British Airways

[AirBingley]

It seems odd they've taken off some early morning flights - the 09.30 is often full or close to full - are there further changes coming or is this it?

 

[Finger66]

Maybe it's the start of a whole new LBA - LHR schedule! Now that will be being optimistic

 

[AirBingley]

Maybe it's the start of a whole new LBA - LHR schedule! Now that will be being optimistic

When I've had schedule changes from them before it's not always been joined up and they do tend to feed things in bit by bit over a couple of days - I have to say losing that 09.30 for a month would be a huge vote of no confidence in the route if it were to remain so fingers crossed!

 

[White Heather]

With passenger figures that have steadily increased year on year, and now at record levels, having 'no confidence' in the route makes no sense at all. If they axe too many flights they are just undoing what they have achieved and are preventing further growth. I know they have reduced the schedule each year at certain times of winter - don't they reduce their fleet whilst they go in for maintenance?

 

[KARFA]

It seems odd they've taken off some early morning flights - the 09.30 is often full or close to full - are there further changes coming or is this it?

I agree, of the ones to cancel this seems an odd one and for such a long period.

Maybe it's the start of a whole new LBA - LHR schedule! Now that will be being optimistic

Much as I would like to think that is true, I suspect not.

With passenger figures that have steadily increased year on year, and now at record levels, having 'no confidence' in the route makes no sense at all. If they axe too many flights they are just undoing what they have achieved and are preventing further growth. I know they have reduced the schedule each year at certain times of winter - don't they reduce their fleet whilst they go in for maintenance?

I don't understand either. If BA have lost interest I would almost suggest they just cancel it and be done. As you say, cancelling so many flights during such a long period starts to undo some of the progress this route has made over the last 4.5 years. So far we have seem roughly 8-12% passenger growth per year.

 

[a300boy]

All bad news ! Be a bit quiet this winter.

 

[lbaspotter]

All bad news ! Be a bit quiet this winter.

Oh here we go again, its all doom and gloom for LBA winter.
Really some people need to look at the bigger picture (whole winter schedule) and get there facts right. Because if they did, the wouldn't be posting comments like that!

 

[a300boy]

Oh sorry its good news then ! I am looking forward to not seeing the arrivals we were hoping to get.
Is that better ?

 

[rangieowner]

Now now girls.....put he handbags down and step away!

 

[lbaspotter]

Oh sorry its good news then ! I am looking forward to not seeing the arrivals we were hoping to get.
Is that better ?

As things stand the monthly passenger stats will hopefully continue to rise even though the might not be as many flights as you'll like to see. Airlines want bums on seats instead of flying half empty aircraft.
I agree it looks disappointing to see some of our scheduled operators consolidating operations eg; British Airways, Eastern Airways, Loganair, Aurginy & Aer Lingus. But at the same time it seems our low cost operators eg: Ryanair, Monarch, Jet2 & Flybe are set to grow again this winter 2017/18 season.
We will also have healthy growth in the charter market, what with Jet2's extra shopping trips, The Xmas Lapland trips and Northern lights trips.

 

[LeedsPilot]

I don't think those other increases are anything to shout about though despite it not being 'doom and gloom' either. We've lost easyJet too and the increases from the aforementioned carriers are pretty lackluster. This at a time where other non-London airports are still expected to see double digit growth this winter and into next year as well. Ever since the 2008 financial crisis people have been cautious - and rightly so - about growth. However, this isn't what we're witnessing at the likes of MAN and BHX in the past couple of years, and as we all know LBA was far behind on passenger numbers to begin with.

To stay on topic, while the continued growth of the BA service in percentage terms is continuing, the actual load factors aren't amazing. I'm almost certain this is due to the lack of a night-stopper and/or the flight timings themselves though. Removing flights as they've done certainly won't do the route any good. I think 2x daily and 1x Saturday service takes the route below the critical mass it needs to stay convenient enough and to reduce the impact on customers when services are cancelled. Many people who would love to use LBA for their longhaul/hub travels still have to go via MAN and I simply don't see why that should be the case when the population within the immediate LBA catchment is considered.

 

[Jerry]

I think 2x daily and 1x Saturday service takes the route below the critical mass it needs to stay convenient enough and to reduce the impact on customers when services are cancelled.

