Rumours about new destinations or airlines?

[michael]

Sorry xboy999, I'm in full support of lbaspotter here, forums are for discussion and rumours are just that - rumours. If this thread was about definates or certainties it wouldn't be called Rumours about new destinations or airlines. As someone who doesn't have close links to the airport but flies from LBA two or three times a year I like to hear of what might be happening and the discussion on the forum is quite entertaining at times. Well done lbaspotter, as always your info is informative and appreciated - keep up the good work! :good:

 

[tleeds]

Sorry to drop in like this, obviously there has been some tensions to what extent 'Rumours' can be defined to. However can we not take something from what lbaspotter has said. It is due to start around the october time, I recall you stating.
This could be the Grenoble route from EZY, another ski route from LS or continued expansion from the RYR network. Also, everyone has pointed out that a Scandinavian route is what the airport needs.

See a pattern emerging - we could speculate that this is a winter route, starting in October?!

 

[Aviador]

Rumours about new destinations or airlines? That is the thread heading and the content needs to remain just that. We're not in the business of announcing new airlines or routes prior to any official announcements by the respective airlines. However, lbaspotter has simply said that he has heard a rumour that there maybe an announcement over the next week or so regarding a new route. No cat has been let out of the bag so we are free to assume and speculate about the route and the airline that it might or might not be.

 

[rmac]

Aviador, spot on and just what I was thinking. The thread is "rumours". They may turn out to be true or false or somewhere in between but it is interesting to hear that maybe something new will be announced, if it doesn't ... well .. maybe another day.

 

[michael]

exactly my point. enough said!

 

[lbaspotter]

Alright guys and girls lets play a game.

Seen that I upset a fellow member on here the other day by not mentioning the reliable rumour I had been told. I thought I'll let you all make you own minds up and try to help you out with what I have heard in recent weeks.
Seen as there are several rumours going around at the moment I thought I would list each airline and then include a list of destinations as to which have been mentioned.

Airlines
Air France/Flybe
Lufthansa/bmi
Jet2
Ryanair
Easyjet
British Airways

Destinations
Madrid
Paris Orly
Copenhagen
Frankfurt
London Gatwick
London Heathrow
Grenoble

Now I will leave the rest for you to decide which ones go together to make a pair.

 

[tleeds]

This is just teasing now lbaspotter

I do hope that its a brand new route that has not been operated before, or not been seen at the airport for a while such as Frankfurt and Copenhagen.
Also, that London route keeps popping-up but its a difficult one to choose from. You can either pay cheap fares to Stansted or Luton with RYR or EZY and then travel to London; either for a connecting flight or just to get into the capital, or pay a fortune to go direct. I think it depends on the person travelling. Are they willing to pay more to get there directly or pay less and travel a little further once they've landed in Luton or Stansted...?

 

[eastcoaster]

Well my linked pair guess is BMI and Frankfurt. Frankfurt have a new runway opening and LH are wanting a greater share of the UK market, through codeshare (with BMI).

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Airlines
Air France/Flybe
Lufthansa/bmi
Jet2
Ryanair
Easyjet
British Airways

Destinations
Madrid
Paris Orly
Copenhagen
Frankfurt
London Gatwick
London Heathrow
Grenoble

Madrid- Easyjet- New route why not? It would be nice to have Easyjet aboard with the spanish capital. Hardly see Jet2 trying it, nor BMI/Lufthasna. OR ryanair.
Paris Orly- Air france/flybe Just trying to compete with Jet2 on the route
Copenhagen- Ryanair- We need a link to that area of the world/europe and these are the most 'daring' out of them all
Frankfurt- BMI/LH -for obvious reasons
London Gatwick/Heathrow- NO one. Both tried BOTH dropped.
Grenoble- Jet2 to just tighten up the summer/winter market alongside all year round. However see them bringing back SSH soon hopefully by end of october this year, and then another base? Then maybe try and ge LBA expanding again.

 

[ryan]

Madrid- Easyjet- New route why not? It would be nice to have Easyjet aboard with the spanish capital. Hardly see Jet2 trying it, nor BMI/Lufthasna. OR ryanair.

Ryanair have bases in both Leeds and Madrid, so they are the most likely in my opinion.

 

[tleeds]

don't Easyjet have a base at Madrid as well though, so both are big possibilities??!!

 

[jason1-11]

don't Easyjet have a base at Madrid as well though, so both are big possibilities??!!

Forget about Easyjet to Madrid as they start Manchester - Madrid on the 2nd November.

 

[lbaspotter]

don't Easyjet have a base at Madrid as well though, so both are big possibilities??!!

