SHANNON
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United Kingdom
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I do find it quite strange that two Star Alliance members would start flights to Shannon within a few months of each other. It makes sense for Lufthansa to add Shannon, but Scandinavian have a much smaller European network, and many larger cities are still not served by the airline. If both Lufthansa and SAS are successful, then it'll be great for the airport which relies so heavily on Ryanair. However I'd say that, at best, only one of the routes will be successful, and my bets will be on Lufthansa making the route work. It is interesting, however, that SAS are using the B736 and B737 on the route instead of the CRJ900 which commonly flies to UK destinations, so they must think that the demand is there to make the route work.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ireland nowadays
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I can't say I've ever noticed that many Scandinavian tourists around the place and with only around 5,000 inbound into Dublin from the Stockholm area every summer month, it doesn't seem like the route with the greatest possible potential.
I suppose it is one of the few places we could market to customers on the grounds they can get cheap beer here!
I suppose it is one of the few places we could market to customers on the grounds they can get cheap beer here!
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United Kingdom
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It's not just SNN-EWR that's been affected; GLA-EWR has also gone summer seasonal, and BHX-EWR has been scrapped altogether. Looks like United are slowly pulling out of UK and Ireland regional airports, given that BFS and NCL have also been scrapped within the last year.
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Severnside
Age: 35
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So that's Belfast, Birmingham and Newcastle culled by UA in the last year, Glasgow and Shannon on the greasy pole, and Bristol, Gatwick and Stansted binned before that. What does that actually leave around here - LHR, MAN, EDI, DUB? How long before an excuse is made for them?
Certainly looks like United are formidably on the front foot with an aggressive market defence and growth strategy in the face of fresh competition!!
Certainly looks like United are formidably on the front foot with an aggressive market defence and growth strategy in the face of fresh competition!!
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: United Kingdom
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United seem to be using their B752s a lot more on their transcontinental domestic routes. This could be a reaction to American and JetBlue introducing the A321T on their transcontinental services.
Meanwhile, a few old domestic B763s have been reconfigured for transatlantic routes.
Either United don't think that UK/IE regional routes could sustain B763 operations, or they simply don't have enough aircraft to retain all of their transatlantic routes whilst ramping up their transcontinental service.
Once the B737 MAX 9 and MAX 10 are delivered, we could see the return of some of these routes.
Meanwhile, a few old domestic B763s have been reconfigured for transatlantic routes.
Either United don't think that UK/IE regional routes could sustain B763 operations, or they simply don't have enough aircraft to retain all of their transatlantic routes whilst ramping up their transcontinental service.
Once the B737 MAX 9 and MAX 10 are delivered, we could see the return of some of these routes.
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Ireland
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Possibly, still find their enormous cuts quite unusual. Especially for an airline that had such a presence on TATL.
Question though, what benefits does a winter cut have? They hardly run a transcontinental service for a few months? I understand the BHX/BFS type cuts where the service is removed completely and the aircraft can be used elsewhere, but a winter cut to nothing for a few months, the aircraft will hardly be used elsewhere?
Question though, what benefits does a winter cut have? They hardly run a transcontinental service for a few months? I understand the BHX/BFS type cuts where the service is removed completely and the aircraft can be used elsewhere, but a winter cut to nothing for a few months, the aircraft will hardly be used elsewhere?
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: thelandofnod
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Presume if it is loss making at a DOC level during these months it is more beneficial to park, or it could be for maintenance purposes! Winter cuts can be quite beneficial..
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ireland nowadays
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If their thinking is to wait for the 737 MAX, they'll find someone else has come in on just about every route that demonstrates decent profits. They'll be left with a clear run at the marginal routes.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
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United were never in the UK/ROI regional scene with the exception of a short stint at GLA in 1993-95. These cuts are all ex CO routes and CO was in many of these markets mainly as they were excluded from LHR. Times change. Aircraft are the most mobile of assets and will be deployed where they can make the most money, so even if a route is proftable, there can be a good case for moving the asset.
All heavy maintenance is done over the winter so pulling a few less profitable routes to allow these birds to be grounded for up to 6 weeks each makes sense in some ways. They're getting old and need increasing amounts of TLC.
Join Date: Oct 2015
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It looks like a convenient excuse for united to pull the service and blame it on poor performance or let people think it's because of Norwegian - either way it's a huge blow to lose one of their long standing legacy carriers for the winter - was always going to be a reaction by the big guys to Norwegian entering the market - problem is what happens if they pull the winter services - unlikely united be back