It may be that the aircraft is too big and that they would be better off with say and E190/100 seater aircraft doing 3 daily with a night stopper. Same really as KLM.

 

[LeedsPilot]

It may be that the aircraft is too big and that they would be better off with say and E190/100 seater aircraft doing 3 daily with a night stopper. Same really as KLM.

I think re-timing the flights really would help with quite a significant increase in passenger numbers. From my own and others experience an early southbound departure and later evening northbound would do the route wonders. I think this is almost a requirement by the time the A319s are phased out, I just don't see it lasting as 3x daily A320 with the current schedule or 2x daily with the current morning and evening flights.

 

[lbaspotter]

Good job its just a slot sitter then!

Well that's what everyone said when British Airways first announced its intentions of serving the London Heathrow - Leeds/Bradford route.

Good to know winter is coming. Hope CHC is a good airport to go spotting?

 

[a300boy]

Totally agree lbaspotter,
its disappointing but as you say over all it is still likely to be a better winter for passenger figures.
Bit grumpy this morning due to light aircraft problems so sorry.

 

[a300boy]

Not going to fall out with lbaspotter he is the one who gets us all the information good and bad.

 

[lbaspotter]

Not going to fall out with lbaspotter he is the one who gets us all the information god and bad.

Dont worry about mate. Weather was crap where I was too. Totally different now thankgod, Now chasing from Stanningley down Meanwood as playing T/20 match this evening for pub team. God help Kirkstall traffic!

 

[Finger66]

I think re-timing the flights really would help with quite a significant increase in passenger numbers. From my own and others experience an early southbound departure and later evening northbound would do the route wonders. I think this is almost a requirement by the time the A319s are phased out, I just don't see it lasting as 3x daily A320 with the current schedule or 2x daily with the current morning and evening flights.

I don't think there is any doubt that a night stopping A320 would fill southbound first thing, and hopefully northbound last thing. That would also help top up another 2 or 3 rotations during the course of the day on an A320. Certainly can't see the route going to BACF so that would rule out an E190. Did BA sign a minimum term deal when they returned to LBA? They are not daft and know how pax numbers have increased and will equally know that ruining the route would lose pax to KLM. If Jet2 pull off AMS at any point and BA mess too much with LHR then KL would be laughing. However if we lost BA altogether that would be a huge body blow. Short haul Euro ex LHR will continue to suffer, thinking PAR, AMS and BRU in particular as Eurostar get their teeth further in to that market. That could just free up more slots to get us that night stopper!

 

[Finger66]

I think re-timing the flights really would help with quite a significant increase in passenger numbers. From my own and others experience an early southbound departure and later evening northbound would do the route wonders. I think this is almost a requirement by the time the A319s are phased out, I just don't see it lasting as 3x daily A320 with the current schedule or 2x daily with the current morning and evening flights.

I don't think there is any doubt that a night stopping A320 would fill southbound first thing, and hopefully northbound last thing. That would also help top up another 2 or 3 rotations during the course of the day on an A320. Certainly can't see the route going to BACF so that would rule out an E190. Did BA sign a minimum term deal when they returned to LBA? They are not daft and know how pax numbers have increased and will equally know that ruining the route would lose pax to KLM. If Jet2 pull off AMS at any point and BA mess too much with LHR then KL would be laughing. However if we lost BA altogether that would be a huge body blow. Short haul Euro ex LHR will continue to suffer, thinking PAR, AMS and BRU in particular as Eurostar get their teeth further in to that market. That could just free up more slots to get us that night stopper!

 

[White Heather]

One of the stalwarts of the Airport Consultative Meeting complained to management that his January morning BA flight had been cancelled today, just after I had brought this reduction in rotations to their attention. He had specifically arranged his flights from abroad to connect with the BA flight to LBA and now all of his planning was pointless as BA have cancelled that rotation. It really is hard to fathom what BA are doing with this route. Passenger numbers are up month on month, year on year, yet many months in advance they axe flights which in all probability would have been well booked. This completely undermines confidence in the route and results in business travellers opting to fly from MAN instead. Talk about shooting one's self in the foot. Or maybe they have other motives? Fortunately, as LBASpotter says there is good news to cancel out the bad, but this BA route is vital to LBA and as such this change to the schedules is bad news.