Happy New Year everyone, hope 2018 is a good one for UK aviation. Brexit and political factors will play a role.

Link to previous thread:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1374027

Many thanks for this! Onwards to a great year

Easyjet have added Seville and Jersey to their route offerings from EDI from S18. Both 2x weekly I think.

BA are offering a new 1 x weekly service to Florence from EDI.

QR will upgauge the DOH-EDI route from 788 to A359 in S18 most likely to boost J and Cargo capacity.

TUI have added a weekly Antalya to it's summer 18 schedule for Cardiff Airport and a weekly Dalaman to Norwich Airport. Both will use a non based carrier.

Due to slot constrains at AMS and more profiable slot use to other destinations, KLM are reducing S18 frequencies to the Northern UK:

- INV from 2x to 1x daily - except July + August 2x daily.
- MME from 3x to 2x in July & August
- NCL from 5x to 4x daily
- EDI from 6x to 5x daily - except July + August 6x daily
- GLA from 4x to 3x daily - except Sat & Sun + July & August 4x daily

These freed slots will be used by KLM to operate:
- AMS-NTE = new route 3x daily
- AMS-LCY from 7x to 8x daily.
- AMS-HEL from 3x to 4x daily
- AMS-GDN from 1x to 2x daily

hibtastic wrote:

Easyjet have added Seville and Jersey to their route offerings from EDI from S18. Both 2x weekly I think.

BA are offering a new 1 x weekly service to Florence from EDI.

QR will upgauge the DOH-EDI route from 788 to A359 in S18 most likely to boost J and Cargo capacity.

Have the loads on the EDI route held up since the political situation in Qatar?

bergkampsticket wrote:

hibtastic wrote:

QR will upgauge the DOH-EDI route from 788 to A359 in S18 most likely to boost J and Cargo capacity.

Have the loads on the EDI route held up since the political situation in Qatar?

The last few months loads haven’t been great but I’ve been told by those with a bit of inside information that there is a strong case for more J and cargo capacity. The A359 is the perfect fit as it offers this with not too much more Y capacity which isn’t needed at the moment. In the summer though, when the A350 starts, the loads have been decent.

Good to hear, thanks.

factsonly wrote:

Due to slot constrains at AMS and more profiable slot use to other destinations, KLM are reducing S18 frequencies to the Northern UK:

- INV from 2x to 1x daily - except July + August 2x daily.
- MME from 3x to 2x in July & August
- NCL from 5x to 4x daily
- EDI from 6x to 5x daily - except July + August 6x daily
- GLA from 4x to 3x daily - except Sat & Sun + July & August 4x daily

These freed slots will be used by KLM to operate:
- AMS-NTE = new route 3x daily
- AMS-LCY from 7x to 8x daily.
- AMS-HEL from 3x to 4x daily
- AMS-GDN from 1x to 2x daily

The INV route will be operated by KLM mainline on the 737-700 for most of the year, with the second flight of the day in July, August and September operated by an E-Jet so overall capacity will be similar.

Overall capacity is one thing but the loss of the second daily year round KLM flight to Amsterdam is a loss to Inverness, having two daily flights is obviously more of an ideal situation.

Does anyone have any information for any new routes or airlines for East Midlands, my local airport?

Just seems to always tick along as a very heavy Ryanair station.

Thanks!

Some new east midlands routes
TUI airways
East Midlands – Dubrovnik eff 03MAY18 1 weekly 737-800
East Midlands - Montengro eff 03MAY18 2 weekly 737-800
East Midlands - Antalya eff 04MAY18 1 weekly 737-800

Thomas Cook
East midlands - Hurghada (begins 9 February 2018) no other info

all off route news on google and wiki

I believe Thomas Cook are starting Hurghada in february and TUI are starting Antalya and Dubrovnik in May. As for Ryanair there is still a chance of something from them i suppose.

factsonly wrote:

Due to slot constrains at AMS and more profiable slot use to other destinations, KLM are reducing S18 frequencies to the Northern UK:

- INV from 2x to 1x daily - except July + August 2x daily.
- MME from 3x to 2x in July & August
- NCL from 5x to 4x daily
- EDI from 6x to 5x daily - except July + August 6x daily
- GLA from 4x to 3x daily - except Sat & Sun + July & August 4x daily

These freed slots will be used by KLM to operate:
- AMS-NTE = new route 3x daily
- AMS-LCY from 7x to 8x daily.
- AMS-HEL from 3x to 4x daily
- AMS-GDN from 1x to 2x daily

KLM going 8 daily to LCY. Impressive. Now if someone asked me off the cuff to say how many daily flights they ran to LCY I'd of settled around 4.

