Virgin Atlantic

[ethanegcc]

For KLM, the UK-US market is by no means their strongest market, because of geography etc. They are much more focused on US-continental Europe traffic and UK to Asia/Africa.

I can't see them limiting VA in any way, given their supreme access to the UK markets and close relationship with DL. Las Vegas is one of the largest unserved destinations from AMS, so if a tie up could be made with KL and VS that would go down well I think.

 

[Aceshigh]

I do think we could get traffic coming the other way ie via MAN !

 

[Dobbo]

Surprised LAS isn't served from AMS. Perhaps it is a matter of public health?! I cannot imagine a flight between the pair would be quiet.

I don't think the LAS season is that long from MAN. If VS/AF/KL/DL route passengers ex CDG/AMS via MAN to LAS, that would be a pretty good niche transfer route...

 

[Dobbo]

Does this indicate the SFO and BOS routes are back to a shorter season in S18? Or has GDS not filtered through to OAG?

VS BOS-MAN APR 0.3>0 MAY 0.3>0.1
VS SFO-MAN APR 0.4>0 MAY 0.4>0.1

 

[User001]

Those OAG threads rarely seem accurate on reflection so will reserve judgement for now.

There's nothing else those A330 are doing from March-May so might as well run MAN flights.

 

[ethanegcc]

Tonight's inbound from JFK showing as an A340-600 G-VWIN. No sign as to when it will depart again.

 

[gonetech]

The New York flight (VS128) turned out to be A333 G-VWAG unfortunately.

 

[David_itl]

The cost of dropping a 787 into MAN with a relief pilot.... £10,000.00. On the plus side, 228 passengers on the JFK route.

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel...anchester-sick-pilot-boeing-787-a7954531.html

 

[Dobbo]

Goes to show the advantage of scale a larger base can give you in certain circumstances. An interesting story - thanks for sharing.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I had to smile at the Virgin comment, "This was a very exceptional situation and we’d like to thank our customers on the VS11 for their understanding for the minor delay they experienced.”

Did the customers have any choice?!

 

[Aceshigh]

Had that been our "National Airline" the 228 pax would no doubt have been dispersed on numerous shuttles (subject to availability ) to await their fate at Heathrow. Virgin would have been faced with a similar dilimma but without the option of migrating them to the South.

Well done Virgin for thinking about fare paying Northern passengers who are as equally important as those at Heathrow who lets be fair would normally get the preferential treatment!

 

[Dobbo]

In fairness to BA, it is easier and cheaper for them to rebook and shuttle everyone via LHR. That is obviously an option not open to VS.

From the customers perspective, I expect given the choice between a shorter delay via LHR the preference would be to go via LHR...

 

[Aceshigh]

AND the cost of sorting out new arrangements re booking , transport, compensation, hotels etc would have been more than £10k.

No brainer.

 

[User001]

Virgin to use the B747 to New York on certain days next summer.

Seems to be Tue/Wed/Fri/Sun starting 22nd May, A330 the other 3 days.

It means 3 B744 based as the other 2 B747 still on base.

My guess is, we are about to see a new route announced.

The way it stands:

B744 MCO daily
B744 MCO/LAS daily
B744 JFK (4 weekly)
A330 SFO/BOS/BGI daily
A330 JFK (3 weekly)
A330 ATL daily

 

[ethanegcc]

So the new route could be 4x weekly A330?

 

[ethanegcc]

Even if a new route comes to fruition, this is fantastic as it mops up some spare capacity on the JFK route.

Also, Virgin had previously timetabled the route departing at 1030 - this meant all NY flights were over by that time. Now, they are scheduling some flights at 1350 (the 747 ones). The times the services are scheduled may indicate as to whether this route is an East Coast/Caribbean or west coast route.

The New York schedule currently:

VS 127 MAN 1040 JFK 1330 (333) Mon, Thur, Sat
VS 127 MAN 1350 JFK 1630 (744) All other days

VS 128 JFK 1930 MAN 1715 (all)

 

[Land23R]

A good thought chaps. An extra 4 flights somewhere would be great.

Now please don't shoot me, but is there a possibility that ATL might be reduced to 4 x weekly? After all, the loads have not been great this summer with the competition from SQ and TCX to IAH & LAX for example.

Or is there some adjustment on MCO with some flights by A330?

 

[Jerry]

If it's West Coast then it'll probably be Seattle say 3 weekly then a 1 weekly Caribbean route. That's what I'd guess.

 

[Jerry]

If it's West Coast then it'll probably be Seattle say 3 weekly then a 1 weekly Caribbean route. That's what I'd guess.

 

[User001]

I've had a look at the schedules and ATL remains a daily A330

MCO and LAS remains an all B744 operation at this time.