Route Development

[lbaspotter]

Hi all

Jet2.com are to open a winter only Charter base at London Gatwick. 1 X Boeing 737-300 will be based at the airport to operate charters for Cruise company Hurtigruten and ski firms Inghams Esprit and Tui thomsons

See here for full report by TTG. http://www.ttglive.com/c/portal/lay...om steps in at Gatwick after airline collapse

Jet2.com steps in at Gatwick after airline collapse

Chris Gray

No-frills carrier Jet2.com has stepped in to fill the gap left by failed charter carrier Hamburg International Airlines at Gatwick.

Hamburg filed for insolvency in October leaving several tour operators facing a shortfall in their winter flying programme that needed to be filled at short notice.

Jet2 has now stationed a Boeing 737-300 at Gatwick for the winter that will fly several times a week with a different operator each time.

The operators that have been able to carry out their programmes include cruise line Hurtigruten, ski firms Inghams and Esprit, and Tui.

Leeds-based Jet2’s scheduled operations are normally flown from airports in the north, Scotland and the Midlands.

Passenger sales director Phil Ward stressed that Jet2 was not setting up a base for scheduled flights at Gatwick, but was providing seasonal charters to meet demand from operators.

“As a financially stable and operationally reliable airline we are mindful that our customers need surety in the supply of flight capacity to avoid disruption or disappointment to their passengers,” he said.

“Jet2.com operates a variety of charter flights each year and will work hard in the next few weeks to ensure the Gatwick programme gets off to a flying start.”

Inghams operators manager Peter Moor said Jet2 had provided an important service in providing much needed capacity at short notice to help the operator ensure customers were able to take their holidays.

Hamburg ran services to destinations such as Gambia, Cape Verde islands, Norway, Finland and the French ski gateway of Chambery.

Meanwhile Jet2 has created 40 new jobs at Leeds Bradford airport by employing its own baggage handlers (pictured) to take customers’ luggage on and off aircraft.

It said the move would speed up boarding and disembarking for customers, and would bring the total number of people it employed at the airport to more than 700.

 

[Aviador]

It's nice to see the airline plugging the gap. Lets hope it leads to better things in the future.

 

[backtrack]

...a possible London base?

 

[lbaspotter]

...a possible London base?

Jet2.com already have a London base set up at Stansted with 1 x Boeing 737-3QC, G-CELP based there all year round.

She operates Private charters and IT charter flights throughout the day and then Mail over night for the Royal Mail contract.

 

[backtrack]

...a possible London base?

Jet2.com already have a London base set up at Stansted with 1 x Boeing 737-3QC, G-CELP based there all year round.

She operates Private charters and IT charter flights throughout the day and then Mail over night for the Royal Mail contract.

...a possible scheduled London base then?

 

[User0001]

Well, after securing Air Berlin and lots of easyjet flights, Seems LGW is loosing some flights:

-GRO rotations on RYR to go (not LGW's fault)
-Air Baltic to end Villinus
-Qatar to pull DOH flights.

http://www.traveldaily.co.uk/AsiaPacifi ... tion=22114

LGW are however, in talks with Air Asia X, and some extra Norweigan flights are expected.

 

[Aviador]

Olympic Air cancel flights to Gatwick

Various media reports suggest that Olympic Air will be withdrawing all flights from London Gatwick to concentrate on services to South East Europe. The airline with also be withdrawing services from London Heathrow airport.

 

[CL44]

I have seen a report that Hellenic are now looking at doing a service to LGW with A340's (4 x ex GF frames apparently). There is also a possibility of a service to NYC. I hope for their sakes that they have thought this out properly this time. From the timescales mentioned it would appear that the service might be operating as soon as the end of this month. So far I have not seen anything offering cargo rates from LGW-ATH and it would appear that their fares are a bit more expensive than the competiton, so I am not holding my breath for a good result here folks. Still not seen anything further about smaller aircraft from them (which would offer better returns on the European services if nothing else). Time will tell!

