Route Development & Rumours

[HX3]

The likes of JetBlue could be a possibility, I would expect they would be keen to expand their route network across the pond.

 

[SierraHotel]

The likes of JetBlue could be a possibility, I would expect they would be keen to expand their route network across the pond.

I agree, definitely the odds on favourites in my humble opinion. I'm sure a LBA-EWR would be incredibly successful with good flight times and competitive prices

 

[Aviador]

I recall an ITV broadcast where it showed Bill Savage visiting the World Trade Center trying to drum up support for US flights, and here we are today still doing the same. Personally I think it's a waste of time as nice as it would be to have.

 

[pug]

I recall an ITV broadcast where it showed Bill Savage visiting the World Trade Center trying to drum up support for US flights, and here we are today still doing the same. Personally I think it's a waste of time as nice as it would be to have.

Whilst I can see your point, and I remain skeptical, the advent of JetBlue and the 321XLR makes the idea a bit more likely. Reason being they are much more efficient, cost per air mile I expect is much less and they are small enough to not require a huge market. It would however be bucking the trend in recent years of less regional departure points to the US. BHX no longer features, I think GLA has lost its US links now? BRS also lost its EWR after a relatively short lived service. NCL has had short flits, perhaps that’s a likely return for a more cost efficient operator?

I flew with JetBlue internally many years ago and seem to recall them being excellent. This was not long before 9/11 though.

Play could be one to watch though, for the cost conscious traveller with numerous options through KEF.

 

[LBA787]

As with LHR its a must for it to be a hub operator if it was even to be launched…

Tbh though they (LBA) can talk all they want but I don’t see us getting a NYC link anytime soon. MAN doesn’t even have a restored link via a US carrier and then there’s BHX, GLA, STN, BRS, NCL, BFS all with previous operations that would probably be above us in the pecking order. Throw in the strong dollar against the pound as another hurdle and it’s pretty much a no go. Sorry but it’s currently a far flung pipedream. The airport should be hammering on TK’s door for a link to IST.

 

[A400]

@White Heather Thankyou for the detailed report a good read and good to see the airport are talking to US airlines about possible flights in the future.

 

[louis_walton]

Thank You @White Heather ! I always really enjoy reading your reports.

I’m a rather impatient person and it feels like we need to be patient for another 2 years before anything significant happens at the airport.

Hopefully Wizz operations increase soon, to remain safety within the 4 million bracket!

With Liverpool on track to reach 5 million we need that extension ASAP.

Happy bank holiday weekend everyone!

 

[pug]

As with LHR its a must for it to be a hub operator if it was even to be launched…

Tbh though they (LBA) can talk all they want but I don’t see us getting a NYC link anytime soon. MAN doesn’t even have a restored link via a US carrier and then there’s BHX, GLA, STN, BRS, NCL, BFS all with previous operations that would probably be above us in the pecking order. Throw in the strong dollar against the pound as another hurdle and it’s pretty much a no go. Sorry but it’s currently a far flung pipedream. The airport should be hammering on TK’s door for a link to IST.

Yes, TK through IST offers a service similar to Emirates through DXB, albeit far more likely to happen. I think get that in place for connections East, and possibly Play for West bound connections and they’d see some success without being at risk of a cull when the next downturn happens.

Volume wise, Wizz should they decide to stay could open up some more Eastern European markets. Still got my eye on easyjet, they haven’t been serving the BFS route just because, I think it’s to maintain an open channel of communication in case there is room for them to operate more in future. Yorkshire must fit in their strategy, whether that be at a reopened DSA or perhaps in future at a much expanded LBA.

 

[LBA787]

Yes, TK through IST offers a service similar to Emirates through DXB, albeit far more likely to happen. I think get that in place for connections East, and possibly Play for West bound connections and they’d see some success without being at risk of a cull when the next downturn happens.

Volume wise, Wizz should they decide to stay could open up some more Eastern European markets. Still got my eye on easyjet, they haven’t been serving the BFS route just because, I think it’s to maintain an open channel of communication in case there is room for them to operate more in future. Yorkshire must fit in their strategy, whether that be at a reopened DSA or perhaps in future at a much expanded LBA.

Agreed. easyJet is the elephant in the room or rather just a strange beast imo. No base north of Luton - the entire east side of England, a monumental gap when you consider the west has LPL, MAN, BHX and BRS.

Fingers crossed LBA can get them over the line although I cannot help but think they maybe very attracted to the potential incentives DSA may have to offer, throw in a TUI seat allocation (if they don’t re-open their base) and a base there doesn’t sound so unfeasible.

Apologies, I’m going off track however as an aviation enthusiast I don’t feel we should be all that hard on DSA, just imagine LBA in their position.

Furthermore huge infrastructure once gone seldom returns, just think of all railways lost in the 60’s and heaven forbid the Leeds Tram! Yes it’s a competitor to LBA but it’s also an asset South Yorkshire will never regain if it’s to be decommissioned.

Happy Easter weekend all.

 

[lbaspotter]

I’ll be happy with

Play, British Airways, Easyjet & Fly Dubai.

 

[pug]

Agreed. easyJet is the elephant in the room or rather just a strange beast imo. No base north of Luton - the entire east side of England, a monumental gap when you consider the west has LPL, MAN, BHX and BRS.

Fingers crossed LBA can get them over the line although I cannot help but think they maybe very attracted to the potential incentives DSA may have to offer, throw in a TUI seat allocation (if they don’t re-open their base) and a base there doesn’t sound so unfeasible.

