[bluemooner]

MAN to JNB would be a start

[David61]

To many people who travel international from Manchester,there is no such thing as British Airways. They burnt their boats when they left before and since then have shown such contempt for the regions that they’re not wanted any more. London Airways are exactly that-an international airline for London.

If they ever did come back,they’d need to show far more imagination in choice of route-more New York and Chicago are not needed.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=783562]To many people who travel international from Manchester,there is no such thing as British Airways. They burnt their boats when they left before and since then have shown such contempt for the regions that they’re not wanted any more. London Airways are exactly that-an international airline for London.

If they ever did come back,they’d need to show far more imagination in choice of route-more New York and Chicago are not needed.

[/quote]

It’s nothing to do with imagination. The reality is there isn’t demand for point to point long haul international flights from Manchester, outside of a few core destinations like NY or the occasional places like Pakistan which have cultural ties. BA would not be able to fill planes to places like Johannesburg, Dubai etc and it would be a financial disaster.

On the short hauls, maybe, but the LCCs have it sewn up really.

[David61]

If that’s the ”reality”,why has this subject even been mentioned? You have managed to show the same type of contempt that LA has shown regional airports for all this time. As I said before ”they’re not wanted any more”.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=783606]If that’s the ”reality”,why has this subject even been mentioned? You have managed to show the same type of contempt that LA has shown regional airports for all this time. As I said before ”they’re not wanted any more”.

[/quote]

It’s been mentioned because there is a rumour (nothing more) that BA might take over a couple of the AA USA schedules and fly a few holiday routes to Spain.

I can assure you it’s not contempt, just that airlines are in business to make money not provide some sort of social service. If BA thought there was money to be made flying long haul from Manchester they would do it, and a few people with some sort of silly grudge would hardly put them off. However as I indicated earlier that demand doesn’t exist.

I don’t have any skin in the game as I don’t live in the north and I rarely fly BA.

[canucklad]

I always assumed that the 787 would facilitate more creative point to point routes.
So the question I’d ask the good people at Waterside is why they’re only purchased 12 A380’s . Especially when you consider the growth limitations of their home base.

[FDOS_UK]

I tend to agree with David61, the international long haul routes from Manchester are sustainable, as has been shown by other airlines who operate – SimonS1, being southern based, you probably aren’t aware of just how many routes MAN supports, with a huge catchment area of over 20 million – it’s not a small regional airport, like LPL (although Liverpool can be useful for intra European trips).

BA has treated the regions with contempt through the eyes of many, using them for the BACON experiment, before selling the regional division off and there isn’t a place for them at the moment – they would have to open up some routes which are not already covered and their track record suggests this is unlikely.

[SimonS1]

I didn’t say it couldn’t support long haul international routes, I said it doesn’t work on a point to point basis apart from a few exceptions.

Of course airlines like Emirates and Delta can make it work, as they funnel passengers into their hubs. Just like BA do. Completely different model.

If BA could do it profitably they would do.

[Defcon5]

BA would struggle from MAN as the competition is better. The reason it does well ex London is because of its short haul and long haul mix making it attractive and convenient for business travellers in the south east.

Trying to start a long haul operation ex MAN against the likes of Etihad, Virgin and Cathay Pacific wouldn’t work as the product and service is not a patch on these carriers.

On a separate note, 90% of long haul flights that depart the U.K. go from London where 60% of the country’s GDP is generated. There is definitely a market outside of London that demands long haul flights, it just so happens that the national carrier choses to serve it via London rather than offer direct services.

[rferguson]

SimonS1 is right. Nearly all the legacy longhaul carriers at MAN do what BA does at LHR – feed their hubs.
AA – PHL (and seasonal JFK/ORD)
CX – HKG
EK – DXB
EY- AUH
Hainan – PEK
QR – DOH
SQ – SIN
UA – EWR

VS has point to point flights from MAN and many have asked in the past ‘well is Virgin can make a go of it, why not BA’.

BA have never said that they can’t make a go of MAN or any of the other non London airports. What they have said is that they have a limited amount of long haul aircraft and they will always use their resources where they get the biggest return. Unlike VS, BA is not particularly slot restricted at LHR. After purchasing the ex BMI slots they have quite a lot to play with and can quite easily shuffle things around to increase capacity on existing routes or launch new routes. VS doesn’t have this flexibility. It has a limited amount of slots so has to also look at other areas to deploy their resources as they can’t expand their LHR operation.

I think we will eventually see BA return to MAN in some guise. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is a non mainline carrier though – perhaps the second base for the long haul loco airline being launched in BCN!

[ImissConcorde]

rferguson -Words of wisdom, as ever!

[openfly]

@rferguson….

Sounds reasonable that Vuelong start a base at MAN!! 🙂

[Kass]

From an insiders point of view, I know nothing of this Man Base (not that crew being used from LGW is a Man Base) I asked around at Crew planning etc and seems so far its either rumour or they did not want to disclose it.

[drgc]

So TheLion’s original post looks a remarkably prescient prediction!
Maybe a long haul announcement is next?
These seasonal s/h flights from MAN are a very welcome addition for those of us up north. Opening CE prices look fairly reasonable imo (MAN – NCE c.£240 return) given the inclusion of lounge access, F+B and a generous luggage allowance.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=788817]So TheLion’s original post looks a remarkably prescient prediction!
Maybe a long haul announcement is next?
These seasonal s/h flights from MAN are a very welcome addition for those of us up north. Opening CE prices look fairly reasonable imo (MAN – NCE c.£240 return) given the inclusion of lounge access, F+B and a generous luggage allowance.

[/quote]

I disagree. £240 for the same pitch as economy, with no middle seat free (E190). easyJet does a regular service to Nice and one can create the same experience for a lot less than £240. I used U2 to Nice twice last year and got change out of £80 both times, add lounge access at £20, bags at £40, that leaves £100 to buy food and bevs….

Also, as it seems one aircraft will operate a very heavy schedule, the odds of a delay and knock on effects must be higher than normal and render the flights unattractive to me.

Looking in economy (which will need to be fullish for these flights to be successful), let’s consider BA’s advantages over the locos, considering a basic fare and the things that matter to most people.

Food – none
Drinks – none
Baggage – none

The BA brand has been strong, but recent bad publicity is starting the weaken it – added to which BA has offered it’s own operated services from MAN to Europe since 2007 and the brand ain’t that prominwent after 10 years.

I predict that these flights will not be commercially successful, in the long run, unless the value proposition changes.

[Author]

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