Route Development & Rumours

[TheLocalYokel]

I did see an adverted on a job site today for emirates cabin crew and on location it did say Leeds

Similar advertisement have appeared in South Wales in recent years. At one point a local aviation website there got very excited believing that EK was on its way to CWL.

In fact, Cardiff was merely the location for those interviews.

 

[LBA787]

The LocalYokel is right here folks as all emirates fight and cabin crew are based in Dubai. Leeds is merely the location for some interviews. It's actually quite a regular thing with Emirates, Etihad and Qatar all doing interview days at large city centre hotels at least once a year probably more!

:crazy:

 

[cmj]

The past four holidays we have done have involved flying to Munich (MAN-MUC on Lufthansa), Budapest (via AMS), Amsterdam and now Vienna (again via AMS). Shortly after the first one, we got Munich with Moncarch for a while, although it was shortlived. Not too long after the second one Jet2 (re)started the LBA-BUD route. Amsterdam we have, so I now fully expect someone to operate LBA-VIE

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Wifes family live in vienna, so would be good for me however its a limited market already served by jet2 from man. Suspect bratislava more likely.

 

[Moo2009]

Wizz air have added extra frequencies for some of there routes from Doncaster today, will we ever see them at LBA ?

 

[lbaspotter]

Wizz air have added extra frequencies for some of there routes from Doncaster today, will we ever see them at LBA ?

We can only but wish! Wizz Air are firmly rooted in at Doncaster-Sheffield now-a-days, and I suspect we will only continue to see Wizz Air at Leeds on the odd occasions as we seem to be there preferred diversion airfield of choice.

Our only hope of route expansion into Eastern Europe surely has to be from Ryanair? The good news is that they are re-starting flights from Leeds to Riga in November.

 

[Bigman]

It's a shame that we can't get the likes of Blue Air or Smart Wings to try us out.

 

[White Heather]

I can't believe that nobody has tried Warsaw from LBA since the short lived service operated a few year back, at silly o clock at night by LOT's low cost carrier (forget their name - its an age thing - and I believe they ceased operations not long after). However, despite the late night flight times, their 737- 400's carried good loads and I would have thought that given the number of Polish people living in West Yorkshire, a route to the Polish capital would do well. Ryanair would seem best placed to do the route so I wonder why they have never tried despite operating to other cities? It's not as though Warsaw doesn't offer tourist attractions either.

 

[ls27]

Didn't the flight to Warsaw terminate because it was affecting the LOT flights at Man?

 

[ex_crew]

Central Wings Heather.

 

[Aviador]

Central Wings Heather.

Thanks ex_crew, I couldn't remember but you've jogged my mind. From what I remember Central Wings had too many conflicting routes with it's parent company LOT. It is surprising no other airline has taken on the route since. As White Heather mentioned, the timing of the Central Wings flight wasn't to be desired. I think it was a 01:55 departure or something similar.

 

[White Heather]

Thank you, yes, Centralwings. I knew it was something - wings but couldn't remember the first bit. As I recall it, the official reason given for the withdrawal of ther service after only a few months was lack of aircraft availability. I do know though that the loads were very healthy indeed for a new route operating in the early hours of the morning. Out of all the Polish destinations, I would have thought that a route to the Capital would be the obvious one. It is seriously annoying seeing Wizz pulling all the West Yorkshire passengers down the A1 to Donny because there is no competition at LBA. It isn't even a destination I recall Tony Hallwood mentioning on his 'wish list'!

 

[JakeS]

Aer Lingus Regional adds Leeds Bradford to route network
02.09.2014

(Source: http://www.businessandleadership.com/bu ... ional-adds)

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, has announced the addition of a new route to its network, with flights to Leeds Bradford due to begin on 23 October 2014.

The expansion of the airline’s route network follows the ongoing success of the franchise agreement between Stobart Air and Aer Lingus, which saw both a Shannon to Bristol and Cork to Newcastle service launched earlier this year.

This announcement is the first time that Aer Lingus has operated flights to Leeds Bradford in 14 years.

Aer Lingus Regional expects to carry up to 70,000 customers annually on the new route and will operate all services on the company’s brand new fleet of regional aircraft.

