ISLE OF MAN
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Isle of Man
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Earlier poster said BA flights stopped 20/5/16 per BA timetable. It now shows the current schedule to end June. and is bookable to 10 July 2016. I'm guessing this is more due to the way the BA system works rather than a planned cessation of service?
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bangor (Gwynedd)
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
it seems like someone is on a wind up
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I notice the EZY LGW to IOM evening rotation continues to be as unreliable as ever. This flight is consistently well behind schedule. At least the BA IOM to LCY continues to be reliable and on time. I just hope they keep it going and people support it!
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Isle of Man
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I use the EZY856 frequently and the OTP is a complete joke. It seems to me that although the easyJet flight tracker service usually blames 'an accumulation of delays through out the day', or some similar banal excuse, this is usually a bare faced lie, as the aircraft is generally more or less on schedule when it gets back to LGW from PMI (its previous rotation) but then seems incapable of getting out again, in the evening rush, without picking up a 30-60 minute delay.
It is no fun arriving at a largely deserted LGW at 11.00pm, I would like to think that the IOM Airport Management are easyJet's case, as, frankly, they are just taking the p!ss out of the IOM travelling public at the moment.
IOMX - I really wish that LCY was a realistic alternative, but, the price differential is too significant for me, and I suspect, for most people. They are targeting different markets and the market BA are in, seems to be shrinking. I think that BA should be more worried about BE to/from STN, as that is where all their passengers are bleeding away to.
It is no fun arriving at a largely deserted LGW at 11.00pm, I would like to think that the IOM Airport Management are easyJet's case, as, frankly, they are just taking the p!ss out of the IOM travelling public at the moment.
IOMX - I really wish that LCY was a realistic alternative, but, the price differential is too significant for me, and I suspect, for most people. They are targeting different markets and the market BA are in, seems to be shrinking. I think that BA should be more worried about BE to/from STN, as that is where all their passengers are bleeding away to.
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi TonyQ. You make an interesting comment regarding the BA LCY route and I fear this is why there is a problem-people seem to have formed the wrong opinion and assumed it is premium. I just took a random date in September-leave London on Friday 25/9 return on Sunday 27/9. Lets look at the cost
BA- £108,52
BE Stansted- £99.38 (add on £18 train fare one way!)
EZY GTW- £110.98 (add on £18 train fare to central London)
I know which offers the best value here. Yes I agree there may be early morning flights that are more expensive even then about £50 difference before £18 cost of travelling into central I factored on so really only about £30. And that's not that much a premium for a well timed regular service with baggage and refreshments.
People need to get out of the doom loop about this route look at the facts and talk it up!
BA- £108,52
BE Stansted- £99.38 (add on £18 train fare one way!)
EZY GTW- £110.98 (add on £18 train fare to central London)
I know which offers the best value here. Yes I agree there may be early morning flights that are more expensive even then about £50 difference before £18 cost of travelling into central I factored on so really only about £30. And that's not that much a premium for a well timed regular service with baggage and refreshments.
People need to get out of the doom loop about this route look at the facts and talk it up!
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Rawtenstall
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The BA route also offers some great connections via LCY, with checked though luggage a no-cost option. Recently traveled to both DUS and PMI, and with luggage the through tickets worked out less expensive than Easyjet or Germanwings alternatives. Trying MAD in a few weeks, and FLR looks possible. Pity that though connections are not better promoted by BA.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ellan vannin
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi TonyQ. You make an interesting comment regarding the BA LCY route and I fear this is why there is a problem-people seem to have formed the wrong opinion and assumed it is premium. I just took a random date in September-leave London on Friday 25/9 return on Sunday 27/9. Lets look at the cost
BA- £108,52
BE Stansted- £99.38 (add on £18 train fare one way!)
EZY GTW- £110.98 (add on £18 train fare to central London)
BA- £108,52
BE Stansted- £99.38 (add on £18 train fare one way!)
