peace on the Eastern Front??????
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
peace on the Eastern Front??????
Seen today that Eastern Airways are to cancel their proposed route between Aberdeen and Groningen following both theirs and bmi's announcements to launch it.
This now means that bmi regional will have the route, and the Scottish funding, to themselves......
Considering they compete on so many markets including the famous Norwich Aberdeen, I would have though that neither one would want to 'surrender' to the other one......
can we expect other changes now??????
is anyone out their who works for Eastern who can shed some light on this change?????
Seperatly, the article mentions that Eastern will instead look at a tourism route like Copenhagen - but isn't this against Easterns strategy of cahrging high fares only for business links??? And is a Copenhagen link really warrented from ABZ???
This now means that bmi regional will have the route, and the Scottish funding, to themselves......
Considering they compete on so many markets including the famous Norwich Aberdeen, I would have though that neither one would want to 'surrender' to the other one......
can we expect other changes now??????
is anyone out their who works for Eastern who can shed some light on this change?????
Seperatly, the article mentions that Eastern will instead look at a tourism route like Copenhagen - but isn't this against Easterns strategy of cahrging high fares only for business links??? And is a Copenhagen link really warrented from ABZ???
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Posts: 301
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did notice in Flight a few weeks ago that Shell were tendering for a jet service Aberdeen-Groningen, in the region of 50 seats, with Shell guaranteeing something like 70 returns per week. Maybe BMI won the tender?
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like there should be some questions in the Scottish Assembly about the whole issue of Route Development Funds. If Shell is looking to tender someone to fly the route surely that should be sufficient for an airline to fly it without "state" funds. Also if two airlines are offering to fly the route do they share the fund? Does anyone know how many routes were set up with Route Development Funds and how many have been discontinued? Of those that continue how are they performing?
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Escaped from Aberdeen
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Local information is that both operators will enjoy the start up subsidy, much to the amazement of all concerned at the airport.
bmi Regional pulled off NWI/MAN, thats another route they decided to go head to head with Eastern on. Are they going to compete on WIC next ?
As for GRQ, Eastern have been operating this route for past few months initially as sole use charter for Shell with J41, then ER4 via NWI as an extension to their schedule.
bmi Regional pulled off NWI/MAN, thats another route they decided to go head to head with Eastern on. Are they going to compete on WIC next ?
As for GRQ, Eastern have been operating this route for past few months initially as sole use charter for Shell with J41, then ER4 via NWI as an extension to their schedule.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
brabazon
Not sure where you would find an Assembly - probably at Hampden park every few months ... but that is another subject.
The Scottish Parliament has approved the Scottish Executive to adminsister the highly useful Route Development Fund.
Yes I believe they do. The money is allocated on an individual business evaluation. Neither of these airlines will receive as much in total as the new Emirates service to Dubai.
There are now 19 or 20 routes which have been established and I don't believe any have been discontinued. One then assumes the routes are doing well though there may be some questions about an odd route by DUO.
All in all an excellent use of public money to prime the new routes and generate over a hundred million pounds worth of inward tourism.
Sounds like there should be some questions in the Scottish Assembly about the whole issue of Route Development Funds.
The Scottish Parliament has approved the Scottish Executive to adminsister the highly useful Route Development Fund.
if two airlines are offering to fly the route do they share the fund?
Does anyone know how many routes were set up with Route Development Funds and how many have been discontinued? Of those that continue how are they performing
All in all an excellent use of public money to prime the new routes and generate over a hundred million pounds worth of inward tourism.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There have been one or two routes which have to some extent failed. I think Germania recieved RDF money to start PIK-TXL, but that one didn't last long. Additionally, Germanwings recieved funding to start a daily EDI-CGN, but I understand the funding was withdrawn after they decided to make this route summer only (it seems that routes must be year-round to qualify for the fund).
Apart from that, the rest have done all right (EDI-EWR is still to start), although as Findo says one or two of the EDI Duo routes were rumoured to have very poor loads, at least initially.
With respect to 2 operators starting up on the same route, the Executive are apprently obliged to fund both under European rules. I think they both get the same amount as they would have got if there was just one of them operating the route, but I don't know for sure.
I would say the main criticism that the RDF fund has recieved in Scotland is the fact that the vast majority of new routes supported have been from EDI and to a lesser extent PIK. Only one from GLA has been suporrted, and until this GRQ fiasco, none from Aberdeen. Given the location of the parliament in EDI there were of course accusations of Edinburgh bias and politicians using the fund to facilitate easy access from EDI to Europe for their taxpayer funded jaunts!
Apart from that, the rest have done all right (EDI-EWR is still to start), although as Findo says one or two of the EDI Duo routes were rumoured to have very poor loads, at least initially.
With respect to 2 operators starting up on the same route, the Executive are apprently obliged to fund both under European rules. I think they both get the same amount as they would have got if there was just one of them operating the route, but I don't know for sure.
I would say the main criticism that the RDF fund has recieved in Scotland is the fact that the vast majority of new routes supported have been from EDI and to a lesser extent PIK. Only one from GLA has been suporrted, and until this GRQ fiasco, none from Aberdeen. Given the location of the parliament in EDI there were of course accusations of Edinburgh bias and politicians using the fund to facilitate easy access from EDI to Europe for their taxpayer funded jaunts!
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Germania service did not receive funding. The Germanwings was not funded either so there have, so far, been no failures on startup routes which in itself is an impressive statistic.
The fact that GLA has not seen many new routes is probably an indication that it was well served by the current route structure and scheduled services. The "criticism" is only from local Glasgow politicians and some GLA spotters, neither of whom have any logical case.
The new funding is encouraging airlines to start up routes which are desired but may take a little time to become profitable. Exactly what Scotland has needed for years.
The fact that GLA has not seen many new routes is probably an indication that it was well served by the current route structure and scheduled services. The "criticism" is only from local Glasgow politicians and some GLA spotters, neither of whom have any logical case.
The new funding is encouraging airlines to start up routes which are desired but may take a little time to become profitable. Exactly what Scotland has needed for years.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Germania service did not receive funding. The Germanwings was not funded either so there have, so far, been no failures on startup routes which in itself is an impressive statistic.
However, I accept that the frequency reductions may have happened so early in their respective operations that they may never actually have recieved any money.
