British Airways

[Galaxy]

I am very pleased about the new LHR route, but Malaga - I think 85% loads is fairly optimistic. when it was BMI I only ever experienced nearly full aircraft on a Monday morning. Mid afternoon flights with the A320 tended to be around 60% full, and to contrast Sunday night flights from LHR to LBA tended to be less than 20 PAX and I've experienced that on both the A320 and ERJ-145. My guesstimate for an A319 would be nearer 55% overall than 85% - although my hopes would obviously be for it to be higher.

 

[wawkrk]

The big difference here Galaxy is onward connections and Oneworld.
The KLM Amsterdam flights only survive because of lots of onward connections and Flying Blue.
I only ever used the BMI LHR flights because I had a BA gold card at the time and Diamond club was of little use to me.I eventually decided it was better to fly with the same airline group for my whole series of flights so KLM got my business.
Neither Amsterdam or Heathrow would work without good onward connections and loyalty programmes.BA will definately take business from KLM and the Amsterdam flights may have to be cut back as popular connections tend to be more Eastbound and Southbound. Heathrow makes more sense.
I seem to remember that BMI LHR flights peaked at 5 per day.

 

[cmj]

I hope it's more passengers flying from LBA than MAN than just taking passengers from KLM. I would hate to see KLM reduce their flights out of LBA - they have been a life line to LBA and other regional airports.

As to flying long haul via AMS vs LHR - I don't think it makes a huge difference. The transfer time is more important than the flying time.

It may come down to the experience of Heathrow vs Schipol for tranfers too. Don't know what LHR is like but one can spend a lot of time queuing in AMS when entering Schengen.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

 

[tleeds]

Well if you follow the theory that passengers travel with their 'Home Airlines' and from their 'Home Airports' Heathrow would probably win the battle...

Would everyone agree, that if a Brit had the choice to fly to New York for example, with BA and United and the prices were virtually the same, people would choose BA, just for the sake of it being BA..?! Just the same an American would probably fly with United if they were in the same situation..?!

It would probably work along the same principle, that if the price to fly to AMS and LHR were the same, the passenger would end up at LHR....

Someone has also added to the LBA Wikipedia page that the BA/LHR route is commencing in October 2012. Is this true, or am I to take it as another Wikipedia lie..

 

[wawkrk]

I too hope it does not impact on KLM too much as they have been the only full service airline that has been consistant over the years at LBA and they deserve support.
Heathrow has an advantage with west bound long haul flights so occaisional travellers may choose BA. However, the big difference should come from the loyalty card holders and these are the ones that could be pulled away from Manchester.
I will not be using BA again, not because I don't like them, but I prefer to keep on racking up the airmiles with KLM and others will do the same

 

[User0001]

There's a bigger gold card holder base in the North west, and they will continue to use MAN for the higher frequency, as they like to keep their flying/connection times to a minimum. However there will be some gold card holders in the LBA area who will use LBA.

Theres also quite a high premier card base in the MAN catchment too.

One thing to say, as I can see the comments already. The LBA flight is not to COMPETE with MAN, it's to COMPLIMENT. it's also worth noting if it wasn't for the MAN BD flights, LBA wouldn't be getting these flights at all.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

 

[White Heather]

I seem to remember that BMI LHR flights peaked at 5 per day.

LBA - LHR actually peaked at 6 flights per day and was operating at that level in the year prior to BMi downgrading the route to an E145. We had the based A319 operating BD411/2, 413/4, 415/6, 417/8 and 419/420, then the E145 did a later evening BD421/422, arriving back at LBA around 2230. For many years, LHR was the busiest route from LBA, long before OneWorld connections, but also before the improvement in train services. However, I think there is no doubt that there is sufficient demand in this region for long haul via both LHR and AMS.

 

[wawkrk]

Potential BA pax do not need to be gold card holders just ones looking for airmiles and to advance their status up to higher reward and card status.

 

[oldendays]

Indulge me folks. I'm very much looking forward to seeing British Airways proper( i.e. not CitiFlyer or British Regional) return to Leeds Bradford after thirty two years away. I remember when it was announced that British Midland were to start services from LBA back in 1980 I was very excited at the prospect as I'd never seen a BMA aircraft before. I was nine years old then and I didn't realise that the advent of BMA was at the expense of BA !

Time for BA to launch a "Heritage" look. Wouldn't it be wonderful for the inaugural flights at least to be operated by an A319 painted in Northeast colours. They could have one or two others painted in Cambrian, BEA and BOAC colours as well. An expensive exercise, I know, and one strictly for the nostalgia freaks but you never know. The publicity wouldn't hurt.

 

[michael]

I suppose we all need to wait now for an 'official' announcement from BA but one thing that struck me is that they have said A319's for the LBA route - it would appear that Manchester, Newcastle, and the Scottish airports all get visits from 319's, 320's, 321's plus B767's at Glasgow. I wouldn't expect seeing a BA B767 at LBA but I assume that we could see the various members of the A320 family from time to time?

 

[LBAYORKIE]

Heritage colours would be great, my preference would be for BKS though!

Anyway, getting back to reality, don't you think that BA are simply using LBA to keep slots at LHR?

Perhaps it is their intention to operate until they need the slots for something more lucrative- even so this gives
LBA an opportunity to prove itself, and persuade BA to retain the route.

LbaYorkie

 

[LUFC Jonno]

It would be nice to see BA bring in classic livery came in. I just hope they don't bring the Olympic scheme into the airport. Looks awful.

 

[tleeds]

I'm not bothered what BA Airbus lands at LBA, as long as one eventually does on a regular basis...!!

 

[LBAYORKIE]

The BKS livery is significant because they were the first airline to have regular services between Leeds and London.

 

[oldendays]

Yorkie,

I did think of BKS but plumped for Northeast as it was the immediate predecessor to British Airways. Plus BKS is about two months before my time whereas I do remember Northeast quite vividly. Sorry to be selfish

 

[lbaspotter]

Has there been any updates or rumours about how talks between British Airways and Leeds/Bradford Airport are getting on regarding the proposed Heathrow service?

It just seems to have all gone very quiet his past week... I've read elsewhere that BA are expecting to announce there winter 2012/13 schedule in around 2 weeks time, Well the first week in June after the Bank Holiday.

 

[White Heather]

I don't know how significant it is, but Leeds is showing as a destination on the BA website, although you can't book anything.

 

[lbaspotter]

Leeds has been shown as a destination on the British Airways site since they use to code-share on the BMI London Heathrow route in its dying days.

For some reason it was never removed.

 

[wawkrk]

IAG said it was still in negotiations with three airports on adding services to Heathrow although final agreements have yet to be reached with Leeds-Bradford,Rotterdam and Zagreb so no launch dates have been announced.
It seems that BA are pulling all short haul services out of Gatwick and moving to LHR T3.

 

[Aviador]

It was a bit cheeky of BA to announce the route (potential) in the way it did. It's like poking LBA and saying give us the deal we want or we will walk away and everybody will know it was down to you.