Singapore Airlines

[Dobbo]

That seems like a sensible suggestion. I don't know much about CAPA but I think there is a general misconception between "London" and "rest of UK" in the sense that London = premium demand and "Rest of UK" = budget getaways.

There is clearly a difference but that is an unfair comparison.

It leads to the easy/lazy conclusion that anywhere outside of London cannot support a significant long haul route network requiring premium demand, and budget is the way to go. MAN amongst others is showing that to be inaccurate.

Assuming this comes to pass, will it bring forward any plans from CX to go daily?

 

[User001]

It does seem that CAPA thinks MAN is incapable of supporting premium demand and has always taken a slightly patronising tone to MAN 'ooh look, you have a route to Hong Kong, lucky you, hopefully you know how to book the flight'.

 

[Dobbo]

I'll do some digging when I can, but I have to say that is a perception that seems to be shared more widely than CAPA.

I hope the next 5-10 years changes that.

 

[David_itl]

Feel like this should be part of some other thread! Part of the perception is that some airlines may look at what BA has done and seen that they've ceded the market to others whilst saying they can't turn a profit at MAN. That their cost structure is their biggest impediment wasn't broadcast too many times. If Mr Foreign Airline CEO looks at MAN and sees that the leading British airline doesn't want to serve MAN, then may be they are thinking "How can we, with lesser brand awareness, succeed?".

The big game changer for the airline industry and those who comment about "weak" demand should have been the decision by EK to bring A380 ops to MAN with 1st class and them saying it was due to F class passengers out of the MAN area using EK's LHR services. Oh, add in having 2 daily high density 77Ws beating LGW's 3 daily low density aircraft for profitabilty should help dissuade observers from saying that having lots of economy passengers on board trashes yields and profits.

Getting CX to start non-stop well ahead of when they had been saying they would is also a feather in MAN's cap regarding premium demand - this was an airline waiting for the A350. Yet, in they go with 77Ws and are nudging 90% loads and only failing to go daily to to a combination of slot availability at LGW happening and delayed deliveries.

Now we have Hainan off to their tremendous start with over 80% capacity filled for the 1st 4 months of the route when recent global Chinese airline route launches are struggling to reach 60%. And we've got to bear in mind BA recently not totally ruling out a return citing the level of frequent flyers in the area - they've never really contemplated aiding their MAN long-haul sector with their own domestic feed and tapping into partner airline's hubs for onward destinations - which is probably setting off a few people in senior positions wondering if always getting the MAN premium passenger to always do a double transfer if venturing past a partner airline's foreign hub when rival airlines are flyng to their base and onwards with a single transfer.

 

[Jerry]

I would have thought that the catchment area for MAN would support a daily flight to most of the major Far East Middle East and North American hubs and possibly even South America especially if those airlines could codeshare with Flybe and it effectively act as a second UK hub.

 

[User001]

Aaaaand the route has just been put on sale!

Boom!

 

[Land23R]

User001, please could you clarify a few points:

Is it on sale from 30 Oct. now and not March'17?
5 x weekly or daily?
Are details on the SQ web site?
(I'm having a few computer glitches)

 

[User001]

Yes is now 5 weekly but expected to go daily in March, but does start a lot earlier than expected.

SQ51/52 flight numbers too, on B77W.

Not bad considering some were either convinced SQ wouldn't run 5th freedom from MAN and that MAN was definately to become a scoot route.

 

[Land23R]

Many thanks. Do you happen to have the days and times handy as well? My pc is very slow on some web sites.

 

[User001]

I'm just on my mobile at mo sa can't remember days, but, the SIN-IAH flight arrives MAN 0900 departs 1005, the other way arrives 1015 departs 1135.

10 minutes on the ground together, and means crews stop in Manchester once more, rather than the Munich shuttle run

 

[Land23R]

Cheers User001

 

[Dobbo]

It is starting far sooner than expected. Let's hope it's a sucess.

Possibly the quick start means that aircraft were not availae to go daily, but 5x weekly is reasonably strong to start with.

If my recollection is correct, slots were applied for daily operations so it seems likely that they will be used.

Here is the routesonline article:

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29...h-houston-stopover-from-moscow-to-manchester/

 

[User001]

Full flight details:

SQ52 SIN 0235 MAN 0900
SQ52 MAN 1015 IAH 1135

Tue/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun

SQ51 IAH 1915 MAN 1005+1
SQ51 MAN 1135 SIN 0820+1

Mon/Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun

B77W used, expected to be daily in April 2017.

 

[Dobbo]

That would be great. The move to daily is very much part of SQs business model. I am relaxed about loads on the SIN-MAN sector, which should be full very quickly. I'm looking forward to seeing the connections at the SIN end.

I would hope and expect to see SQ make the most of UA/BE connections to fill up seats on the IAH-MAN sector but think there are grounds for optimism that this route will be a success.

 

[Aceshigh]

BE codeshare ?

 

[Brum X]

Good News for MAN

 

[David_itl]

Routesonline has got this article on today's tremendous news. 6 months in the planning!

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29...h-houston-stopover-from-moscow-to-manchester/

 

[Dobbo]

BE codeshare ?

Certainly nothing announced yet. I think it would be sensible, but it may not be necessary to make the route work.

 

[Aceshigh]

Ah right I thought some thing had been signed

Email to FlyBe route planning I think....

 

[User001]

The flybe codeshare has just been announced:

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/singapore-airlines-and-flybe-agree-feeder-flights-6034