Route Development & Rumours

[Starflyer]

Oh you tease @Starflyer?
Is that 4 different things, if so how's this for a guess for 3 of them..

Two of the four you had were on my list. I think any notion of LHR is further away than ever, unfortunately, so that wasn't one of them!

 

[Finger66]

Two of the four you had were on my list. I think any notion of LHR is further away than ever, unfortunately, so that wasn't one of them!

My thoughts are that old, new and domestic will end up being combined into 1. By that I mean an old domestic route returning via a new operator for LBA. And we all know the Air Blue situation has legs at this moment in time.

 

[Starflyer]

Good that AirBlue looks to be making progress towards a UK launch - and hopefully LBA.

I rather fear that LBA may see one step backwards before it takes several steps forward though.

 

[Jerry]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970568795186979084

 

[Statto]

Good that AirBlue looks to be making progress towards a UK launch - and hopefully LBA.

I rather fear that LBA may see one step backwards before it takes several steps forward though

In terms of the one-step back, it’s hard not to see Wizz as being in a state of steady decline in terms of their offering. A combination of their fleet issues, competition from Ryanair, the declining ex-pat market etc. Their offering is small from LBA these days and they don’t look to be source of major growth going forwards so it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

In terms of the others..
- It sounds like Ryanair are looking to grow.
- Unless Jet2 do something radical, hard to see much change from them. You’d hope as the 733s get phased out the general trend will be more seats for the same number of movements
- KLM you’d assume reasonably secure

Which I guess leaves Easyjet as the other risk. Their operation so far is small and they’re trying to slowly build a presence, but history tells us that chopping these things are easier choices if the going gets tough

But lets choose to be positive and focus on the several steps forward!

 

[Finger66]

Let's actually not forget Emerald A/L in all this with their numerous frequencies on BHD and DUB. The main downside there as we know is the weather prone ATRs but it's still good frequency overall.

Also further slight Sun Express increases for 2026 if I am correct.

Whilst I hope we keep Wizz, and they say they are happy at LBA, even if RYR drive them out I think RYR are more than happy enough with LBA and have numerous bases and offshoots to expand away based flying.

KLM are going to 4 a day on weekdays this winter. Hopefully that stays S26.

Looks like Air Blue is increasingly a goer.

And finally as I have said before possibly a returning domestic route but via a new LBA operator would I suggest be a distinct possibility. And if you pay attention to the trials and tribulations of one of Easterns main current PSO routes then you don't exactly have to be Miss Marple to work out what that returning domestic route may be.

No gain without pain as they say so what is there not to be positive about at the moment when it comes to LBA?

 

[HX3]

saw something on x this morning that airblue to commence 15 November from LBA.

 

[SierraHotel]

Two Pakistani airlines cleared to resume UK flights after five-year ban

Airblue secures early entry into Britain while PIA prepares phased relaunch of flights

gulfnews.com

 

[B737]

Vincent Hodder was being photographed and filmed outside the front of the terminal this morning with a group of people in suits. For the photos they were holding what looked like the Bahrain flag and Saudi flag .

 

[SierraHotel]

Mmmm... intriguing!

 

[Bob O'JOb]

Bahrain is an interesting one for sure......

 

[HX3]

I wonder if it has anything to do with Vision Invest, a Saudi investment group who were in talks with Infrabridge for Newcastle Airport, maybe they have focused interest on LBA instead? The Bahrain link, who knows!?

 

[Finger66]

saw something on x this morning that airblue to commence 15 November from LBA.

Nothing bookable on their website just yet

 

[HX3]

I never said it was @Finger66, but if you are fluent in Urdu, knock yourself out with the link. I speak 5 languages fluently, but Urdu isn’t one of them, a colleague had to translate the details of the date for me.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970489573626060841

 

[Finger66]

I never said it was @Finger66, but if you are fluent in Urdu, knock yourself out with the link. I speak 5 languages fluently, but Urdu isn’t one of them, a colleague had to translate the details of the date for me.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970489573626060841

Wow @HX3 that's quite an aggressive response to an observation. Think you have misinterpreted by comment

 

[HX3]

I wasn’t being aggressive @Finger66. Factually I never said it was on sale, I just said it’s to commence. It will likely go on sale in due course. As for the knock yourself out with Urdu, that is my humour, and as you know we get lots of your humour on here and I put up with that.

 

[White Heather]

saw something on x this morning that airblue to commence 15 November from LBA.

If it happens it will be almost like Pan Am coming to Leeds, as Air Blue's flight code is PA.

 

[Starflyer]

If it happens it will be almost like Pan Am coming to Leeds, as Air Blue's flight code is PA.

PA222 and PA223. Not sure where, if ever, those were used by Pan Am.

And yes, the potential backward step I suspect may come is Wizz.

 

[SierraHotel]

As in Wizz leaving LBA altogether?

 

[White Heather]

As in Wizz leaving LBA altogether?

Can't see why they would. They seem to have excellent loads on Cluj Napoca and presumably still healthy on Bucharest despite Ryanair. Poland is another matter.

I see they have added another aircraft to their Vilnius base. That's a route they could do well.on.