Qatar Airways have released flights from November 2018 onwards for Cardiff Airport.
Flights will be 5 weekly on Monday's, Tuesday's, Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's.
Monday's and Friday's 07.30-12.10 DOH-CWL CWL-DOH 14.40-00.40
Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's 01.05-05.45 DOH-CWL CWL-DOH 07.05-17.05

Jerry123 wrote:

Qatar Airways have released flights from November 2018 onwards for Cardiff Airport.
Flights will be 5 weekly on Monday's, Tuesday's, Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's.
Monday's and Friday's 07.30-12.10 DOH-CWL CWL-DOH 14.40-00.40
Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's 01.05-05.45 DOH-CWL CWL-DOH 07.05-17.05

Is this down from daily?

Arion640 wrote:

Jerry123 wrote:

Qatar Airways have released flights from November 2018 onwards for Cardiff Airport.
Flights will be 5 weekly on Monday's, Tuesday's, Thursday's, Friday's and Saturday's.
Monday's and Friday's 07.30-12.10 DOH-CWL CWL-DOH 14.40-00.40
Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's 01.05-05.45 DOH-CWL CWL-DOH 07.05-17.05

Is this down from daily?

Yes

BHX

Route wise a good start to the year for BHX after the disappointment of Icelandair with these showing as new this week: -

VLM Antwerp Monday - Friday from 12 February into BHX at 12.35 out at 13.05

Primera Chania 73H short season 30 July to 10 September in 16.10 out 17.45 and it appears to a Copenhagen based aircraft not BHX based

TUI return to Enfidha weekly from Friday 4th May all summer departs 06.00 returns 13.05 believed to be a 73H. TUI have also doubled Hurghada adding a Friday flights plus a high season night Ibiza making 17 TUI flights plus an away based Antalya with all 8 based fully utilized, Enfidha did come at the expenses of Venice which was new and only on sale a few weeks which was all a bit strange.

BHX - Thomas Cook winter 2018/9.

No doubt from the Monarch fall-out but Thomas Cook have three based aircraft next winter up one.

No new flights other than Enfidha operates November, December and January whereas it has yet to start this winter (next month). The third aircraft in some systems showing as an A320 but still good to sea a claw-back of services. TFS, ACE and FUE all increase with an extra frequency and Antalya is schedule to operate all winter which I think has only happened once before.

Primera have two destinations on sale next winter (AGP & BCN) but still waiting for Transatlantic.

Scottish brewer, BrewDog are going to be opening up bars at Edinburgh & Manchester airports (as well as Barcelona).

Stansted has a handful of long haul flights starting this year, I hope many more to come

Come on Gazdon being a fellow Stansted fan boy you could have elaborated more just in case others weren't aware

PRIMERA to Boston, Newark, Toronto

EMIRATES daily to Dubai with a 3 class B77W.

Along with current seasonal flights by Thomas Cook to Cancun, Las Vegas, Orlando

TUI have pulled all long haul flights from Stansted for summer 2018 which is quite a disappointment for the airports long haul ambitions but hopefully MAG and STN can secure a link with China as their next new long haul destination.

Oh wow, I thought TUI was doing really well with there Long Haul from STN, I was not even aware they have stopped.

Well you need to keep more upto date then considering that it's your local airport!

I actually thought that you worked at Stansted or at least had done!

Although it was announced about a year ago that TUI were discontinuing long haul from STN for summer 2018 it doesn't hurt to just check Wikipedia now and again!

News at NWI Airport.

BMI Regional will no longer sell seats on the ABZ-NWI route as of the 11th February 2018.

Eastern Airways is also closing their base at NWI and wet leasing BMI to operate the ABZ route on their behalf with the Eastern /Flybe flight numbers using an ERJ 135/145 as demand dictates.

T3 will also be reducing its J41 fleet on scheduled operation with 5 aircraft operating for the coastguard.

Flights from Carlisle Airport with Stobart Air are due to commence from 04th June 2018 it's been announced. Link below

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/Date- ... f994bf3-ds

Cheers

Ben

Regarding TUIs decision to pull long haul flights from STN.

