Route Development & Rumours

[pug]

I did see on Dried fruit about HUY and SEN being mentioned. I couldn’t read the article though. Be good for them airports but think there would be some more likely options first.

Egypt and Tunisia are ones I think would do great from LBA. Big market, good value for money.. always think good one for easyJet/TUI

I’m not sure in the case of SEN, but as previously mentioned Humberside has some link to Correndon and actually if you cast your mind back to the Goldtrail and Thomas Cook days, HUY used to do a lot of Dalaman and Bodrum schedules in the summer. At one point not so long ago a 767 was going out to Dalaman every week. The Turkish tourist board will be wanting extra destinations added for inbound tourism and they tend to offer subsidy or incentives to airlines flying to unserved destinations. So if the regional manager is mentioning HUY it’s probably because of this.

 

[Iron Duck]

Disappointing that LBA didn’t feature in Norse Atlantic’s plan for Islamabad flights, instead going in for the dump over the hill. Shame that the Gulf Carriers don’t see a niche in LBA, people are tired of having to endure the worst rated airport in the UK!

 

[Aviador]

Disappointing that LBA didn’t feature in Norse Atlantic’s plan for Islamabad flights, instead going in for the dump over the hill. Shame that the Gulf Carriers don’t see a niche in LBA, people are tired of having to endure the worst rated airport in the UK!

It's coming sooner or later.

 

[SierraHotel]

Comparing MAN with LBA is like comparing Liverpool with Harrogate Town.

 

[Jerry]

Disappointing that LBA didn’t feature in Norse Atlantic’s plan for Islamabad flights, instead going in for the dump over the hill. Shame that the Gulf Carriers don’t see a niche in LBA, people are tired of having to endure the worst rated airport in the UK!

I'm pretty sure that Norse are operating flights for other airlines from Manchester as well so that will factor in and MAN is a much larger international airport with a much bigger catchment area than LBA.

 

[LBA4EVER]

Never going to happen until runway improvements are made, the runways just too marginal!

 

[Iron Duck]

Comparing MAN with LBA is like comparing Liverpool with Harrogate Town.

It’s not, they are relatively similarly sized cities. It’s frankly incredible that LBA supposedly can’t support a similar portfolio of airlines.

 

[LBA4EVER]

It’s not, they are relatively similarly sized cities. It’s frankly incredible that LBA supposedly can’t support a similar portfolio of airlines.

Talking about airport sizes not city sizes.
Hopefully once the terminal improvements are completed and extra apron space laid then LBA should move up into the next league with more flights, routes and hopefully new airlines, but if anyone thinks we will be seeing emirates, qatar and the like are living in fantasy land.

 

[White Heather]

Never going to happen until runway improvements are made, the runways just too marginal!

Here we go!

I must have dreamt the non stop flights to ISB by Shaheen snd PIA, and those to Bridgetown, not to mention some to Toronto. Good dreams though!

Fact. Modern generation aircraft are even more capable off our runway than the A310 and 767 and DC10.

As for catchment areas. LBAs catchment is more than capable of sustaining multiple flights weekly to ISB given the chance. Bradford would probably do that all by itself, before the likes of Leeds, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Keighley and Halifax are taken into account. The Pakistani population across West Yorkshire is huge.

 

[Aviador]

I'm pretty sure that Norse are operating flights for other airlines from Manchester as well so that will factor in and MAN is a much larger international airport with a much bigger catchment area than LBA.

While I don't dispute the argument Manchester Airport is much larger, the catchment argument doesn't wash. It takes as long to drive from LBA to Manchester Airport as it does in reverse. The catchment areas for bother airports are significant and the two hour drive catchment isn't significantly different. LBA has a 2 hour drive time catchment of around 8 million. The 2 hour drive time for MAN is in the region of 9-10 million. The Leeds drive time catchment is by no means insignificant. For comparison the BHX 2 hour drive time catchment is in the region of 9 million. GLA has 2.8-3.2 million. EDI 2-2.5 million again in the two hour drive time catchment area.

Never going to happen until runway improvements are made, the runways just too marginal!

I am going to echo @LBAYORKIE - you really need to go to one of the community meetings with LBA. You will be enlightened.

 

[White Heather]

I am going to echo @LBAYORKIE - you really need to go to one of the community meetings with LBA. You will be enlenlightened

I suspect LBAforever would end up enlightening LBA management that their runway is no good rather than them enlightening him. Virtually all the airport would say at these events regarding the runway and growth has been said before at the ACC, reported on this forum, and seemingly ignored.

 

[Jerry]

It takes as long to drive from LBA to Manchester Airport as it does in reverse.

But it's potentially not as easy. I've flown from both since living here in Leeds and yes LBA is more convenient for me being closer it's still not as accessible as an airport right off 2 major motorways for many people not living north of the M62. And for me personally catching the train to Manchester is quite easy. I've only ever driven to Manchester Airport as while I'm working. My journeys so far have all been by train and the next one is as well.
Manchester has established itself as the major international airport for the whole of the north of England and i don't see LBA changing that. Personally I'd love to see more European airlines flying from LBA but I'd be shocked though delighted to see long haul from LBA any time soon even with the new terminal upgrades.

 

[SierraHotel]

I personally think LBAs long haul ambitions will be served by the A321XLR which an increasing number of airlines are acquiring, QR being one such airline.

 

[gulftraveller]

I am very sceptical. QR has given up on Al Baker’s idea of competing with EK by serving secondary airports. Also don’t forget that cargo is an important part of the mix. QR has not ordered the A321XLR and has said it is not going to. And there won’t be enough XLRs in the whole world to operate all the regional routes being touted. LBA should look at the low cost airline FlyNas to operate to JED. They will have the XLR and is the only ME option I see realistically.

 

[SierraHotel]

My mistake, QR have the A321LR not XLR.

 

[Aviador]

But it's potentially not as easy. I've flown from both since living here in Leeds and yes LBA is more convenient for me being closer it's still not as accessible as an airport right off 2 major motorways for many people not living north of the M62. And for me personally catching the train to Manchester is quite easy. I've only ever driven to Manchester Airport as while I'm working. My journeys so far have all been by train and the next one is as well.
Manchester has established itself as the major international airport for the whole of the north of England and i don't see LBA changing that. Personally I'd love to see more European airlines flying from LBA but I'd be shocked though delighted to see long haul from LBA any time soon even with the new terminal upgrades.

I don't disagree with LBAs accessibility per se, but it is more of a mindset problem than an actual one. It's perceived as awkward to get to. In reality it's only the last several miles once off a motorway that slow you down, and it doesn't alter the two hour drive time catchment area to the airport (8 million) which is three times that of Glasgow or Edinburgh airports. While it would be nice to see a direct motorway connection to the airport let's not forget the airport sits in the heart of the catchment it serves.

In any case I don't always view motorways in a positive light as there are many times when motorway snarlups can add significantly to journey times.

 

[SierraHotel]

Fear not, our heroe Ms Brabin is to deliver our Parkway station before she passes away

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I suspect LBAforever would end up enlightening LBA management that their runway is no good rather than them enlightening him. Virtually all the airport would say at these events regarding the runway and growth has been said before at the ACC, reported on this forum, and seemingly ignored.

I havent ignored your reports but still found the meeting very interesting. So much so I will be going to at least one more.

 

[Aviador]

I havent ignored your reports but still found the meeting very interesting. So much so I will be going to at least one more.

Some people (@LBA4EVER ) just need to hear it from the horses mouth.

 

[White Heather]

I havent ignored your reports but still found the meeting very interesting. So much so I will be going to at least one more.

I wasn't suggesting you personally had ignored anything LBAYorkie.