easyJet

[White Heather]

Buts thats what I would expect him to say while the planning application was in and under consideration.

It wasn't. That was long before.

 

[White Heather]

Sorry my mistake....

You are, of course, forgiven.

 

[LBA8098]

4 daily rotations per day Offint. Flew the route regularly with BE and loads were consistently high. Rich pickings for U2

 

[White Heather]

The fact remains WH it was a good route for FlyBe with good load factors and 3 roatations a day I think...this will make money for Easyjet...I am not a betting man but if the new terminal is refused I predict Easyjet will still do it.

I totally agree and I really hope so. I would love to see Easyjet base at LBA, new terminal or not.

 

[Starflyer]

They're developing a fair presence at BHX without that needing to be a base. The future - at least in the short term - is likely to be fewer bases for easyJet with rumours of two UK bases under threat as it is. And although they will absolutely be talking to other airports, they did not apply for slots at the likes of CWL or for anything more at BHX than they have today, but they did for LBA. Read into that what you will - and we'll probably all still be wrong! Anyway, getting them through the door is the most important thing for now, before everyone gets carried away with notions of a base....

 

[LBA4EVER]

Easyjet is by far the number 1 airline to try get into LBA, another airline to try tempt in would be wizz air as a large amount of their customer base that use DSA are workers from eastern Europe, but due to the covid-19 this has dramatically reduced, so im guessing wizz would far prefer an airport with a larger population around it to serve tourists and those going on hols instead of workers.
And of course if we get our new terminal then jet2 can certainly expand plenty more.

 

[White Heather]

EasyJet and Wizz were the two airlines mentioned specifically by the CEO as airlines on his wish list when terminal capacity allows.

 

[LBA4EVER]

EasyJet and Wizz were the two airlines mentioned specifically by the CEO as airlines on his wish list when terminal capacity allows.

I can read their minds lol Imagine a very large jet2 presence, Ryanair, easyjet and wizz! we would be on a roll! Another outsider to consider that is expanding at the moment is air Baltic with their A220s.

 

[Ashwo99]

Another outsider to consider that is expanding at the moment is air Baltic with their A220s.

While I would love to see a BT A220 at LBA, unfortunately this is very unlikely for a number of reasons. Firstly they had planned to launch RIX-MAN this summer which has since been put on hold due to COVID. Secondly LBA isn’t really on BT’s radar, as they cater for mainly RIX originating pax and knowledge of our region is limited, I know this because several of my university friends are Latvian and work for either RIX or BT while they are not studying.
Being a rather vocal advocate for Yorkshire as the only Yorkshireman on my course I tasked them to ask about local knowledge on the area and conduct some research for me. Sadly it came back that barely any respondents had heard of Yorkshire or Leeds, though more had heard of York, presumably due to its history. If they were to launch another UK route after MAN, based on our research it would be BHX.
All that being said I keep extolling Yorkshire’s virtues to my coursemates, some of which have already secured graduate management roles at BT, perhaps in the distant future...

 

[White Heather]

While I would love to see a BT A220 at LBA, unfortunately this is very unlikely for a number of reasons. Firstly they had planned to launch RIX-MAN this summer which has since been put on hold due to COVID. Secondly LBA isn’t really on BT’s radar, as they cater for mainly RIX originating pax and knowledge of our region is limited, I know this because several of my university friends are Latvian and work for either RIX or BT while they are not studying.
Being a rather vocal advocate for Yorkshire as the only Yorkshireman on my course I tasked them to ask about local knowledge on the area and conduct some research for me. Sadly it came back that barely any respondents had heard of Yorkshire or Leeds, though more had heard of York, presumably due to its history. If they were to launch another UK route after MAN, based on our research it would be BHX.
All that being said I keep extolling Yorkshire’s virtues to my coursemates, some of which have already secured graduate management roles at BT, perhaps in the distant future...

I presume then that they don't watch the Tour de Yorkshire or remember the Tour de France, because if they did they would certainly have heard of Yorkshire. Not having heard of Leeds, the UKs 3rd biggest city by population, just sums this city up really. Everyone knows London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh but nobody seems to know about little old Leeds, sat right in the heart of the UK. This is what relegation from the Premier League does to you (at football) and never having made the Premier League (in the world of airports). Sadly LBA remains Championship level.

 

[Ashwo99]

Sadly LBA remains Championship level.

