Flybe

[lbaspotter]

I wonder what Eastern Airways reaction will be to today's Flybe announcement. For the sake of the Leeds based crews I hope they keep operating there 2x based aircraft and that there Yorkshire based passengers stick with them due to Eastern be able to offer better business timed flights with early morning departures and late inbound flights. Otherwise the based Eastern crews may find themselves out of a job or moving to another base yet again!

As I suspect it’s going be an uphill battle for Eastern to be able to compete against flybe's lower cost base and that the Southampton route will be first route to axed or suspended again. They seemed to compete well with Flybe on the Aberdeen service as time around though. I just hope Flybe stick around long enough this time around on all 3 routes for them to become successful.

Here's the timetable for anyone that's interested.

Monday to Fridays
Northbound
BE7002 – JER 07:00 SOU 07:45 / SOU 08:25 LBA 09:35 / LBA 09:55 ABZ 11:15
BE7004 – JER 11:45 SOU 12:30 / SOU 13:10 LBA 14:15 / LBA 14:35 ABZ 15:55
BE7006 – JER 17:50 SOU 18:35 / SOU 19:15 LBA 20:20 / LBA 20:40 ABZ 22:00
Southbound
BE7001 – ABZ 07:00 LBA 08:25 / LBA 08:45 SOU 09:55 / SOU 10:35 JER 11:20
BE7003 – ABZ 11:50 LBA 13:10 / LBA 13:30 SOU 14:40 / SOU 15:05 JER 15:50
BE7005 – ABZ 16:50 LBA 18:05 / LBA 18:25 SOU 19:30 / SOU 19:55 JER 20:40

Saturdays
Northbound
BE7002 – JER 07:00 SOU 07:45 / SOU 08:25 LBA 09:35 / LBA 09:55 ABZ 11:15
Southbound
BE7001 – ABZ 07:00 LBA 08:25 / LBA 08:45 SOU 09:55 / SOU 10:35 JER 11:20
BE7003 – ABZ 11:50 LBA 13:10 / LBA 13:30 SOU 14:40 / SOU 15:05 JER 15:50

Sundays
Northbound
BE7004 – JER 12:15 SOU 13:00 / SOU 13:40 LBA 14:45 / LBA 15:05 ABZ 16:25
BE7006 – JER 17:50 SOU 18:35 / SOU 19:15 LBA 20:20 / LBA 20:40 ABZ 22:00
Southbound
BE7005 – ABZ 16:50 LBA 18:05 / LBA 18:25 SOU 19:30 / SOU 19:55 JER 20:40

 

[Bigman]

Maybe Eastern could drop Aberdeen and do a 3 x daily Brussels instead.

 

[Aviador]

It's great to see Flybe looking at new routes again from LBA, fingers crossed it works for them.

 

[LBA787]

Good news for the airport and nice to see flybe growing again. EDI, BRS or BRU route next please!!

LBA to SOU and ABZ has always required more demand than a 3 x a day J41 that only the rich business folk can utilise. LBA's domestic passenger numbers will rise nicely again.

Dog eat dog as they say!

:crazy:

 

[whoshotjimmi]

They do say dog eat dog but, in this case, Eastern is the faithful old dog who has been abandoned by his master and keeps running up massive vet bills whilst the kids play with new puppy who has just learned a new trick.

Eastern must be tearing their hair out.

I can imagine Eastern will drop off the Southampton route almost immediately, much the same as before. They may stick around on the Aberdeen and compete which, indeed, they were able to see off previously. The Brussels idea springs to mind again but I can't help feeling that if money were to be made on this route, Eastern would already be serving it.

Hopefully Flybe will make a better fist of this than their previous attempts when cancellations became the norm. It is nice to reopen some cheaper options to the North and South and nice to get a permanent link to Jersey but it just feels like a bit of a step backwards. 2 and a half hours to Jersey? And the need to deplane in Southampton on the Northbound? Still, if this is the future of domestic travel from LBA, I hope it works and that it paves the way for future ops from LBA. The question is, where does Flybe base planes that could do this in future?

 

[imagineif]

sorry but this feels like it was dreamed up after a night on the sauce!

ABZ-LBA-SOU-JER
1 Aircraft
Dash 8Q400
3 Times a day

North bound JER-SOU-LBA-ABZ
Over an hour in SOU
All passengers have to de-plane
All Bags to be off loaded and scanned

LBA-JER flight time 2hours 30minutes!!

Surely I am not the only one that thinks this is a recipe for disaster, Flybe struggle to operate point to point flights on time - the logistics of this kind of operation will make it a nightmare.

Passengers on & off at each airport, load sheet changes, bags off - bags on, pick up a delay here, technical problem there - I can envisage some major delays and cancellations on this route that will put passengers right off. They had good loads on the SOU when they operated it but the constant delays and cancellations lost them custom.

We are not gaining any new routes out of this announcement as they are all served by other operators at present and in a much more efficient way. The only gain for LBA is movement fees with 6 more Dash8 movements a day.

