Rumours about new destinations or airlines?

[User0001]

I tend to agree, good find Empire.

Not at all convinced that LBA-Southend will be happening. Looking at the details, it is a good 45 minutes even into East London from Southend, so any viable domestic routes are likely to be those such as Scotland and Northern Ireland. Also, if the aircraft are based at Southend, then it is unlikley they will be able to operate a decent business schedule into LBA, at which point you are left with a once daily operation, targeting the leisure market and trying to persuade them to sit on a train for 45 minutes just to get to the East End. Unlikely.

 

[LeedsPilot]

I agree completely as when the Gatwick route wasnt doing well we blamed the fact that Gatwick was too inpractical for business travellers which are the main market on a London route. Considering the amount of time it takes to get from Southend to the centre of London, the business traveller may as well take a high speed train to London...

 

[Seasider]

I think we ought to forget about a link to London. For people travelling London only, take the train, far quicker and more often. For travelling beyond we should encourage interlining via AMS/CDG/FRA for long haul and direct services for Europe.
Remember, the majority of passengers flying from LBA are flying for leisure. Why do you think JET2 have developed there business that way.

 

[tleeds]

Well don't loose hope Seasider. We have been informed that there are routes in the pipeline for a route to Madrid and a Loco is currently in talks to start a London route.
I agree that having anything-but LHR is not going to be good enough, but if a Loco thinks there is something in it - i.e. - easyJet to LondonLuton/Gatwick or Ryanair to LondonStansted or even Jet2 to LondonGatwick then there must be some substance to it. Don't forget easyJet have a huge presence at Gatwick and so at low-fares with a reputable airline, people may well be persuaded.

 

[Galaxy]

Out of interest Tomleeds is that Madrid proper or one of the surrounding airports e.g. Ciudad Real?

 

[tleeds]

I'm 98% sure that from what I have heard its the proper Madrid-Barajas Airport that is in consideration by an airline.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Can't see a Madrid service being viable. Firstly it would have to be Iberia that operated the route if through ticketing and connections were the 'draw' and secondly Madrid is so far south onward connection are only viable for points south of there- which cuts out all the rest of Europe.

 

[Galaxy]

I'd be happy with Madrid or Ciudad Real, particularly if from a low cost. I thought Ryanair might go into Ciudad Real and sell it as Madrid, Ciudad Real is really nice for a long weekend.

 

[ryan]

Ryanair have a base at Madrid Barajas (and even use the air bridges there!), so I'd say it would a good chance that they would operate it, if it materialises.

 

[rmac]

I have used EasyJet's EDI - Madrid service a few times, it was full each time and I feel Madrid is an excellent destination in its own right however it is good for onward connections with FR and EasyJet which I have done. Iberia would be the best bet giving connections to many parts of Spain, (Madrid is right in the middle of Spain) but also South America and elsewhere too. Madrid has a big catchment area too so I think that if Iberia did not show interest in a LBA -MAD service then others might. Jet2 did fly the route and loads were reasonable I believe but I think EasyJet or Ryanair would have more success. If Jet2 and FR can share BCN I would have thought one airline could make a go of Madrid. I hope so. If not perhaps a Spanish airline.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I have flown for business for several years. It is extremely unlikely that anyone flying for business would use a budget carrier except for direct flights. I would not use one for leisure travel either. It is just too risky not having a through ticket. I do not therefore see any mileage in using Madrid as a hub. Added to this is the fact that as I mentioned before MAD is too far south for connections, unless you are prepared to double back on youself eg Leeds to Vienna via MAD- see my point(s)

 

[White Heather]

~LBAYORKIE - When Jet2 operated this route their loads were pretty good overall and at the time it was something of a surprise that they pulled off - probably down to low yields and a change in their business plan. They would not be carrying many passengers who were seeking onward connections but an airline such as Iberia would be, and Madrid would provide an alternative interlining option for passengers flying from Yorkshire to South America in particular, plus other Southern hemisphere destinations in addition to the point to point traffic. So although the market overall has diminished, I would think that such a route may not be doomed to fail as you seem to suggest without actually saying so.

