Manchester a lost opportunity?

Does any hold my view that VS have really missed out on an excellent opportunity with its lack of interest in manchester? Bmi have entered the market in MAN and are going from strength to strength- whilst u can argue that they have only done so to strengthen there possiblities of routes out of LHR they really are doing an impressive job. With IAD, ORD, ANU, UVF, BGI, LAS and Toronto they are building a rather impressive route network from the north. One wonders how long it will be before they start to sniff around at VS asking for the MC0-MAN route- after VS wont even alocate a decent aircraft to the route. In my view its a shame as it could have been VS operating all those routes out of MAN perhaps using something like the 340 on routes that cant sustain the 744. What do you all think? Missed opportunity to create hub number 2 (o sorry isnt that what MCO is!)?

[HighFlyer]

Im a southerner so wouldnt get to use MAN but i know people who have and yes i do agree, its a shame that VS didnt take over MAN and build up as an airline over multiple airports.

Im sure they have their reasons, unless it was a complete missed opportunity? It would be good to see VS operating in more places, and certainly necessary if they want to go give BA a run for their money.

I do also think its a shame that MAN only has the 742 aircraft, a poor reflection on the LHR fleet, and i do wonder whether many Mancunians who used VS on the odd holiday to MCO think of VS in a non-positive light because of the experiences they have had travelling there?

[mitchja]

quote:Originally posted by HighFlyer

I do also think its a shame that MAN only has the 742 aircraft, a poor reflection on the LHR fleet, and i do wonder whether many Mancunians who used VS on the odd holiday to MCO think of VS in a non-positive light because of the experiences they have had travelling there?

Guess that's why the 742's are going in May 2005, well I presume they are as VS operate a full UC service from May 1st 2005.

Manchester will need to work hard to shake off it's B&S holiday destination image if it want's to compete with LHR...things are slowly getting better with the help of airlines like BMI but even they have not found it easy....look at last year when BMI suspended some of their IAD and CGX flights due to lack of demand in low season. That's also the problem with B&S routes - they tend to be seasonal.

(BTW I live about 40 miles from MAN)

Regards

I hardly think manchester is a bucket and spade destination michtja

I'm a mackem, so I live damn far away from any virginal activity.

that sounds sooo wrong


VS could do a BA affair, poaching on their commuter routes to london.

[mitchja]

What I meant to say was that Manchester airport destinations are more towards the B&S destinations.

More charter passengers went through MAN in 2003 than scheduled flight passengers (9.5million charter pax compared to 7 million scheduled). Ther were also 3 million domestic pax though. I guess the key would be in how many of these domestic pax connected to other international scheduled flights.

Regards

I agree there have been some missed opportunities at Manchester.

I'm sure more routes will be offered from Manchester in the future. When the order for additional A340-600s was announced recently, it was mentioned that some of the 6000 jobs to be created would be Manchester based.

Watch this space!

Yes, watch this space

well jet and declan i hop ur right---is this inside VS info- any idea on destinations? How far away are we talking?

I agree in some respects on the B+S destinations out of MAN jsut look at BMI they fly to 4 holiday destinations out of there 7 long haul services (LAS, UVF, ANU and BGI) though these are more upmarket B+S I guess. But on the other hand scheduled services with MH to Kuala Lumpar, SQ to Singapore, PK to Pakistan, 2x daily with EK to DXB not forgeting BMI + BA and American and Delta services to the US. So perhaps MAN is slowly changing!

If jet and company are correct then will be interesting to see if the new routes are ur more b+s destinations or more scheduled destinations like New York etc.

on a different front-- when will DXB start? Jet u said possibly by xmas using 343 any further developments---strikes me its taken VS a long time to realise they could op to DXB (and Rio- Rio airport asked publically in Airliner World for VS back in 2001 i believe!)

As I live approx 30 mins from Birmingham, (depending how the M40/42 runs or as yesterday doesn't!)I reckon they are missing a big opportunity not using that airport! :D:D

Well prehaps alan u are right but i live only an hour from both BHX and LHR and have no problems whizzing down to LHR. Although i guess if i was 2 hours away in BHX maybe I would. BHX has its advantages too but I dont believe that VS would simply get the load factors out of BHX (dont CO only opertate a 757 to BHX from EWR?)- yes i know B'ham is our 2nd largest city but with LHR being that bit closer I dont believe it would be cost effective. Although EK have once again proved that it can be, daily DXB service is now on a 772 not 330 one wonders how EK do it!

My view is MAN if anywhere is the place for expansion

Although I push newcasle quite a bit, it is a good place for expansion, particularly B&S routes.

the runway is being extended by 300m or so in a few years, or possibly 600, but unlikely. There's plans by Travel city direct to operate a 742 to sanford next summer, operating against the current services by monarch and thomas cook (both A332s)

Plus there's growing business development and all sorts going on up here.

10 years ago, there was only a couple of daily flights by a dash 8 to heathrow, now theres about 6 daily flights both ways, nearly all jam packed A32*/757

There's also a large area avialible to be developed and a growing frieght industry.

*flies the flag for NCL*

(in trhe future I want to fly virgin a/c from newcastle as a living, can't be bothered to fly down to heathrow every other time I go to work )

Hehe maybe we are all getting a little carried away. MAN is most likely for base number 2 out of London thats if they even have plans to!

But Blythy you will be pleased to hear rumour on the grapevine (big rumour--off a.net) CO want to serve NCL with 757 to EWR!!! Yes u read correctly! And before u say anything i no they have just launched services to EDI and serve GLA and MAN!

So come on guys- persume jet and declan are correct that VS will start to expand from MAN where will they go for?!? My views are as follows:

- New York (nothing like head to head with BA and American giants!)
- Barbados (didnt they say they would not too long ago)
- Antigua/St/ Lucia (on a via sys as they did when launching the route from LGW)
- somewhere in far east maybe HKG

quote:Originally posted by willd

But Blythy you will be pleased to hear rumour on the grapevine (big rumour--off a.net) CO want to serve NCL with 757 to EWR!!! Yes u read correctly! And before u say anything i no they have just launched services to EDI and serve GLA and MAN!

w00t! (and there might be a VS codeshare deal in it as well)

first scheduled service to north america for NCL (there's the odd charter every week, but only to orlando and toronto)

well i never thought about the codeshare! CO also interested in re starting EWR-STN and possibly EWR-Bristol!

I think that flyblu will asertain how successful a BHX hub could be.

I've travelled from manchester many times over the years and agree that is is the most logical place for expansion for the north as its close to Birmingham and with good transportation has a large catchment area.