Archive Eastern Airways from Leeds Bradford Airport

[lbaspotter]

The Rodez to Orly service is a Public Service Obligation route, so it should be profitable for Eastern. The introduction of a route from the U.K. to Rodez could well be a way of earning revenue from positioning flights.
The E170 is sometimes employed to Orly, so there may be scope for a route from Humberside to Rodez!

Eastern Airways are set to operating Leeds-Southampton-Rodez-Southampton-Leeds twice weekly this summer season on MON & FRI with flights commencing from June 2nd using the Saab 2000.

 

[lbaspotter]

So some good news for Eastern is that one of their routes, sadly not from LBA though, has seen significant growth in 2017. So much so that they are looking at a frequency increase. The route in question is a diagonal one across the UK and supports part of my post in the LBA General thread because the equivalent overland journey must be a nightmare.

I'm guessing it could possibly be the Newcastle - Cardiff route which your on about "Finger66"?

 

[Jerry]

I'm guessing it could possibly be the Newcastle - Cardiff route which your on about "Finger66"?

I think that route may be helped by a government contract. DVLA I think. The prices on it are extortionate and if Eastern put bigger aircraft on it and lowered the prices they might be able to catch some of the passengers that use the BRS-NCL.

 

[Seasider]

If you look back at Eastern A/W timetables the past few years, you will see that they have never operated flights on a Saturday. They appear to have used the ABZ routes to "subsidise" the others. Now that the oil exploration industry is still contracting they need to fly elsewhere. Summer leisure flights would be a start.

 

[Finger66]

So most of you will have seen Citywings demise and the fact that Eastern are picking up some of their routes, most notably the CWL - VLY route. This leaves a J41 doing not much for half the day. It could easily get a couple of rotations to LBA into its schedule, although I doubt this will happen. In the longer term though I see this as the necessary less reliance on a decreasing ABZ market - from all airports not just LBA and an ever expanding network which could just trigger expansion into other markets. Here's hoping!

 

[Finger66]

I see that Eastern are taking on yet another of Citywings old routes with the introduction of GLA - IOM. That will be three in and out of IOM alongside the links to NCL and BHD. Probably too much to ask to see a LBA - IOM route them though! What I think this does show though is a very shrewd move by Eastern to slowly but surely redistribute their a/c capacity away from what has always been their bread and butter in ABZ which continues to suffer massively as a place in general as a result of the oil and gas industry cutbacks. Let's hope it's the start of further route expansion that might just include LBA.

 

[Finger66]

I am a huge fan of Eastern Airways. For my line of work they are a very accommodating and helpful airline so I hope they do expand into more routes, especially from LBA. They provide what the Business Traveller needs, not something totally no frills and the Business market now has to be where the serious LBA route growth needs to come from. Dont get me wrong, the LCCs get their share of business travellers, but plans change in Business, and its so hard work amending an LCC booking. You can give me a full service carrier for business any day of the week and thats why I want Eastern to expand at LBA. They have the right aircraft size to do this too.

 

[cmj]

It's not just that it can be hard to change but a lot of the low cost carriers don't even fly daily, so if you need to change your flight it might be 2 or 2 days later.

 

[Finger66]

And even if they do fly daily it may be only once a day and changes don't always involve a like for like time on a different day. Come on Eastern, we are waiting........

 

[Finger66]

Not sure if any of you know, but from Monday 15th May 2017 Eastern will be replacing the Saab 2000 with a Jetstream 41. It will be 4 flights a day on mon, tue and thu with 3 on a wed and fri. This is according to GDS anyway. Not sure how this will impact on the Southampton to Rodez flight now. Seems to be no reduction in the LBA - ABZ route though shame Saab isn't being redeployed on an LBA to Europe route

 

[Finger66]

Sorry that was meant to include "on the LBA - SOU route"

 

[lbaspotter]

Eastern Airways yet again making a mess of the Leeds/Bradford - Southampton route! Its such a shame as I thought Eastern could this time around make a real go of this route what with them been the sole operator again using a larger Saab 2000 and been able to offer low priced fares instead of using the BAe Jetstream 41.

It really just seems like people want to fly on a proper aircraft and use lower cost airlines hence the passenger figures have dropped drastically on the route ever since Flybe axed its 3x daily Dash 8 service.

"Finger66" you have so much praise for Eastern on here over the recent few weeks but it seems like you alone. As I know a fair few ex flybe passengers have taken to using the British Airways Heathrow route or chosen to travel either by road or rail instead of using Eastern much higher cost so called "business service"

 

[Finger66]

At least they are keeping the frequency though which has a major appeal to the business traveller. It's not the easiest journey by rail or road but can understand why people would want to fly a jet to LHR rather than a prop to SOU. Eastern are clearly still committed to LBA though. The bigger concern is that the J41s are getting long in the tooth, so what about their fleet renewal plans? If they don't think SOU can support a Saab, and ABZ certainly can't then they are going to have to find another 30 seater soon.

 

[Jerry]

Eastern much higher cost so called "business service"

That is the problem with Eastern. They will only be attractive to a certain type of client unless they lowered their prices and become an airline more like Flybe that can attract leisure passengers.

 

[Finger66]

But there is little or no money to be made on the lower end leisure fares so I fully understand their desire to run it as a business route. If they can operate 3/4 a day offering a decent quality business service that works for me. I don't actually get why they don't go back to operating the route LBA - SOU - LBA - ABZ - LBA etc. they could then operate both routes 4 times daily using the 2 x based J41s and would get pax top up with the through SOU - ABZ - SOU pax. That frequency would attract even more business pax and even provides a 3 x daily ABZ - SOU service. Great utilisation of aircraft too

 

[a300boy]

If the Jetstreams are kept to Cat 2 capability it will be better for winter operations.
The Saab had to divert a lot.
I need to get down there soon for personal reasons and the fare is prohibitive.

