[VintageKrug]

Mobile phones AND internet access, you say? Very 21st century. Who knew.

[AMcWhirter]

Not sure about Phuket + Vietnam. There is the competition from the indirect carriers and, besides, Vietnam Air’s service ex-LGW hasn’t gone as well as expected. Is there enough business there for BA ?

According to this report, Vietnam Air is only achieving a 60% load factor on its London route.

http://www.anna.aero/2012/03/21/vietnam-airlines-target-south-east-asias-number-2-carrier-by-2020-as-fleet-more-than-doubles/

[skyguy79]

Hey Sparkyflyer, indeed Lahore is the place to be seen in Pakistan !

Here is the official Lahore page on the PTDC page ( Pakistan Tourism Development Council ) http://www.tourism.gov.pk/lahore_punjab.html

With slogans like : It’s Pakistan, It’s Beautiful

and
Pakistan..see the unseen,

PTDC are trying hard to make Pakistan a destination of choice. Of course International media just focus on the bad hence why people don’t want to visit this otherwise developing and in some cases developed gem.

http://www.mylahore.co.uk/catering.html

[LeTigre]

BA could swap the 777s at LGW for a couple of 767s converted from EU configuration and there would be extra capacity at LHR in two ticks.

Harare is hardly an emerging market, security concerns aside and is a waste of useful capacity. That said though, more flights to Africa would not be uneconomic, I’ve heard Malawi and Rwanda are doing well at the moment, Uganda may work too.

[RichHI1]

I think a balance of growing existing markets where there is demand together with new markets. 1-2% growth is going to yield more growth than a recession. Need to balance opportunity with risk.
If the US is so 20th century does that make Europe so 14th Century? As for the connections with the Middle East…
It would be a mistake to ignore US, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia and other traditional routes, they should be balanced with BRIC and other emerging markets.

[skyguy79]

VK, I wondered when you would come in to the debate ! What with you getting free access to Asian Babes and also making other unnecessary comments , here you are attacking me again ? I do wonder how old some people on this forum are ? My point was that Pakistan is as ahead in the world as any other country. I know people in the UK that can’t string a sentence together,count to save themselves and who think Austria is in Poland. Yet I have met so many bright,talented people in Pakistan who just don’t have the chance to shine….

[sparkyflier]

Le Tigre just so you know, BA already servees Uganda, to the airport in Entebbe ( a fair drive from the capital, Kampala). I think it is 5 767s a week, and does well. KLM and Brussels also fly most days I think. About Kigali, Rwanda, it is served by Star Alliance (SN)and Skyteam (KL) but not yet Oneworld.

Malawi is an interesting point, BA went years ago, then dropped it.

[skyguy79]

Nairobi, Tel Aviv, New York ,London…all have security issues..doesn’t stop airlines flying there though ! Turkish, who already fly to 2 and soon 3 points in Pakistan, are even starting Somalia for goodness sake !

[RichHI1]

But they are both part of Greater Germany er I mean the EU.

[sparkyflier]

Is that the soon to be renamed Merkelalia?

[AndyInSweden]

@ RichHI1 – 25/04/2012 14:47 GMT

Hahaha! Loved your post 🙂

[Vertrek]

I would say Indonesia (Jakarta and Bali)

KLM offers daily flight to both Jakarta (via KUL) and Denpasar, Bali (via SIN) it shows that there is an increase in demand for travel to/from Indonesia, not to mention the recent visit from UK’s David Cameron to Jakarta to “strengthen” business ties between 2 nations.

I would think BA should tap the market with 3 or 4 direct weekly flight to Jakarta and be the first to offer non-stop direct flight to Europe from the capital in almost a decade, and tag DPS to one of their SIN bound flight.
It is time for them to create brand awareness in that region as Indonesia is a big market.

[craigwatson]

skyguy – Re Pakistan.

The reason european airlines pulled out of Pakistan was not just security on the ground ( although that was a part of it ), but more down to security of the airways. Nobody trusts ATC in Pakistan, quite a few pilots have refused in the past to fly that route due to airspace/airport safety concerns, and it hasnt got any better in recent years, so I cant see BA going there anytime in the near future.

[LeTigre]

The routes are also well served by PIA who will be upgrading the route with 77Ws in a few years.

[Binman62]

Indonesia via SIN not. Starter for BA. The yelild ex SIN and DPS CGK for the short leg are all ready very low. 4 seats in business 1 way from Bali on KLM less than $1000 US when booked at start of this year. M class was just $455 all in.
Would love to see BA to DPS but unless there is a more imaginative route can’t see it happening. HKG could be an option but traffic rights might be an issue.

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