Route Development & Rumours

[Sherburnflyer92]

Play would offer connecting flights/fares to and from - Baltimore (Washington), Boston and New York (Stewart) with plans to add Washington DC.

WOW eventually had New York JFK, Newark, Chicago, LA, San Fran, Miami. In Canada, Toronto and Montreal were also served.

Play has 3 extra A320 Neo's on Order, and 1 extra A321 Neo. So no over zealous expansion rather cautious and "organic". Will the A320's head to America? Who knows but considering they've got the legs I would say they probs could.

Post automatically merged: Oct 6, 2022

West Jet anyone?

 

[Aviador]

So I'm going to be cheeky and speculate on an October announcement

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

So I'm going to be cheeky and speculate on an October announcement

For what exactly?

 

[752]

Play's LPL service appears to have mid morning arrival/departures which would fit perfectly into our busy terminal..

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Play's LPL service appears to have mid morning arrival/departures which would fit perfectly into our busy terminal..

If you follow the Play/Icelandair model -

All European flights leave 0600-0800, arriving back into Iceland 1300-1500. All USA/Canada flights leave 1530-1730 and arrive back the following morning 0430-0700.

 

[louis_walton]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1579524920719339520

So another one bites the dust… Does VS still operate Islamabad from Manchester?

 

[White Heather]

It wouldn't surprise me if LBA don't want them after last time. As of two days ago they were still showing LBA as one of their four destinations..

 

[louis_walton]

It wouldn't surprise me if LBA don't want them after last time. As of two days ago they were still showing LBA as one of their four destinations..

Also would any airport (not just LBA) want the constant rumours of an airline staring operations, that potentially couldn’t exist. A startup airline, already with a bad reputation, surely isn’t going to be encouraging to those looking to fly to Pakistan.

 

[lbaspotter]

Hopefully LBA has washed there hands with this lot.

The fact that IPS Airways were allowed to take people’s money without a licence first time around was disgrace. So question is now 2nd time around will the CAA let them launch? Also will they have enough time to get the proper licences in place for a possible MAN launch by December? I highly doubt it..

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I don't think you would be so damning of IPS if they had announced a schedule from LBA. I think they would have been warmly welcomed. This is not a positive move and I would dearly like to know for sure why they have apparently 'dropped' LBA.

 

[SierraHotel]

Has another Pakistan operator been secured, perhaps.???

 

[White Heather]

Given the imminent arrival if Wizz Air it may be a blessing in disguise, or may be quite deliberate, as a combination of newly acquired Wizz Air passengers in addition to the chaos that ensues for every flight to Pakistan, may well be more than the terminal, border force and the rest can currently cope with.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Will be interesting to see what aircraft type they end up using. Maybe theve got a 777. That could be why theyve turned their back on Leeds.

 

[Finger66]

Well we do apparently have an "outstanding" possibility of another airline in the wings so yes another Pakistani operator could well have been secured. Interestingly TK are entering into codeshares with PK but of course TK already serve MAN which would contradict the rumour details about any new airline not currently serving MAN. Unless it was to be IPS and things have now changed

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I just phoned IPS and spoke to a manager. She told me that the issue with Leeds was that the 'airport' wasn't prepared to invest in the necessary equipment to facilitate them. Seems 'airport' included Swissport. I did point out they may have been afraid they would invest and then IPS wouldn't start operations (again) but as she said there are always risks in business (speculate to accumulate). Manchester were prepared to offer them everything they needed. Runway length definitely not a factor. Take from this what you will.

 

[White Heather]

That sounds to me that they weren't wanted at LBA, because I was told categorically that the equipment to handle an A330 was at LBA - prior to them scrapping the launch.

Blaming the airport for Swissport would be ridiculous. As I confirmed last month, the contract is between Swissport and the airline so have Swissport refused to cater for IPS at Leeds due to their well known shortages? Such shortages probably dont apply at MAN as they are fully equipped and, significantly, trained for handling wide body aircraft.

I think it's a certainty that there will be many working at LBA who will be delighted that this isn't going to happen given the impact/disruption each flight has on the airport.

 

[ChrisBBB]

I just phoned IPS and spoke to a manager. She told me that the issue with Leeds was that the 'airport' wasn't prepared to invest in the necessary equipment to facilitate them. Seems 'airport' included Swissport. I did point out they may have been afraid they would invest and then IPS wouldn't start operations (again) but as she said there are always risks in business (speculate to accumulate). Manchester were prepared to offer them everything they needed. Runway length definitely not a factor. Take from this what you will.

This was my initial thought. LBA might (or might not) have all the equipment to handle, but would assume there would be some need to speculate at least.
Manchester will have all the equipment and infrastructure to handle a flight at the drop of a hat, no risk for them.
Appreciate WH what you say re understanding we already have the required equipment - but there will be costs of some sort that are probably not justifiable for the sake of a couple of flights a week that might not even come to fruition.
If it is the airport who have pushed back I cannot blame them!

 

[Aviador]

This was my initial thought. LBA might (or might not) have all the equipment to handle, but would assume there would be some need to speculate at least.
Manchester will have all the equipment and infrastructure to handle a flight at the drop of a hat, no risk for them.
Appreciate WH what you say re understanding we already have the required equipment - but there will be costs of some sort that are probably not justifiable for the sake of a couple of flights a week that might not even come to fruition.
If it is the airport who have pushed back I cannot blame them!

That is nonsense. A handling agent such as Swissport can draft in all the equipment from wherever it sees fit at the drop of a hat. LBA is perfectly capable of handling A330 ops.

If anything it's more likely LBA have washed their hands of them with a view to potentially avoiding another bout of reputational damage following another failed start.

 

[ChrisBBB]

That is nonsense. A handling agent such as Swissport can draft in all the equipment from wherever it sees fit at the drop of a hat. LBA is perfectly capable of handling A330 ops.

If anything it's more likely LBA have washed their hands of them with a view to potentially avoiding another bout of reputational damage following another failed start.

Again - who can blame them if that’s the case!

 

[oldendays]

Good riddance to bad rubbish I say. No more SweFly or Shaheen types please.