 

[Aviador]

Kuwait City & London Gatwick are now showing on the Hellenic Imperial Airways website. Let's hope this route is more successful than the airlines previous attempt at operating into Birmingham airport. Again, I have my doubts at the type of aircraft they are looking at using. The A340s are gas guzzlers which is why Gulf Air are probably replacing them so not a great choice for starting a route I wouldn't have thought.

 

[CL44]

Well I have just visited their website and must say while it looks impressive there are a few too many gaps for my liking (personally speaking anyway). I still think that their target date of June 24th for NYC seems to be rather hopeful. You never know they may need to throw one of their classic 74's onto the route just to keep the start date. Heads up for NYC spotters I would say.

 

[Aviador]

I agree, there's far too many "coming soon" quotes. Anyone setting up a website knows you needs as much up and running as possible because too many "coming soon" quotes sends the message that you're not open for business yet. By this stage customers visiting the site will have moved on to a more trusted website. It's more worrying when aviation enthusiasts can see the error of their ways but they can't yet they are the ones running the airline.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Hong Kong Airlines plans all business London flights

Hong Kong Airlines is to launch business-class only flights to London next year, offering an alternative to British Airways and Cathay Pacific, travelmole reports. An Airbus A330 will be used for the flights, which are likely to operate to London Gatwick, starting next March.

The route was attempted by Oasis Airlines but failed due to lack of funding in 2008. Hong Kong Airways is backed by Hainan Airlines, the fourth largest Chinese carrier, and is privately owned.

The airline has a route network of 30 cities in Asia and Europe, with its longest destination flights to Moscow. It has a fleet of six Airbus A330s and six Boeing 737-800s, with Airbus A350s, Boeing 787s and Airbus A380s on order.

Source[/textarea]

 

[Aviador]

It sounds rather adventurous having an all business class service between Hong Kong and London. I wouldn't have thought Hong Kong was the same economic power house it once was. Will it be able to sustain an all business flight service?

 

[abrahamthomas201]

“On the 24th of July Hellenic Imperial Airways inaugurated its first direct flight HT0411 from Athens to New York JFK operated by Boeing 747-200B as opposed to the planned Airbus A340-300X. The Boeing 747-200B is scheduled to operate HT0411 until July 7th”. A few months back I read this on a review written on the airline. So I guess, they eventually did live up to what they claimed.

 

[Ray Finkle]

According to Google translate Mahan will start Gatwick from December 3x weekly, Mon, Tue & Thu with an A340.


http://aviationnews.ir/fa/index.php?opt ... 0&catid=37

 

[Ray Finkle]

A long way off yet but the Hawaiian Tourism Authority are looking for direct flights from Europe to Hawaii with London top of the list. They think that new aircraft such as the 787 or A350 now make it viable.

“The efficiency of both the A350 and the Dreamliner make it still viable although it would probably be hard to get it started on a high fuel price. It has to be sustainable.”

DiFiore believes London would be the best starting point for the flight thanks to the size of the UK market, while additional feeder flights from across Europe would further drive the commercial argument for the route.

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29...rs-will-deliver-new-leisure-wave-from-europe/

 

[andyc941]

Air Asia X have been rumored to be leasing two B772s to start Kuala Lumpur - Gatwick service in June.
(Credit to John Dyer).

 

[jfy1999]

Rossiya Airlines in summer 2018 season is adding new service for London, which sees the airline’s Airbus A319 aircraft operating St. Petersburg – London Gatwick route. This daily flight, operating for AEROFLOT under SU-coded flight numbers, will be in effect from 25MAR18.

SU6619 LED1425 – 1555LGW 319 7
SU6619 LED1430 – 1600LGW 319 x7

SU6620 LGW1710 – 2225LED 319 D

 

[Ray Finkle]

Indigo to LGW via XXX?

https://www.thehindu.com/business/I...flights-to-uk-this-winter/article24876126.ece

“The airline has bagged a slot at Gatwick airport for the upcoming winter schedule and may start flights,” said an aviation industry insider on the condition of anonymity.

The flight to London Gatwick airport will include a stop mid-way. The move is part of the airline’s plan to expand into Europe and add at least nine destinations.

 

[Jerry]

It's been suggested elsewhere that they could stop at Dubai on the way.