Is this good use of a scarce LHR slot for a holiday route already served by the same airline from LGW and MAN? Perhaps only straggly pairs of slots but doesn't support the R3 and greater regional connectivity case.
Why are we banging on about LHR on the MAN thread again? It’s like the battles of the 1980s never end! Virgin understandably need to use their slots, they’re hardly scarce if they’re already yours and a valuable tradeable commodity on a “use it or lose it” basis. Winter flying is pared well back to keep losses low, the 787 fleet is looking like a glider squadron at the min and hence serving a LHR-BGI on a tactical basis is all upside in the Northern Winter peak for this market. I think we all know LHR slots are not as scarce as some pretend.
Be fair now. You can see why some airports might see a LHR link as the answer to their problems, they’re probably wrong unless they get BA (INV) AND they get the nightstopper they need for business (unlike LBA). Ringfencing slots isn’t commercial, it’s politics, just like airport expansion everywhere. Is it worth trying? I think so. Will it impact MAN? No, because it probably won’t work !
The only non BA carrier who I think who could make new regions to LHR work is the orange one that were looking at T4 as a loco operation and recently decided that even though they loved SXF they also wanted a big piece of TXL! Not sure this would affect MAN much either.