Aviation Nostalgia Thread

[LBA4EVER]

@paully you are probably right re Jet2. They saw a gap in the market that was there at the time, but was unlikely to be so had BZ still been around. Also agree how much fun it is to speculate. We shouldn't in any way knock what we now have at LBA, mainly thanks to LS but equally FR and W6 contributing nicely. EI seem to be growing BHD and DUB and KL always supportive re AMS - subject to Dutch govt of course! Wonder what this thread will be reminiscing about in 20 years time? Hope I am still around to find out

Of all the airlines to use LBA the one airline that has changed LBA and taken it upto the next level is jet2!
For once the team behind jet2 saw the huge potential in LBA, 2002 Was the year where passenger figures really started to climb.
Makes you wonder though if there was no jet2 what other airlines would be at the airport, who knows the airport may well of become huge easyjet base or a much larger ryanair base than it is current?
Whoever it may of been what we can say is that no other airlines presence would of been as large as jet2.

 

[Seasider]

Don't wish to be accused of being a pedant, but Jet2 started in 2003.

 

[Aviador]

And we all knew before its arrival that LBA was crying out for an airline like Jet2. When they announced their intention it was clear from the onset that they had done extensive research beforehand. It was clear LBA was a good move for them.

As for my post earlier today I was thinking how busy it would be had all the schedule airlines still been in play just as they were back then but with all the additional flights too. LBA really would be in another league now.

 

[Bigman]

Just having domestic flights back to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness, Heathrow. Gatwick, London City, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol, Exeter and Newquay would be nice.

 

[Finger66]

Security checks and APD costs have all but killed a lot of short(er) domestic demand, but suspect SOU,ABZ,NQY,EXT should/could work. Hopefully LHR does come back but don't think imminent. It is legacy/scheduled carriers we need now to kick on further. But there were good times with BD having 4/5 night stoppers, plus an SN plus a KL. Oh how times have moved on and how I am sure they will again come another 20-30 years - we could be cycling everywhere!!

 

[White Heather]

Of all the airlines to use LBA the one airline that has changed LBA and taken it upto the next level is jet2!
For once the team behind jet2 saw the huge potential in LBA, 2002 Was the year where passenger figures really started to climb.
Makes you wonder though if there was no jet2 what other airlines would be at the airport, who knows the airport may well of become huge easyjet base or a much larger ryanair base than it is current?
Whoever it may of been what we can say is that no other airlines presence would of been as large as jet2.

If passenger numbers increased in 2002, it was nowt to do with Jet2. They only started flying in 2003!

 

[LBA4EVER]

And we all knew before its arrival that LBA was crying out for an airline like Jet2. When they announced their intention it was clear from the onset that they had done extensive research beforehand. It was clear LBA was a good move for them.

As for my post earlier today I was thinking how busy it would be had all the schedule airlines still been in play just as they were back then but with all the additional flights too. LBA really would be in another league now.

What i think you you should do aviador is a pick a day of the week and produce a pretend schedule with all current airlines plus ones from the past that are sadly no longer with us with perhaps the schedule they used to operate, and lets just see how it would look, amount of flights, destinations etc

If passenger numbers increased in 2002, it was nowt to do with Jet2. They only started flying in 2003!

My error, yes it was 2003 they started with increased pax haha

 

[Aviador]

What i think you you should do aviador is a pick a day of the week and produce a pretend schedule with all current airlines plus ones from the past that are sadly no longer with us with perhaps the schedule they used to operate, and lets just see how it would look, amount of flights, destinations etc


My error, yes it was 2003 they started with increased pax haha

I don't have an old copy from the 80's or 90's but agree it would be an interesting sight. What about a day when we have Wardair 747 in for good measure!

 

[ChrisBBB]

I don't have an old copy from the 80's or 90's but agree it would be an interesting sight. What about a day when we have Wardair 747 in for good measure!

Pretty sure if we’re going down that route we’d have the Wardair 747 and Onur Air A300 in at the same time! Would need an extension to deal with that for definite

 

[lbaspotter]

1990 Peak scheduled flights

Air UK
Aberdeen via Edinburgh = 11x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri & 1x Sun – Fokker 27
Amsterdam = 23x weekly – 4x daily Mon-Fri, 1x Sat & 2x Sun – BAe 146 & Fokker 27
Belfast International = 25x weekly – 4x daily Mon-Fri & 2x Sat-Sun – Fokker 27
Edinburgh = 16x weekly – 3x daily Mon-Fri & 1 Sun - Fokker 27
Guernsey = 4x weekly - 2x daily Sat-Sun – Fokker 27
Norwich = 6x weekly – 1x daily Mon-Fri & Sun – Fokker 27
Paris Cdg = 17x weekly – 3x daily Mon-Fri & 1x daily Sat-Sun – Fokker 27

