Originally Posted by
Downwind_Left
The fact is airlines have assets. Aircraft. They choose where those very expensive assets will make the most money for their bottom line.
It isn’t that Aer Lingus for example want a new 321NX in DUB for pride, or anything other than to them that’s where it will deliver the greatest financial returns.
Or that BA don’t care about Manchester. The Atlantic JV with BA/EI/IB/AY means they pay a share of the costs. And take a share of the revenue of the EIUK operation. And if it becomes prudent to put a LGW config 777 in I’m sure that would happen if the business case supported it.
Similarly post COVID Virgin consolidated their London network at LHR. They have to sweat their assets. They have to operate every LHR slot, and also one presumes they make more money out of doing so, same as the IAG case.
No airline board sits and says we “need” to fly Manchester to anywhere because there is demand. If using the same asset (aircraft) to add a 15th daily LHR-JFK would make more money, or taking over a 3rd daily LHR-ATL for your owner would make more money.. that’s what you do.
The recent Edinburgh boom is primarily driven by inbound tourism.
Manchesters historically strong Trans Atlantic network was driven by outbound tourism. The days of 777s and MD-11s to ORD, ATL and EWR were not full of inbound tourists. Whatever you think the local tourist boards can do, they can’t force customer behaviour. On a whistle stop tour of the UK, the Manchester region can’t compete with Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, or Edinburgh Castle. Putting the Visit Britain HQ on the threshold of 23R at Manchester wouldn’t change that.
In short, anything that doesn’t go Manchester’s way isn’t a slight on Manchester, but a business doing what business does to maximise return on investment.
About me; I’m Northern. Manchester was my base airport for many years. I’d love to see expansion. But I feel people need to see the wider picture. From the airlines perspective…they’re about maximising profit
A first class and articulate post.
Yes difficult to stomach hard facts but its reasoned analysis which is accurate and difficult to argue against.