According to managing director of Stobart Air Julian Carr, the launch of the route marks a significant milestone for the airline.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of this new route from Dublin Airport, offering more destinations, choice and convenience for Aer Lingus Regional customers travelling between Ireland and the UK,” he said.

“We hope this service will continue to facilitate the long established Irish community which has thrived near the city centre of Leeds for nearly 200 years.

“Equally, the new route will enable UK-based passengers to connect with Aer Lingus mainline services in Dublin where they can pre-clear security and customs for some of the main US cities, in advance of making their onward trip. It is estimated that this service will save passengers up to two hours on arrival at US destinations.

“Aer Lingus Regional is committed to providing our customers with easy, convenient and great value in regional connections. We look forward to welcoming our passengers on board this new route." Karina Corbett

(Source: https://mobile.twitter.com/jjfcarr/stat ... 76/photo/1)

(Source:https://mobile.twitter.com/LeedsListDan/status/506735767616782337/photo/1)

(Source: https://mobile.twitter.com/TinaGelderit ... 32/photo/1)

(Source: https://mobile.twitter.com/TinaGelderit ... 77/photo/1)

According to (https://www.facebook.com/TravelExtra/po ... 9505762727) flights depart at 06:50 and 16:25.

Great to see this route take off after years of discussion, rumours and welcoming back an ATR to LBA after Aer Arann.

 

[Aviador]

Something worth mentioning is Julian Carr the managing director of Stobart Air previously worked for Jet2 in it's early years so he will be well aware of LBA's potential. It will be great to see the green livery back at Leeds after such a long gap.

 

[a300boy]

At last some good news !!!!!

 

[yorkshire]

I hope this doesn't p... Ryan air off and them to cut/take there business elsewhere.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

Unfortunately called competition. Certainly my daughter used to fly most mondays Air Lingus from manchester via Shannon to new york to work, arriving at 12.30pm, was ideal for her work time as she could work till 10pm to make her hours.
Wonder what the options are via Dublin.
My daughter used to comment that both legs usually full (return around midnight from New york Thursday night.)
To me this is the future of LBA a feeder to a big hub, if they meet targets a 3% increase on our passenger numbers, because of the feeder eliment, amy be able to grow this route, rather then just reduce Ryanair figures.

 

[ChurchFenton]

At last! Plenty of potential for this service, particularly with the possibility of connections in DUB onto EI's North American services and the attraction of US Immigration pre-clearance in Ireland.

I don't think there will be too much issue with EI/Stobart competing for passengers to Dublin, the market from the LBA catchment is large and both carriers already go head to head on a number of other Dublin-UK routes, with EI/Stobart seeming able to be competitive on price with FR.

I can see the prospects being bright for this service, based on the following:

1) EI having a very recognisable and well known brand, should help with marketing

2) US connections, with no back tracking, and immigration pre-clearance in Dublin

3) Dublin route possibly being under-served at present by FR at LBA, given that frequencies have reduced to just one flight per day on some days of the week, when for a long time the route was supporting 3 flights most days.

4) Smaller ATR aircraft operating on the route, fewer seats to try to sell than FR

5) Choice, for those (and yes, there are still quite a number) who try to avoid FR if prices/service/frequency on another credible carrier are available

 

[lbaspotter]

If it's anything like last time when Ryanair were in competition with Aer Lingus on the Leeds/Bradford - Dublin route, I would expect Ryanair to restart the 3rd daily (FR154/155) service and flood the market with cheap fares.

But I think Aer Lingus are on to a winner here using the ATR72, But it may have an effect on other routes. As at Dublin Aer Lingus can offer US-bound passengers immigration and customs pre-clearance service's which British Airways can't do at London Heathrow and neither can KLM at Amsterdam...

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If it's anything like last time when Ryanair were in competition with Aer Lingus on the Leeds/Bradford - Dublin route, I would expect Ryanair to restart the 3rd daily (FR154/155) service and flood the market with cheap fares.

That's exactly what they've been doing at Bristol over the past three or four years. When EIR came onto the BRS-DUB FR was about to go from 3 x daily to 2 x daily. They immediately went back to 3 x daily against EIR's 2 x daily. Since then one or other of the airlines will drop to 2 x daily for a season then go back to 3 x daily. Some seasons both are 3 x daily. This winter it's FR's turn for 3 x daily with EIR dropping back to 2 x daily.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the same sort of thing at LBA.