EZY GTW- £110.98 (add on £18 train fare to central London)
BA flight is £158 with luggage, £138 without
Flybe £79.00 no luggage
EZY £56.00 no luggage
Also the return rail price to Stansted is £16 for that date not £36
and return rail to LGW is £22 not £36
So there is a premium of at least 45% (including the additional railfare) to fly on BA from LCY on those dates, an expensive bag of peanuts I think
I do use it when its the best cost option though, have a flight from GVA booked via LCY as it saves an overnight stay
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Manx crab I can assure you that yesterday evening the BA fare was £108.52. What I did was ensure that the time of the flight options was comparable and if you go back EZY remains at £110.98 and BE £99.98 i.e out from London around 7-8pm back from IOM around 2-3pm. To be fair BA is now reading £138 as you say because there price mechanism will have kicked in i.e they have sold their allowance at the previous rate-good news if you ask me people are buying! The other point is the so called premium that some have quoted on here is 3 times and i have never seen that. And thats my point there is no significant premium. To fly to the heart of London for £138 return is in itself good value especially in the knowledge thats its a reliable 3 times a day service at sensible times.If you want to save £12 (after trains) to take EZY evening flight and get back to London at 12am after an hour plus delay then fine.
My point is people should stop talking it all down and focusing on so called negatives the island needs a well times regular service to the heart of London. And if anyone thinks Stansted is really a London airport then they should stop and consider the time taken to travel up there and navigate through the airport-believe I have done it to go to Denmark and it was no fun!
My point is people should stop talking it all down and focusing on so called negatives the island needs a well times regular service to the heart of London. And if anyone thinks Stansted is really a London airport then they should stop and consider the time taken to travel up there and navigate through the airport-believe I have done it to go to Denmark and it was no fun!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: ellan vannin
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IOMX
I merely took the cheapest available fare on that day as you did not specify flight times. Flybe evening/afternoon fares have risen consideraly since they are currently using a VLM F50 so 28 or so seats less to sell.
I merely took the cheapest available fare on that day as you did not specify flight times. Flybe evening/afternoon fares have risen consideraly since they are currently using a VLM F50 so 28 or so seats less to sell.
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My mistake I should have said I was doing a like for like quote! Its still fair to say that £138 is not an unreasonable cost in my view (compare this to rail travel here in the UK) or that much of a premium for a direct flight to the heart of London. Its also impossible to value time as the EZY and BE add significantly more time to the journey.My point has always been support it or stay quiet don't talk it down and then find the island being only served by a couple of flights a day at unsuitable times. If you personally don't want to use it then that's your choice but let other people make their own decisions based around the facts, If a few more people spoke positively about it to friends and family etc then am sure it would be fine.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: N. Irish Sea
Age: 74
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flights
It is not Stobart. Flybe have wet-leased a VLM F-50 and it is doing various sectors including on the IOM / Manchester and IOM / Stansted routes and other Manchester routes.
For example, at the moment it is doing the first IOM - MAN sector at 06.30. However, this looks likely to be changing shortly as I have bookings on that 06.30 flight for 25 August and it is still showing as a Q400.
The wet-lease also seems to be for at least 7 months as there have already been some notifications to pax of a change of operator and aircraft as far ahead as 28 February 2016.
I have bookings for IOM - MAN on the second rotation on 10 February (a Wednesday) and MAN - IOM on the lunchtime rotation on 28 February (a Sunday) and have been advised by Flybe that these will be operated by VLM's F-50.
The flown sectors and time-keeping of this wet-leased F-50 can be monitored easily here: www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/oo-vlf/
Hope this helps a bit.
Milleriom
For example, at the moment it is doing the first IOM - MAN sector at 06.30. However, this looks likely to be changing shortly as I have bookings on that 06.30 flight for 25 August and it is still showing as a Q400.
The wet-lease also seems to be for at least 7 months as there have already been some notifications to pax of a change of operator and aircraft as far ahead as 28 February 2016.
I have bookings for IOM - MAN on the second rotation on 10 February (a Wednesday) and MAN - IOM on the lunchtime rotation on 28 February (a Sunday) and have been advised by Flybe that these will be operated by VLM's F-50.
The flown sectors and time-keeping of this wet-leased F-50 can be monitored easily here: www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/oo-vlf/
Hope this helps a bit.
Milleriom
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To further prove my point re the lack of a premium for the BA LCY-IOM route I have once again checked out some fares this time for 9th October leaving LCY and returning from IOM on 11th October assuming leave around 7-8pm return Sunday afternoon/early evening
Flybe- £99.98- 3 times a day 1.15mins to centre of London if you are lucky!
BA- £97.52- 3 times a day (invariably on time) right to the heart of London 30 mins on DLR to the centre of London
EZY- £69.88- 2 times a day service (invariably late at least in the evenings) 1 hour to the centre of London if you are lucky!
Add in the extra train fare and as I have said before barely any premium.
