Charters Summer 2010

[lbaspotter]

This is without a doubt the worst ever summer charter programme in the modern era. 22 is just not good enough.

This must be the first time in donkeys years that we have not had one foreign charter operator on a Saturday, whether it be Austrian, Air Europa, Spanair or otherwise.

Hi Bigman & all

Here we go again. Why is it that there is always something for people to complain about with what we have got at LBA. Just be glad some operators do show commitment to LBA. And that we still even have a based aircraft/tour operator in Thomas Cook.

Yes we have seen a big decline over the years. Especially after the withdrawal of the Thomson’s based aircraft 3 years ago. But so have other UK airports. Just take a look at both Teeside and Humberside. Also the reason we are seeing less of the likes of Air Europa, and Spanair is that the tour operators are having to cut costs to keep there costs down. They don’t want to end up like Globespan and XL.
The tour operators now have spare capacity with-in there own airline fleets due to the cut backs they have had to make, So they use there own in-house airlines aircraft to operate w-legs for there other bases instead of chartering expensive Spanish and other foreign airlines.

Myself I'm just glad we still even have a charter operation. And on a plus side it’s by a local Bradford based tour operator as well.

 

[White Heather]

I agree LBASpotter. The charter market is shrinking in the face of competition from low cost airlines and of course the recession has made matters far worse. If we were expecting to find an increase in flights or even that we maintain everything we had last year, then we were always going to be disappointed.

Some years ago, there was a public enquiry about whether or not DSA should be given the go ahead, and LBA objected, as did HUY, on the grounds that it would dilute the flights operating to both airports. Fortunately, LBA then got Jet2 which offset the loss that DSA brought about (courtesy almost entirely of TUi/Thomson moving their based aircraft there), but HUY were not so lucky. Now we can see why both airports objected. LBA and HUY have both lost out on the charter market, whilst DSA has a healthy enough charter market via TUi but not enough scheduled flights to prevent the airport racking up huge losses. It just proves that DSA was not only unnecessary but it has negatively impacted on both LBA and HUY too.

I agree that 22 flights is really disappointing - a few years ago we had around 37 or so, but then in those days we didn't have around 100 Jet2 departures per week. Overall, LBA has still increased its passenger figures so when you think back to where we were around 2002, we have done well. Just think of the extra routes we have now compared to then?

Looking on the bright side, the airport MD had informed us at the Consultative Committee that increasing the number of charter flights and operators from LBA is one of their highest priorities, but I think we will need to wait a year or two now before anything major happens.

 

[Runway 32]

Don't forget everyone that Jet2 also sells quite large percentage of its seats to various tour operators. I know that it was only at the beginning of last year that Thomas Cook were considering on having a second based unit at LBA in the coming years although this may well have changed due to Jet2 operating on some of their destinations and selling them a percentage of seats.

 

[backtrack]

Looking on the bright side, the airport MD had informed us at the Consultative Committee that increasing the number of charter flights and operators from LBA is one of their highest priorities, but I think we will need to wait a year or two now before anything major happens.

Our airport MD seems to have a lot of high priorities at the moment, it would be interesting to see a list in order of priorities, as flights to Germany and Scandinavia has been mentioned before, more flights to eastern europe, a re-newed link to LHR, flight to Dubai (region) and the biggie...a scheduled flight to New York (perhaps...again region).

I hope he can pull them all off.

 

[White Heather]

So do I. At least he, and his co directors have a track record of doing exactly that in the past at both Bristol and Newcastle.

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi

Thomas cook have been making some yet more changes to there LBA based aircraft summer 2010 programme. Biggest to note is that the Saturday Alicante flight operated by the based aircraft has been dropped. The aircraft will now operate a w-leg from Palma to another UK airport while Thomas Cook will take an allocation of seats on Jet2 Leeds/Bradford-Alicante scheduled services.

