2018 Outlook

[lbaspotter]

Well where do we start with this one. 2018 looks like a year of decline in passenger numbers to me what with the loss of Loganair, EasyJet, Monarch and British Airways cut back. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong!

• Eastern Airways = Cant see anything improving. Unless they change the ways or go bust.
• Flybe = Big Potential for LBA, They just wont grab it due to the nearby DSA ops. Will be good to see the Embrear 175 on the Newquay route and hope they look to improve the Dusseldorf service over time.
• British Airways = This was going to be a positive piece up until about 24 hours ago. All I'm going to say is that i think the reduced 10x weekly frequency on the Heathrow route will actually kill the route and lead to eventual withdrawal of the service.
• Aurginy = Sad to see the reduction in service on the Guernsey route from 5x to 3x weekly and that it has become a summer seasonal service. But at least to compensate for some of the loss they are upgrading the service from ATFR42 to the larger ATR72.
• Aer Lingus = Hope they keep plodding along, Might be a gap to add some extra capacity on the morning Dublin rotation if people switch from the Heathrow route.
• KLM = The must be laughing at British Airways decision. Might even tempt them to increase capacity on the Amsterdam route by using larger Boeing 737-700 aircraft or adding a 4th rotation again
• TUi Airways = Really Good to see them increasing operations next summer 2018 season out of LBA by better utlising the based Boeing 737-800 and opening new routes to Dalaman and Malaga. I hope they base one of the own aircraft, or will we see the Canadian Sunwing Airlines back?
• Thomas Cook Airlines = Really good to see them come back to LBA, Even though its on the back of Monarch Collapsing. Will be interesting to see how they perform next summer and if they either use a one of the own aircraft or lease in an Airbus A320 from Smart Lynz or Avion Express.
• Ryanair = Possibly more to come filling in some more of the voids left after Monarch sad demise., So watch this space,
• Jet2 = What can I really say about them. Apart from they keep on growing year on year and should take full advantage of Monarch demise. Really hope we will see some more of the newer fleet of Boeing 737-800's operating out of LBA but I don't think that will be the case. Will they order the Boeing 797 as seen as its the replacement aircraft for the ageing Boeing 757-200's?

• AMP Capital = Lets hope they make some big investment into the airport and attract new airlines and routes, which are really much needed.

So what dose everyone else think, and what would you like to see happen next year 2018?

PS: Hopefully if everything goes to plan I might also be emigrating to live in New Zealand..

 

[Finger66]

So what would I like to see happen in 2018?
Finger Air, or whatever it will be called to start operating, although will be too soon.
Eastern - agree they have to sort their reliability issues so the J41s need to go
Flybe - to op CDG with AF codeshare - slightly more poss with the LHR cutbacks. To take over the LHR route from BA. DUS to go twice daily.
Some new European airlines and services - ideally Germany
BA - to reverse current cutbacks and have a night stopper - clearly a pipe dream now
TUI - based 757 rather than a 738
The return of GLA - though not sure who is interested
KLM to go 4 daily - better chance with LHR cutbacks

AMP capital to continue their proactiveness and sort the airport infrastructure to entice more operators.

Was a very good summary though LBAspotter and we are in need of some good news in 2018, because much as I hate to be negative, too much bad news recently. Might just push us back under the 4m number for 2018 though I hope not

 

[mdobuk21]

Interesting post! Unfortunately trying to find positives for next year. As a photographer/spotter i would really love to see some more variety instead of the flybes and ryanairs! Dissapointing news regarding BA. Hope the new owners have something up there sleeve.

 

[Aviador]

Hope the new owners have something up there sleeve.

Preferably a miracle!

 

[Bigman]

Ok, seriously bored today!!! My wish list for next year would be:

3 x daily Amsterdam with a KLM B737/700 (night stopper)
3 x daily Paris CDG with a HOP ER170 (night stopper)
2 x daily Frankfurt with a Eurowings CRJ900
2 x daily Brussels with an Eastern J41 (instead of Aberdeen)
2 x daily Glasgow with Ryanair
1 x daily Isle of Man with an Eastern J41
1 x daily Zurich with a Swiss CS300
1 x daily Vienna with an Austrian ER190
4 x weekly Madrid with Ryanair
4 x weekly Istanbul with a Turkish Airlines B737/800
2 x weekly Toronto flight with a Westjet B737/700
2 x weekly Reykjavik with a WOW A321
1 x weekly Orlando with a Titan B767/300 (working for Jet2)

 

[lbaspotter]

I want some of what you've been drinking Bigman.

 

[White Heather]

We should send a bottle of whatever it is Bigman is drinking to the bosses of all those airlines too.

 

[Seasider]

I would like to thank you Bigman for bringing a smile to my face when, on the East Coast, it is clear blue skies the 5 mins later lashing it down and practically dark.