Route Development & Rumours

[lbaspotter]

Anyone wondering which Middle East route the CEO could be looking for. Well my gut feeling says here are a few clues for you...

1/ Think Pakistan
2/ Not PIA or using a Boeing 777 type aircraft
3/ Uses fleet of ex KLM Airbus A330-200's
4/ Previously served MAN with Airbus A330-300's (Which are now retired)
5/ Airline has previously served LBA (but used a Leased Airbus A310)

 

[Aviador]

Shaheen Air International

Please No.

 

[a300boy]

It seemed to work last time and the A330-200 would seem to be an aircraft we can deal with so I hope he can pull it off.

 

[jason1-11]

In geographical terms, Pakistan isn't actually in the Middle East.

 

[lbaspotter]

In geographical terms, Pakistan isn't actually in the Middle East.

True when you put it like that! But honestly I can't see either of the 3 big Middle East carries. Eg Qatar Airways, Emirates or Etihad Airways been interested in serving Leeds/Bradford when it would just dilute the Manchester services.

One of the most unreliable airlines you could never want to fly with...but then I don’t and won’t....so who cares.....gets bums on seats at LBA which is the main thing.......

Shaheen Air seen like have got there act together over past 12 months, Yes they had problems with the larger Airbus A330-300 over at Manchester up until early last year which forced them out of UK operations, And forced them to get rid of the gas guzzlers.
They now have slim-lined the long haul fleet to 4+ ex KLM Airbus A330-200 aircraft which are a lot cheaper to operate and will have a better service history.
If they really want to get back into the UK-Pakistan market again up against the likes of PIA then surely Leeds/Bradford route is a good choice. It's un-served and has a proven track record of customers. Also the Airbus A330-200 aircraft is a lot better suited to LBA short runway operations..

 

[lbaspotter]

They are a dreadful airline......
https://propakistani.pk/2017/10/19/shaheen-air-might-forced-stop-flight-operations-soon/

Cant be any worse than PIA! Had drunk pilots on the runway at LBA, Cabin crew drug smuggling into LBA. Aircraft falling apart at LBA, Oh not forgetting its an airline that is corrupt to its roots.

 

[lbaspotter]

And hahaha
https://tribune.com.pk/story/991150/shaheen-air-crash-landing-pilot-was-tired-drunk-caa/

That's just desperate when you need to go find a story from 2015. Saying that I can do one better, here's one about PIA in 2016... https://www.dawn.com/news/1301042

 

[a300boy]

If my past experience is anything to go by the Klm aircraft will be in very good condition when Shaheen Air receive them.

 

[lbaspotter]

If my past experience is anything to go by the Klm aircraft will be in very good condition when Shaheen Air receive them.

Shaheen have already started to receive the 4+ Airbus A330-203 from KLM as part of its fleet renewal as the older 4+ larger Airbus 330-300's have already been handed back to there leasing companies. Looking on flightradr24 2+ AP-BMK & AP-BMJ have actually been in flying service today.
As part of its fleet renewal Shaheen Air have also replaced their ageing fleet of short haul Boeing 737-400 aircraft, with a lot newer Airbus A319/A320 family aircraft.

 

[ebtbroken]

Would be amazed if Shaheen were allowed into Europe again,pretty certain the CAA will have a say.
On the other hand Blue air have some nice A321,'s and have used them to the UK before,very punctual too until the clap trap A340's appeared.

 

[Britannia94]

It is workable to operate out of LBA to the Middle East along side the Manchester Operations and my money would be on emirates if any of them.

I know emirates have a major prescence at MAN and I ain’t going to doubt but I want to compare MAN/LBA with two other airports of similar distance and similar style that emirates operate to in Philippines. These airports are Clark International Airport and Manila Airport.

Manila Airport currently handles 30 Million passengers per year, similar to Manchester, with a wide range of destinations to places such as Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles etc. It has a major infrastructure in place including the runway length to operate this type of operation, again similar style to Manchester.

43 miles up the road from Manila City you have Clark International Airport that handles 1.5 million passengers per annum, much less than LBA, and doesn’t have as many destinations compared to Manila. Sure enough it has longer runway than LBA but with the latest advancement in technology I don’t see this as hinderence for LBA.

Anyway boths are served by Emirates and Qatar on a regular basis and it doesn’t have a major impact on each other Service to middle eastern destinations. What I am trying to get at is that the distance doesn’t matter, sure enough people might argue that demand might not there for both airports, but I personally think it is and that a daily service from LBA to Dubai with Emirates working along side the Manchester Operation and Newcastle will work.

