Air Southwest
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Bet BA didn't factor the loss of the lucrative LGW handling contract with ASW (£600k per year if dingo is right) into their "business case" for flying LGWNQY. Assume the route would be loss-making anyway with BA's costs - add another 600k loss from the handling contract and the whole idea looks even more bizarre! Either I've lost the plot, or they have!
why would people choose to fly Via plymouth?
Also why do ASW seem to be stopping their latest flight from Marchish?
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Also why do ASW seem to be stopping their latest flight from Marchish?
Rumour going round...and have heard from several different people. They are wanting to expand from CWL (before FlyBe do probably!) Possibly CWL-LGW route?
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Plymouth
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Air Southwest seem to have dropped their prices, Plymouth and Newuqay to London Gatwick are now at £28.00 one way instead of £38.00. Interseting to see that they are comepting with BA.
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Finland
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Dash7 Lover- what's this about BA's Commercial Director having a 'rethink'?
Have they suddenly realised they are going to lose a bundle of money, particularly as the rumours around Gatwick are that BA's handling contract with ASW (£600k per year) is likely to be terminated:
Have they suddenly realised they are going to lose a bundle of money, particularly as the rumours around Gatwick are that BA's handling contract with ASW (£600k per year) is likely to be terminated:
It is a very interesting move by BA and one I can't quite work out, good news in my opinion however I'd like to see our flight earlier in the morning to connect up with our longhauls, in fact one early one late would be great but sadly as we can only utilise a 737 on the route that would be too much.
BA have gone out on a limb with this development, a new route which was dropped only a few years ago and tredding on WOW's toes too all adds up to a very interesting move and I look forward to seeing how this one works out in the end for WOW and BA.
Join Date: Jul 2000
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Interesting development. According to the BA website BA2972 departs LGW1250 arriving Newquay 1350. Departs Newquay 1520 arriving LGW 1620.
Far more convenient timings for me compared with the late-evening FR flights from/to STN.
BA have steadily been expanding into short-haul "leisure" destinations from LGW in the past few years, such as Mahon, Tenerife, Arrecife, Malta, plus many more, previously the domain of charter carriers and/or low-cost airlines, so I would guess that NQY is the latest destination in that category. They can't be aiming primarily at the business market with a single flight in the afternoon, so it's basically aimed at the surfers and other short-break visitors to Cornwall. And why not? If you live south of the Thames (a pretty huge affluent market) LGW makes a much more attractive departure airport than STN. And a direct 737 sounds a better option than a Dash-7 via PLY.
Far more convenient timings for me compared with the late-evening FR flights from/to STN.
BA have steadily been expanding into short-haul "leisure" destinations from LGW in the past few years, such as Mahon, Tenerife, Arrecife, Malta, plus many more, previously the domain of charter carriers and/or low-cost airlines, so I would guess that NQY is the latest destination in that category. They can't be aiming primarily at the business market with a single flight in the afternoon, so it's basically aimed at the surfers and other short-break visitors to Cornwall. And why not? If you live south of the Thames (a pretty huge affluent market) LGW makes a much more attractive departure airport than STN. And a direct 737 sounds a better option than a Dash-7 via PLY.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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BA have steadily been expanding into short-haul "leisure" destinations from LGW in the past few years, such as Mahon, Tenerife, Arrecife, Malta, plus many more, previously the domain of charter carriers and/or low-cost airlines, so I would guess that NQY is the latest destination in that category.
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Looks like Big Malcolm 'the' Naylor is packing his bags now too!
If he's giving up and leaving Air Southwest before the battle has begun then who do we have to guide us forward??
If he's giving up and leaving Air Southwest before the battle has begun then who do we have to guide us forward??
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Feel sorry for ASW.
Europe's biggest LC airline, BMIBaby and one of the world's biggest airlines are competeing with ASW.
They are doing a fantastic job in keep the competition going, an I wish them all the luck in the world!
What they have done for the South West is amazing. Picking up the BA dropout and turning Newquay and Plymouth into excellent regional hubs.
Congratulations to all involved with ASW. Keep flighting and all will be ok!
Europe's biggest LC airline, BMIBaby and one of the world's biggest airlines are competeing with ASW.
They are doing a fantastic job in keep the competition going, an I wish them all the luck in the world!
What they have done for the South West is amazing. Picking up the BA dropout and turning Newquay and Plymouth into excellent regional hubs.
Congratulations to all involved with ASW. Keep flighting and all will be ok!
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Join Date: Nov 2005
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Ref turnround time I agree 90 minutes is strange.
This might have a reflection on the return Gatwick slot?
There was some talk that this flight was one nicked from the Jersey route but it does not look like it as bookings are still being taken.
So they must have found a spare aircraft to run down to Newquay and back.
This might have a reflection on the return Gatwick slot?
There was some talk that this flight was one nicked from the Jersey route but it does not look like it as bookings are still being taken.
