Flybe

[Bigman]

It would be nice on a morning to see 2 FlyBe's and a KLM all on the deck together.

 

[backtrack]

plus a VLM fokker 50, another TCX and 2 TOM's... or is that wishful thinking?

 

[WYIA]

lol errrrr ye

 

[backtrack]

Thought so. Personally however much we would all like LBA to expand and have many airlines (operating as better airports do), we are going to have to settle for what we got and be that small regional airport.

Shame, beacause around 23% of manchester passengers come from in and around the Yorkshire area, where LBA would be a top choice.

 

[Aviador]

Whilst people will blame both transport links to Leeds Bradford airport and choice of flights on offer from there. I think the biggest problem has always been a case of people tending to fly from the airport they always have which tends to be Manchester. This could also be said for travel agents who have a tendency to push flights from Manchester over Leeds because of the airports long standing popularity. This is a learning process for both passengers and travel agents. The airport is on an uphill struggle whilst it's facilities are as substandard and in need of renewal and expansion.

 

[backtrack]

Travel agents are now starting to fade out and airlines wanting everything online, so do you think this will make a difference to those wanting to fly from MAN all the time? Will we see numbers rise at LBA?

 

[lbia]

A friend of mine who recently left Thomson Retail told me the other day that for the Yorkshire region Thomson Staff were asked to push holidays from DSA and were rewarded with £1 per passenger through DSA. Makes you wonder how many people would actually fly from DSA if the Thomson staff didn't put it in their booking system search as the first choice airport.

 

[lbia]

And on a seperate note, has anyone else seen the massive amount of Flybe publicity around Leeds & the airport??

... The new trolleys, car park advertising, poster advertising inside the airport, new banner above the airport offices, new banner near the main terminal entrance, adverts in local paper, adverts in bus shelters etc etc ...

I personally think they are building up the brand for Yorkshire as they now have 6 routes from LBA, I could quite easily see a few more over the next 12 months or so.

 

[Aviador]

I've noticed the Flybe adverts popping up around the airport and across the city. The airline seems to be having a city wide publicity campaign at the moment. They're pushing all the routes they operate, not just the new Gatwick route. The airport has given them a spot on the lbia website as well.

Flybe has a tried and tested brand. The airline is one of the largest European short haul carriers. It would be great to see them focus on Leeds a little more in the coming months and years ahead. As for your comments about rising numbers using LBA in the future? Well, it's clear that numbers will not be able to rise substantially without any further terminal developments, however, on the back of the terminal work I think that passenger numbers can continue to rise at LBA.

 

[Aviador]

Well the service had the red carpet treatment today! In fact I think it's the first time since Bridgepoint took over the airport that the red carpet has been out?

Fortunately the mist and fog cleared enough for the flight to get in which was just as well as the airport had a press entourage waiting for it with the likes of former Emerdale actor Mathew Bose, who apparently played the role of barman Paul Lambert whoever he is? I have to say though that I wouldn't have known him if I walked into him.

 

[lbia]

There were 30 passengers on the evening departure, not bad for the first day.

 

[lbaspotter]

As reported on the flybe.com website. No offical press release from LBIA yet though

Source: http://www.flybe.com/news/0906/3189.htm

FLYBE STARTS DAILY FLIGHTS FROM LEEDS BRADFORD TO THE CAPITAL
<Former Emmerdale star helps celebrate as inaugural flight takes to the skies>

Flybe, Europe’s largest and most successful regional airline, today operated the inaugural flight of its new Leeds Bradford to London Gatwick service following red-carpet celebrations that featured an appearance by popular former Emmerdale celeb, Mathew Bose who played the role of barman, Paul Lambert.

Mathew also presented the first passenger who had booked, together with the first Interline* passenger travelling, with souvenir magnums of Champagne.

Flybe came to Yorkshire’s rescue on the key route to the Capital following BMI’s decision back in March to axe its service from Leeds Bradford to London Heathrow. Flybe quickly committed to stepping in to operate its own business-friendly schedule that is so crucial to supporting the regional economies of Yorkshire and the Humber.

Says Mike Rutter, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer: “We are delighted to be starting our service from Leeds Bradford to London Gatwick today and to welcome the first passengers on board. Our ticket sales have exceeded initial forecasts and I’m delighted to report strong demand on this key route that is of great strategic importance and which we know is vital for both business and leisure passengers both out of, and into the region.”

Flybe’s ticket sales have been boosted by increasing numbers of passengers choosing to take advantage of the affordable fares offered by Flybe Connections. This is a seamless service offered by the airline that gives the option of connecting from Leeds Bradford to no less than 17 Flybe destinations throughout the UK and regional Europe in one convenient thru-booking online transaction.

In addition, those travelling overseas can take advantage of Flybe’s *Interline arrangement with over 140 international airline partners by booking tickets through their travel agent to an enormous choice of international destinations, meaning they check in their luggage only once on leaving Leeds Bradford before arriving at their final destination.

