TPM totally agreed.
A dozen more 738 or 32x weekly movements across the European Mediterranean North Africa and those Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic Islands will generate more revenue in the shops carparks and indeed in airport fees paid than a daily 788 to anywhere.
And that doesn’t even need any more based aircraft.
This fascination with long haul routes by media, politicians and some enthusiasts alike completely missed the point that aviation is about making money and not fantasy distant and perhaps glamorous destinations on some departure board.
Bristol is doing remarkably well at the moment and fortifying indeed expanding the range of short haul routes is a priority of the business imho.
As for legacies well remember they are typically looking at 30 to 40 % transfer traffic over their hubs, whilst the flexible fares carriers model busts that with far more point to point routes to places people and particularly tourists actually want to go to.
Again concentrating focus on this flexible fares carriers bring with it real choice and depth rather than three flights to Paris a day taking away the potential revenue.
Like it or not I am afraid a significant section of Bristol’s potential catchment to the east of the city region in particular, can be driven away with extreme ease to Heathrow and Gatwick being just a few hours away and leisure travellers are fickle when those so called deals offered via the consolidators today are on the table.
Peoples buying profiles have changed beyond belief these days, customers might look at Easy or Ryan’s web sites, and the likes of Trivago Expedia and then just possibly the legacies.
Of course British Airways branding remains robust but leads you to where again- Slough Maidenhead and Splethorne regional !
Last edited by Rutan16; 14th Apr 2018 at 14:20.