Play

[fly4gigs]

All cancelled.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

All cancelled.

Not true. They've taken November flights off sale but October are still there.

 

[Samdorob]

Seems like it’s November that has been cancelled. Still not great for the airport and even worse for those passengers who need to scramble to find an alternative flight.

All cancelled.

 

[Jerry]

Seems like it’s November that has been cancelled. Still not great for the airport and even worse for those passengers who need to scramble to find an alternative flight.

I was afraid that would happen. The seat maps weren't good. It'll no doubt damage the airport pr wise because they've made a big deal out of it.

 

[MrFenner]

They should’ve just stuck to doing the flights timed around the football matches they were originally planned for rather than try and bulk it out for a “short season”

 

[Jerry]

They should’ve just stuck to doing the flights timed around the football matches they were originally planned for rather than try and bulk it out for a “short season”

I suspect they were hoping connections to the USA would be good. And I think Play shows the challenges that the airport faces. Niche routes like Iceland don't work from Cardiff unfortunately.

 

[MrFenner]

I suspect they were hoping connections to the USA would be good. And I think Play shows the challenges that the airport faces. Niche routes like Iceland don't work from Cardiff unfortunately.

You’re exactly right. This route is way too niche for the likes of CWL, unfortunately. Even BRS had a challenge with Wow taking on easyJet to KEF - and we all know how taking on easyJet on such niche routes ends…

Yes, a nice temporary addition for the purpose of shuttling football fans to/from matches - but such a limited season for a relatively unknown carrier was always going to be difficult.

 

[Aviador]

You’re exactly right. This route is way too niche for the likes of CWL, unfortunately. Even BRS had a challenge with Wow taking on easyJet to KEF - and we all know how taking on easyJet on such niche routes ends…

Yes, a nice temporary addition for the purpose of shuttling football fans to/from matches - but such a limited season for a relatively unknown carrier was always going to be difficult.

There was talk of PLAY coming to Leeds but then Jet2 opened a KEF route so it made it less likely as you say on such a niche route.

 

[Jerry]

You’re exactly right. This route is way too niche for the likes of CWL, unfortunately. Even BRS had a challenge with Wow taking on easyJet to KEF - and we all know how taking on easyJet on such niche routes ends…

Yes, a nice temporary addition for the purpose of shuttling football fans to/from matches - but such a limited season for a relatively unknown carrier was always going to be difficult.

One of the challenges with an airline like Play and Wow is not just being relatively unknown but also a big chunk of their operation is onward connections to the USA but they only have a small amount of USA destinations and going via Iceland will only be attractive to a certain limited market and CWL and BRS have Heathrow with its crazy capacity to the USA not that far away.

There was talk of PLAY coming to Leeds but then Jet2 opened a KEF route so it made it less likely as you say on such a niche route.

And this applies to LeedsBradford as well who of course have Manchester not that far away but even Heathrow is still a potential big draw for many when going to the USA.

If CWL is to ever get an Iceland route it would need to be with TUI but I do think it they would be unlikely to try it as its a holiday that isn't cheap but also only appeals to a certain type of person.

 

[Aviador]

A further problem is the big draw to the states isn't big anymore which has lead to fewer carriers serving the US from fewer airports. The same can be said for Canada too.

it could also be argued that serving smaller airports could still work for them as many people don't want to use the big airports.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

WOW was actually a profitable airline for some time. The demise of them was caused by over expansion. They got greedy and introduced the A330s on longer routes which didn't work out and was ultimately the final nail in the coffin. Play are basically mirroring the successful parts of WOW, narrowbody low cost.

CWL was always going to be a risk. I'm surprised they haven't kept the November flights for the Wales home football match as I imagine that would have had good take up from Icelandics.

 

[Jerry]

Hopefully we'll see them return next year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1844759901500805183

 

[MrFenner]

Hopefully we'll see them return next year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1844759901500805183

Quite the excessive (but very good!) marketing for 3 flights - which as we know was originally 6...

I'd love to see them back again, but I can't see it happening.

Good press for CWL nonetheless

 

[Jerry]

Quite the excessive (but very good!) marketing for 3 flights - which as we know was originally 6...

I'd love to see them back again, but I can't see it happening.

Good press for CWL nonetheless

Yep they have treated them like a new permanent airline. Hopefully we'll see them back in the future.

 

[MrFenner]

As a side note to PLAY in general, this is from a reliable source;

PLAY Airlines will cut capacity to North America.

The carrier announced it plans to decrease its destinations in North America (and Northern Europe) as part of a shift in its business model.

PLAY currently serves BOS, BWI, IAD, SWF, YHM in North America.

PLAY plans to focus more on connecting Southern Europe with Iceland rather than connecting passengers between North America and Europe with a stop in Iceland.

 

[Finger66]

Reflection of the state of UK/Europe - US tourism decline me feels. Assuming it's not a desperation move it seems sensible to change their business model

 

[Aviador]

Reflection of the state of UK/Europe - US tourism decline me feels. Assuming it's not a desperation move it seems sensible to change their business model

That was the likely cause of the demise of the previous similar Icelandic airline.

 

[Jerry]

As a side note to PLAY in general, this is from a reliable source;

PLAY Airlines will cut capacity to North America.

The carrier announced it plans to decrease its destinations in North America (and Northern Europe) as part of a shift in its business model.

PLAY currently serves BOS, BWI, IAD, SWF, YHM in North America.

PLAY plans to focus more on connecting Southern Europe with Iceland rather than connecting passengers between North America and Europe with a stop in Iceland.

Tourism to Iceland is booming so for a LCC airline focusing on that might be a better option.

 

[Aviador]

Tourism to Iceland is booming so for a LCC airline focusing on that might be a better option.

This may become a problem for CWL if this is also available from BRS?

View media item 19020Originally posted in the Leeds forum by @lbaspotter

There were strong rumours Play were going to launch flights from LBA 12 months back but the rumours all went quiet and this this appeared. There is no reason why Tui couldn't offer a similar partnership with Play if they don't intend to stick around at Cardiff.

 

[Jerry]

This may become a problem for CWL if this is also available from BRS?

View media item 19020Originally posted in the Leeds forum by @lbaspotter

There were strong rumours Play were going to launch flights from LBA 12 months back but the rumours all went quiet and this this appeared. There is no reason why Tui couldn't offer a similar partnership with Play if they don't intend to stick around at Cardiff.

Interesting, with TUI though i'd have thought it would be the other way round. That TUI use their flights for packages rather than the other way round.