ABERDEEN
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Thanks ATIS31. Certainly been plenty fixed wing charters for Eastern & Loganair up to the north at the moment what with all the work going on both on & offshore. Have noted Denim Air have also been used up to Sumburgh, presumably with FK50.
I know Heli Holland have been to ABZ a couple of times in recent years for a short term contract, but the appearance of NHV in this sector of the UKCS does interest me given it a 332. Could we see 4 (or more??) heli operators again for the first time since the early 80s? Especially as decommissioning in itself could be a lucrative & long term industry - plenty work to go round?
I know Heli Holland have been to ABZ a couple of times in recent years for a short term contract, but the appearance of NHV in this sector of the UKCS does interest me given it a 332. Could we see 4 (or more??) heli operators again for the first time since the early 80s? Especially as decommissioning in itself could be a lucrative & long term industry - plenty work to go round?
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It appears airBaltic will not be running any flights in W14 which is disappointing since flights were bookable until recently.
Flights are presently bookable for S15 though so appears to be a Seasonal route from here on in. Disappointing nonetheless.
Will have to see if they change their minds again...
Flights are presently bookable for S15 though so appears to be a Seasonal route from here on in. Disappointing nonetheless.
Will have to see if they change their minds again...
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Capt D, I saw your comments in 'another place' in response to the question about the canned AZAL ABZ-GYD route.
If the average loads were around the 50-mark, a shame we couldn't get an all-business service on a suitably configured BBJ or ACJ...or even a G550/Global Ex. Perhaps a classic example of how difficult it can be to match an aircraft to an ABZ route, particularly a niche one.
But of course, that conversation has been had in an earlier time with regards to the same place SVG will shortly have a route to!
No particular surprise to me about airBaltic, but we'll see.
If the average loads were around the 50-mark, a shame we couldn't get an all-business service on a suitably configured BBJ or ACJ...or even a G550/Global Ex. Perhaps a classic example of how difficult it can be to match an aircraft to an ABZ route, particularly a niche one.
But of course, that conversation has been had in an earlier time with regards to the same place SVG will shortly have a route to!
No particular surprise to me about airBaltic, but we'll see.
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Flybe
Flybe launches ?hop on hop off? shuttle service
Of all the potential routes Flybe may or may not have been talking to Aberdeen about, I'm not sure a thrice daily M-Sa 'bus stop' style JER-SOU-LBA-ABZ route from Oct was one that came to mind.
Of all the potential routes Flybe may or may not have been talking to Aberdeen about, I'm not sure a thrice daily M-Sa 'bus stop' style JER-SOU-LBA-ABZ route from Oct was one that came to mind.
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Hmm.... Interesting news and possibly a good way to open up LBA & SOU where they're is not quite enough demand to support a standalone route. Will be interesting to see how this pans out. Surprising frequency as well.
Probably safe to say ABZ-JER isn't the target market here!
Meant to add this will likely spell the end for the Eastern flights to SOU and quite possibly LBA as well, especially if FlyBe are matching or beating frequency.
Probably safe to say ABZ-JER isn't the target market here!
Meant to add this will likely spell the end for the Eastern flights to SOU and quite possibly LBA as well, especially if FlyBe are matching or beating frequency.
Last edited by CaptainDoony; 26th Jun 2014 at 21:11.
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Are BACF still to fly the LCY route this winter? Saw one post elsewhere that suggested ABZ was to be axed to free up aircraft for their new LCY-DUB route, as well as the increases in freq to GLA & EDI.
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Grim
And to compound this latest bad news, LHR will be reduced for the most part from 56x weekly in W13 to just 48x weekly this coming Winter.
The winter really is looking grim so far with BA cutting back considerably, EI chopping 3 weekly rotations, LH well down, BT not operating.
Will probably help Virgin if anything although I did note last Tuesday they had 122 on their last Northbound while my (3 hours late!
) BA A321 only had 105. Still, would be interesting to see who is making more money.
The winter really is looking grim so far with BA cutting back considerably, EI chopping 3 weekly rotations, LH well down, BT not operating.
Will probably help Virgin if anything although I did note last Tuesday they had 122 on their last Northbound while my (3 hours late!
) BA A321 only had 105. Still, would be interesting to see who is making more money.
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Good morning.
What I find most frustrating is that the business community bang on about connectivity, yet when routes are there they are not used in sufficient numbers for the airline to justify it's continuation or, in BACF's case, even it's presence at the airport. I had a feeling about LCY when I read about BACF increasing freqs at EDI & GLA but a silence re ABZ.
So when the businesses are talking about connectivity what they're really talking about is HEATHROW.
And what about airport bosses? What of them? It will be frustrating gaining & losing routes & freqs with such regularity, but what are the costs of operating to ABZ? Still expensive I'll bet.
And of course, we have the catchment area. Whilst we are lucky to be in one of the most successful areas of the UK commercially, and the current populations of city & shire are growing, they are clearly insufficient to support many of the routes. I saw a recent article that reported upon the number of empty seats on Aberdeen routes. I can't recall the figures, and it's the same to a lesser or greater extent everywhere of course, but it was considerable.
I can certainly see reductions in pax numbers this winter, simply by dint of the withdrawal of routes or reductions in freq of others.
How many times have the business community been told - use it or lose it.
What I find most frustrating is that the business community bang on about connectivity, yet when routes are there they are not used in sufficient numbers for the airline to justify it's continuation or, in BACF's case, even it's presence at the airport. I had a feeling about LCY when I read about BACF increasing freqs at EDI & GLA but a silence re ABZ.
