Sorry to pour cold water on your optimism (I must stop doing this!!!)....but.....
Re MAN...very little cargo will be carried once this flight fills up (pax wise) as it will be so payload restricted both ways particularly in the Summer ex DOH when temps are in the 40's. Would it be more logical whilst MAN loads are low to try and route them via FRA instead on the "certain Londons". I agree not a good time to lauch a European service (mostly will be UK Asians who use it anyway)....intra gulf & subcontinent will, i guess, be largely unaffected by the perception of the war.
Ref MNL...I originally heard they were looking to mount a 1 class nonstop service to MNL using a 332...however in reality what will happen with a 2 class service is that there will mostly be few J class and they will dilute the product, like they do on routes like DAC for example where we serve sub standard food for the labour traffic (no offence to them intended) and its invariably a 1 class service although its advertised as a 2 class. How can we compete with people like EK who change their configs but keep half decent food. Even the Catering Manager (now left) agreed on that one!
Ref SYD...originally the routing was planned via CGK (not CMB) with an hour 20 turnaround with departure ex SYD only 20 mins before the non-negotiable curfew. Connections on the way back were not very good to Europe as I remember. The good old payload restricted A300 would op that. Don't know whats happened since then...but thats good planning for you!
Ref FCO..an idea put forward by new Country Manager Italy which was considered, approved and schedule issued all within 3 days.....but thats good market research for you!
Well done MF you surpassed yourself...particularly with the news that the Italians havent approved it. Interestingly MAD or Malaga was on MF's board as an extention of CMN as was (at one time) a new direct service DOH to Havana...I'm sure they'll be very popular!!
As a footnote...seeing all the coverage of the war and seeing profiles of Saddam with his fear culture, pyramid system of rule, everything being approved by him only etc...remind you of anyone??? Maybe AAB's read Saddams autobiography!!!