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It would indeed be a superb way of boxing off questions about the future of DSA - a long-term deal with TUI at LBA which commits them to LBA far beyond any potential re-opening date for DSA. Their ability to grow at most/all of their current bases is constrained by overnight parking and/or...

Back in Britannia days with the based 757 (and for a time, a based 767) the LBA Base Captain (whose double-barrelled name I can’t immediately recall) had something of a reputation for diversions. This wasn’t just at LBA - he was nicknamed “Vasco de Gama” in BY Ops at Luton as you never knew...

I think you might get an October announcement and a November announcement. Something new and something blue. The latter wasn’t AirBlue which now looks in doubt: that was the something old (Islamabad returning) on my list.

I think it is largely full for new based aircraft, but has plenty of capacity for away-based operations. That's probably why it is such an attractive target for Manchester's aviation development team.

Correct. And correct in your second statement also.

Yes. Watch this space.

PA222 and PA223. Not sure where, if ever, those were used by Pan Am. And yes, the potential backward step I suspect may come is Wizz.

Good that AirBlue looks to be making progress towards a UK launch - and hopefully LBA. I rather fear that LBA may see one step backwards before it takes several steps forward though.

Two of the four you had were on my list. I think any notion of LHR is further away than ever, unfortunately, so that wasn't one of them!

The SAS service was indeed one that everyone looked at and thought "that'll never work" and indeed it didn't. The schedules were just crazy. Predictions for Summer 2026 (to hack a well-known saying): Something old Something new Something domestic Something blue

I haven’t got the numbers but I’d be really surprised if a 787-8 or A330-200 struggled with that. An A330-300 is a bit of a different beast but the 330-200 should be fine. And just whilst we’re here, what other developments might be in prospect? 😉

A Neo definitely couldn’t make ISB-LBA non-stop and an LR would struggle. You’ve got some pretty strong headwinds coming that way. A fuel stop on a Neo is going to be the best option. An LR or XLR both have larger fuel tanks thus smaller baggage holds.

They were originally going for Trabzon when Manchester was first mooted. This looks to have changed to OGU - Ordu / Giresun, which was the one I had to look up! I can’t see that you would use traffic rights on the intermediate stop. You need one for fuel, but unless you have roughly similar...

It’s via Istanbul. At least that’s what they are saying as of last week but I guess could change again as it doesn’t really matter. Manchester was going to be via some airport in Türkiye that I had to look up!!

Via Istanbul on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday through LBA. Late afternoon turnround at LBA. Assuming this comes off, one of the most important developments at LBA in many a year. I'd be really surprised with Lufthansa. Their experience in UK regional airports hasn't been great (Bristol being...

If the airport can land this one, it’s a major coup. I do not doubt that they will have looked at the airlines heading for Manchester, and taken a view on the one most likely to be attracted to fly from LBA. The pitch is most likely to have been that you can fly from LBA and have the market to...

I thought Airblue return to UK was originally going to be via somewhere in Georgia or similar but that wasn’t cleared on the UK list as a “known” point for entry so they were going via Ankara instead. If so then a standard 321 should be OK. An LR or XLR will be worse for baggage volume as the...

It's 26 October 2025 when the agreement wraps up. I understand that it's not totally done and dusted yet but the messaging coming out of KLM is "no Eastern this winter" (and no German Airways too). That comes at the same time as they're facing an ATR fleet with little or no work too, and...

There's a bit of everything. The three Hop! 190s will directly replace three wet-lease aircraft, and KLM's updated pilot overtime agreement enables them to increase capacity across the fleet. It's also going into the winter which is quieter than the summer. Add all that together and that's...

None of the several pilots of whom I'm aware had any time on other aircraft above 10 tonnes before moving up nor had what would be classed as a significant number of hours: Loganair DH6 F/O > Wizz A321 F/O Airtask Captain BN2 > TUI 737 F/O Skybus Captain BN2 & F/O DH6 > TUI 737 F/O GAMA B200...