Route Development & Rumours

[mdobuk21]

To be fair to Vincent Hodder most statements he comes out usually includes something about routes to the Middle East, east coast US and using the 321XLR. Looks like the route to Islamabad will return sooner rather than later.

 

[Iron Duck]

I remember 15 odd years ago, the 787 was supposed to be the big hub buster for regional airports. The issue we have is that carriers ordering the XLR do so in business heavy configurations, which may lead to them sticking with London where most of the business demand is.

 

[Jerry]

I remember 15 odd years ago, the 787 was supposed to be the big hub buster for regional airports. The issue we have is that carriers ordering the XLR do so in business heavy configurations, which may lead to them sticking with London where most of the business demand is.

JetBlue is an example in where they've gone after the main markets. SAS are using theirs on Copenhagen to New York instead of widebodies and I expect we'll see US airlines like American use them on established routes as well.

 

[michael]

At some stage in the not too distant future alot of the current transatlantic aircraft will be changed - by that I mean if you look at both BA and American many of their original B777-200's are now approaching 30 years old. United too have their B767's well in to their 20's years old too (That's not to say they haven't started replacing them with 787's and A350's). Virgin and Delta seem to have the newer Atlantic fleets with the A339's and A350's so it'll be interesting to see who replaces their 772's with A321's

 

[LBAYORKIE]

You claim its a fact, I don't know if it is or not. To me relaxing in a nice lounge is very important to me but then you get punters happy to sit outside WH Smiths with a packet of crisps and a bottle of cider…each to their own I suppose.

Its been reported on here in WH's ACC reports.

I remember 15 odd years ago, the 787 was supposed to be the big hub buster for regional airports. The issue we have is that carriers ordering the XLR do so in business heavy configurations, which may lead to them sticking with London where most of the business demand is.

I remember that, everyone on here was sure it would unlock Leeds' potential.

I remember 15 odd years ago, the 787 was supposed to be the big hub buster for regional airports. The issue we have is that carriers ordering the XLR do so in business heavy configurations, which may lead to them sticking with London where most of the business demand is.

I remember that, everyone on here was sure it would unlock Leeds' potential.

I remember 15 odd years ago, the 787 was supposed to be the big hub buster for regional airports. The issue we have is that carriers ordering the XLR do so in business heavy configurations, which may lead to them sticking with London where most of the business demand is.

I remember that, everyone on here was sure it would unlock Leeds' potential.

 

[Snackbar]

You claim its a fact, I don't know if it is or not. To me relaxing in a nice lounge is very important to me but then you get punters happy to sit outside WH Smiths with a packet of crisps and a bottle of cider…each to their own I suppose.

Think you will find most lounges are far from a place to relax nowadays. When travelling on business I started to avoid most of these places as unfortunately they seem to have largely become a place for people to down as many free pints as possible….It became impossible to work in them or take a work call….far better nowadays to just try and find a quite spot somewhere airside…….This was a view shared by most of my colleagues when travelling on business….

 

[gulftraveller]

At some stage in the not too distant future alot of the current transatlantic aircraft will be changed - by that I mean if you look at both BA and American many of their original B777-200's are now approaching 30 years old. United too have their B767's well in to their 20's years old too (That's not to say they haven't started replacing them with 787's and A350's). Virgin and Delta seem to have the newer Atlantic fleets with the A339's and A350's so it'll be interesting to see who replaces their 772's with A321's

The 772 and A321XLR are totally different aircraft in terms of capacity and range. So to answer your question, no airline will realistically replace the B772 with the A321XLR. The XLR, for one thing, has very poor cargo capacity. BA and VS appear to have no interest in the type, neither LS nor TUI.

 

[Aviador]

The 772 and A321XLR are totally different aircraft in terms of capacity and range. So to answer your question, no airline will realistically replace the B772 with the A321XLR. The XLR, for one thing, has very poor cargo capacity. BA and VS appear to have no interest in the type, neither LS nor TUI.

