Route Development & Rumours

[Finger66]

Frustratingly a route vs Icelandair I believe. Could have basically had LBA-KEF to themselves. Lots of airlines could learn from this mentality!

 

[LBA4EVER]

For a moment i had a sense of excitement and a twitch when the route development forum had posts!
But this is LBA! Yes PLAY are ideal for trips to iceland and connections to the USA.

 

[752]

Frustrating to see LBA missing out a few routes operated by foreign carriers into the UK regions examples being:
Lufthansa & Play - LPL
Aegean - NCL / BRS
Corendon - NCL / BHX / MAN

Just to name a few.

Big wish list is KEF & IST links. Think both would be perfect for LBA

 

[White Heather]

What's incredible is that Lufthansa operate from FRA to most UK airports but not LBA. The MAN presence is irrelevant, as they do fly to LPL which is half the distance to MAN compared to LBA. It's a route that LBA badly needs. Nothing to Germany is, frankly, ridiculous.

 

[Coathanger16]

What's incredible is that Lufthansa operate from FRA to most UK airports but not LBA. The MAN presence is irrelevant, as they do fly to LPL which is half the distance to MAN compared to LBA. It's a route that LBA badly needs. Nothing to Germany is, frankly, ridiculous.

Lufthansa operate to 11 UK airports from FRA (vs 17 KLM serve from AMS) - even that, I wouldn't class that as "most".

10 of those airports are busier than LBA - the 1 that isn't is BHD, but I'd say that's an isolated case as its serving N.Ireland where competing airports are harder to get to than for LBA (legacy/hub carriers avoid BFS altogether).

I'd view LBA in very similar position to LPL if not better. Westward connections are provided by Play (2 weekly) at LPL and Aer Lingus (14 weekly) at LBA, with Eastward connections provided by Lufthansa (6 weekly) at LPL and KLM (21 weekly) at LBA. (Figures taken for September as Play suspend LPL over part of the summer!).

Those 4 carriers have ~1700 seats available per week from LPL vs ~6000 seats from LBA.

Long story short - LBAs is doing pretty well. It's recovered a greater percentage of passengers than a lot of other UK airports, has gained a new airline that sends high capacity aircraft and is currently working on significant infrastructure expansion. Not sure many airports the same size as LBA can claim that - in fact arguably one of their closest competitors has shut down entirely!

 

[LBAYORKIE]

What's incredible is that Lufthansa operate from FRA to most UK airports but not LBA. The MAN presence is irrelevant, as they do fly to LPL which is half the distance to MAN compared to LBA. It's a route that LBA badly needs. Nothing to Germany is, frankly, ridiculous.

I agree wholeheartedly. Its frustrating that LBA havent managed to secure services to anywhere at all in Germany.

 

[Easy289]

Further to the non serving of Germany ex LBA, I find it equally surprising that Scandinavia is also unserved ( the recently announced Bergen service is far from a regular service).

 

[gulftraveller]

Being devil’s advocate, SAS started CPH but it did not last long. Whatever the reasons, potential airlines will weigh this in any plans to introduce a new service.

 

[Easy289]

Poor flight times and extortionate prices were the reasons behind poor LFs

 

[Aviador]

Being devil’s advocate, SAS started CPH but it did not last long. Whatever the reasons, potential airlines will weigh this in any plans to introduce a new service.

The once a day flight was mid morning if I remember correctly. Not ideal.

 

[YorkshireLad]

Being devil’s advocate, SAS started CPH but it did not last long. Whatever the reasons, potential airlines will weigh this in any plans to introduce a new service.

2 flights per week and poor timings contributed to poor loads

 

[gulftraveller]

But it’s always easy to come up with reasons why routes don’t work, ignoring the possibility the demand is not there. LHR is another example.

Rightly or wrongly, airlines will be put off by SAS’ rapid exit at that time, whatever the reasons.

 

[CM.]

So because 1 airline didn’t quite succeed here means that other airlines won’t consider LBA? That’s basically what you’re saying…

A route to Germany Frankfurt I’m sure would make good money if the timings are right for connections. They seem to work at LPL, BRS, NCL and also BHD this summer.

 

[Jerry]

Its frustrating that LBA havent managed to secure services to anywhere at all in Germany.

Maybe the demand isn't there or it's catered for at other airports? For a German carrier like Eurowings they'd be looking at German tourism into the area especially from somewhere like Dusseldorf and that might be catered for at Manchester. Ryanair would probably be looking at UK too Germany tourism especially with a route like Berlin. Lufthansa would probably be more concerned about onward connections rather than point 2 point.

 

[Silvercity]

Lufthansa operate to 11 UK airports from FRA (vs 17 KLM serve from AMS) - even that, I wouldn't class that as "most".

10 of those airports are busier than LBA - the 1 that isn't is BHD, but I'd say that's an isolated case as its serving N.Ireland where competing airports are harder to get to than for LBA (legacy/hub carriers avoid BFS altogether).

I'd view LBA in very similar position to LPL if not better. Westward connections are provided by Play (2 weekly) at LPL and Aer Lingus (14 weekly) at LBA, with Eastward connections provided by Lufthansa (6 weekly) at LPL and KLM (21 weekly) at LBA. (Figures taken for September as Play suspend LPL over part of the summer!).

Those 4 carriers have ~1700 seats available per week from LPL vs ~6000 seats from LBA.

Long story short - LBAs is doing pretty well. It's recovered a greater percentage of passengers than a lot of other UK airports, has gained a new airline that sends high capacity aircraft and is currently working on significant infrastructure expansion. Not sure many airports the same size as LBA can claim that - in fact arguably one of their closest competitors has shut down entirely!

It seems.that EI is returning to LPL this year which Will complement PLAY for US passengers.

 

[Jerry]

A route to Germany Frankfurt I’m sure would make good money if the timings are right for connections. They seem to work at LPL, BRS, NCL and also BHD this summer.

With Lufthansa it's going to be more a case of onward connections with Manchester so close for a big part of the Yorkshire population they may feel the area is covered.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

With Lufthansa it's going to be more a case of onward connections with Manchester so close for a big part of the Yorkshire population they may feel the area is covered.

I dont think tourism has a major part to play. Its got to be connections and point to point business travel.

 

[Jerry]

I dont think tourism has a major part to play. Its got to be connections and point to point business travel.

Tourism is a part of onward connections as well and for routes outside of hubs like Frankfurt it's key too make many routes sustainable and as for business travel that is a lot less these days post pandemic.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Tourism is a part of onward connections as well and for routes outside of hubs like Frankfurt it's key too make many routes sustainable and as for business travel that is a lot less these days post pandemic.

I meant tourism in Germany for UK visitors and tourism in the UK for Germans, point to point tourism if you like- but Im sure there will be some.

 

[Jerry]

I meant tourism in Germany for UK visitors and tourism in the UK for Germans, point to point tourism if you like- but Im sure there will be some.

Yes neither is a big destination for each as i think ironically both countries have a very similar culture in that they like too travel too the sun destinations for holidays.