Has anyone heard any reasoning behind this? They did seem popular.

D.

TUI's Antalya route for Cardiff will be operated by Freebird Airlines on Mondays and the Friday Dalaman flight will also be operated by them.
AYT-CWL 16.45-19.25 CWL-AYT 20.25-02.45 FHY591 and FHY592
DLM-CWL 06.00-08.20 CWL-DLM 09.20-15.30 FHY593 and FHY594

trent900 wrote:

Regarding TUIs decision to pull long haul flights from STN.

Has anyone heard any reasoning behind this? They did seem popular.

D.

Maybe it has something to do with Emirates starting a daily (?) service this coming June. Better to focus on Gatwick where they, TUI are an established player (good old Britannia Airways).

Will be interesting to see if the likes if Qatar Airways offer a service from STN, too.

Btblue wrote:

trent900 wrote:

Regarding TUIs decision to pull long haul flights from STN.

Has anyone heard any reasoning behind this? They did seem popular.

D.

Maybe it has something to do with Emirates starting a daily (?) service this coming June. Better to focus on Gatwick where they, TUI are an established player (good old Britannia Airways).

Will be interesting to see if the likes if Qatar Airways offer a service from STN, too.

Your probably right about the focus arounf Gatwick, but the EK service hasn't even started, nor are they going after the same traffic.

Btblue wrote:

trent900 wrote:

Regarding TUIs decision to pull long haul flights from STN.

Has anyone heard any reasoning behind this? They did seem popular.

D.

Maybe it has something to do with Emirates starting a daily (?) service this coming June. Better to focus on Gatwick where they, TUI are an established player (good old Britannia Airways).

Will be interesting to see if the likes if Qatar Airways offer a service from STN, too.

Why would an impending start of EK to DXB have any effect on TUI which is a inclusive holiday company that previously flew long haul flights from STN to the holiday destinations of Cancun, Las Vegas, Montego Bay and Sanford?

TUI officially announced that they were not going to offer long haul from STN in May 2017 and that they would concentrate their London long haul operations at LGW.

EK announced in December 2017 that they intended flying from DXB to STN that's 7 months difference between the EK announcement and the TUI press release in May 2017.

TUI and Thomas Cook for that matter are two totally different operations to EK and both cater for a total different market and neither would overlap or compete in any way so no comparison whatsoever.

That doesn't mean that they won't return at some point but Thomas Cook were already active and established in those markets so TUI didn't have a large share of the business to warrant the continuation of their long haul operation at STN.

With regards to Qatar I was personally expecting them to announce STN before the EK announcement but after Qatar had recently obtained their seventh daily slot at LHR I knew it wasn't time for STN but I am very happy with the fact that EK are going to 'finally and well overdue' fly from DXB to STN.

As I mentioned in my earlier post I can imagine that MAG and STN will be looking towards the east for further long haul expansion with the hope of obtaining a link to China with one of the Chinese carriers and possibly Scoot from Singapore if they eventually expand further into Europe after recently announcing TXL.

Cunard wrote:

Btblue wrote:

trent900 wrote:

Regarding TUIs decision to pull long haul flights from STN.

Has anyone heard any reasoning behind this? They did seem popular.

D.

Maybe it has something to do with Emirates starting a daily (?) service this coming June. Better to focus on Gatwick where they, TUI are an established player (good old Britannia Airways).

Will be interesting to see if the likes if Qatar Airways offer a service from STN, too.

Why would an impending start of EK to DXB have any effect on TUI which is a inclusive holiday company that previously flew long haul flights from STN to the holiday destinations of Cancun, Las Vegas, Montego Bay and Sanford?

TUI officially announced that they were not going to offer long haul from STN in May 2017 and that they would concentrate their London long haul operations at LGW.

EK announced in December 2017 that they intended flying from DXB to STN that's 7 months difference between the EK announcement and the TUI press release in May 2017.

TUI and Thomas Cook for that matter are two totally different operations to EK and both cater for a total different market and neither would overlap or compete in any way so no comparison whatsoever.

That doesn't mean that they won't return at some point but Thomas Cook were already active and established in those markets so TUI didn't have a large share of the business to warrant the continuation of their long haul operation at STN.