Tony Hallwood, Commercial Director at LBIA, says: “We are naturally delighted that Flybe has stepped in with this new service. As part of our ‘Get Business Moving’ campaign - which aims to assist companies in the region who commute regularly to London with a cost effective and speedy access to the Capital - we are offering Flybe passengers free Fast Track though airport security during July and August to make the commute even easier.”

Flybe’s convenient and affordable new service to London Gatwick from Leeds Bradford is operated by state-of-the-art Bombardier Q400 aircraft with fares starting from £24.99 one way including taxes and charges.

ENDS

 

[White Heather]

There has been an official press release, as it was sent to me at work today by the airport. The route launch was covered on Radio Leeds and Look North - amazing really in view of their usual bias towards DSA. However, somewhat typically they publicised 3 new Thomson Holiday routes from DSA on Ceefax yesterday, but no mention of LGW starting up today from LBA on Ceefax despite its obvious importance.

I wouldn't mind betting anyway that the TOM routes from DSA are not all they seem - one of them was Monastir, which is already operated by TCX, so I shouldn't be at all surprised if this is more Peel Spin and in fact TOM are just taking seats on TCX flights, or vice versa. The other two 'new routes' were Lanzarote and Antalya (funny how everyone except us seems to get an Antalya??)

Anyway, the press release came to me around lunchtime so it may have been too late for the main papers. It was concentrating more on the passengers and the champagne they got for being the first booking etc, together with various pics, all of which included a nice lady from Flybe, Matthew Bose and Tony Hallwood, Airport Director.

 

[backtrack]

The current LBA - LGW route seems to be running well so far. I did hear talks of upgrading to the larger E195 aircraft if the route continues to operate at high levels. Im not sure how reliable that information is, so far the Dash 8 Q400 seems a good enough choice.

 

[Aviador]

Heather,

I don't know if the new Doncaster flights are replacing other routes or whether they're completely new flights. The DSA marketing machine has been working at full steam!

Type Rated B767,

I hope the service is sufficiently successful to warrant putting the E195 on the route. I don't see any reason why they can't achieve this on what should be a primary route for Flybe in my opinion.

The last time the route was operated, the flights were operated by City Flyer Express using ATR42 aircraft. The service always operated with good loads but unfortunately the airline said they needed to use the slots on a more lucrative route. Hopefully this time we can hang onto the route.

On another note, hopefully some of the former BMI passengers might try the new service. Hopefully, with Flybe's lower business fares, the airline should manage to pick up a few of the former BMI business passengers. Fingers crossed anyway!

 

[lbaspotter]

The last time the route was operated, the flights were operated by City Flyer Express using ATR42 aircraft. The service always operated with good loads but unfortunately the airline said they needed to use the slots on a more lucrative route. Hopefully this time we can hang onto the route.

Hi Aviador.

I am not trying to be prudent in anyway. But I think you may find that BA Citi Express (British Regional) operated the Leeds/Bradford to London Gatwick route last time around with a 3 times daily BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft. The route was stopped when British Airways decided to pull out of its base at LBA back in 2001. This was at the same time we lost the BA routes to Dublin, Bristol while the links to Aberdeen, Isle of Man and Southampton where handed over to Eastern Airways.

BA City Flyer Express as you quite rightly suggested operated the route after the dismiss of Capital Airlines in 1990 with Shorts 360 before been upgrading to ATR42 until around 1998/1999 ish.

Hope that helps. I guess somebody might want to correct me if any of the above information is incorrect.

 

[Aviador]

Didn't British Regional operate London City, not London Gatwick? For sure someone will correct us! :tease:

 

[lbaspotter]

British Regional operated London City from Sheffield City and London Gatwick from Leeds.

The LBA-London City route has in the past been operated by the old British European (Now flybe) with a Dash 8-Q200 and then again with bmi british midland regional with an leased in Air Atlantic, ATR42

 

[White Heather]

Well I must admit that I was with Aviador on this one, as I was convinced that the last time we had a Gatwick service it was operated by Citiflyer Express, using an ATR42 in BA colours (they were a BA franchise). At the time it started, one fo their directors was was Jonathan Hinkles, who of course is an ex LBA spotter and almost joined the Support Group at one time. He then went on to Astreus (who also turned up at LBA under his control) and then Zoom - who sadly didn't!

Passenger loads were excellent but the route was pulled to use the slots for flights to Zurich or somewhere. They also operated to Newcastle and their route continued to operate for some time. I don't think that we lost the route when BA pulled out of LBA and sent their Jetstream's to Eastern - but I think Sheffield City Airport did lose their London link at that time.

I may be wrong too, but Aviador and myself are obviously of the same opinion. This is a question that someone MUST know the answer to. Looks like we have a debate on the go now!!

 

[empire]

British Regional were the last to operate LBA-LGW with J41 equipment. The route was axed when the J41's were transferred to T3.

How many of the 30 pax on last nights LGW were fare paying pax and what was the yield? Without such information commenting on the performance of the route is fruitless.