Indeed, a key point from our research with the RIX crowd was that the Etihad stadium and Old Trafford and their associated teams played a large part in the recognition and draw with the MAN-RIX route among Latvian pax.
Back on topic (got a bit carried away with my earlier post on BT), U2 is a positive development and a step in the right direction, they’ve recently also added more routes to BHX including GLA, while also not having a base, a route LBA hasn’t had since LM pulled it, and though the A319 is quite a bit larger than the Saab, at U2 prices perhaps we could see a few times weekly if BFS works out. Hopefully they do well

 

[LBA4EVER]

It often surprises me how very few people have heard or no where Leeds is! Within Europe those that are business minded and educated esp from the northern countries are more aware of Leeds than those from the southern countries. Its very true though that the size of an airport and how well its football team is doing really does sell its city and makes it far more better known around the world. For eg its Manchester airport through the masses that travel through it and man utd (also man city) that really sells Manchester to the world! One other key to the popularity of a city is its media coverage although once ch4 gets going in Leeds the city im sure will get more coverage.
Within the uk it tends to be London, oxford and Cambridge, York and Edinburgh that most of heard of, obviously due to them been tourist destinations. Leeds/Bradford with hopefully its new terminal could be advertised as your gateway to York. Yorkshire as a whole is a very well known county, probably more so than any other but the city of Leeds just needs to get itself in the spot light more, the planned expansion of LBA will really help and LCC surely must be aware of this!

 

[LBA4EVER]

Have you been on the liquor early today fight2win I don’t think I’ve heard so much cr@p on here since your last comment

excuse me, what are you on about ! its not a load of crap at all, its what ive clearly observed when iv travelled abroad, im not going to make up false comments on here. Manchester today is mostly known for its football clubs and its airport. other things the place is well known for is its media esp Salford and its nightlife (inc famous canal street) these things make the city more well known!
And Europeans and most certainly the americans will of heard of London, o&c, York and Edinburgh! . oh and iv not been on the liquor, I prefer to keep fit!

 

[Starflyer]

Air Baltic have pulled some existing routes including Aberdeen which was a low-frequency (2 x weekly) operation with the A220 to Riga. I don't think they're looking for new ones right now. Leeds-Riga probably has some VFR potential. Those with longer memories might remember the Baltic International TU154s chartered by Rochdale Travel for a short series of flights long before low-cost airlines made such trips an everyday occurrence.... Lviv was the other destination from LBA with a strong VFR background coming from migration patterns in previous generations.

 

[White Heather]

Air Baltic have pulled some existing routes including Aberdeen which was a low-frequency (2 x weekly) operation with the A220 to Riga. I don't think they're looking for new ones right now. Leeds-Riga probably has some VFR potential. Those with longer memories might remember the Baltic International TU154s chartered by Rochdale Travel for a short series of flights long before low-cost airlines made such trips an everyday occurrence.... Lviv was the other destination from LBA with a strong VFR background coming from migration patterns in previous generations.

I remember the Baltic Tu154s and have photos. The first was in Aeroflot livery but when it returned it had changed to Baltic International, as it was around the time the Berlin Wall came down and the USSR ceased to exist.
Let's not forget Ryanair already fly to Riga when the circumstances are normal.

 

[JetRob]

I do think EasyJet would definitely add a new dimension to Leeds again. The orange tail would be a welcome sight back at Leeds and will obviously have no competition on the route mentioned (BFS). However, with the new terminal and the lack of routes the other airlines at Leeds provide, I reckon there could be a market for them to expand too in the future, providing the BFS route does well.

I know they use to do the 'ski flights' from LBA not so long ago, but could and I mean its a BIG could, they not introduce new routes that we haven't had in years? (MAD been one example).

 

[LBA4EVER]

Bit risky though would you not say operating out of a brand new base first off to more unique, non bucket and spade destinations? To me it makes more sense to test the water with more high density routes like ALC,AGP then with caution add routes like MAD,LIS? Also very important to look at your customer base in that area, general population and getting the word out there. In the case of LBA it most certainly has a market for high density routes as well as the more select customer destinations.

 

[Malaga]

There is a problem here. Belfast has two airports. One knows what the market potential is for the city airport BHD, but does one know what the potential is for BFS which is likely to be less popular? If Easyjet start the route to BFS, what is to stop someone else starting a route to BHD and diluting the market. Remember, Jet2 cancelled their route to BFS, so lets not get too excited about Easyjet.

 

[White Heather]

There is a problem here. Belfast has two airports. One knows what the market potential is for the city airport BHD, but does one know what the potential is for BFS which is likely to be less popular? If Easyjet start the route to BFS, what is to stop someone else starting a route to BHD and diluting the market. Remember, Jet2 cancelled their route to BFS, so lets not get too excited about Easyjet.

Nothing to stop them at all but remember too that for many years all flights to Belfast were to Aldergrove and loadings have been consistently good. If folk want to go to Belfast and City is no longer an option, they will just go to BFS. It is still easier than travelling to another airport in Lancashire just to save a few miles when they land.

 

[Malaga]

Bit risky though would you not say operating out of a brand new base first off to more unique, non bucket and spade destinations? To me it makes more sense to test the water with more high density routes like ALC,AGP then with caution add routes like MAD,LIS? Also very important to look at your customer base in that area, general population and getting the word out there. In the case of LBA it most certainly has a market for high density routes as well as the more select customer destinations.

Does not make sense at all! Why would you start a route with two competitors already when you can have a route all to yourselves.