Route Development

[Aviador]

Nigeria airline Arik Air has said it may stop its daily flights between Abuja and London. The airline claims it is being prevented from getting slots.

 

[Tyler]

"A survey has revealed that major international airlines are set to abandon Heathrow Airport in favour of less-congested sites."

http://www.airport-int.com/news/airline ... rport.html

So here we are again, but this time it seems altogether more serious. Apparently 50% of carriers are preparing to relocate flights from Heathrow to alternative airports, but not those in the UK like Gatwick or Luton! Can we really afford not to expand Heathrow? Only recently there has been discussion about building direct links with China's regional airports. We need a strong flagship airport in order to achieve that.

Environmentalists will be out in force, but not expanding the airport could cost the UK millions of lost revenue. It's not like we're proposing to build an airport in the Thames Estuary, just one additional runway at a site which desperately needs it! And surely, a lot of the revenue that an expanded Heathrow would generate would find its way back into green technologies?

 

[Aviador]

I do wonder whether airlines would actually use Boris Island if it were ever built after all the major airlines have made little attempt to utilise London Stansted airport since in underwent major terminal redevelopment. The new terminal designed by Sir Norman Foster opened in 1991 was built with the full intention of turning Stansted airport into a major hub airport but this never materialised.

Airlines want to be at Heathrow and other than expanding Heathrow, I can't see any other way of sorting this mess out without government involvement or interference whichever way you look at it. I have often wondered if it is possible to make Heathrow a Oneworld Alliance airport and move the other Alliance partners to say Gatwick or Stansted. Surely this option would also allow for slots to become available to operate regional connections?

 

[Aviador]

Heathrow boss claims 30 airlines are waiting to open routes

Well it would appear some domestic flights and possibly some weaker European routes could be under threat once again if the news that 30 airlines are waiting for slots to open new routes or increase rotations on existing ones is true. The bottom line is, even if a route is pulling in the passengers it may still risk closure if an airline feels it can achieve a better yield on another route or if they think they can make more money selling slots.

 

[thunderchild]

Just for fun I wonder what new airlines are waiting in the wings? Off the top of my head;

- LAN Airlines
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Vietnam Airlines
- Hainan Airines
- Air Baltic
- Air Moldova
- Belavia
- Estonian Air
- Ukraine Intenational Airlines
- Mahan Air
- Caribbean Airlines
- Garuda Indonesia
- Iraqi Airways
- Easyjet

????

 

[Aviador]

They might be waiting for some time!!! :crazy: Cough, cough, if you're adding Easyjet to the list you might as well add Jet2, Ryanair and Monarch. :s_cool

 

[andyc941]

I've been reading on a Heathrow group that Hainan have gained slots for 3 weekly flights.And Beijing Capital 2 weekly flights on a Monday and Friday with A332.But all just rumours at the moment.
Credit to Heathrow Aviation Enthusiasts group.

 

[jfy1999]

Garuda Indonesia have taken flights off sale from October. Bit of a shame that they will stop serving the UK as they have a reputation for being among the world's best airlines for service.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Routes are reporting that Air China will move their 3x weekly Chengdu service from Gatwick to Heathrow from April 2nd.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Blue Air to LHR?

Romanian carrier Blue Air recently filed operational schedule for Bucharest – London Heathrow route in the OAG, for summer 2019 season. Based on the listing, the schedules show 2 weekly flights from 31MAR19. Reservation for this route is not available as this is a preliminary schedule filing.

0B1131 OTP0815 – 0940LHR 738 57
0B1132 LHR1035 – 1525OTP 738 57

https://www.routesonline.com/news/3...es-bucharest-london-heathrow-schedule-in-s19/

 

[Jerry]

This article thinks JetBlue will announce Boston to lhr on 10th April.
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2019/03/02/jetblue-london-announcement/

 

[Coathanger16]

This article thinks JetBlue will announce Boston to lhr on 10th April.
https://liveandletsfly.boardingarea.com/2019/03/02/jetblue-london-announcement/

About time tbh!

Standout point for me in the post (bold added by me):

Crewmember London brief has already been done. Boston to Heathrow on the A321XLR with mint configuration to start (no date set, waiting for new 321). Widebodies being looked at for fleet expansion if London is a success (330 and 787).

 

[Jerry]

About time tbh!

Standout point for me in the post (bold added by me):

Crewmember London brief has already been done. Boston to Heathrow on the A321XLR with mint configuration to start (no date set, waiting for new 321). Widebodies being looked at for fleet expansion if London is a success (330 and 787).

I missed the widebody part! They do seem to be an airline that wants to upset the big boys across the Atlantic. I do hope they succeed at establishing themselves in that market as the competition can only be good. It also seems to me that unlike Norwegian they realise you need to offer a proper business class product in order to compete.

 

[BHX492]

I missed the widebody part! They do seem to be an airline that wants to upset the big boys across the Atlantic. I do hope they succeed at establishing themselves in that market as the competition can only be good. It also seems to me that unlike Norwegian they realise you need to offer a proper business class product in order to compete.

They also have flights over in America so people can connect aswell which will help

 

[Ray Finkle]

More China into Heathrow

Even more now

Looks like that initiative to bring flights to the regions really paid off

Shenzhen Airlines applied for 4 additional weekly Shenzhen – London Heathrow service from January 2020; Hainan Airlines applied for 2 weekly Guiyang – London from June 2019; Tianjin Airlines applied 1 wkly Tianjin – Guiyang – London from October 2019

https://twitter.com/x/status/1111371276583489537

 

[Brum X]

Even more now

Looks like that initiative to bring flights to the regions really paid off

Shenzhen Airlines applied for 4 additional weekly Shenzhen – London Heathrow service from January 2020; Hainan Airlines applied for 2 weekly Guiyang – London from June 2019; Tianjin Airlines applied 1 wkly Tianjin – Guiyang – London from October 2019

https://twitter.com/x/status/1111371276583489537

 

[Brum X]

Sorry mate, all I do lately is stick my thumb down at your posts. It's nothing personal but really its just the same old thing.

They might as well rename LHR London China Airport.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Sorry mate, all I do lately is stick my thumb down at your posts. It's nothing personal but really its just the same old thing.

 

[Brum X]

I mean china airlines going into LHR, not you.

Ooooooops that came out the wrong way

 

[jfy1999]

Potential way in for JetBlue?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1169207824444022784