Route Development & Rumours

[White Heather]

They did - if I recall correctly there were three a day

Four a day. The route started off operated by subsidiary DAT using Embraer Brasilia's, but it wasn't long before it was upgraded to the BAe146 which flew in Sabena livery, though I think may still have been DAT aircraft.

 

[AirBingley]

I used to be on the SN700/701 almost every week for 2 years and remember some hair raising trips on the DAT Embraer Brasilia (a noisy beast) but I did like the Belgian chocolates they used to give people even in the cheap seats on that flight! It then moved to a Dash (2 class sadly) which wasn't as nice then finally when Swiss bought them they renewed all DAT regional aircraft to BAE 146 / Avro. They were doing very very well at LBA with their hub and spoke network with a very high proportion of PAX interlining in BRU. I read an article recently whereby they are trying to revitalise the hub and spoke network but only in the Schengen area as you can apparently connect in 40-50 mins as it's on the same pier!

 

[jason1-11]

Re: The Sabena RJ's. One of the 1st airlines to embrace CAT III operations at LBA.

 

[Seasider]

Memories! I used the service to travel to DUS in 1998 -£140 return (cheap then). On the return leg DUS - BRU, it took 20 mins from take off to landing, still my shortest commercial flight.

 

[Bigman]

I don't mean to be funny but I looked at this thread today thinking that there may be some positive development news, but yet again all I see is yet another thread descending into aviation nostalgia.

 

[oldendays]

I don't mean to be funny but I looked at this thread today thinking that there may be some positive development news, but yet again all I see is yet another thread descending into aviation nostalgia.

Maybe life was better then?

 

[Aviador]

I don't mean to be funny but I looked at this thread today thinking that there may be some positive development news, but yet again all I see is yet another thread descending into aviation nostalgia.

You only need to go back to post number #3499 to understand why. It was just the natural progression of the thread. I'm sure when some new route news becomes available everyone will soon be back on track.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Maybe life was better then?

Or maybe life is better now, 35 arrivals tomorrow in the middle of feb!

 

[Finger66]

See that BHX is losing its Brussels Airlines service at the end of next month. Declining pax numbers, which seems to be common for most UK airports to BRU. So that will be another flag carrier and route we can probably safely cross off the list

My post did indeed set the discussion off in relation to route development, albeit in a negative way. Not being deliberately negative, was just stating fact. I am sure it’s a route LBA and ourselves would all like to see return, but when it’s fairly evident it won’t, I think it’s only natural that the good times in reference to the route from years gone by were acknowledged. Times have moved on and I know I will take the 35 winter Monday arrivals we now have if it meant that or going back to what we had in years gone by at the time SN op 4 daily.

 

[AirBingley]

LBA have just put a press release out for a short winter 25 season for Sofia in Bulgaria in Feb / March for the ski season. It's run by Balkan holidays and runs on 6 Saturdays! Using Jet2 LBA based aircraft:

LBA 14.45 SOF 20.15 / SOF 21.05 LBA 23.05

 

[lbaspotter]

#Sofia It's a ski route I thought we should have had at LBA before by now.

So it's very much welcomed addition by #BalkanHolidays

 

[White Heather]

It seems a distinct possibility then that Jet2 Holidays might also add Sofia to their ski routes from LBA seeing as they are flying for Balkan. I seem to recall they added it once before but it never happened. I can't recall exactly when but possibly it was COVID that scuppered it?

 

[752]

SOF is a great cheap ski route and one i would of liked to see permanently from FR. great addition. hopefully works well and the season can be extended.

 

[lbaspotter]

It seems a distinct possibility then that Jet2 Holidays might also add Sofia to their ski routes from LBA seeing as they are flying for Balkan. I seem to recall they added it once before but it never happened. I can't recall exactly when but possibly it was COVID that scuppered it?

Sadly Jet2Holidays don't do package holidays to the ski resorts. It's all flight only with Jet2.com
Well that is apart from the UK - Sofia routes, which are all chartered flights operated for tour operator Balkan Holidays whom take all the risk.

 

[Finger66]

Still very welcome all the same. Let's hope there might be more cooperation between the two. Perhaps even the return of Varna! Oh those 154s on a Saturday and Sunday to BOJ and VAR

 

[gulftraveller]

I doubt we will see VAR return to any UK airport (except WizzAir from Luton). For whatever reason, all UK tourism business has moved south to the areas around Burgas. The introduction of SOF late in the day may be because the skiing conditions elsewhere in Europe have been pretty terrible this year.

 

[leedslad]

Thanks for the excellent summary as always.

Expecting a triumphal Look North story from Spencer Stokes about the return of passenger numbers to pre COVID levels (just like he did for LNER)...

Re the US flights could you give a clue as to whether it's a code share type airline or budget?

Finally for me, the Heathrow link is as good as useless unless it's BA or another code share... Why fly to a hub and not connect...

 

[White Heather]

Thanks for the excellent summary as always.

Expecting a triumphal Look North story from Spencer Stokes about the return of passenger numbers to pre COVID levels (just like he did for LNER)...

Re the US flights could you give a clue as to whether it's a code share type airline or budget?

Finally for me, the Heathrow link is as good as useless unless it's BA or another code share... Why fly to a hub and not connect...

Nothing to say it won't be BA. There aren't many options.as far as airlines are concerned and being able to connect and interline is known to be an essential.

Re the US, the airline mentioned is a major US Carrier. But they are talking to several.

 

[lbaspotter]

Great report as ever @White Heather . It’s Very much appreciated all the work you put into this after every meeting.
The future is definitely looking very bright for our airport on top of hill..

Nothing to say it won't be BA. There aren't many options.as far as airlines are concerned and being able to connect and interline is known to be an essential.

I didn’t post at the time, but putting 2 & 2 together it makes a lot a sense now why I was told a few weeks back that somebody from LBA (will remain unnamed) had recently been seen at BA’s Waterside HQ

 

[gulftraveller]

As for US airlines in the UK, I doubt we will see them in lots of regional airports ever again. Whilst BHX is struggling to find a carrier, I can’t see UAL or AAL coming to LBA. Both airlines will gradually reopen non outbound tourism routes, but I cannot see them doing much more than MAN, possibly BHX and GLA. Likewise JBU. Given the success of the Jet2 New York packages in years past, they might one day reintroduce IT ops from UK airports to EWR. Likewise LBA could doubtless support a weekly Orlando service.

Airports like telling people ‘in confidence’ which airlines they are talking to, as if it’s a done deal. It rarely comes to anything, sadly, particularly when they say it’s 2 to 3 years away.