Archive Route Development & Rumours

[Jerry]

Have we established that it's the same carrier at both airports? And does the airline fly to both currently from other bases?

Jerry - interesting point about a current aircraft shortage for Vueling.

I do wonder though if long term Vueling will be looking to setup 2 or 3 bases in the UK as they have bases in Italy France Belgium and Holland so may be looking to the UK next.

 

[User001]

There are at least 7 aircraft due next year as far as I'm aware.

Pilots, now that's another matter....

 

[David_itl]

Let's look at a list of possible airlines:

Aer Lingus = them being based here instead of LGW or BFS would have made a big bunch of sense given their extensive 5th freedom operation that they built up and was forcibly removed from. Efforts second time round not as successful though but not sure if they really marketed the up to 3 daily CDG/FRA services and having the Italians disapprove of a MXP service won't have helped. The ramp-up seemed more in favour of building DUB-MAN-DUB. Unlikely given the focus on getting regional UK to be linked to DUB for enhanced transatlantic ops there using pre-clearance. But as and when MAN gets it, I wonder how many passengers would routes "UK"-MAN-USA rather then "UK"-DUB-USA
Norwegian = suggestions of a 6 aircraft based but as we've read, this is ruled out
Wizz = Extremely unlikely as they've no ops from here and would more than likely do something out of LPL
Transavia = perhaps this could help with the DL/VS route expansion providing the Skyteam transfer links that are in doubt given that AF goes to CDG and KL to AMS only
Vueling = the main oneworld hope. Would have the cost structure that ultimately rendered BA in all it's regional guises impotent. Growing nicely at the moment even if they need aircraft!

I can't see who Star Alliance would use as we've already got extensive coverage from them!

 

[Dobbo]

Rumours that Singapore Airlines may be about to swap Moscow for Manchester for the en-route stop to Houston.

Flight would run SIN-MAN-IAH. SQ do hold the rights to serve MAN-USA.

This from March 2015 shows how long the gestation period of a new route can be.

 

[David_itl]

Just putting this here as the destination may well be LGW or LHR, but you never know..

"Charlie Airlines, the subsidiary of Russia’s S7 airline, acquired the licence to use defunct Cyprus Airways brand name, logo, and trademark over the next 10 years for flights from and to Cyprus, for a total of €2.04m, the finance ministry’s privatisation unit said.... The new company is expected to launch its flight schedule towards the end of the year, initially to three destinations in the UK, Greece, and Russia, using two Airbus A319 aircraft."

http://cyprusbusinessmail.com/?p=29154

 

[ethanegcc]

I have just joined this forum after looking at the Manchester Route Developments Thread and found it very interesting as I am a planespotter at and frequent user of MAN. It is great news about SQ Singapore-Manchester-Houston but I was wondering given the strong rumours is there any updated news on the following and if so are Air China PVG and CTU to MAN likely to launch late this year/early next (I believe it was lack of slots that held the PVG one up) and also, as I have seen previously on the forum China Southern to Guangzhou, AI to India, JAL to Tokyo or Thai to Bangkok ? I know it is a bit off subject from the above but just wanted a summary really of how likely these routes are to launch with any updated info? And, in a reply to the previous comment, I would love to see Cyprus Airways return!

 

[User001]

Manchester certainly is doing very well, I think we are up to 65 new routes in one Callander year (we are definately at least 63).

That is one huge impressive feat, and not to be sniffed at.

With so many new routes to come for 2017, it really is looking good, as the Singapore Airlines news is just the tip of the iceberg.

I'm lead to believe there are some more meetings scheduled in the next 5 weeks to help start tying up some of the loose ends mentioned in the above post, so, we should be hearing more by September time.

August is going to be a quiet period in terms of routes news, so, we can just sit apback, relax and look at what we have done so far.

 

[Dobbo]

SQ loose ends, or Some of the Chinese ones?

I'm fascinated to see what CX's response to SQ's move will be... The daily route was planned, and I wonder if it will be accelerated?

 

[User001]

Long haul growth either confirmed or 90% confirmed for next year so far:

 

[Dobbo]

I like it. New globe shape!!

Have TCX abandoned growth at LAX?

 

[User001]

Yes because they couldn't get the new aircraft to open SFO and increase JFK/MIA/LAX. It had been advised a while ago.

 

[Dobbo]

Ah, okay. Hadn't realised it was confirmed. Hopefully one for 2018 if VS don't get ther first.

 

[ethanegcc]

I hope we receive some more routes in September. It's fascinating how much MAN has grown over the past years. It would be amazing also to go from 0 Chinese routes in 2014 to 4 in 2017 (PEK, HKG, PVG and possibly CAN and CTU). I've heard the World Routes conference is happening in Chengdu in September so perhaps new announcements from there? Does anyone know what the timings of the Oman Air to Muscat may be?

 

[User001]

I do know the timings of the Muscat route, but I'm not allowed to publish them yet (there have been times reported on another forum but they are incorrect). I will of course try and publish the times ahead of the announcement if I can, but, I will not do so until I'm authorised out of respect for my source.

I fully believe PVG will be announced soon, PEK-MAN has been one of the most successful China long haul route launches in a long time, so, air China are itching to get a piece of that action.

 

[ethanegcc]

Certainly great news! I would presume Muscat would follow similar timings to the existing ME3 (4 if you count SV) at Manchester anyway?
Is DL/VS to DTW looking increasingly likely also for next year elsewhere from China? If so, do you think it will be operated by VS or DL equipment considering DL is pulling out of MAN-JFK for summer '17?

 

[User001]

Delta actually continues JFK 3 weekly next summer, as well as the VS JFK flight, making VS/DL 10 weekly. (As what is currently bookable anyway).

Detroit is still happening, but, I await some concrete news on this as there now seems to be limbo as to whether VS or DL will operate it, and frankly, if something was close to being confirmed, details such as that would be a little more concrete by now.

 

[ethanegcc]

I agree. So we will see 5 flights a day to JFK on certain days then if the websites are anything to go by (VS, DL, AA, TCX and PK) and if UA goes to a 767 on the EWR route or a 757 twice daily, there could be quite an increase in New York capacity. I am really looking forward to September now, 2017 could be even better than 2016 for MAN!

 

[David_itl]

Just for fun (?), I've cobbled this from the Muscat Airport website and extracted the non-pertinent stuff i.e. only keeping the bulk of European arrivals and seeing the connecting opportunities from those arrivals as it should make sense for them to try and create a decent inbound wave in the morning to help fill the flights going out. Anything with a light green background are those I'm thinking have the greatest potential for people to connect onto. And bear in mind this is just the Monday flight - whether this is the same for the other days, I do not know.

i would anticipate that they may be thinking of arriving somewhere around 7am Oman time giving an 80 minute plus connection. Factor an approx 2 hour turnround time at MAN as EK has that scheduled for their A380s. Looking at the departures times for the European services, therefore, makes my best guess for our timings are likely to be arrive 18.30 depart 20.30. I do wonder whether that ties in with the information User001 is privy to.

 

[Dobbo]

If that's the case it looks like a night flight from MAN? Helps to spread the load somewhat...

 

[David_itl]

It will help. I have heard that it's the evening services for the ME3 that are the ones that are most full so being in the same region with the same spread of destinations, it looks like the favoured timings to use to launch services. The difference being that they are plugging into their big departure bank from the get-go rather than add frequency to feed that bank at a later date.