British Airways/British Airways Cityflyer

[EGCC_MAN]

Well, as promised the BA Cityflyer LCY-MAN service is open for bookings as of today (February 21st).

The flight isn't cheap ... I've paid £58.70 for a one-way LCY-MAN sector on a Thursday evening. Technically, the "fare" is listed as £5 with the balance being made up of various taxes and charges. This means that Avios can only be exchanged for the £5 element. 625 Avios would be deducted for this. I didn't bother. I also didn't pay extra for seat selection, gambling that there will be ample room to spread out aboard on the day. If this once weekly flight does miraculously sell out then I'll be delighted anyway. Service is classed as Club Europe and seating is 2+2 so 'luck-of-the-draw' seats are hardly an issue.

As I said, not a giveaway price but worth it for an unusual trip as a one-off. I'll combine it with some advance rail or coach deal southbound and spend a day in London.

Maybe of interest to some ... or perhaps the relatively high LCY price makes it worth doing a MAN-IBZ return instead!

EDIT: I did book MAN-LHR southbound on an early Shuttle in the end. The Avios conversion rate was OK and the extra time in London will be put to good use.

 

[ethanegcc]

Surely an LCY flight would work on at least a daily frequency (regardless of down time at London City) - a similar operation to GLA/EDI/DUB (if the aircraft were available)?

Shame we couldn't grasp Florence, Geneva or Skiathos (am very jealous of STN for that one -could do with some competition on the route)

 

[Jerry]

Well, as promised the BA Cityflyer LCY-MAN service is open for bookings as of today (February 21st).

The flight isn't cheap ... I've paid £58.70 for a one-way LCY-MAN sector on a Thursday evening. Technically, the "fare" is listed as £5 with the balance being made up of various taxes and charges. This means that Avios can only be exchanged for the £5 element. 625 Avios would be deducted for this. I didn't bother. I also didn't pay extra for seat selection, gambling that there will be ample room to spread out aboard on the day. If this once weekly flight does miraculously sell out then I'll be delighted anyway. Service is classed as Club Europe and seating is 2+2 so 'luck-of-the-draw' seats are hardly an issue.

As I said, not a giveaway price but worth it for an unusual trip as a one-off. I'll combine it with some advance rail or coach deal southbound and spend a day in London.

Maybe of interest to some ... or perhaps the relatively high LCY price makes it worth doing a MAN-IBZ return instead!

EDIT: I did book MAN-LHR southbound on an early Shuttle in the end. The Avios conversion rate was OK and the extra time in London will be put to good use.

LCY is a very nice airport and also if you takeoff at night you get a spectacular view of London all lit up and you might even get a flyover of the Olympic stadium if you takeoff in a westerly direction. Enjoy your trip!

 

[EGCC_MAN]

I've flown there before ... but last time was aboard G-UKTF, an Air UK Fokker 50, back in 1999. There have been afew subtle changes around London since then!

 

[Dobbo]

British Airways are introducing Club Europe (Business) on all flights between Manchester and London from April.
Fully bookable.

Thoughts?

This is due to the high number of onward F and J connections. Obviously good to hear, as it sets the platform for what we hope is to come next.

 

[ethanegcc]

This is due to the high number of onward F and J connections. Obviously good to hear, as it sets the platform for what we hope is to come next.

Hopefully will also cater for the high number of avios members in the north - as BA have said before. Will this be the only domestic route to offer club Europe or does EDI also?

 

[KARFA]

All BA domestic routes will have Club Europe cabins from April.

 

[ethanegcc]

Good news then for EDI/GLA etc.

 

[KARFA]

Technically, the "fare" is listed as £5 with the balance being made up of various taxes and charges. This means that Avios can only be exchanged for the £5 element. 625 Avios would be deducted for this. I didn't bother.

You may find that a reward flight saver is better value. Cost would be 4000 or 4500 avios (depending on whether it was deemed an off-peak or peak date) and £17.50. Of course you wouldn't earn any tier points or avios from a reward flight, whereas you would with your cash booking reduced by 625 avios.

 

[Land23R]

But it indicates MAN is not a special case.

 

[ethanegcc]

But it indicates MAN is not a special case.

Yes, unfortunately.

 

[Dobbo]

Hi Karfa - do you know much about BAs long haul plans at MAN?

 

[KARFA]

Hi Karfa - do you know much about BAs long haul plans at MAN?

Hi Dobbo. I have heard third hand that there was some possibility of BA effectively taking over AA's JFK route, and possibly doing it with the LGW based 777 aircraft. There may well be nothing in this at all and it may be just galley gossip so please don't think there is any certainty in what I am suggesting on this. Other than that I am not sure I have heard anything about long haul BA at MAN.

It seems any expansion of routes from the regions by BA is being done by BA Cityflyer only, and just to holiday destinations - partly to increase utilisation of the aircraft at the weekends. Nothing seems to have happened to suggest BA mainline are interested in doing short haul routes from the regions.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

I did actually search for that option via the Avios website, but whilst the flight itself showed-up the site did not offer any option to book at all. Even the 625 Avios offer only popped up during the booking process on ba.com. Of course, I was booking on what I understand to be the first day this flight was placed on sale, so maybe more options will appear as systems are updated? Thanks for your suggestion anyway.

 

[KARFA]

I did actually search for that option via the Avios website, but whilst the flight itself showed-up the site did not offer any option to book at all. Even the 625 Avios offer only popped up during the booking process on ba.com. Of course, I was booking on what I understand to be the first day this flight was placed on sale, so maybe more options will appear as systems are updated? Thanks for your suggestion anyway.

There is reward availability now showing on ba.com, just had a quick search for a few dates. Sometimes there is a delay in adding it on new routes. May book one myself.

 

[Dobbo]

Hi Karfa - that is broadly in line with what I've heard. It goes beyond just JFK but I think it is a reasonable assumption that BA/AA might try and copy the DL/VS model at MAN.

I don't think BA should start a short haul operation. They can develop a feed across the UK with FlyBe and across Europe with Vuelling.

 

[Coathanger16]

Without wanting to create more speculation, could the rumours about BA starting long haul ops from Manchester be linked to the new low cost long haul airline that IAG is setting up at Barcelona? Willie Walsh stressed that low cost long haul at Barcelona was just the beginning. Surely Manchester would be the best UK airport to start such operations?

 

[Dobbo]

There has been a number of crumbs dropped which as far as I can tell have no relation to IAG's activity at BCN. For example:

• BA's CEO stating long haul from MAN was "not on the immediate radar" (March 2016). This marked a change from the previous "no".
• Business traveller (I think, it might have been a points website) speculating that BA had agreed a deal to move into terminal 1 at MAN.
• Forbes this week refering to BA having short haul only routes at MAN "for now".

Anyway. MAN seem logical because it is a different catchment to LHR and LGW, and is the largest airport outside of London. EDI might have an attraction, but I don't know enough to comment.

To me, I think BA will try and replicate what VS have done with DL. Fly to AA's hubs starting with the most obvious ones!

 

[Coathanger16]

It certainly seems like BA are trying to emulate what other airlines have done, mainly Norwegian at Gatwick & Barcelona, so trying to replicate what VS/DL have done at Manchester certainly sounds plausible.

 

[Dobbo]

Maybe trying to saturate the market at MAN to make it less attractive to Norwegian. Would put them on the front foot for a change.