If the rumour is true, one thing I can say is that LBA management will not try and attract ANY airline, to ANY route, if they think it will fail and if the numbers don't stack up, because if it does fail, it makes all but impossible to get any other airline to take it on. I don't think that Jet2 failed on Madrid - I suspect that their withdrawal at the time (and Valencia) was as much down to a change in their direction as a company as anything else.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

In an earlier post on this subject I mentioned that only Iberia would have a chance of connection based traffic. The issue is that Iberia do not have a particularly large route network, and as you say only connections to South America would really be of interest and I do not think there is really not that much traffic to/from that region from our area.

Even if Iberia did operate I would be surprised if they would be able to make it pay even if they attracted point to point and connecting pax. I just do not think there is enough traffic overall.

I was suprised that Jet2 were making money. I am sure that they would not pull off the route if really did pay. Furthermore if it was doing that well
when they stopped flying someone else would surely have stepped in. Does not stack up.

I would love to see new services to/from LBA but we need to be realistic about which services are viable.

As I keep saying we need another flag carrier to provide good connections out of LBA. KLM are brilliant, but they do not fly everywhere I need to go- especially outside of Europe.



Lbayorkie

 

[Seasider]

As I have said before, if we have interlining connections via CDG/FRA (in addition to AMS) that will satisfy long haul. For Europe, in this case Madrid, we need direct service preferably with a Loco.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I understand your point of view seasider and agree with it to an extent. The demand for Madrid is far more point to point than connecting. However, there is absolutely no doubt that Madrid is the best departure point in Europe for Spanish speaking Latin America as Lisbon is for Portuguese speaking America. Though the demand may be low, those connections cannot be completely ignored. Perhaps if an airline were able to offer the best of both worlds (admittedly unlikely) it may make the whole operation more feasible. Obviously, Iberia (Air Nostrum) would be the best candidate for this.

 

[airbus]

now flybe and finnair have takenover Finncomm Airlines to make flybe Nordic i wounder if thay will start flight to leeds bradford from Helsinki

 

[lbaspotter]

Now hearing from a reliable source that Jet2 are going back to having 11 aircraft based at Leeds/Bradford next summer 2012 and adding a few more routes along with extra flights to exsisting routes. The extra aircraft to be based is as I understand another Boeing 737 but I don't know if its a 300 or a 800 unit yet.

Is anyone able to confirm this rumour maybe have some truth to it? Will be nice if it happens....

 

[Jordan-34092]

Now hearing from a reliable source that Jet2 are going back to having 11 aircraft based at Leeds/Bradford next summer 2012 and adding a few more routes along with extra flights to exsisting routes. The extra aircraft to be based is as I understand another Boeing 737 but I don't know if its a 300 or a 800 unit yet.

Is anyone able to confirm this rumour maybe have some truth to it? Will be nice if it happens....

ive been told that a 737-800 is to be based at the airport from the new year, so it could be one of these.



Ive recently been told two rumors which are regarding the airport.


One of the rumors is that easyjet are wanting to expand more into LBA as it has potential they want. this could mean the possibility of the LBA-MAD route going ahead.

Another is that emirates is wanting to expand into more airports in the UK and LBA is one of the airports they have got an eye on, apparently they are waiting to see how well the PIA 777 goes at LBA, even if this doesnt go well they could always use an A330 until their new aircraft to replace these have been sought and delivered, and the possibility of aircraft to replace these is the 787.

 

[Jordan-34092]

In my opinion that is what stopping other airlines looking at LBA due to the condition of the terminal, now i aint saying it bad or anything it just it looks a mess with all these different extensions on it and the fact they don't really match in my eyes.

 

[White Heather]

lbaspotter, see the post by lbia on the Jet2 thread which confirms 11 based aircraft next summer, including 2 800's. Lets hope the rumours are true about additional flights and destinations. Probably no co-incidence that next summer SHOULD be the first with our expanded terminal!!