So they must have found a spare aircraft to run down to Newquay and back.
Join Date: Jan 2007
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I think it is more than just a roumour.... B.A have dropped the sixth aircraft rotation to JER, easily allowing this route to op. Incidentally, Mainline have been reducing aircraft, with a couple of B737-500s returned last year. I can see the Saturday flight being very popular with the tourist market, but this won't really help B.A, will it? ASW still have the best range of times for business people. It will be interesting to see if B.A try and stick it out.
Join Date: Feb 2007
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I've been quietly watching the discussion in this thread about BA operating LGW-NQY, in slight puzzlement but in the hope that all would become clear. But I remain completely confused about why BA are doing this!
As a BA shareholder, I'm actually more interested in it from the point of view of BA rather than ASW (and I suspect ASW will be largely unaffected by this anyway as they offer a high-frequency service on the route, which is presumably what the market wants, rather than a once-daily off-peak service).
So, this is the same BA that struggles to make money on shorthaul generally - and particularly on domestic routes like LON-MAN, LON-NCL (dropped?), LON-JER etc. And the same BA that couldn't make money on LGW-NQY when they operated it before, even though it was operated by a subsidiary with much lower costs.
And yet now they suddenly think this makes sense even with "BA Mainline" costs. And with a 100+ seat aircraft. And when only going for the leisure market (off-peak, one-a-day schedule). AND when they have a 90-minute layover at NQY!
So they are allocating valuable assets (aircraft and crew) for about four hours of its operating day, to operate a low yield flight to Newquay and back.
Is it just me, or does this make no sense?!
Are they just doing this in order to hang onto a slot at LGW which they don't need for something else? And if that's the rationale, is it really worth the cost (as this is bound to lose a pile of money) in order to hang onto an off-peak LGW slot??
A couple of other contributors mentioned about them losing the ASW handling contract at LGW as a result of this move. Surely it's no surprise that ASW would terminate the contract, which others suggest is worth half a million a year to BA's bottom line. Surely the bright things at Waterside would have anticipated this loss, and factored it into their financial analysis of operating to NQY?
If they just want to protect the slot, wouldn't it be much cheaper for them to sub-contract ASW to keep it warm for them rather than operating a mainline 737??
Lots of questions, and no answers. I've lost the plot!
Fellow ppruners...... am I missing something?????
As a BA shareholder, I'm actually more interested in it from the point of view of BA rather than ASW (and I suspect ASW will be largely unaffected by this anyway as they offer a high-frequency service on the route, which is presumably what the market wants, rather than a once-daily off-peak service).
So, this is the same BA that struggles to make money on shorthaul generally - and particularly on domestic routes like LON-MAN, LON-NCL (dropped?), LON-JER etc. And the same BA that couldn't make money on LGW-NQY when they operated it before, even though it was operated by a subsidiary with much lower costs.
And yet now they suddenly think this makes sense even with "BA Mainline" costs. And with a 100+ seat aircraft. And when only going for the leisure market (off-peak, one-a-day schedule). AND when they have a 90-minute layover at NQY!
So they are allocating valuable assets (aircraft and crew) for about four hours of its operating day, to operate a low yield flight to Newquay and back.
Is it just me, or does this make no sense?!
Are they just doing this in order to hang onto a slot at LGW which they don't need for something else? And if that's the rationale, is it really worth the cost (as this is bound to lose a pile of money) in order to hang onto an off-peak LGW slot??
A couple of other contributors mentioned about them losing the ASW handling contract at LGW as a result of this move. Surely it's no surprise that ASW would terminate the contract, which others suggest is worth half a million a year to BA's bottom line. Surely the bright things at Waterside would have anticipated this loss, and factored it into their financial analysis of operating to NQY?
If they just want to protect the slot, wouldn't it be much cheaper for them to sub-contract ASW to keep it warm for them rather than operating a mainline 737??
Lots of questions, and no answers. I've lost the plot!
Fellow ppruners...... am I missing something?????
Join Date: Sep 2004
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aircraft parked = not earning money
aircraft flying and covering its trip costs = chance to make money
air south west traffic = opportunity for big BA
BA traffic = lower fares than ASW
BA traffic = less traffic on ASW
BA fares = ASW unable to compete so drop frequency
ASW drop off-peak frequency = BA win leisure market to NQY
OR
the timing of BA's announcement and Ryanair's muffled re-gurgitated complaints about NQY fees last week suggest BA had been primed by NQY to expect Ryan to announce a pull-out.
aircraft flying and covering its trip costs = chance to make money
air south west traffic = opportunity for big BA
BA traffic = lower fares than ASW
BA traffic = less traffic on ASW
BA fares = ASW unable to compete so drop frequency
ASW drop off-peak frequency = BA win leisure market to NQY
OR
the timing of BA's announcement and Ryanair's muffled re-gurgitated complaints about NQY fees last week suggest BA had been primed by NQY to expect Ryan to announce a pull-out.