Indeed, East is East...but West is also West!
In my view, QR twice daily is fab news for MAN, This, added to the already advertised 10X weekly by EY plus the EK and Singapore flights prove that there is a long-haul market from N England that isn't / doesn't want to route from LHR.
This, added to the onward connections via FRA, AMS, ZRH, CDG etc exposes BA's misguided view that all long haul from the UK has to go from LHR / LGW.
Can they not see that their current policy is just alienating the majority of travellers North of Birmingham?
But, as I suspect, maybe they and BAA just don't care.
Myopic if you ask me, but hey, what do I know?
Across the pond from MAN is different. Again, you get the feeling that if MAN can support long haul to the east, then it should be able to do to the west to places like Boston, Vancouver, Washington, Montreal, Dallas etc.
But these destinations are a subject to a great deal more - dare I say it? - "regulation" than the non Trans Altlantic routes.
It's just good to know that yet again - and despite the cabal against it - MAN continues to grow its business.