MAN has a host of routes announced for Summer '14 yet there are many on this thread who still don't think that's enough
Just to add, I should hope everyone does think that 'this is not enough'.
Now, not in the spoilt 'we want more sense', but, in that the routes team should never be resting on their laurel's thinking their work is done for the summer.
While the new route and increase tally is pretty impressive for 2014, there are still some gaps that could be filled.
Realistically, I would hope that the following had a decent chance, so my personal wish list:
Miami: AA are strong at MAN, they have the BA joint venture, a good leisure route, offers good connections to the Caribbean and South America. If rumours are to be believed, then the route could be making an appearance this winter.
Madrid: Im still convinced Iberia could make some money on this route if they put a half arsed effort into it. To see the route regularly attracted 80-100 per day each way with NO advertising at all, just imagine if a full marketing campaign got behind it!
Hong Kong and Beijing: Has been discussed a lot lately so will not go into that again
Mumbai: Apparently BOM airport are trying to get Jet Airways to start the route, which, with the Etihad joint venture, they have said they will open. There is a sizable Indian community in the North West, and with one of the Middle Eastern giants on-side, could be done.
Bucharest: Nice city, slightly increased migrant flows, no route from the UK north of London, need I say more. Also, having served MAN before, TAROM know where MAN is, or, dare I say Ryanair as they are growing at MAN and now serve Bucharest from STN/DUB.
Kiev: BA seems to get a fairly steady flow of passengers on MAN-LHR-KBP, and those are the ones using BA. Who knows how big the market is. Maybe not open the route right now given the issues in Kiev right now, but, one for the future.
Phuket: By all accounts Thomson have done well on LGW-HKT and are looking into adding a weekly MAN flight, although I do not know how far along that is. There was a press release about it at the Thailand end but cannot find it now.
Anyway, Im sure people have their own list and hopefully it seems realistic given my reasons attached to each route rather than just reeling off a list with no explanation as to why a route would work.