Thomas Cook Airlines, LBA Based Airbus A320 schedule for summer 2010

Mondays
TCX862K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 07:00 - Arrives Las Palmas at 11:45
TCX862L = Departs Las Palmas at 12:45 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 17:10
TCX411K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 18:25 - Arrives Dalaman at 00:40*
Tuesdays
TCX411L = Departs Dalaman at 01:40 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 04:00
TCX629K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 07:20 - Arrives Palma at 11:00
TCX629L = Departs Palma at 11:55 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 13:35
TCX651K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 14:50 - Arrives at Antalya 21:05
TCX651L = Departs Antalya at 22:05 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 00:40*
Wednesdays
TCX612K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 07:00 - Arrives Fuerteventura at 11:25
TCX612L = Departs Fuerteventura at 12:25 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 16:40
TCX876K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 17:55 - Arrives Rhodes at 23:59
Thursdays
TCX876L = Departs Rhodes at 01:00 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 03:20
TCX853K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 05:30 - Arrives Zakynthos at 11:05
TCX853L = Departs Zakynthos at 12:05 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 13:50
TCX487K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 15:05 - Arrives Antalya at 21:25
TCX487L = Departs Antalya at 22:25 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 01:05*
Fridays
TCX652K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 05:35 - Arrives Ibiza at 09:15
TCX652L = Departs Ibiza at 10:15 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 11:50
TCX673K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 12:50 - Arrives Mahon at 16:20
TCX673L = Departs Mahon at 17:20 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 18:55
TCX152K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 19:55 - Arrives Dalaman at 02:05*
Saturdays
TCX152L = Departs Dalaman at 03:05 -Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 05:25
TCX486K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 07:05 - Arrives Palma at 10:40
TCX486L = Departs Palma at 18:15 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 19:55
TCX146K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 21:10 - Arrives Bodrum at 03:05*
Sundays
TCX146L = Departs Bodrum at 04:05 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 06:20
TCX483K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 07:35 - Arrives Monastir at 10:50
TCX483L = Departs Monastir at 11:50 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 15:15
TCX654K = Departs Leeds/Bradford at 16:15 - Arrives Larnaca at 22:55
TCX654L = Departs Larnaca at 23:55 - Arrives Leeds/Bradford at 02:55*

Thomas Cook is also taking an allocation of seats on the following Jet2 scheduled services

Alicante-Costa Blanca = Saturdays
Arrecife-Lanzarote = Thursdays
Corfu = Mondays
Faro-Algarve = Saturdays
Heraklion-Crete = Tuesdays
Malaga-Costa Del Sol = Sundays
Sharm el Sheikh-Egypt = Tuesdays
Tenerife = Tuesdays

 

[White Heather]

It would seem Alicante is really getting the thumbs down these days as an inclusive tour destination. Jet2 and Ryanair between them appear to have virtually killed it off as far as TCX and TOM are concerned.

 

[Runway 32]

Lets hope that all these seat allocations to Jet2 don't kill off the based TCX unit. Its not that long ago that TCX were looking into two based units for LBA operations.

 

[rhinoscrazy]

Why do tcx have there HQ in bradford but don't have Leeds Bradford airport as a major hub or major base personally I think that's a bit weird

 

[pilot_737]

because its not a great airport compared to the ones it does hold a major base!

most of the work done at Thomas Cook Bradford is for Thomas cook signature holidays which are not the mainline charter holidays. That work is done at the Peterborough office, and yet Peterborough doesn't have an airport!
I think at the time, JMC bought the office building knowing that Bradford had a lot of employment potential with a lot of demand for jobs so it seemed a good investment.

also...

Manchester United are based in Manchester but there fan base is from everywhere but Manchester.
BA have a call centre in Newcastle but its hardly a base for them.

 

[White Heather]

This argument has been put forward going back many years to when Intasun Holidays were in business. They were a Bradford based company yet for years concentrated their efforts at other airports. They never based an aircraft at LBA preferring to use the likes of Air Europe, Air Europa, Spantax, Air UK Leisure Hispania etc on W rotations. We have to face the fact that until recently there were plenty of reasons NOT to base at LBA and the local authorities hardly helped with their constant lack of interest in the airport, or the infrastructure. Hopefully the future will bring about more reasons to base at LBA since its location is clearly attractive in terms of local population. It is just a pity it is just high enough to be in the clouds on a regular basis and the runway is at 90 degrees to the prevailing wind for half the year. Despite all this, it's our airport and deserves more from the airlines and particularly tour operators than it currently gets

 

[lbaspotter]

Hi

Specialist tour operator Tagney Tours now have there annual 7 night Leeds & Ripon Diocesans Pilgrimage to Lourdes-Tarbes on sale via there website from Leeds/Bradford Airport for July.

The services Departs LBA on Friday 2nd July and Arrives back a week later on Friday, July 9th

The service is currently planned to be operated by Titan Airways, Boeing 757 aircraft. But this might change closer to the date.