MP appears to be right, in that the official BA line on regional longhaul ops is simply: not economically viable (or viable enough)-at the moment.
It is very easy to talk about the success of companies such as Emirates
et al at MAN, but the fact is, that operating one or two a/c a day to an overseas destination, is a slightly different ball-game to setting up an entire regional longhaul op. from MAN etc.
The potential exposure is very different.
BA would be looking to set up at least 10 LH a/c at MAN, with frequencies to match.
The fact that LHR and others are now seriously congested, does not of course, help anyone.
I do agree fully with others, who note the benefit of using KLM or Air France from the regions, and connecting at CDG thereafter.
I personally use AF from Birmingham to fly to Luanda, Angola.
The following question was asked at the most recent BA shareholder meeting:
Q: Could you come back to hubs and the future? First, where do you see Manchester in the British Airways network and, secondly, looking a little further ahead, do you believe there is a need for, or what are the benefits of, having another hub somewhere in continental Europe from your perspective?
I know that Rod said in the longer term there is a need for one. What do you think that that brings to you as network planning?
A:Robert Boyle: I will try to answer that without getting myself into deep water, so you will permit me to be a little cagey on some aspects of that.
Clearly, Manchester is an important market for us, not least because we take a large amount of premium traffic over our London hubs and onto longhaul destinations.
There are many gold card-holders who travel every day on the Manchester shuttle, so Manchester is an important marketplace for us. We have also put a lot of network in and continue to do so to provide point-to-point services shorthaul out of Manchester.
It is a tough market and we need to get our costs right and to use the right equipment type and, as I have said, the market is going in the direction of regional jets there.
Those bits are clear and every time Manchester Airport come to see me, I am asked the question how about a nice hub in Manchester, we have a second runway etc. It has never seemed to us a very compelling business case and certainly not one that we are contemplating at the moment.
Our strategy at the moment is to develop point-to-point services out of Manchester and, you never know, in future if that proves to be a very profitable and successful base, that is the point at which you might then seek to grow more widely.
However, that is not currently in our plans.
Cheers
AJ
ps-And Air France customer service is a cut above BA's...
[This message has been edited by AJ (edited 13 May 2001).]
[This message has been edited by AJ (edited 13 May 2001).]