For those who read this check the LCY route out and encourage others to consider it too its the best option the island has to London.
Flybe- £99.98- 3 times a day 1.15mins to centre of London if you are lucky!
BA- £97.52- 3 times a day (invariably on time) right to the heart of London 30 mins on DLR to the centre of London
EZY- £69.88- 2 times a day service (invariably late at least in the evenings) 1 hour to the centre of London if you are lucky!
Add in the extra train fare and as I have said before barely any premium.
For those who read this check the LCY route out and encourage others to consider it too its the best option the island has to London.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,781
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IOMX
I'd have to disagree about 1 hour to the centre of London from London Gatwick. Gatwick Express can be less than 35 minutes to Victoria. And you can take a very economical option to Blackfriars or London Bridge. It can be as quick as 42 minutes to either stop.
As an aside, apart from Heathrow express ( and not really relevant for this conversation as no service to LHR ex IOM obviously), for a fast route into central London, Gatwick is super. Interestingly, easyJet from Gatwick is best all round for me. Reasons being pricing of easyJet (competitive), and with easyJet Plus you get priority lane passport control and there is never more than 2/3 in the queue even at busy times... I cannot fault easyJet, they in my opinion provide a great service. Besides I prefer to fly on a jet over a turboprop any day....
I'd have to disagree about 1 hour to the centre of London from London Gatwick. Gatwick Express can be less than 35 minutes to Victoria. And you can take a very economical option to Blackfriars or London Bridge. It can be as quick as 42 minutes to either stop.
As an aside, apart from Heathrow express ( and not really relevant for this conversation as no service to LHR ex IOM obviously), for a fast route into central London, Gatwick is super. Interestingly, easyJet from Gatwick is best all round for me. Reasons being pricing of easyJet (competitive), and with easyJet Plus you get priority lane passport control and there is never more than 2/3 in the queue even at busy times... I cannot fault easyJet, they in my opinion provide a great service. Besides I prefer to fly on a jet over a turboprop any day....
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: N.Ireland
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have to agree with EI BUD as I find EZY service from LGW great and I would recommend the train to London Bridge, much cheaper than gatwick express.
Regarding flight delays in the evening I feel the fault could rest with LGW airport rather than EZY. Operating at virtually peak capacity there is going to be delays on the late evening flights as I have experienced on flights to BFS
Regarding flight delays in the evening I feel the fault could rest with LGW airport rather than EZY. Operating at virtually peak capacity there is going to be delays on the late evening flights as I have experienced on flights to BFS
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
GAZMO ad EIBUD I fear you are both missing some very significant time delays. When the EZY lands at GTW you have to
1) Wait for a bus to take you to the terminal not like LCY straight off the plane into terminal
2) Get the transit train from North terminal to south
3) Trains at LGW do not run every 3 mins like DLR at LCY
From the plane landing at LGW to you getting into the centre of London I have been more than generous at an hour.
And my point about the time delay- invariably 45 mins to an hour on the evening rotation is its a delay to the scheduled time. Whether its GTW or EZY its a delay and it happens a lot!
1) Wait for a bus to take you to the terminal not like LCY straight off the plane into terminal
2) Get the transit train from North terminal to south
3) Trains at LGW do not run every 3 mins like DLR at LCY
From the plane landing at LGW to you getting into the centre of London I have been more than generous at an hour.
And my point about the time delay- invariably 45 mins to an hour on the evening rotation is its a delay to the scheduled time. Whether its GTW or EZY its a delay and it happens a lot!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,781
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why does easyJet IOM LGW need to use a bus to get to the arrivals? It is domestic? When I fly on easyJet domestics like BFS LGW, the a/c normally goes to passenger walkway usually one of the 55's at the North.
London City is fast and convenient as an airport but getting to central London is a slow journey stopping everywhere.. I don't find it pleasurable and typically the price is steep for the flight, though in the example that you have cited is competitive. All that said I don't fly IOM London, so my good experience is on using LGW ex Ireland, or UK domestics and it is in my opinion all round value for money and quick to central London.... Clearly your experience overall is different.
London City is fast and convenient as an airport but getting to central London is a slow journey stopping everywhere.. I don't find it pleasurable and typically the price is steep for the flight, though in the example that you have cited is competitive. All that said I don't fly IOM London, so my good experience is on using LGW ex Ireland, or UK domestics and it is in my opinion all round value for money and quick to central London.... Clearly your experience overall is different.