With regards to Qatar I was personally expecting them to announce STN before the EK announcement but after Qatar had recently obtained their seventh daily slot at LHR I knew it wasn't time for STN but I am very happy with the fact that EK are going to 'finally and well overdue' fly from DXB to STN.

As I mentioned in my earlier post I can imagine that MAG and STN will be looking towards the east for further long haul expansion with the hope of obtaining a link to China with one of the Chinese carriers and possibly Scoot from Singapore if they eventually expand further into Europe after recently announcing TXL.

I was thinking along the lines of more people building their own package trips using scheduled airlines and traffic heading eastward (Asia etc). Granted, I didn't consider the Caribbean and westward travel - and that's a good point.

You're clearly far more in the loop than I am, thanks for the detailed explanation.

Not everyone is going east for their travels and EK will in a market of it's own at STN not only people heading for DXB as their final destination but also generating a lot of transfer traffic at DXB.

Where as TUI and Thomas Cook are both long established in house airlines for their respective inclusive tour operations with Thomas Cook now the only player in that market flying long haul from STN to the Caribbean and the USA and are absolutely in a totally different market to EK starting DXB to STN.

There is absolutely no comparison, people have been dynamic packaging their holidays for years and I have done myself for the last twenty years but there are those that still prefer the whole package holiday experience that the two major holiday companies cater for.

Depending on EK's success Qatar are bound to follow them into STN within 3 years. I also think the catalyst to starting STN was to get the new F suites into their busiest and most important market as quickly as possible.

Talking of UK secondary airports, can EK get the 787-10 into Bristol? I think it may be too long even though the -9 goes to Bristol with TUI.

Arion640 wrote:

Depending on EK's success Qatar are bound to follow them into STN within 3 years. I also think the catalyst to starting STN was to get the new F suites into their busiest and most important market as quickly as possible.

Talking of UK secondary airports, can EK get the 787-10 into Bristol? I think it may be too long even though the -9 goes to Bristol with TUI.

TUI have never used the 787 9 into BRS it's always the 787 8. I doubt very much EK will use the 787 10 as i doubt it could operate from BRS and there is a rival service starting at CWL. Also with BRS there is no runway extension mentioned in the Master plan consultation either.

Jerry123 wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Depending on EK's success Qatar are bound to follow them into STN within 3 years. I also think the catalyst to starting STN was to get the new F suites into their busiest and most important market as quickly as possible.

Talking of UK secondary airports, can EK get the 787-10 into Bristol? I think it may be too long even though the -9 goes to Bristol with TUI.

TUI have never used the 787 9 into BRS it's always the 787 8. I doubt very much EK will use the 787 10 as i doubt it could operate from BRS and there is a rival service starting at CWL. Also with BRS there is no runway extension mentioned in the Master plan consultation either.

Well that pretty much answers the question if TOM can't get the -9 into BRS like I previously thought.

If the runway did get extended it wouldn't stop EK operating to BRS even with QR at CWL. Anyhow looks like QR have the monopoly for the time being.

Does anyone know if Glasgow will ever get the A380?

Thanks

Arion640 wrote:

Jerry123 wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Depending on EK's success Qatar are bound to follow them into STN within 3 years. I also think the catalyst to starting STN was to get the new F suites into their busiest and most important market as quickly as possible.

Talking of UK secondary airports, can EK get the 787-10 into Bristol? I think it may be too long even though the -9 goes to Bristol with TUI.

TUI have never used the 787 9 into BRS it's always the 787 8. I doubt very much EK will use the 787 10 as i doubt it could operate from BRS and there is a rival service starting at CWL. Also with BRS there is no runway extension mentioned in the Master plan consultation either.

Well that pretty much answers the question if TOM can't get the -9 into BRS like I previously thought.

If the runway did get extended it wouldn't stop EK operating to BRS even with QR at CWL. Anyhow looks like QR have the monopoly for the time being.

I don't think that there is any possibility to lengthen the runway at BRS due to it's altitude and geography and the fact that it slopes at one end of the runway.

I don't think Emirates even know the answer to that question let alone anyone on a.net!

Obviously in due course Glasgow will but for now your have to wait like everyone else until Emirates officially announces it.

Cunard wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Jerry123 wrote:

TUI have never used the 787 9 into BRS it's always the 787 8. I doubt very much EK will use the 787 10 as i doubt it could operate from BRS and there is a rival service starting at CWL. Also with BRS there is no runway extension mentioned in the Master plan consultation either.