Forget about Easyjet to Madrid as they start Manchester - Madrid on the 2nd November.

Thats not to say they cant try it from LBA as well? Even though its highly unlikley they would try it. My gut feeling is that if anyone dose Madrid route from LBA its most likley going to be Ryanair.

But I also hear that we may see an increase in Star Alliance movements soon...

 

[jason1-11]

Bearing in mind the BMI Regional have more crew than needed at the LBIA, I would suggest Frankfurt in co-operation with LH or a return of Copenhagen with SAS onboard. Longshot : Spanair to Madrid.

Lets wait and see.

 

[lbaspotter]

I can now confirm that low cost airline Jet2.com will be announcing 2 routes tomorrow from LBA. Tuesday May 10th 2011.

1st up will be the return of the special 3 night New York-Newark Christmas Shopping Trips with 2x flights departing LBA in December 2011 on Thursday's the 1st and 8th and returning to LBA early on Monday 5th & 12th after an over night flight back to the UK.

LS087 LBA 08:10 – EWR 11:15
LS088 EWR 20:00 – LBA 08:00

The 2nd route will be a new once weekly summer 2012 route to Las Palmas-Gran Canaria operating on Mondays from May 28th 2012.

LS477 LBA 14:20 – LPA 19:00
LS478 LPA 20:00 – LBA 00:40* (Early Tue's Morning)

Don't say i did'nt tell you so................

 

[tleeds]

That is extremely good news. It is about time Jet2 started to compete with TCX on the Las Palmas route, and as for the EWR route, thats full everytime its operated in December, so I think they had no option on that one.

Will the EWR routes also commence from Newcastle like last December?

 

[lbaspotter]

Will the EWR routes also commence from Newcastle like last December?

Jet2 will be offering New York-Newark Christmas Shopping Charters from its bases at LBA, NEW, EMA and its new base at GLA this year by looks off things.

 

[tleeds]

That is also fantastic news. It seems Jet2 seem to be really taking off with the introduction of new routes, please pardon the pun :rockon:

 

[Bigman]

I see on the dried plum site that once again Lufthansa have confirmed that there will be no expansion to regional airports in the UK. I think we can kiss goodbye to any Frankfurt rumours, unless of course MOL can come up with Hahn.

 

[lbaspotter]

I see on the dried plum site that once again Lufthansa have confirmed that there will be no expansion to regional airports in the UK. I think we can kiss goodbye to any Frankfurt rumours, unless of course MOL can come up with Hahn.

So I guess you mean this artical then big-man from the Business desk website:
Source: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorks...news_section=5

Lufthansa rules out Leeds Bradford launch
13th May 2011
By Ian Briggs - Deputy Editor, Yorkshire

AIRLINE Lufthansa has no plans to increase its regional aiport base - including launching flights from Leeds Bradford International Airport - its UK and Ireland general manager has said.

Speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com at its major Frankfurt Airport hub in Germany, Marianne Sammann, Lufthansa's UK and Ireland general manager, said: "We're always looking at the options but opening another (base) very close to our existing bases would be just competing with Manchester which has such a big catchment."

Ms Sammann's comments come as Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said this week that he expects passengers using its services from Leeds Bradford to pass the 1m mark this winter.

Lufthansa saw passenger numbers out of Manchester Airport increase by more than a fifth over the first four months of 2011 as Ms Sammann said customers continue to look for "real value".

Ms Sammann said: "We were carefully optimistic about how 2011 would develop so we're really pleased with the start to the year.

"We're a commercially sound and healthy company. Our passengers are looking for a carrier of trust but they also want a carrier that offers real value for money."

Ms Sammann said the airline's price offers - Lufthansa offers flights to Germany starting at £89 from the UK - were complemented by services including mobile phone check-in and bag allowance prices being frozen.

"For 2011 we are on track," she said. "We have made sensible investments such as short-haul flights and we're on track against a background which you can't say is bouyant or bullish. It's certainly good news."

Ms Sammann refuted the suggestion that holidaymakers were staying in the UK because of the tough economic climate.

"If you look at our sales I don't feel that," she said. "Our passengers in Europe buy online and we've seen fantastic growth online.

"People do need a break and it's still a good market. Fares are still good."

Between the start of January and the end of April, passenger numbers out of Manchester grew year-on-year by 218,089 (21.8%).

The airline operates 87 flights a week from Manchester to Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf and most recently Stuttgart.

From Birmingham Airport passengers increased by more than a quarter over the first four months of the year.

I would'nt totally rule it out just yet though as we all know LBA will never be a Lufthansa base. But if bmi regional, which do have a base are allowed to get it there own way it might go in LBA favor.......