Route Development & Rumours

[CCGE29]

It seems to have gone very quiet regarding potential routes to Tashkent and Delhi for which slots are / were held. There were hopes some weeks ago that announcements were imminent. It's less than 7 weeks to the start of the winter schedules.
According to SPD Travels on X, the expected return of flights to Pakistan may also have hit yet more snags, although he did include a caveat about possible translation of the report.

Delhi slots are still in.

Also another Star Alliance member planning to join the party in S26.

CCGE29

 

[Iron Duck]

Delhi slots are still in.

Also another Star Alliance member planning to join the party in S26.

CCGE29

United?

 

[Land23R]

United?

It would be good to see a US carrier back but maybe we're still looking East?

 

[BlueManc]

Plenty of Star Alliance still to go at but we all know it will be LOT

Air China
Air India
Air New Zealand
All Nippon Airways
Asiana Airlines
Avianca
Copa Airlines
Croatia Airlines
EVA Air
LOT Polish Airlines
Shenzhen Airlines
South African Airways
Thai
United

 

[BlueManc]

Interesting visitor making the short trip from Luton.

Korean Air Lines B737. A visit to have a look at the place?

 

[Jerry]

Interesting visitor making the short trip from Luton.

Korean Air Lines B737. A visit to have a look at the place?

Depends who's onboard i suppose.

 

[Jerry]

Interesting tease from SPD Travels

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970529626725208468

 

[Jerry]

SPD TRAVELS dropping a less than subtle hint about the possibility of WizzAir operating from Manchester from Summer 2026

https://twitter.com/x/status/1972341815090262347

 

[CCGE29]

SPD TRAVELS dropping a less than subtle hint about the possibility of WizzAir operating from Manchester from Summer 2026

https://twitter.com/x/status/1972341815090262347

Consolidation of LBA/LPL ops into MAN. Some good competition for FR/EZY.

Should see another airline for the far east, a splash of colour in the Middle East and maybe even a hint of blue out west.

CCGE29

 

[Jerry]

Consolidation of LBA/LPL ops into MAN. Some good competition for FR/EZY.

Should see another airline for the far east, a splash of colour in the Middle East and maybe even a hint of blue out west.

CCGE29

That's a shame for Liverpool and LeedsBradford.
Far East, could we finally see Thai Airways? As for west Delta Airlines?

 

[LS@MAN]

Consolidation of LBA/LPL ops into MAN. Some good competition for FR/EZY.

Should see another airline for the far east, a splash of colour in the Middle East and maybe even a hint of blue out west.

CCGE29

Massive news for this ref Wizz if that pays off, especially if MAN will become the only airport in the north/north west that have a Wizz operation in the future
Sounds like MAG have shared the future T3 (or should I say T1) plans with Wizz management and possibly persuaded them to join the MAN party…

I would rather see United blue than any other! United is the official sponsor of Wrexham FC, maybe some extra ammunition towards starting up…

 

[gulftraveller]

I would rather see United blue than any other! United is the official sponsor of Wrexham FC, maybe some extra ammunition towards starting up…

Or Breeze?

 

[Jerry]

I would rather see United blue than any other! United is the official sponsor of Wrexham FC, maybe some extra ammunition towards starting up…

I'm a Delta fan but either would be good to see for Manchester. I do hope that the WizzAir part is more about them adding Manchester rather than them being poached from smaller airports.

 

[Silvercity]

That's a shame for Liverpool and LeedsBradford.
Far East, could we finally see Thai Airways? As for west Delta Airlines?

Its disappointing news if the rumour are true , particularly after just celebrating 20 years of successful operations from Liverpool

 

[Jerry]

Its disappointing news if the rumour are true , particularly after just celebrating 20 years of successful operations from Liverpool

Yep hopefully it's them adding Manchester rather than poaching from Liverpool and LeedsBradford.

 

[Silvercity]

Yep hopefully it's them adding Manchester rather than poaching from Liverpool and LeedsBradford.

We have of course been here before 5 years ago, and it came to nothing. Should they move and / or set up a base for European sun flights, I don't see them having an easy ride of it.

 

[Jerry]

We have of course been here before 5 years ago, and it came to nothing. Should they move and / or set up a base for European sun flights, I don't see them having an easy ride of it.

There's a lot of competition at Manchester I'd expect a reaction from Ryanair.

 

[Iron Duck]

….jetBlue to Boston

 

[LS@MAN]

I would be surprised in one way if Wizz merged their ops into MAN, but the question is: what is their business plan moving forward?
If it’s going to be more profitable for them to make MAN their “base” in the north of the UK, then that’s what they will do as a business.

Once the current T3 (to be the future T1) has its various improvements made, it will have room for both Ryanair and Wizz. And I’m sure during discussions MAG has sold them a plan and why not! I don’t know the ins and outs but hopefully this includes bases and away based aircraft so maybe we will see the A321XLR…

 

[Scottie Dog]

Unfortunately I'm very short of time this evening and am travelling north tomorrow, but just to say that I have seen the ACL W25 report and the one item, among many that are on the list is this one:

Tashkent, 130 flights with 28,080 seats and operated by My Freighter (C6). Of course my initial reaction was one of amazement until I did a little searching. Now those seats and flights indicate a 216 configured aircraft. Planespotters.net show My Freighter as having 2 A321NX aircraft on lease from Centrum Air which have 216 seats and who, a while ago were rumoured to be looking at operating the route.

More to follow when I have time.

A further quick look at the report gives the following increase in available seats, by carrier:

Aer Lingus - 92,898 - mainly Belfast and Dublin
Air Blue - 31,020 (assuming they operate)
Cathay Pacific - 17,920
easyJet - 13,124
Ethiopian - 30,184
Etihad - 81,408
Jet2.com - 63,842
KLM - 16,140
Kuwait - 15,306
Loganair - 26,045
Norse Atlantic - 10,478 ( who are they operating these flights for?)
Pegasus - 41,508
Royal Air Maroc - 7,950
Royal Jordanian - 2,732
Ryanair - 365,625
Saudia - 5,576
SAS - 27,776
Swiss - 20,649