Well that pretty much answers the question if TOM can't get the -9 into BRS like I previously thought.

If the runway did get extended it wouldn't stop EK operating to BRS even with QR at CWL. Anyhow looks like QR have the monopoly for the time being.

I don't think that there is any possibility to lengthen the runway at BRS due to it's altitude and geography and the fact that it slopes at one end of the runway.

I thought it would be possible to extend it out into the common. The road however would have to be re routed.

Obviously the other end which overlooks the sea isn't going to happen.

That could well be a possibility and the only way that the runway at Bristol could be lengthened but the airport hasn't made any comments in the past about doing so and seem to be content with what they already have but obviously an extension to the runway would be an advantage but other than the cost I think there are other factors in play as to why it hasn't been proposed plus the taxiways and aprons are not ideal for widebodies even though TUI operate their B788's out of Bristol there are limitations due to it's wingspan.

Arion640 wrote:

Cunard wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Well that pretty much answers the question if TOM can't get the -9 into BRS like I previously thought.

If the runway did get extended it wouldn't stop EK operating to BRS even with QR at CWL. Anyhow looks like QR have the monopoly for the time being.

I don't think that there is any possibility to lengthen the runway at BRS due to it's altitude and geography and the fact that it slopes at one end of the runway.

I thought it would be possible to extend it out into the common. The road however would have to be re routed.

Obviously the other end which overlooks the sea isn't going to happen.

I believe up to 500 metres extra is possible but that would require bridging the A38 and moving onto Felton common. As long as the current owners are in charge i don't think the runway will be extended due to they may well feel it's not value for money.

December Stats 2017 for Cardiff Airport.
80,045 passengers used the airport up 10% on 2016. The rolling year for 2017 was 1,464,180 up 8.9%.
Top 5 routes for December 2017
1. Amsterdam 11,571
2. Dublin 8043
3. Edinburgh 7985
4. Tenerife South 6447
5. Alicante 6062

Top 5 routes by % growth for December 2017
1. Bridgetown +104%
2. Chambery +88%
3. Berlin TXL +59%
4. Anglesey +57%
5. Munich +37%
Just short of 1.5 million for 2017!
Should get over 1.6 million for 2018 but probably not 1.7 million though.

How many departures were there to Bridgetown? (presumably even one extra could give a ridiculous percentage rise?)

by738 wrote:

How many departures were there to Bridgetown? (presumably even one extra could give a ridiculous percentage rise?)

There were 2 flights to Bridgetown.

An article has appeared on the ch-aviation website that suggests Ryanair might consider starting flights from the currently closed Manston Airport in Kent if the site ever re-opens as an operational airport again. KLM also mentioned within said article - link below for anyone whose interested.

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... it-reopens

Mods - wasn't sure this warranted own thread so hope posting here is ok?

Ben

CrawleyBen wrote:

An article has appeared on the ch-aviation website that suggests Ryanair might consider starting flights from the currently closed Manston Airport in Kent if the site ever re-opens as an operational airport again. KLM also mentioned within said article - link below for anyone whose interested.

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... it-reopens

Mods - wasn't sure this warranted own thread so hope posting here is ok?

Ben

Was the KLM route doing well before the airport closed?

CrawleyBen wrote:

An article has appeared on the ch-aviation website that suggests Ryanair might consider starting flights from the currently closed Manston Airport in Kent if the site ever re-opens as an operational airport again. KLM also mentioned within said article - link below for anyone whose interested.

https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... it-reopens

Mods - wasn't sure this warranted own thread so hope posting here is ok?

Ben

Prepare for "London Manston Airport".

Themotionman wrote:

Was the KLM route doing well before the airport closed?

KLM operated AMS-MSE for just 13x months from April 2013 to April 2014 - 2x daily with Fokker 70 aircraft, until the airport closed all of a sudden.

The airline carried over 48.000 passengers on the route or about 4.000 per month, which averages to just under 40 pax/flight.

If MSE were to re-open, it is unlikely KLM will re-open the route, as slots at AMS are scarce.
The airline is already dropping frequencies to Northern UK destinations in S18, to increase frequencies elsewhere in the network and to open AMS-Vaxjo and AMS-Nantes.