Capital Airlines
Belfast City = 23x weekly – 4x daily Mon-Fri, 1x Sat & 2x Sun – Shorts 360 & BAe 146
Bristol & Cardiff = 10x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri - Shorts 360
Brussels = 10x weekly - 2x daily Mon-Fri - Shorts 360
Dublin = 3x daily Mon, Fri, 2x daily Tue-Thu, Sat & 1x daily Sun – Shorts 360 & BAe 146
Edinburgh = 11x weekly - 2x daily Mon-Fri & 1 Sun – Shorts 360
Glasgow = 16x weekly - 3x daily Mon-Fri & 1 Sun – Shorts 360
Guernsey = 3x weekly - 1x daily Wed & Sat-Sun = Shorts 360 & BAe 146
Jersey = 6x weekly - 1x daily Wed, 3x Sat & 2x Sun = Shorts 360 & BAe 146
London Gatwick = 11x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri & 1x Sun – Shorts 360
London Luton = 6x weekly – 1x daily Mon-Sat – BAe 146
Southampton = 10x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri – Shorts 360

I seem to remember Capital announcing a new service to Amsterdam but it doesn’t show in the LBA summer 1990 scheduled flight timetable. Did it start flying the route before the collapse?

Aer Lingus Commuter
Dublin = 20x weekly = 3x daily Mon-Fri, 2x Sat & 3x Sun – Shorts 360 & Fokker 50

Dan Air
Jersey = 5x weekly = 3x daily Sat & 2x Sun = BAe 146 & BAC 111

Manx Airlines
Isle of Man = 7x weekly – 1x daily Mon-Sun – Shorts 360

Ryanair
Knock = 2x weekly – Tue & Thu – BAC 111

British Midland
London Heathrow = 5x daily Mon-Fri & 4x Sat-Sun – DC9 & Boeing 737-300

Not sure what charters ran in summer 1990.
But I'm guessing the would have been a good mix.

 

[The Pole]

Don't know why this came to my mind over the weekend after such a long time. Was wondering if the outer marker aerial was still in situ on the side of the Leeds to Harrogate railway line near Headingley Station? I know its not referred to anymore by pilots reporting the O M but is it still in use and sound in the cockpit?
The middle marker MM was on top of a telegraph pole on brownberrie drive horsforth. Remember going to find them on my bike years ago!
Might have to go for a wander!

 

[Finger66]

1990 Peak scheduled flights

Air UK
Aberdeen via Edinburgh = 11x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri & 1x Sun – Fokker 27
Amsterdam = 23x weekly – 4x daily Mon-Fri, 1x Sat & 2x Sun – BAe 146 & Fokker 27
Belfast International = 25x weekly – 4x daily Mon-Fri & 2x Sat-Sun – Fokker 27
Edinburgh = 16x weekly – 3x daily Mon-Fri & 1 Sun - Fokker 27
Guernsey = 4x weekly - 2x daily Sat-Sun – Fokker 27
Norwich = 6x weekly – 1x daily Mon-Fri & Sun – Fokker 27
Paris Cdg = 17x weekly – 3x daily Mon-Fri & 1x daily Sat-Sun – Fokker 27

Capital Airlines
Belfast City = 23x weekly – 4x daily Mon-Fri, 1x Sat & 2x Sun – Shorts 360 & BAe 146
Bristol & Cardiff = 10x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri - Shorts 360
Brussels = 10x weekly - 2x daily Mon-Fri - Shorts 360
Dublin = 3x daily Mon, Fri, 2x daily Tue-Thu, Sat & 1x daily Sun – Shorts 360 & BAe 146
Edinburgh = 11x weekly - 2x daily Mon-Fri & 1 Sun – Shorts 360
Glasgow = 16x weekly - 3x daily Mon-Fri & 1 Sun – Shorts 360
Guernsey = 3x weekly - 1x daily Wed & Sat-Sun = Shorts 360 & BAe 146
Jersey = 6x weekly - 1x daily Wed, 3x Sat & 2x Sun = Shorts 360 & BAe 146
London Gatwick = 11x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri & 1x Sun – Shorts 360
London Luton = 6x weekly – 1x daily Mon-Sat – BAe 146
Southampton = 10x weekly – 2x daily Mon-Fri – Shorts 360

I seem to remember Capital announcing a new service to Amsterdam but it doesn’t show in the LBA summer 1990 scheduled flight timetable. Did it start flying the route before the collapse?