I am not negative, just a realist lol

 

[lbaspotter]

I see Flybe have launched a website page Introducing the new "flyshuttle" branded services linking Jersey - Southampton - Leeds/Bradford & Aberdeen.

Source: http://www.flybe.com/flyshuttle/

 

[Aviador]

I believe that's a similar concept to what Air UK used to do?

 

[michael]

I suppose we should be thankful that Flybe have chosen to launch this service through LBA and not through their hub over the hill which I presume they could have done quite easily and would also have fed in to their other flights and codeshares. Now that they've had the balls to announce it let's hope it works for them although in reality it's not much different to what they used to do Exeter- Leeds- Aberdeen. If it does work there is the possibility, however distant, of Leeds maybe becoming a mini-hub of sorts should they decide to launch similar additional services eg Glasgow/Belfast - Leeds - Stanstead/Southend or even Cardiff. Will be interesting to see how it does.

 

[White Heather]

We may not be getting a new destination as such with this route, but we are getting Jersey year round for anyone who wants it, and although its over 2.5 hours to get there, that is still by far the quickest way to do it from Leeds. It is a concept that has been operated before, and long before Air UK. Channel Airways operated their 'Scottish Flyer' in similar fashion in either the late 60's or early 70's, (can't remember which) using Viscounts. It didn't last, and they turned round very quickly - far quicker than the 30 minutes that Flybe are scheduling on the ground at LBA, which is hardly 'hop on, hop off'. I would have thought they could be in and out a bit quicker than that to be honest.

 

[leedsman]

I believe that the "Fly Shuttle" service from a Leeds perspective is a very useful one, largely due to our central location. Out of this, Leeds has gained 3 direct services a day (plus a decent weekend schedule) to both Aberdeen and Southampton which is great. A quick service, no stop off, no plane change, a win - win really.

Admittedly, the Flybe times aren't as a good in the early morning when compared to the Eastern schedule, but it probably helps the chances of retaining both airlines if the times are slightly different. The service helps fill the apron at times when capacity exists which is also helpful.

For a trip to Jersey, I agree that the stop off, and required de-planing on the return isn't ideal, but I don't believe it is a show stopper for most. I would suspect that most travellers to Jersey would be leisure related (stand to be corrected), and therefore time isn't as much of a factor than price is. I would much rather sit on the plane for 30 minutes in SOU, than the M62/M60 for 1.5hrs. I have seen numerous dates where LBA-JER is £60 return, and for that price I would book without hesitation irrespective of the stop off involved.

A few years ago, I flew from Leeds to Guernsey with Flybe (with connecting flight in Southampton). The connection was very easy, and no hassle whatsoever, and from what I recall the SOU terminal wasn't a particularly busy place.

A big thumbs up from me, and I can see a booking to Jersey coming along.

 

[Moo2009]

Seen on another forum Flybe looking to open a new base with 4 aircraft wonder if LBA has a chance

 

[Aviador]

Flybe once said they were looking to expand from LBA. Year round services operating daily would be exactly what LBA needs to boost passenger figures during the quieter winter months.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Flybe probably have a few spare aircraft knocking about following their cuts elsewhere but, in all seriousness, to where would they operate from LBA with 4 aircraft? More to the point, where would they put them?

Obviously, one could operate to Belfast but then what about the other three? The flyshuttle services need to be operated by non based a/c otherwise the concept doesn't work. So where then? Brussels could be an option I guess. But 3 or 4 times a day? Glasgow just about covers itself already. I don't think there is any way back for Edinburgh, inverness or exeter. Isle of Man perhaps? Dusseldorf maybe considering Jet2's devaluation of the route?

I dunno. Clutching at straws really. I certainly wouldn't be hopeful.

 

[Bigman]

Me neither. As you say, where the hell would you put 4 based aircraft...unless the bosses make a commitment to build new stands due to there being the need to do so. Having an early rotation out to Belfast would be useful and would avoid early morning inbound fog issues. Brussels would be a possibility, and how about Paris CDG a few times a day working as a code-share with AF. Dusseldorf would be another good route, ideally at least twice daily, which would allow Jet2 to pull off and use the 737 on something more exotic. You could also have daily runs to the likes of Berlin or Zurich, and we may even get weekend Guernsey flights back.

We can all dream!!!

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Dusseldorf and especially Paris deserve more tha n they are getting at the moment. A code share with AF and a minimum of a daily early morning out and evening back would surely be a money spinner.

 

[jason1-11]

My wishes:

Paris x 3, (AF codeshare)
Düsseldorf x 2, Hamburg
Belfast x 2 , Copenhagen
Berlin, Exeter, Oslo

The above would be a huge boost to the region.

 

[752]

Flybe's new fly shuttle has started today! the arrivals and departures board will be looking a lot more busier for winter! anybody know how its doing?

 

[stevolba]

See the figures today at work, around 3 quarters full on both sectors, so not doing to bad to say it only started yesterday

 

[ChurchFenton]

Was reported on another forum that yesterday's inaugural northbound arrived at Aberdeen with 74 on board. Of course, not all of those will have boarded at LBA, but regardless it would suggest that the Fly Shuttle may be off to an encouraging start.