NY to Doha via Manchester From the Daily Mail today:
"The New York to Doha flight had already completed about two thirds of its journey"
Is Manchester two-thirds of the way along the route from NY to Doha? Both route and distances don't seem to add up here. Anyone care to comment?
Would expect it to be halfway so checked on GCM, and it is, as near as.....
JFK-DOH via MAN is also only 2 mi. longer than a great circle route.
Typical sloppy journalism?
I'm with you Cornishsimon, but I suppose never say never. Interesting times ahead as airlines realise more and more short / mid term growth can't be achieved from London.
Indeed, and another reason for IAG to buy EI if the opportunity arises.
Interestingly it seems if you put your ear to the ground that BA/AA JV is worried by the potential of DL/VS at MAN, and waterside are considering defensive action. Depending who you talk to that 'could' include action at MAN by BA themselves !! Sounds mad I know, and I personally doubt it as I can't see any success here for BA, but seems the least that is happening is BA is considering it's options regarding MAN.
Much of the former BA network at MAN, BHX, GLA, etc. was shorthaul point-to-point plus a little trans-Atlantic.
Competition from the no frills carriers on shorthaul from the 1990s onward made these routes unprofitable for BA and it withdrew.
As for trans-Atlantic, it was better for one world partner AA to feed its USA hubs from BHX, GLA, MAN, etc., and this later this became a joint venture.
Longhaul for BA ex MAN would only work with feed. BA only fly to LHR with the sunair services as a bonus.
To make it work ex MAN I suspect IAG would need to buy flybe and use them to feed a longhaul operation.
A deal of some sort with BE would have another advantage: BE have smaller aircraft that also would work on thin routes feeding MAN.
There seems to be growing rumours that VS are looking at MAN-LAX, and, while I cannot confirm if it is true, apparently new crew are being told MAN-ATL and MAN-LAX are the 2 new routes MAN will see.
Maybe VS have concluded at it cannot expand at LHR.
Is VS going to abandon much of its non-USA network?
Is VS having difficulty competing with BA on non-USA routes?
Will VS become a trans-Atlantic carrier only (USA, West Indies)?
Will VS end up doing trans-Atlantic to/from several UK airports?
Is the clue in the name: Virgin
Atlantic Airways?