Apologies, I’m going off track however as an aviation enthusiast I don’t feel we should be all that hard on DSA, just imagine LBA in their position.

Furthermore huge infrastructure once gone seldom returns, just think of all railways lost in the 60’s and heaven forbid the Leeds Tram! Yes it’s a competitor to LBA but it’s also an asset South Yorkshire will never regain if it’s to be decommissioned.

Happy Easter weekend all.

Whilst I take your point about DSA (and without wanting to deviate from thread) I do think skepticism is warranted. LBA won’t be in the same position because it is commercially viable, previous attempts at DSA show that when any airline tried to deviate from bucket and spade routes it doesn’t tend to work. LBA has a large and wealthy catchment area on its doorstep, this makes it able to generate enough demand for things like IST and KEF without too much risk. Hence why I believe easyjet moved in after their failed attempts to generate demand from DSA. Whilst it might be a shame for SY, and LBA isn’t ideal for anyone who doesn’t live in WY or Harrogate, it is what it is. Airports cannot be sustained when they can’t cover their costs. If we went back 60 years and pushed for a centralised Yorkshire airport we wouldn’t be having this conversation, and MAN would probably not be quite as big as it is now. Just how it is.

 

[Snackbar]

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.

Can’t see MAN supporting these either…used AA on a regular basis for business but they’ve now gone….hardly surprising given the decline in business travel..

Yes, TK through IST offers a service similar to Emirates through DXB, albeit far more likely to happen. I think get that in place for connections East, and possibly Play for West bound connections and they’d see some success without being at risk of a cull when the next downturn happens.

Volume wise, Wizz should they decide to stay could open up some more Eastern European markets. Still got my eye on easyjet, they haven’t been serving the BFS route just because, I think it’s to maintain an open channel of communication in case there is room for them to operate more in future. Yorkshire must fit in their strategy, whether that be at a reopened DSA or perhaps in future at a much expanded LBA.

You are right to keep,you eye on Easyjet….bring in summer 2025

 

[Len Fish]

The likes of JetBlue could be a possibility, I would expect they would be keen to expand their route network across the pond.

“Low-Cost Carrier JetBlue has 13 orders for the single-aisle XLR. The order was confirmed in Paris in 2019, as the airline replaced an existing order for 13 A321neos with the A321XLR. JetBlue plans to use the new aircraft to expand its overseas network and fly to more European destinations”- Simple Flying.
The first A321 XLR deliveries to airlines are expected to commence in the third quarter of this year. Where JetBlue are in the delivery schedule isn’t published but the airline have agreed with Airbus to slow deliveries of all ordered aircraft to assist with the airlines current financial situation. If they were to come to LBA it would seem we’re talking several years into the future, if at all.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

“Low-Cost Carrier JetBlue has 13 orders for the single-aisle XLR. The order was confirmed in Paris in 2019, as the airline replaced an existing order for 13 A321neos with the A321XLR. JetBlue plans to use the new aircraft to expand its overseas network and fly to more European destinations”- Simple Flying.
The first A321 XLR deliveries to airlines are expected to commence in the third quarter of this year. Where JetBlue are in the delivery schedule isn’t published but the airline have agreed with Airbus to slow deliveries of all ordered aircraft to assist with the airlines current financial situation. If they were to come to LBA it would seem we’re talking several years into the future, if at all.

I remember similar speculation on here when the B787 and A350 were launched. They were going to be the perfect aircraft to bring us long haul services- didn't happen though did it. Is the A321xlr going to be any different?

 

[David_itl]

I would say the A321 is more of a game changer as you would find more routes becoming viable with lower costs and fewer seats to fill. Not sure that you would need to have the LR or XLR versions running out of regional Britain going to the east coast USA but the LR for Jetblue really does have low capacity (138 passengers) which means they would target the more affluent so the majority of passengers to the States will continue to go via hub airports so that they save a bit of money at the expense of convenience. The XLR for them is going to be more about the likes of getting to Germany eastwards with the ability to operate year-round with far less likelihood of handing to do fuel stops in winter.

787s/A350s would be ones to open the thin longer-range routes that would have been cost prohibitive using previous types.

 

[mullion]

A350 is a big aircraft more useful would be A339 or B789 but even they are big

 

[Finger66]

Reported on the CWL forum that Play are to operate a short series of flights from CWL-KEF this autumn. Hopefully this means 2 things:
They are still looking at additional UK departures points and
LBA is in that thinking/looking

 

[Finger66]

So what with Loganair scaling back on some domestic routes and Eastern not on best terms with LBA - not to mention them being a bit of a shambles anyway, that is zero chance of any additional domestic flying returning unless maybe, just maybe, the speeding bird returns! Appreciate the UK domestic market isn't what it was so let's hope for more EU major city flying

 

[Aviador]

So what with Loganair scaling back on some domestic routes and Eastern not on best terms with LBA - not to mention them being a bit of a shambles anyway, that is zero chance of any additional domestic flying returning unless maybe, just maybe, the speeding bird returns! Appreciate the UK domestic market isn't what it was so let's hope for more EU major city flying

Well we keep being told expansion of the apron will come when there is a need. If the same theory applies to a new domestic baggage hall, that's going to be in place once the current work is complete so @Finger66 crossed.

 

[White Heather]

Well we keep being told expansion of the apron will come when there is a need. If the same theory applies to a new domestic baggage hall, that's going to be in place once the current work is complete so @Finger66 crossed.

LBA say they are in early discussions with an unnamed carrier regarding a new LHR link, but nothing will happen before 2025, which just happens to coincide with the terminal extension being completed. So you never know.