Now you may or not noticed that I said emirates. The reason for this they are the best suited operator for the job, don’t get me wrong Ethiad or Qatar would be brilliant too, but emirates have their network establish more than the other two and can offer more connections.

Now I know that emirates only having the 777-300ER and A380 doesn’t help, but with them having ordered the 787-10 recently I can see this being the ideal aircraft for the route.

Now I know some of you may be thinking I live in a totally parallel universe, but this is something I can see being done at LBA within time.

 

[Britannia94]

It is workable to operate out of LBA to the Middle East along side the Manchester Operations and my money would be on emirates if any of them.

I know emirates have a major prescence at MAN and I ain’t going to doubt but I want to compare MAN/LBA with two other airports of similar distance and similar style that emirates operate to in Philippines. These airports are Clark International Airport and Manila Airport. Now this is just an example I am giving and I understand that economics might be different there to here but it’s an example I think that’s good to use.

Manila Airport currently handles 30 Million passengers per year, similar to Manchester, with a wide range of destinations to places such as Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, New York, Los Angeles etc. It has a major infrastructure in place including the runway length to operate this type of operation, again similar style to Manchester.

43 miles up the road from Manila City you have Clark International Airport that handles 1.5 million passengers per annum, much less than LBA, and doesn’t have as many destinations compared to Manila. Sure enough it has longer runway than LBA but with the latest advancement in technology I don’t see this as hinderence for LBA.

Anyway boths are served by Emirates and Qatar on a regular basis and it doesn’t have a major impact on each other Service to middle eastern destinations. What I am trying to get at is that the distance doesn’t matter, sure enough people might argue that demand might not there for both airports, but I personally think it is and that a daily service from LBA to Dubai with Emirates working along side the Manchester Operation and Newcastle will work.

Now you may or not noticed that I said emirates. The reason for this they are the best suited operator for the job, don’t get me wrong Ethiad or Qatar would be brilliant too, but emirates have their network establish more than the other two and can offer more connections.

Now I know that emirates only having the 777-300ER and A380 doesn’t help, but with them having ordered the 787-10 recently I can see this being the ideal aircraft for the route.

Now I know some of you may be thinking I live in a totally parallel universe, but this is something I can see being done at LBA within time.

 

[Jerry]

Qatar Airways will be launching another 10 new routes, so if they continue to expand in the UK then Leeds could be in with a chance.

://www.airlineratings.com/news/defiant-qatar-announce-10-new-routes/

 

[lbaspotter]

Qatar Airways will be launching another 10 new routes, so if they continue to expand in the UK then Leeds could be in with a chance.

://www.airlineratings.com/news/defiant-qatar-announce-10-new-routes/

Even though Qatar Airways the have the Boeing 787 Dreamliner I sadly don't see them or either Emirates and Eithad coming to LBA anytime soon due to there MAN operations.. I still suspect we are more likely to see a route to Pakistan resumed...

 

[Bigman]

Me neither. 737's might fly!!

 

[lbaspotter]

Qatar do have A320 configured to 120 seats - with that configuration would Doha be doable? If so it could compliment Manchester without being deterimental. Turkish would also be something that would work from LBA.

Turkish Airlines would have been a good one into Istanbul when we had a Star Alliance operation connection at LBA with bmi british midland, but I sadly think that boat sailed off a very long time ago! Turkish Airlines seem to be very focused and slick with there Manchester operation, they are regularly sending in wide-bodied Airbus A330's in place of the narrow bodied aircraft.
I do though still think the is a place for a airline to serve Istanbul from LBA. But I'm thinking more along the lines of low cost operators eg, Pegasus or Sun Express or Atlas Global.

 

[Jerry]

I think you are being a little over optimistic there Jerry.....I hope I am wrong but I can't see it happening yet.

It's a long shot yes but so was Qatar Airways operating to Cardiff this time last year. Qatar do seem to be in expansion mode.

 

[KARFA]

But they need to fill that A320 to make it viable....so with KLM doing connections to the Middle and Far East from LBA and BA having the same why on earth would Qatar put a small A320 in hoping for what?

You could apply that same argument to MAN/NCL/EDI/GLA etc. those places having even more options with LH/AF/AY, and yet the ME3 seem to fill much bigger planes on routes there.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Qatar is to start at CWL with a daily 787. BHX isn't that far away with its own Doha route with Qatar. A 320 would not be a great attraction to some people for a seven-hour flight.

 

[Aviador]

Perhaps the Manchester airport marketing machine might say Leeds is only 30 miles away but I can assure you the distence is nearer to 54 miles.

The distence between Glasgow and Edinburgh is only 47 miles and both have a good complement of Middle Eastern and North American services.