BA & LCY airport
Virgin Blue , I agree with what you have said about there being a demand for a full service carrier on the IOM London route, and you mentioned that interlining was not available with flybe through LGW. However, although this may be true, I dont believe many people would interline at LCY ?? Do you think they would?
Like many UK airports, when BA Connect disappears they will be left with little or no full service carriers.
I hold the view that BA management will have had enough of losing money and hence will avoid going in head to head with other carrriers on future routes. I do agree that Many say GLA is a possibility. It would seem logical. However, I really couldnt see BA cityflyer doing a BHD service. BA lost money for year on the BFS LHR route and cut it weeks after 9/11. BHD LCY is a different route but I just couldnt see it happening.
Under Willie Walsh we see that such careful consideration is given to new routes. The new Calgary LHR route was opened after months of planning. The management will be extremely prudent as to the markets that they choose . With the pressures that exist on short haul routes and yield especially in the London market,BA will in my view open new markets not currently served by other carriers from LCY and they will have a good handle on the markets on there ex LHR routes.
I also must say that I realise BA and Flybe are quite separate airlines, but as BA has a vested interest in the short term at least ( being 15% shareholder), they will not go into conflict on similar rotues, ie a BA IOM LCY route would be poaching LGW IOM passengers from Flybe as well as the existing two competitiors on the the IOM LCY route.
As regards an IOM LHR route , its fate was sealed when it was closed , I cant see it coming back. And to be honest a daily flight would only be token , Bmi for eg hasnt exactly reinvigorated LHRINV since it was reintroduced, LGW continued to be the most popular route.
What are anyone elses views?