Originally Posted by
easyflyer83
I don't want to sound tribal here, I've worked for both LCC and network carriers.
I think there some are being slightly unfair on easyJet. It's not theirs or other LCC's responsibility to boost MAN's route portfolio but to operate where the best returns are. Plus there are a number of easyJet routes that were missing from the airports network.
BIO - No airline on the route
TIV - Totally brand new route
TLV- Maintained route after LS pulled it and when ZB collapsed
BSL-Not operated since the days of Crossair
SXF-Glaring omission to MAN's portfolio
DME-Not operated on a scheduled basis for many years. Unfortunate timing given the struggling Russian economy and sanctions
SKG- Year round service to an important Greek city that is widely used by Greek locals
MRS - Don't think there was much competition ??
RAK - No scheduled competition when it was launched
GRX - No competition
The thing is, some enthusiasts are fickle. If OK, relaunched PRG, AZ began operating to MXP or LY does launch TLV, there will be many with more optimistic views.
I'm sure easyJet will continue to launch routes that are new or underserved at MAN just like they have done with the above list. I have no real knowledge of any new routes but I could see WAW as a possibility i guess now it's on the wider network.
Either way, easyJet operates more of Europes top 10 city pairs than any other airline. IMO, along with MT on long haul and BE on domestic, they are the closest that MAN has to a home carrier and they can't adequately do that by omitting the big pairings of AMS, CDG, MXP, PMI, FAO etc in a bid to ponly chasing thinner or secondary routes.
just to clarify. I wasn’t advocating Easyjet purely go after unserved markets, and indeed, Easyjet have put a few of them on the table, Bordeaux being their latest example.
what I was questioning I said the longevity of some of their other routes in that I don’t believe all of these routes have the staying power for *all* of the carriers on those Routes. I don’t believe Lisbon can support 3 carriers, nor do I believe Budapest can either. Barcelona’s yields may suffer again as I not bełive easyjet will stay at 2 weekly on that route. With these concerns, it may not be Easyjet that suffer, but someone is likely to and that she not good for the bigger picture overall.
fair play to Easyjet for having a go and expansion is most welcome, but don’t forget it’s only expansion if it adds, rather than just replaces something else.