Originally Posted by
OzzyOzBorn
You exaggerate the extent of the return of US flights to continental Europe, but I do take your point. And even destinations which are back on the map don't necessarily enjoy the original frequencies. The issue which holds back MAN (and LGW, STN, BHX etc.) is geographical proximity to LHR, and in particular that it is accessible from the catchments of these airports by rail, coach and car overland. We discussed earlier why carriers will throw everything at protecting their LHR presence, so I won't repeat the details.
Exaggerate? United will be flying to Bergen, Palma, Tenerife and Naples this Summer, to name a few, as well as the aforementioned increases in core markets. United see more potential in flying to Tenerife than Manchester. However you dress it and whatever reason you want to give, that's a damning indictment of the airport.
Originally Posted by
OzzyOzBorn
As for taking one look at the place and walking away, why haven't Bangladesh Biman, Kuwait Airways, Gulf Air, Corendon, Sun Express, Nice Air, Emerald or Aer Lingus UK themselves done that? They're all recent entrants or imminent new operators at MAN. Fortunately, carriers make decisions based on the business proposition. The whims of a random forum contributor with an axe to grind won't influence their decisions.
Do you really need me to explain why the first five of those airlines you've listed have chosen to fly to Manchester?
As for your analysis on Aer Lingus UK, I'd say you're being naive. It's a Virgin spoiler, nothing more and nothing less. If VS were to collapse tomorrow, Aer Lingus UK would be gone by Monday. Much like the MAN-LGW shuttle to ensure BA are represented in searches for MAN-ISB. IAG probably don't care if their MCO service only has 61 passengers onboard, as that's 61 passengers potentially taken from Virgin. They did the exact same thing with Norwegian in London. As you rightly point out, there is no AA code share on these flights because they're absolutely nothing to do with American, and American have no interest in MAN.