 

[lbaspotter]

Not sure how this will impact on the Southampton to Rodez flight now.

The Saab 2000 will continue to operate some flights by looks of things but will return to been Aberdeen based. It will night stop at LBA on a Thursday as its due out quite early Friday morning.

Mondays
EZE4702 = ABZ 08:20 - LBA 09:30 / LBA 09:55 - SOU 11:10 / SOU 11:30 - RDZ 14:00
EZE4705 = RDZ 14:45 - SOU 15:15 / SOU 15:45 - LBA 17:00 / LBA 17:25 - ABZ 18:35
Thursdays
EZE4716 = ABZ 19:10 - LBA 20:20 (Night Stops LBA)
Fridays
EZE4700 = LBA 06:50 - SOU 07:55 / SOU 08:20 - RDZ 10:50
EZE4703 = RDZ 11:20 - SOU 11:50 / SOU 12:20 - LBA 13:25 / LBA 13:50 - ABZ 14:55
Sundays
EZE4719 = ABZ 15:15 - LBA 16:25 / LBA 16:50 - SOU 18:05
EZE4718 = SOU 18:45 - LBA 19:55 / LBA 20:20 - ABZ 21:30

I'll work out the BAe Jetstream 41 aircraft working next.

 

[lbaspotter]

Eastern Airways will continue to base 2x BAe Jetstream 41's at LBA operating Monday to Friday (Weekdays only) as follows.

Mondays
AC1-----------------------------------
EZE4711 = LBA 06:45 – ABZ 07:55
EZE4716 = ABZ 19:10 – LBA 20:20
AC2-----------------------------------
EZE4700 = LBA 06:50 – SOU 08:05
EZE4701 = SOU 08:35 – LBA 09:50 / LBA 10:15 – ABZ 11:20
EZE4706 = ABZ 15:30 – LBA 16:40 / LBA 17:05 – SOU 18:20
EZE4707 = SOU 18:50 – LBA 20:05
Tuesdays
AC1-----------------------------------
EZE4711 = LBA 06:45 – ABZ 07:55
EZE4702 = ABZ 08:20 – LBA 09:30 / LBA 09:55 – SOU 11:10
EZE4703 = SOU 11:45 – LBA 13:00
EZE4704 = LBA 14:00 – SOU 15:15
EZE4705 = SOU 15:45 – LBA 17:00 / LBA 17:25 – ABZ 18:35
EZE4716 = ABZ 19:10 – LBA 20:20
AC2-----------------------------------
EZE4700 = LBA 06:50 – SOU 08:05
EZE4701 = SOU 08:35 – LBA 09:50 / LBA 10:15 – ABZ 11:20
EZE4706 = ABZ 15:30 – LBA 16:40 / LBA 17:05 – SOU 18:20
EZE4707 = SOU 18:50 – LBA 20:05
Wednesdays
AC1-----------------------------------
EZE4711 = LBA 06:45 – ABZ 07:55
EZE4702 = ABZ 08:20 – LBA 09:30 / LBA 09:55 – SOU 11:10
EZE4705 = SOU 15:45 – LBA 17:00 / LBA 17:25 – ABZ 18:35
EZE4716 = ABZ 19:10 – LBA 20:20
AC2-----------------------------------
EZE4700 = LBA 06:50 – SOU 08:05
EZE4701 = SOU 08:35 – LBA 09:50 / LBA 10:15 – ABZ 11:20
EZE4706 = ABZ 15:30 – LBA 16:40 / LBA 17:05 – SOU 18:20
EZE4707 = SOU 18:50 – LBA 20:05
Thursdays
AC1-----------------------------------
EZE4711 = LBA 06:45 – ABZ 07:55
EZE4702 = ABZ 08:20 – LBA 09:30 / LBA 09:55 – SOU 11:10
EZE4703 = SOU 11:45 – LBA 13:00
EZE4704 = LBA 14:00 – SOU 15:15
EZE4705 = SOU 15:45 – LBA 17:00 / LBA 17:25 – ABZ 18:35 (Night stops ABZ)
AC2-----------------------------------
EZE4700 = LBA 06:50 – SOU 08:05
EZE4701 = SOU 08:35 – LBA 09:50 / LBA 10:15 – ABZ 11:20
EZE4706 = ABZ 15:30 – LBA 16:40 / LBA 17:05 – SOU 18:20
EZE4707 = SOU 18:50 – LBA 20:05
Fridays
AC1-----------------------------------
EZE4711 = LBA 06:45 – ABZ 07:55
EZE4702 = ABZ 08:20 – LBA 09:30
EZE4704 = LBA 14:00 – SOU 15:15
EZE4705 = SOU 15:45 – LBA 17:00 / LBA 17:25 – ABZ 18:35
EZE4716 = ABZ 19:10 – LBA 20:20
AC2-----------------------------------
EZE4706 = ABZ 15:30 – LBA 16:40 / LBA 17:05 – SOU 18:20
EZE4707 = SOU 18:50 – LBA 20:05

 

[a300boy]

A couple of traumatic days with E170 G-CIXV operating some flights yesterday and today
and now E145 G-CHMR doing a couple of Southampton rotations.
Would assume the S2000 on stand 2 is sick.

 

[lbaspotter]

A couple of traumatic days with E170 G-CIXV operating some flights yesterday and today
and now E145 G-CHMR doing a couple of Southampton rotations.
Would assume the S2000 on stand 2 is sick.

Could also be down to lack of available flight crews to operate the Saab as well.