POLL: Long Haul Routes

[laviation]

Didn’t know of this feature, upon the recommendation of Aviador I have given it a try:

I have included rumoured long haul routes, with a sprinkling of more wishlist-y ones (CPT, DFW, HND).

Enjoy. My personal votes are DFW, LAX, BOM. with American for DFW, and either VS or EI for LAX. VS/AI for BOM.

 

[Aviador]

My choices were BKK, SFO and BOS for a start. They seem like natural progression for the airports route expansion. Haven't all three been served before at some point?

On the POLL, thanks for taking time setting the POLL up @laviation It might have been better leaving the POLL open for a little while longer to maximise the number of participants.

 

[laviation]

My choices were BKK, SFO and BOS for a start. They seem like natural progression for the airports route expansion. Haven't all three been served before at some point?

On the POLL, thanks for taking time setting the POLL up @laviation It might have been better leaving the POLL open for a little while longer to maximise the number of participants.

The poll's open for a week, I have 'unchecked' it though so I think it's now indefinite.

BKK, surprisingly, has not been served direct from MAN for a long time, despite being the 3rd busiest, unserved long-haul route in 2018.
It has been rumoured for about 25 years. Not happening in 2024 though, unfortunately.

SFO was served by Virgin from circa 2017 until 2019 and Thomas Cook until their demise. Honestly cant see this one returning personally. Virgin dropped it in favour of LAX for S19 and since then the city has really become a dump.

BOS has been served by American, Virgin, Delta, Thomas Cook just to name a few. I would expect EUK and JetBlue to launch this route within a couple years, possibly Delta retaliate and launch it too. JetBlue have never planned BOS-MAN, only JFK but things can change.

 

[Scottie Dog]

I have cast my vote, but it will only allow e destinations to be selected.

Thanks to @laviation for taking up the chsllenge.

 

[David_itl]

Back of my mind has BA22/BA21 with L1011s doing MAN-MUC-DXB-BKK-HKG in 1985 prior to the "upgrade" to BA 20/BA19 doing LHR-MAN-HKG on 747s. Back in the day, the CAA didn't do a comprehensive passenger number listing so no idea of numbers.

Also have alarm bells ringing on Air Europe operating weekly to BKK using 747s around 1989/1990. AE159/AE158?

My choices (not all coming in a big bang but over 3 year period)

BOM by Virgin A330 or Air India 788
ORD by United A321LR or Aer Lingus A321LR

Other =
PHL by American A321XLR or Aer Lingus A321LR
New York Newark by United 767,
Mauritius Virgin A330
Maldives Virgin A330
St Lucia Virgin A330
LAX by Virgin A330 or Aer Lingus A330

 

[EGCC_MAN]

I'd rather like to see ISLAMABAD and LAHORE back. They were suspended due to safety certification reasons, not any shortfall in market demand.

Of course, I'd actually like to see ALL those long-haul destinations served. But if I had to narrow it down to three choices, I'd go for YVR, ORD and BKK. I'd also like to see a service to Atlantic Canada - one of Halifax, St John's or Gander. Amazing region, and two B38M's per week is fewer than 400 return seats to sell. We had Halifax announced pre-covid, but we all know what happened there. These places are closer than most think - comparable with flying from MAN to the Canary Islands, and within the capabilities of similar aircraft types.

 

[Land23R]

Some interesting choices already.

There are times when I despair about getting a route to Mumbai or Delhi so I'm not sure whether to put it top or bottom of the priority list!

No, with BHX having Delhi, I'll have BOM in the top 3.
In the US, at one time I would have said both LAX and SFO but the latter appears to have lost it's shine so it would be LAX of the 2. But I'd also like to see ORD back on the MAN boards, it having been there for so long. ORD would probably be UA now rather than AA. and it's a significant hub.
If allowed a 4th, wouldn't it be nice to see TG at long last to BKK? Oh well, one can only dream.

Incidentally, India or Pakistan is close call. The MEB3 must be benefiting from the present absence of those direct services, so if either or both started / resumed, there would be an impact on them, hopefully only marginally if there is already excessive demand on the MEB3 from MAN.
Don't know if SV or GF carry many pax for the Indian sub-continent.

 

[EGCC_MAN]

The reason MAN now gets such a high volume of THY Turkish and Pegasus flights is because they offer arguably the most price-competitive route between MAN and the sub-continent at the present time. Those two would probably be the most exposed to the return of nonstop flights.

 

[gulftraveller]

Not Pegasus, I think. In Pakistan they only serve Karachi currently which is not a destination with high demand from UK.