So when the businesses are talking about connectivity what they're really talking about is HEATHROW.
And what about airport bosses? What of them? It will be frustrating gaining & losing routes & freqs with such regularity, but what are the costs of operating to ABZ? Still expensive I'll bet.
And of course, we have the catchment area. Whilst we are lucky to be in one of the most successful areas of the UK commercially, and the current populations of city & shire are growing, they are clearly insufficient to support many of the routes. I saw a recent article that reported upon the number of empty seats on Aberdeen routes. I can't recall the figures, and it's the same to a lesser or greater extent everywhere of course, but it was considerable.
I can certainly see reductions in pax numbers this winter, simply by dint of the withdrawal of routes or reductions in freq of others.
How many times have the business community been told - use it or lose it.
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LCY is largely for businessmen sourced from the City & Canary Wharf - not too many rig hands around there and the connectivity is poor, especially for long distances - better to go to LHR or AMS
oddly there isn't much traffic to Aberdeen from the bankers - they deal with Head Office and not many oil companies have their head offices in Aberdeen
A well known UK Bank closed its oil & gas lending operation a few years back as the big boys were esentially self financing and the small guys only wanted up to £ 100 mm a project - and that didn't generate enough fees (only maybe £ 3 mm a shot) to make it worthwhile
Companies were referred to their local branch manager...................
oddly there isn't much traffic to Aberdeen from the bankers - they deal with Head Office and not many oil companies have their head offices in Aberdeen
A well known UK Bank closed its oil & gas lending operation a few years back as the big boys were esentially self financing and the small guys only wanted up to £ 100 mm a project - and that didn't generate enough fees (only maybe £ 3 mm a shot) to make it worthwhile
Companies were referred to their local branch manager...................
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Frenetic Friday
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp...eir-thousands/
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp...est-year-yet/*
*Nearly 150,000 people have already flown with bmi regional to or from the north-east this year, a 20% increase on 2013
*Corporate hires, leasing to other airlines and ad-hoc charter flights are a growing business for bmi regional and the carrier is dedicating more planes to this work.
*Mr O’Connell said the airline was currently “looking at options” for new routes but would not say if any of them involved Aberdeen
*Bmi regional’s current load factors were the highest since the business changed hands just over two years ago
*The twice daily weekday service to Bristol will soon grow to two flights a day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays and three on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
bmi seem bullish enough, which is good.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp...est-year-yet/*
*Nearly 150,000 people have already flown with bmi regional to or from the north-east this year, a 20% increase on 2013
*Corporate hires, leasing to other airlines and ad-hoc charter flights are a growing business for bmi regional and the carrier is dedicating more planes to this work.
*Mr O’Connell said the airline was currently “looking at options” for new routes but would not say if any of them involved Aberdeen
*Bmi regional’s current load factors were the highest since the business changed hands just over two years ago
*The twice daily weekday service to Bristol will soon grow to two flights a day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays and three on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
bmi seem bullish enough, which is good.
Ba drops ABZ LCY
With Ba using Embraers on the Rotterdam LCY route instead of the leased Eastern Saab2000.
British Airways London City ? Rotterdam Aircraft Changes from mid-Sep 2014 | Airline Route
"British Airways from 15SEP14 is changing operational aircraft on London City – Rotterdam route, which sees Embraer E170 operating, replacing Eastern Airways Saab 2000 aircraft. This route is served 25 times a week."
Could ABZ-LCY be a new route for Eastern and their spare Eastern Saab?
British Airways London City ? Rotterdam Aircraft Changes from mid-Sep 2014 | Airline Route
"British Airways from 15SEP14 is changing operational aircraft on London City – Rotterdam route, which sees Embraer E170 operating, replacing Eastern Airways Saab 2000 aircraft. This route is served 25 times a week."
Could ABZ-LCY be a new route for Eastern and their spare Eastern Saab?
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Is there sufficient demand/yield for someone else like Eastern, bmi or Cityjet to come in?
BA came in to spike Cityjet's announcement of LCYABZ. For that reason alone, I hope someone else thinks it's worth starting as opposed to just 'spoiling' tactics.
Speaking of BACF, wonder if we'll still see them on summer IT routes to Spain.
Mind you, I remember Stansted. KLM axed it when they took over Air UK... & the route to this day has never returned. That was over 15yrs ago.
BA came in to spike Cityjet's announcement of LCYABZ. For that reason alone, I hope someone else thinks it's worth starting as opposed to just 'spoiling' tactics.
Speaking of BACF, wonder if we'll still see them on summer IT routes to Spain.
Mind you, I remember Stansted. KLM axed it when they took over Air UK... & the route to this day has never returned. That was over 15yrs ago.
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I can't see any takers for LCY and especially not Eastern.
What incentive is there to fly in a cramped, rattletrap Saab 2000 that takes 30 minutes longer than a jet and with Eastern's pricing pay probably 100% extra for the privilege?
Central London can be reached quickly from LHR anyway if you use the Heathrow Express.
I'd much rather see Virgin grow to sustainable levels than have some thorn join in on the action.
What incentive is there to fly in a cramped, rattletrap Saab 2000 that takes 30 minutes longer than a jet and with Eastern's pricing pay probably 100% extra for the privilege?
Central London can be reached quickly from LHR anyway if you use the Heathrow Express.
I'd much rather see Virgin grow to sustainable levels than have some thorn join in on the action.