Manchester: Virgin Atlantic Route News & Base Updates

[jfy1999]

I don't see any reason why Thomas Cook shouldn't start Cape Town, having announced their intentions from LGW, although it's a hell of a long way. I wonder if any weight restrictions might apply to the A332.

Virgin could basically serve any destination that they already serve from LGW, although I'm sure their ongoing fleet renewal will be affecting their operations from all their bases. Their intention currently seems to be clear--they're putting all the new aircraft into LHR and moving old aircraft elsewhere.

Virgin seem to have found the optimum frequency on their existing routes from MAN. I believe they have two daily 747s to Orlando on some if not all days, which is fantastic for any airport.

 

[Dobbo]

Agree - 2 daily to Orlando is very good - to the extent that it makes me wonder if it could be repeated elsewhere.

I'd have thought Cape town would be a popular route for someone to operate.

 

[User001]

Virgin seem to be doing very well from Manchester.

They have previously seen MAN/LGW as the leisure bases, however, since the Delta tie up, MAN seems to be starting to take a different role.

We have seen Virgin start Atlanta, and, Delta begin New York JFK in full collaboration with Virgin. This means MAN is now more like a LGW/LHR hybrid, especially in summer where we actually see more 'LHR config' aircraft as opposed to 'LGW config' aircraft.

This means too that route planning becomes harder.

Previously, you could have safe bets that any VS expansion from MAN would have been LGW destinations.

However, the DL partnership and focus change means places such as Los Angeles, San Fransisco and Miami are just as possible as St. Lucia, Cancun and Havana.

The bosses at Virgin have said that they want MAN to be as big as LGW, and a 'stand alone base' rather than a tag on to the LGW/LHR bases.

The growth in my opinion will be delta focused. I don't really see any eastern routes due to this partnership, unless Delta want more access to places like India over Manchester, but, I don't see it.

So, unfortunately, it's just a case of 'wait and see' for what Virgin do next at Manchester.

 

[Dobbo]

That is good to hear User. I guess the next year or so may influence this, particularly how well the routes to LAX and BOS does?

I'm surprised that you think growth at MAN would be led by Delta. I'd have thought MAN would make a good hub for VIR as well as being a domestic brand.

I suppose any major changes will depend on two things. Fleet availability for VIR (are they not making some significant changes?) and the Manchester TP. So we are looking at changes over a number of years.

Would you class South Africa as an eastern route? Most of the long haul routes are to the middle or Far East and whereas SA is a bit out on a limb, but I would have thought the market would be there (as per the recent Bloomberg article).

Would there be a market for a "late" JFK flight? All current routes there are morning flights - which makes sense with the timing but I do wonder if there is scope for another time slot.

 

[User001]

Virgin appear to have made Las Vegas year round once again, as it's currently bookable until the end of the current booking period of any Virgin route.

The Vegas route will be 3 weekly again next summer, with the A340-600 once again being based.

 

[Dobbo]

Positive move. 3x weekly throughout the winter as well as the summer?

How many Virgin aircraft are based at MAN these days? Must be around 4-5.

 

[Dobbo]

Virgin rumoured to be ordering the A350-1000 to replace (amongst others) the B747 leisure fleet. Could see them at MAN in due course? Probably converts some or all of the A380 options into A350 but we don't yet know.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/ ... -a350-deal

 

[Dobbo]

As an interesting aside, airbus refer to "Manchester-LA" as an example of a "more traditional flight segment" that could be operated using a A350-1000 (as well as Melbourne - Dubai).

http://www.airbus.com/aircraftfamilies/ ... a350-1000/

 

[Dobbo]

Virgin appear to have made Las Vegas year round once again, as it's currently bookable until the end of the current booking period of any Virgin route.

The Vegas route will be 3 weekly again next summer, with the A340-600 once again being based.

Apparently this is now going to be the A333 rather than the A346?

 

[Aviador]

Unfortunate but the A340 beast is slowly disappearing from our skies.

 

[User001]

Yes been changed to the A330-300 now, as rumour suggests they are looking to utilise the aircraft in the down time between Vegas flights (the A340-600 just sat at MAN doing nothing between flights last year, 4 days doing that hurts revenue).

The A330 is more suited to bolster the flights schedule on all 4 routes at MAN.

 

[Dobbo]

Another East coast destination?

I'd guess somewhere like Havanna, Miami, another carribean destination or New York?

 

[Dobbo]

Yes been changed to the A330-300 now, as rumour suggests they are looking to utilise the aircraft in the down time between Vegas flights (the A340-600 just sat at MAN doing nothing between flights last year, 4 days doing that hurts revenue).

The A330 is more suited to bolster the flights schedule on all 4 routes at MAN.

Any idea on what VS/DL plan to do with the extra A330 at MAN this summer between vegas flights? I assume until the VS fleet is largely replaced we wont know what new routes they want to operate?

 

[Land23R]

Personally, I think TCX may have got in first with LAX & now SFO that could have been possible for VS. Of course, if those routes are successful and the demand is shown to be there, it could tempt VS, or more likely TCX would just up frequency.

Tampa might just be a possibility though.

 

[Dobbo]

That is possible, but they are not exactly frequent flights and TCX will not have the feed in the Us that VS will get from DL. Also, TCX need more aircraft and I think they are struggling to get them. VS might just be able to gazump if they want to - but I am not convinced it is in their plans.

Certainly having three A330s based at MAN would allow them to offer a strong (seasonal) offering to LAX, SFO & LAS (in addition to the ATL route). Whether they have those aircraft or would want to deploy them on a more profitable route is another question...

 

[Land23R]

Not the feed that VS has certainly, but would there be much transfer demand from either LAX or SFO I wonder?
(Hawaii possibly to a limited degree but I'm not even sure whether DL serve there).

I see demand for LAX & SFO coming from short breaks to either city and more significantly for holidays in California, perhaps flying into one airport and returning from the other. The wife and I did exactly that a few years ago, but unfortunately it was with BA from LHR.

 

[Dobbo]

Well the west coast is a pretty large area and it may be that short haul flights from
The area connect as a matter of routine. I don't know enough about it, but if it adds 10k of PAX a year it makes a big difference.

Having a direct route will invariably develop direct and indirect business ties to the area. Hopefully in time this will have a further positive impact.

 

[jfy1999]

Not the feed that VS has certainly, but would there be much transfer demand from either LAX or SFO I wonder?
(Hawaii possibly to a limited degree but I'm not even sure whether DL serve there).

I see demand for LAX & SFO coming from short breaks to either city and more significantly for holidays in California, perhaps flying into one airport and returning from the other. The wife and I did exactly that a few years ago, but unfortunately it was with BA from LHR.

An onward connection to Hawaii is already in place as Delta fly to Honolulu from Atlanta with A333s, although I don't know whether the Virgin flight is ideally timed for passengers wanting to fly on to Hawaii.

 

[Dobbo]

I'm sure there would be some more localised feed than Hawaii, although the West Coast is about as far as you can go without hitting the likes of Hawaii, Japan or Australia and New Zealand.

 

[Dobbo]

Any more info on VS operations ex MAN in S16 - and any rumours of future operations?

As far as I know the current routes are:

Barbados
Orlando
Atlanta
Las Vegas (seasonal)
Jamaica(?)