Route Development & Rumours

[SierraHotel]

SSH would be a welcome addition to LBAs route network

 

[LBA4EVER]

Apart from the blue islands announcement which sadly is not happening now autumn has seen absolutely nothing new! Bit disappointed really as many recent rumours dont seem to happening

 

[White Heather]

Apart from the blue islands announcement which sadly is not happening now autumn has seen absolutely nothing new! Bit disappointed really as many recent rumours dont seem to happening

There's time yet. Good things come to those who wait.

But just get on with it!!!!

 

[SierraHotel]

Do you mean as in "Sheikh a leg"?

 

[79MX]

Sharm-El-Sheikh 1x weekly (Sat) and Hurghada 1x weekly (Sun) from Feb 2027 with Jet2, great news for the airport (Credit SeanM on X)

 

[markietg]

It’s all gone very quiet in here sssssSSH!

I couldn’t think how to get HRG into a sentence! Great news from JET2.

 

[Finger66]

Agreed this is great news. Has LBA ever had a route to HRG previously? I know we have had SSH.

The only HRG I know of outside of it being the code for Hurghada is in the Business Travel World it stands for Hogg Robinson Group so defo not easy to get into a sentence.

Anyways Jet2 did announce a couple of years back that their expansion plans would need to include more winter/year round destinations so it is definitely playing out that way

 

[HX3]

I’m surprised they haven’t ventured back to Tunisia. Most tour operators have returned after a hiatus due to the 2015 terrorism incident. It is a relatively short sector compared to Egypt and the canaries, but does operate year round. Perhaps they will consider Enfidha and Djerba in the future?

 

[LBA4EVER]

There's time yet. Good things come to those who wait.

But just get on with it!!!!

Guess good things do come to those that wait great news from jet2 regs SSH and HRG! Used easyjet out of MAN to ssh a few years back, great resort esp soho square and the sinai mountains are a fab excursion esp on quad bikes! Actually been looking to travel back to sharm so this new service is a deffo for me! Only downside is ssh airport is a nightmare to pass thru with endless security and always pack a pen in your case for the visa cards when you arrive, it seemed i was the only pax with a pen when we landed at ssh

 

[BCFC]

Gambia became popular at one point but tailed off…about the same distance as Cape Verde and a market untouched, I think TUI used to go there.

 

[HX3]

Tui still do Banjul twice weekly (winter only) from Manchester and Gatwick, so plenty of scope for Jet2 if they wanted to go there.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Tui still do Banjul twice weekly (winter only) from Manchester and Gatwick, so plenty of scope for Jet2 if they wanted to go there.

Surely a 737 or 321 couldn't make it direct?

 

[HX3]

@LBAYORKIE I believe it’s a 737-800 from Manchester, so it would be similar flight distance from LBA. I’m no technical expert, so how the runway length would impact I don’t know. I assume TUI will do a crew swap due to the schedule being on limits of crew times there and back- so that would have to be another consideration if Jet2 entered the Gambia market.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Surely a 737 or 321 couldn't make it direct?

Was thinking this myself regarding the max range of the 737-800s off the LBA runway to our new destinations as egypt is around another hours flying time compared to say the canaries, and perhaps these new destinations is a clue that we may see the A321s at LBA, just a thought

 

[Aviador]

Surely a 737 or 321 couldn't make it

I believe The Gambia is possible from LBA. It was served or due to be served about 15 years ago for The Gambia Experience using Astraeus Airlines 737-700. If I remember correctly the tour operator went out of business after the first couple of flights.

 

[LBA787]

I’m pretty sure these days, post 757 - TUI use the MAX not the 800 for their Gambia and Senegal flights. Thomas Cook used to run the very same A321ceos that Jet2 now have on their Banjul runs out of Manchester, so we know those aircraft can handle the route, granted we don’t know if there were payload limitations.

For context, the last time LBA had Banjul flights was when Astraeus operated the route with the 737-700. I can’t remember exactly whether the double drop was through Bristol or Cardiff, but it was one of those two. Either way, it shows the route’s been done before albeit with smaller equipment and a shared load to boot.

Tbh currently I’m not sure there’s a strong enough market for a stand alone LBA - BJL, it’s not a mass market.

 

[HX3]

I thought it went via BOH back in the day?

 

[LBA787]

Was thinking this myself regarding the max range of the 737-800s off the LBA runway to our new destinations as egypt is around another hours flying time compared to say the canaries, and perhaps these new destinations is a clue that we may see the A321s at LBA, just a thought

TUI comfortably operated SSH with the 737-800 from LBA.

I thought it went via BOH back in the day?

Oh possibly, I did think BRS or CWL but you could be right, memory is hazy with the smaller details these days.

 

[Aviador]

I thought it went via BOH back in the day?

Yes I think you're right and not becuase it ccouldn't operate direct, but because it was a niche market.

 

[Finger66]

I am going to place a small amount of money on BJL coming in the future. That's because I Gambia responsibly!