Route Development & Rumours

[Finger66]

The tourism element is important, but please take this from the horses mouth - business travel is ramping up again at an amazing rate. So if we are without any BFS/BHD link during the whole of April then someone is missing a huge trick. Even if someone like T3 had a/c sitting around, they could do worse than join the party for a month. After all there was talk they were interested in BHD at one point. But I can’t believe no one is interested for the whole of April - absolute lunacy

 

[LBAYORKIE]

The tourism element is important, but please take this from the horses mouth - business travel is ramping up again at an amazing rate. So if we are without any BFS/BHD link during the whole of April then someone is missing a huge trick. Even if someone like T3 had a/c sitting around, they could do worse than join the party for a month. After all there was talk they were interested in BHD at one point. But I can’t believe no one is interested for the whole of April - absolute lunacy

Lets hope the airport have their finger on the pulse.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Having gaps and reduced services does nothing for buisness, it will deter the flying passenger, other airports that have a strong year round service will naturally do better.
On a separate note was thinking, when was the last time we actually had a decent announcement of a new airline and route out of LBA? And i dont just mean the odd extra jet2 or ryanair route.

 

[mdobuk21]

Probably easyJet and BA citiflyer on the Belfast. We really could do with some more variety (speaking as a photographer). We don’t hear about any rumour’s anymore!

 

[White Heather]

Probably easyJet and BA citiflyer on the Belfast. We really could do with some more variety (speaking as a photographer). We don’t hear about any rumour’s anymore!

We don't really here anything about anything any more! Even the airports last press release is over a year old.

 

[tonysmith]

Hear. Hear.

 

[AirBingley]

I always get so excited when I see this thread appear! I know airlines will be prioritising re establishing volume routes and countries are all at different stages of this but I can’t help feeling our route development guys are asleep at the wheel as there is capacity for non based aircraft in the current infrastructure at many times of the day! Fingers crossed we have something positive to discuss in this thread soon!

Heathrow, Paris, Munich, Düsseldorf, Barcelona, Madrid… okay stop dreaming!

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I always open this thread in eager anticipation. Its about time there was some good news.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Im still hoping for turkish airlines, although i feel thats gone to MAN with their 3rd daily

 

[Finger66]

You have to remember TK were 3 daily at MAN pre-pandemic and as they continue to expand at IST I would never say never

 

[AirBingley]

I still have a bee in my bonnet about the lack of a connection to our capital especially as MME were hailing a 3x LM daily service, however a quick look at their departure board reveals a different story (reduced to 1x daily) and AMS not every day so actually we're doing pretty well in comparison! I know there is baggage with LM but with a bit of commercial sense applied LBA would be a better punt no matter how much the mayor of Teesside is throwing at the service!

 

[Finger66]

Absolutely - it’s not rocket science. That said MME is slightly further away from London than LBA so slightly more appealing for an air service. But subsidies never last forever and the truth is perhaps starting to come out

 

[AirBingley]

Absolutely - it’s not rocket science. That said MME is slightly further away from London than LBA so slightly more appealing for an air service. But subsidies never last forever and the truth is perhaps starting to come out

Agree 100% - given almost 60% of pax on our 'suspended' service were connecting passengers and LM have BA codings then the trick would be to have great connection times and market accordingly (with P2P a bonus) especially as long haul is opening up very quickly!

 

[A400]

I’ve heard rumors that Qatar are looking to start Leeds flights with the B787-8

 

[Easy289]

April fools!!

 

[A400]

I was really hoping you would think it was serious!

 

[lbaspotter]

Just to add to the rumours.

I was told unnamed airline has asked If LBA can provide CAT 8 Fire Cover.
Meanwhile posted on one of the many LBA Facebook pages, ground handling agent Swissport are said to be sending one of their trainers from MAN over to LBA shortly for "loading containers" training.

 

[Easy289]

Seriously?

 

[lbaspotter]

Seriously?

Yeap I'm been very serious on both bits of information.

Didn't post earlier (before 13:00) as new people would think it was a wind up what with it been April 1st.

 

[Easy289]

Would be nice to see heavy ops return following the cessation of PK.