Aer Lingus Commuter
Dublin = 20x weekly = 3x daily Mon-Fri, 2x Sat & 3x Sun – Shorts 360 & Fokker 50

Dan Air
Jersey = 5x weekly = 3x daily Sat & 2x Sun = BAe 146 & BAC 111

Manx Airlines
Isle of Man = 7x weekly – 1x daily Mon-Sun – Shorts 360

Ryanair
Knock = 2x weekly – Tue & Thu – BAC 111

British Midland
London Heathrow = 5x daily Mon-Fri & 4x Sat-Sun – DC9 & Boeing 737-300

Not sure what charters ran in summer 1990.
But I'm guessing the would have been a good mix.

If I remember correctly Capital did start the AMS flight and I am sure Air UK started BRU in retaliation

 

[oldendays]

Don't know why this came to my mind over the weekend after such a long time. Was wondering if the outer marker aerial was still in situ on the side of the Leeds to Harrogate railway line near Headingley Station? I know its not referred to anymore by pilots reporting the O M but is it still in use and sound in the cockpit?
The middle marker MM was on top of a telegraph pole on brownberrie drive horsforth. Remember going to find them on my bike years ago!
Might have to go for a wander!

I don't think either aerial is still there. The NDB was co-located with the OM decades ago and was subject to a lot of vandalism, to the point it was moved to the airfield itself. I think the OM was decommissioned at the same time.

 

[LBAYORKIE]

I don't think either aerial is still there. The NDB was co-located with the OM decades ago and was subject to a lot of vandalism, to the point it was moved to the airfield itself. I think the OM was decommissioned at the same time.

Thats my recollection too. I think the OM/NDB were in Burley Park.

 

[The Pole]

Maybe it was Burley Station then, I didnt think that station was open at the time. Was a yellow aerial on top of a telegraph type pole at then end of a roe of terraced red brick houses alongside the tracks is that correct? Dont recall the NDB being off the field, but was a lot younger then and maybe didnt notice when/if aircraft were holding and werent above the airfield.

 

[Starflyer]

If I remember correctly Capital did start the AMS flight and I am sure Air UK started BRU in retaliation

Correct - that's exactly what happened!

I have a set of management accounts for Capital and they do not make pretty reading. The report for a prospective buyer after it had gone into administration (which accompanies those accounts) makes clear that the 146 operation was a complete money-pit and pretty much everything they were doing with the 146 (LBA-LTN-DUB, LBA-BHD-LTN etc) was burning Brown Group's money at rapacious speed. The other problem highlighted was that the Shorts 360 leases were very expensive and even though some of their individual routes might have been making money, the cost of the aircraft leases was a major drag.

I think over several years, the short-haul destinations served but now missing would include:

Aberdeen - Air UK, Yorkshire European, Knight Air, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Flybe
Edinburgh - AirUK, Gill Airways, bmi Regional
Glasgow - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Brown Air, Capital, Loganair, bmi Regional, Loganair/Flybe
Newquay - Air Southwest, Jet2, Flybe
Bristol - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Capital, Air Southwest, Eastern
Plymouth - Air Southwest
Exeter - Flybe
Southampton - Capital, Yorkshire European, ATS Vulcan, Knight Air, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Flybe
Bournemouth - Eurodirect
Heathrow - British Midland, British Airways
Gatwick - Capital, Air Europe Express (announced but never started), CityFlyer, BA/BRAL
Stansted - AirUK
Norwich - Air UK
Luton - Capital
London City - bmi Regional (did someone else have a go at this also?)
Cardiff - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Brown Air, Capital, Knight Air
Isle of Man - Dan-Air, Manx Airlines, Knight Air, Jersey European, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Manx2

Brussels - Capital, Air UK, Sabena, bmi Regional
Copenhagen - bmi Regional, SAS
Lille - short lived BMI Regional 135 service
Cork - bmi Regional, Stobart Air / Aer Lingus Regional (Jet2 as well, I think)
Knock - Ryanair
Frankfurt - Brown Air
Oslo - Brown Air

I'm sure there will be several I have missed, and I've left out those routes still served today!

 

[Bigman]

BA Cityflyer used to work to both Cologne and Dusseldorf via Gatwick I seem to remember

 

[White Heather]

Correct - that's exactly what happened!

I have a set of management accounts for Capital and they do not make pretty reading. The report for a prospective buyer after it had gone into administration (which accompanies those accounts) makes clear that the 146 operation was a complete money-pit and pretty much everything they were doing with the 146 (LBA-LTN-DUB, LBA-BHD-LTN etc) was burning Brown Group's money at rapacious speed. The other problem highlighted was that the Shorts 360 leases were very expensive and even though some of their individual routes might have been making money, the cost of the aircraft leases was a major drag.

