Thats one of the few good things Ive heard you say about MAN
I think Manchester is a great airport, I think the people are much friendlier than London but I try not to let my heart rule my head. For the love of God they're certainly more pro-aviation, but if I'm being honest being a Scot, I see the "local" effect in place a lot that I saw back home.
Bear in mind Company X flying from A to B is NOT the same as Company X making money flying from A to B. I don't see how a small-ish home market like New Zealand can make money flying direct to Manchester.
It's not about
taking the cream of the crop
or
a star carrier wanting take their share of the market
It's about making money, having a return on investment and a dividend for shareholders. I grant you it's possible they might start the service. Seeing it pay is another matter entirely.
I have little doubt marketing have been pushing for it as I work in analytics and some of the stuff marketing comes out with is from the planet of "blue sky thinking". to put it mildly. The danger is they end up filling a B777 to LAX or YVR with good Y fares with not enough onward connections to NZ. I suspect the NZ option would remain more attractive (i.e. cheaper) on a new A380 via DXB. Actually I got the A380 wrong, I thought MAN would not be up there so quickly but happy to be wrong on that score. I'm not anti MAN, just anti dartboard route planning. I see too much of that at work.
Yes we dont know about yields but that is a flippin large number!
Big numbers on BA from LHR to Australia but even with LHR's good yields it's still a loss maker for them.
Skipness, I know if none of the above happens you will be first to say 'told you so', but for now can you at least spare a little benefit of the doubt, as even analysts can missjudge things.
I hope that's not something I have ever said. If I have said that, it's unworthy of good debate and I apologise. However I refuse to get caught up in the orgasmic fanboy speculation of other places.