While I don't believe they will either, the A321XLR does present new opportunities from regional airports. It's unlikely we'll suddenly see a wealth of new routes to North America and the Middle East, but it will undoubtedly offer some airlines the chance to venture into these regions.

 

[pug]

While I don't believe they will either, the A321XLR does present new opportunities from regional airports. It's unlikely we'll suddenly see a wealth of new routes to North America and the Middle East, but it will undoubtedly offer some airlines the chance to venture into these regions.

I had thought JetBlue might have been the answer to opening up limited regional routes to New York/Boston but they seem to have employed a ‘fleet simplification strategy’ last year and so they are no longer going to operate the XLR.

 

[79MX]

I had thought JetBlue might have been the answer to opening up limited regional routes to New York/Boston but they seem to have employed a ‘fleet simplification strategy’ last year and so they are no longer going to operate the XLR.

This is true, but they could still operate with another A321 or similar but of course whether it will happen is a different question entirely

 

[pug]

This is true, but they could still operate with another A321 or similar but of course whether it will happen is a different question entirely

They could but I think they have abandoned long haul ambitions to focus on their core strategy and they’re doubling down on A320 and A220 fleet.

 

[Jerry]

This is true, but they could still operate with another A321 or similar but of course whether it will happen is a different question entirely

JetBlue are a market disruptor. They'll go where their competitors are. They won't do anything different from them.

 

[Len Fish]

For those doubting the use of narrow bodied aircraft on long haul routes there are currently around 16 airlines using narrow bodies to fly on trans Atlantic routes. With over 500 A321 XLRs on order the use of narrow bodies on long haul routes is only going to increase so the odds of seeing some longer routes from LBA are likely to shorten.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

For those doubting the use of narrow bodied aircraft on long haul routes there are currently around 16 airlines using narrow bodies to fly on trans Atlantic routes. With over 500 A321 XLRs on order the use of narrow bodies on long haul routes is only going to increase so the odds of seeing some longer routes from LBA are likely to shorten.

I wonder how many are all or partially business class though. That would make a huge difference to profitability.

 

[Len Fish]

Good point. As an example Aer Lingus have 16 first class seats and 168 economy on both their A321 LR and XLR aircraft. How this translates into profitability versus an all economy seat aircraft I’m not sure.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Good point. As an example Aer Lingus have 16 first class seats and 168 economy on both their A321 LR and XLR aircraft. How this translates into profitability versus an all economy seat aircraft I’m not sure.

And 'La Compagnie' uses 321's with 100% business class. If its 'stack em high, sell em cheap' traffic I think you would really need a wide bodied aircraft for economy of scale.

 

[Len Fish]

But the whole point of using a narrow body is to use them on routes where there is currently insufficient demand to fill a “stack ‘em high” wide body.

 

[lbaspotter]

I here the one to watch is US based low cost operator “Breeze Airways”
They have just been certified to operate into the UK & Europe using a fleet of 2 class configured Airbus A220-300 which is also ETOPS 180-minute certified.

 

[Peter Barber]

I have flown from Faro to Toronto several times on the Air Transat A321neo, and found it to be very comfortable on an 8 hour plus flight, in fact I preferred the experience over the wide body Air Transat A330, that is also used on the higher traffic periods between Faro and Toronto. The distances between LBA and Toronto are almost identical to Faro and Toronto, so there is no reason why the A321xlr, with its extra fuel capacity would not be successful, and would be easier to fill than a wide body.

 

[Finger66]

I here the one to watch is US based low cost operator “Breeze Airways”
They have just been certified to operate into the UK & Europe using a fleet of 2 class configured Airbus A220-300 which is also ETOPS 180-minute certified.

That would confuse the media. I can see the headline now:
Breasyjet launch New York from LBA

Joking aside again it depends if they want to be a disruptor or look for niches. Certainly limited seats to sell if they can make it profitable.

P s. Jet2 are you watching re A220's - a perfect B733 replacement and you wouldn't have to register those as G-ALBA or F-UKOF