Archive Route Development & Rumours

[Land23R]

Antwerp has been tried several times in recent decades (as has Rotterdam) but never lasted. Let's hope for a longer life if it does start again.

 

[Finger66]

It's a weird one Antwerp. It's just as easy, if not easier, to get to Brussels by train from ANR than it is from BRU. But a higher frequency on jets to BRU is going to win over the business travellers compared to slow props to ANR. So is there enough point to point stuff to support! And let's face it, BRU is very much a business destination - for now at least - but we shall leave that topic well alone

 

[rutamkrd]

Finger66 there are unique historical business links between Manchester and Antwerp in leather and diamond trading to certain communities to the north of the city.

Antwerp is mainly O&D its not a Ryanair’esk Brussels North in the main.

 

[jfy1999]

Biman Bangladesh again being mentioned in connection with Manchester:

Bangladesh- Biman to receive 4th Dreamliner named Rajhangsha on Sept 12

Bangladesh- Biman to receive 4th Dreamliner named Rajhangsha on Sept 12. Dhaka: The national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is going to receive the 4th and last Boeing 787 Dreamliner named Rajhangsha on September 12.<br>The new Dreamliner equipped with ultramodern tech

menafn.com

 

[David_itl]

Today's essential online news reading saw this catch my attention regarding Biman:

"Responding to another question from treasury bench MP Wasiqa Ayesha Khan (reserved seats for women), Mahbub Ali said Biman Bangladesh has taken steps to launch flight between Dhaka-Manchester by early next year. "
He is "State minister for civil aviation and tourism " in Bangladesh:

https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/news/201708/Drone-policy-at-final-stage-says-minister

 

[Scottie Dog]

Latest update from ACL provides the following:

Summer 2019 – Planned movements + 1.9%, planned seats +4.3% - both compared with S18.

Winter 2019 – Planned movements -0.2% and seats -0.4% compared with W18.

Numbers take into account the demise of Thomas Cook but include any repatriation flights that have operated/or planned up until now.

Winter 2019

Biman Bangalesh – plan to start 3 times weekly service to Dacca, via Sylhet, with a B787-8 on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. Services, when/if it starts, will be from 4th January 2020 1500/1700z and will operate through Terminal 2.

Jet2.com – have added an additional 75,000 seats for the W19 period. Mainly to Canaries and a bit of Turkey.

Pegasus – increase Sabiha Gokcen from 5 to 7 per week with a mixture of of B737-800 and A321

Ethiopian – Various changes through the winter period on the service to Addis Ababa, via Brussels. 15 flights will operate with B777-200LR, 18 with B787-9 and the rest with B787-8.

Qatar – with effect from 17th November the morning service will be upgraded from A350-900 to B777-300 (an extra 73 seats per flight). The lunchtime flight will change from A350 to B777-300 from 16th December while the evening flight will say at the current B787-8.

Loganair – reduce Londonderry from 6 per week to 3 per week with flights on Monday, Friday and Sunday

Nile Air – the planned service to Hurghada has been cancelled

Norwegian – reduce Stavanger from 3 to 3 per week and will operate on Monday and Friday only.

Ryanair – the service to Belfast Aldergrove is now cancelled whilst Faro, which was to be 5 per week all winter, is now reduced to 5 per week in November and December and then once per week for January, February and March.

 

[David_itl]

Err.. dare I say DTW-MAN could now feasibly feature after the false dawn of news stories from 2 to 3 years ago?

With the demise of Thomas Cook, Virgin is eyeing their MAN slots per https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-26/virgin-atlantic-targets-manchester-growth-with-thomas-cook-slots

It does contain this sentence:

"Some new flights at Manchester could be operated by Virgin’s partner and 49% owner Delta Air Lines Inc. if the U.K. carrier first secures the slots, the CEO said."

Greater chance of success with the Connect Airways (Flybe) schedules which ought to be aligned with Virgin's services by next summer.

 

[User1007]

Not sure this is the right thread, but the first route lost with Thomas Cook to return is Banjul, with a once weekly flight operated by Enter Air for the Gambia Experience. Seems to start on 16th December and run until April.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1180131728431763457

I think Thomas Cook's operation was up to about 3 or 4 weekly at the height of the season?

 

[David_itl]

Well.. MAN's Aviation Director has come out with this!

"Biman’s new service is the first of a few new airlines to be announced at Manchester airport in the coming days / weeks... Watch this space"

Let the guessing game begin. my list from most likely to least likely
Juneyao Airlines to Shanghai
Air Antwerp to Antwerp
Lot to Warsaw
Air Serbia to Belgrade
SpiceJet to Mumbai
Korean to Seoul

https://twitter.com/x/status/1181199364934557696

 

[LS@MAN]

So the GM mayor and airport bosses are in Bangladesh and India, Biman already announced, what next?

 

[IanFarquharson]

Thai & Air Egypt ?

 

[David_itl]

I would have included Thai in my list (3rd or 4th one down) but with their government saying it's financial status is critical, all bets are off on them stating a service

 

[Scottie Dog]

....and maybe include Air Baltic to Riga as another longshot?

 

[Rob c DSA]

Whoever it is it is heck of a boost to Manchester if a number of carriers are coming in weeks after the loss off Thomas Cook obviously it won't replace those pax however it will boost numbers and also give other airlines more confidence to start flying from the Northern gateway.

 

[LS@MAN]

I just hope they'll be using T2. I know there's more stand capacity at T1 now but my god that place can be embarrassing! I cringe when I land on pier B with EZY coming from a much more modern European airport

 

[Land23R]

I just hope they'll be using T2. I know there's more stand capacity at T1 now but my god that place can be embarrassing! I cringe when I land on pier B with EZY coming from a much more modern European airport

Unfortunately, I don't think we'll see significant improvements to the T1 infrastructure anytime soon. It seems the terminal building may eventually be demolished but it's not clear what will happen to Pier B. Indications are that the eastern side gates may be accessed from T3 and those on the west side from T2 but I'm not aware of specific plans to improve the pier internally or realign it as was once suggested.

As far as new airlines are concerned, I hope they are financially stable after MAN's recent experiences with Jet Airways and Thomas Cook, but in today's changing aviation environment stability isn't necessarily everlasting. If there's one positive from the failure of Jet, it was that the short lived route to Mumbai demonstrated strong demand for the market.

New services to China and India would be very welcome on long haul. It will be just as interesting in my view to see what further developments Virgin/Delta intend to bring to MAN.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

Whilst new tails are always welcome, I’m hoping that Virgin, Jet2 and EasyJet will be leading the way with new route announcements. With Ryanair to follow once the MAX is restored to service some months hence.

 

[lbaspotter]

Enter Air to operate a 1x weekly Manchester to Banjul charter flight for UK based tour operator Gambia Experience, flights commence from Monday, December 16th 2019

MAN 0830 - BJL 1530 BJL / BJL 1630 - MAN 2310

Info from Sean m on twitter https://twitter.com/SeanM1997

 

[jfy1999]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1184730117563731968

 

[User1007]

Sharm el Sheikh ban lifted:

Sharm el-Sheikh: UK to resume flights after safety ban

Four years after the bombing of a Russian plane, the UK says airport security at the resort is safe.

www.bbc.co.uk

TUI are apparently interested. Given the need to secure hotels and their 737 Max issue it might not be quick though. Thomas Cook would probably have done it if they were still around.