraft.

Air France
Iberia
Vueling
Lufthansa
Swiss
Aer Lingus
Air Berlin
Germanwings
Norwegian
Pegasus
Turkish
Wizz

This wasn't much help so I looked at potential routes and tried to consider who could actually operate them. I have tried to include realistic routes, I haven't considered New York or Dubai as realistically these are not going to happen. I've also indicated my personal opinion of the route and airline(s) would realistically consider this.

Madrid - easyJet, Ryanair, Vueling & Iberia. With MAN-MAD's offering I think only Ryanair would even attempt this.

Lisbon - easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 & TAP. MAN-LIS is pretty well served by TAP so realistically probably Ryanair or Jet2.

Athens - easyJet & Jet2. ATH is not a base for either, so unless easy open a LBA base, most likely Jet2.

Brussels - Brussels Airlines, eastern, Flybe & Ryanair - as mentioned this would only really work for the business market with good flight times so most likely eastern or flybe/brussels airlines codeshare.

Cork - Ryanair, Jet2 & Aer Lingus - all three are a posibility, I think Ryanair's aircraft are too big for this so most likely Aer Lingus.

Frankfurt - Ryanair (Hahn) & Lufthansa - LH seem very happy at MAN so really only Ryanair as a maybe.

Istanbul - Turkish & Pegasus - both could serve this route on non based aircraft, maybe Pegasus as Turkish serve MAN already.

Munich - easyjet, air berlin, lufthansa, germanwings - who knows, MAN-MUC is well served so maybe Air Berlin?

Naples - Jet2, easyjet& Monarch - an easyjet base but realistic? No. Most likely Jet2 or maybe Monarch.

Warsaw - Ryanair, Wizz, Jet2 - Ryanair already serve MAN-WAW, Wizz serve Doncaster so unless Wizz can be lured, most likely to be tried by Jet2.

Cape Verde - Jet2 & Thomson - TOM have a large UK-Cape Verde presence but would they try LBA when they already have MAN? A 757 would be needed for this from LBA so really only Jet2.

Banjul/Gambia -Monarch, Thomson, Jet2 - again a 757 would be needed so realistically only Jet2.

Vienna - Jet2 & Austrian - Austrian only serves LHR so is LBA in with a chance? No. Jet2 are doing Vienna from MAN next year, so probs not from LBA other than a short series of winter flights (tomorrows LBA-VIE is full for anyone interested).

Turin - Thomson & Jet2 - TOM serve MAN-TRN for the ski season, can't see them doing anything other than taking an allocation on Jet2 if they tried it.

Sofia - Jet2, Monarch & Balkan - didn't Balkan try this but cut before it started? They don't seem interested so maybe Jet2/Monarch?

Marrakech - Jet2 & Ryanair - most likely Ryanair.

Sharm - Thomson, Jet2 & Monarch - i'd say once the Egypt market sorts itself out maybe Thomson again or Monarch.

Gibraltar - Monarch & Jet2 - Monarch have a history at GIB, don't think Jet2 would dilute their LBA-AGP by flying to GIB so most likely Monarch.

I can't really think of any other routes that could realistically be served from LBA. I really don't u derstand how LBA can possibly think they can grow by attracting non-based airlines as there are very few to even consider. Ryanair has become stagnant at LBA, IF they wanted to, they could deliver a lot of growth by putting most of their LBA routes on non-based aircraft and utilising home based ones on new routes. This hasn't happened and I honestly think they are focussing on MAN for their northern growth, most their MAN routes would be great additions to LBA but is it going to happen? I doubt it.

easyJet is the only other option but they seem less than interested in LBA.

I honestly think LBA's only significant growth can come from home based airlines. Together, Jet2, Monarch and Thomson could deliver significant growth at LBA. I know Jet2 would love to put more aircraft in and i'm sure Monarch and Thomson could equally add an extra aircraft and make money.

LBA's core market is the leisure & low cost segment, BA & KLM have worldwide connections well covered and the business routes from LBA dwindle each year. The only realistic non-based could be Brussels Airlines, maybe Aer Lingus and Turkish/Pegasus - but none of these are going to deliver growth other than a few thousand. LBA will settle at about 3.5mppa for the forseeable future. Once it gets to that point, how are Bridgepoint going to make any profit, as they are not currently. The current set-up will not allow growth, the worrying this is that with Flybe (Southampton) and PIA (unless B777 starts) have real question marks over their heads, we may even see a passenger decline in 2014!

Come on LBA, get some long term investment (parking stands!!!) built, an extra 737 from Jet2, extra Airbus from Monarch and extra 737 from either Thomson or Ryanair would put LBA well over the 4mppa mark, an extra 4 parking stands could even suffice to 5mppa.

Unless i'm being totally narrow minded here, but how else can LBA seriously use the excuse of 'attracting non-based airlines' to avoid having to spend more money, to add routes to deliver growth other than get Emirates to Dubai? Now that would need a LOT of work.....I don't get how they can move past where we are now.

 

[SNOWMAN]

good morning lbia
thanks for taking the time and effort with the above post,i agree with you we need more stands for our based airlines also it would be nice to see some w patterns from ryan air,i wonder if the are only fulfilling there contract with lba and cannot agree terms for w-legs.i would have thought by now we would have had they odd route from easy jet on a w pattern.
regards
sm1 :good:

 

[lbaspotter]

Ryanair don't operate that many w legs compaired to simular large airlines. Rather they fly point to point with aircraft been sent in from other bases. Eg Dublin, Pisa, Malta, Alicante, Malaga and Barcelona.

Now how many bases do Ryanair have? So the question should be which of them routes do you think could work with flights from Leeds that are not already severed by other airlines already, also take in to consideration if the competition from either Manchester or Doncaster.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Sharm - Thomson, Jet2 & Monarch - i'd say once the Egypt market sorts itself out maybe Thomson again or Monarch.

I've just come back from the Red sea. All flights that Monarch had within 40 minutes of leaving each other (LTN,BHX,MAN) were all full or quite possibly above 85% load factor. Of course the LF tells nothing about the market it's self. I don't get the issue with Egypt especially this resort its fantastic. It could really do with some inward investment to bring it up to what i would consider a real gem of the red sea, but i guess the growing russian lesuire market to here will help. Care to explain whats wrong with the LBA-SSH market?

I reckon Jet2 could easily pull off, especially with help now from 2 Holidays, a 2 weekly route summer and 3 poss during winter.

And what about tunisia? There and back ties the aircraft up for 8 hours .. out to somewhere in the morning then out at 1600-1700 back 0000-0100 or similar in the morning out around 0645-0800 back 1445-1600 and back out for the afternoon?