MANCHESTER - 6

[BAladdy]

BA's JFK/MAN in the last year was losing money. The main problem with the route was the 767 didn't not suit the service year round. At times and for most of the year a 757 would have been perfect but this aircraft for BA is not a longhaul aircraft and configuring one 757 for MAN/JFK would have in itself been a waste of money (Something that was looked into). BA changed the aircraft from the one off special configuration with J and M seats to the newer dusk aircraft with AVOD to try a lure pax but they didn't want to pay the fares.

In the Marketing, Commercial and Revenue Management departments at BA the MAN/JFK was well known for a higher number of request by exec card holders to use their redemption tickets on it. Even though revenue management would only put a few seats aside on the flight for these tickets, some pax would waitlist and wait to the day before to see if they could get confirmed at the last minute. If there was seats available 36-48 hours before they would confirm the bookings to boost the load factor.

Yes it was busy going to JFK on a Wed/Thu/ Fri and the odd Saturday and coming back Sat/Sun and Mon. However the other sectors were quiet and the yields on those sector were dire. BA could not get the yields required to run the service profitably.

At the end the flights were going full. When BA announced the route was being axed the people of MAN and the surrounding area started using the route more. However It was too late.

It has been said for a long time " If you are not going to use a route prepare to lose it"

When it comes to MAN future I think the likes of EY and EK are there to stay. VS may scale back there winter ops but MCO will always do well. CO and DL not sure there is a market for them both to survive, but I hope I am wrong.

With SQ adding A380's at LHR and their star alliance partner BMI operating frequent flights from MAN to LHR I think and I hope I am wrong that if any more routes are to go it will be SQ to SIN.