I think over several years, the short-haul destinations served but now missing would include:

Aberdeen - Air UK, Yorkshire European, Knight Air, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Flybe
Edinburgh - AirUK, Gill Airways, bmi Regional
Glasgow - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Brown Air, Capital, Loganair, bmi Regional, Loganair/Flybe
Newquay - Air Southwest, Jet2, Flybe
Bristol - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Capital, Air Southwest, Eastern
Plymouth - Air Southwest
Exeter - Flybe
Southampton - Capital, Yorkshire European, ATS Vulcan, Knight Air, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Flybe
Bournemouth - Eurodirect
Heathrow - British Midland, British Airways
Gatwick - Capital, Air Europe Express (announced but never started), CityFlyer, BA/BRAL
Stansted - AirUK
Norwich - Air UK
Luton - Capital
London City - bmi Regional (did someone else have a go at this also?)
Cardiff - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Brown Air, Capital, Knight Air
Isle of Man - Dan-Air, Manx Airlines, Knight Air, Jersey European, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Manx2

Brussels - Capital, Air UK, Sabena, bmi Regional
Copenhagen - bmi Regional, SAS
Lille - short lived BMI Regional 135 service
Cork - bmi Regional, Stobart Air / Aer Lingus Regional (Jet2 as well, I think)
Knock - Ryanair
Frankfurt - Brown Air
Oslo - Brown Air

I'm sure there will be several I have missed, and I've left out those routes still served today!

Didn't Eastern try London City briefly? Maybe my imagination.

We also had Shannon with Ryanair. And Galway with Aer Arann.

Going back further IOM was served by BUIA using Heralds.

Then lots more Jet2, Monarch, Flybe and Ryanair European routes lost that are not quite short haul, plus more from many moons ago operated by the likes of BKS (eg Ostend)

 

[Finger66]

Think LCY was actually BMI with an ATR42 but didn’t last long. Oh how times have changed!

Correct - that's exactly what happened!

I have a set of management accounts for Capital and they do not make pretty reading. The report for a prospective buyer after it had gone into administration (which accompanies those accounts) makes clear that the 146 operation was a complete money-pit and pretty much everything they were doing with the 146 (LBA-LTN-DUB, LBA-BHD-LTN etc) was burning Brown Group's money at rapacious speed. The other problem highlighted was that the Shorts 360 leases were very expensive and even though some of their individual routes might have been making money, the cost of the aircraft leases was a major drag.

I think over several years, the short-haul destinations served but now missing would include:

Aberdeen - Air UK, Yorkshire European, Knight Air, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Flybe
Edinburgh - AirUK, Gill Airways, bmi Regional
Glasgow - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Brown Air, Capital, Loganair, bmi Regional, Loganair/Flybe
Newquay - Air Southwest, Jet2, Flybe
Bristol - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Capital, Air Southwest, Eastern
Plymouth - Air Southwest
Exeter - Flybe
Southampton - Capital, Yorkshire European, ATS Vulcan, Knight Air, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Flybe
Bournemouth - Eurodirect
Heathrow - British Midland, British Airways
Gatwick - Capital, Air Europe Express (announced but never started), CityFlyer, BA/BRAL
Stansted - AirUK
Norwich - Air UK
Luton - Capital
London City - bmi Regional (did someone else have a go at this also?)
Cardiff - Dan-Air, Metropolitan, Brown Air, Capital, Knight Air
Isle of Man - Dan-Air, Manx Airlines, Knight Air, Jersey European, BA/BRAL, Eastern Airways, Manx2

Brussels - Capital, Air UK, Sabena, bmi Regional
Copenhagen - bmi Regional, SAS
Lille - short lived BMI Regional 135 service
Cork - bmi Regional, Stobart Air / Aer Lingus Regional (Jet2 as well, I think)
Knock - Ryanair
Frankfurt - Brown Air
Oslo - Brown Air

I'm sure there will be several I have missed, and I've left out those routes still served today!

That’s very interesting because it was always considered that Brown Group brought a profitable airline down. Maybe that was not the case then. Either way BZ are consigned to the history books

 

[White Heather]

Think LCY was actually BMI with an ATR42 but didn’t last long. Oh how times have changed!


That’s very interesting because it was always considered that Brown Group brought a profitable airline down. Maybe that was not the case then. Either way BZ are consigned to the history books

That's what the airport reported to the Consultative Committee . (That Brown Group went under and took Capital Airlines down with it).