NEWCASTLE - 8

[transwede]

Bulgaria Air to replace BH Air on one of the charters to Bourgas

FB8068 Tuesdays STD1750

[ReadyToGo]

Ground Handling

Gate Aviation have picked up the Viking Airways contract (Formerly Servisair?).

Rumours about Thomson are well founded, Thomson are currently assessing ALL their ground handling across the country, and trying to re-negotiate deals almost everywhere.
IT IS NOT TO DO WITH SERVICE LEVELS, and is NOT to do with finding a new agent, more that they are trying to negotaite a new contract with Swissport. As far as I am aware, they have not opened it up to tender.

RTG!

[CentreFix25]

I can understand that, we're in a recession - most will be looking at their costs.

Didn't realise Viking had a flight out of NCL this Summer - when and where to?

[sunshine79]

Ive just looked at the timetable for the summer and can't see a Viking Airlines flight listed.I've also looked at their website and cannot see NCL listed as an airport they fly from.

[transwede]

I was thinking the same, but maybe if it is onbehalf of an independant tour operator, then seats would not be for sale via Viking website!! Having said that anyone got days of operation and times?

[GeorgEGNT]

Thomson 757

A Thomson 757 arrived last night at around 1am fresh from Canada after having winglets fitted. Too dark to get a photo mind. Sat over on the remote stands to begin flying on the 1st of May for the summer.

[_ShIfTy_]

.

Shifty.

[sunshine79]

That's one good looking aircraft that will be based at NCL. Shame about the name and colour, would have been much better in BY c/s and name.

[ReadyToGo]

Viking flights for the summer.

2x departures weekly, (Some weeks its Heraklion & Bodrum, some weeks its 2x Bodrum). Both with 737-800. Plus a number of odd one-off midweek charter flights using MD83. (Dalaman, Rome, and Cyprus I think... anyone confirm?)

Good luck Gate Aviation... unless they have improved a hell of a lot, Viking are going to be a handful!

RTG!

[sam1993]

Do you know which tour operator Viking are operating these flights for as i can't find any information regarding Viking at Newcastle anywhere

Thankyou
Sam

[transwede]

Viking to Cyprus on a MD83??? That'll be a complete shambles, as they couldn't make HER with full load and bags last year and LCA/PFO is slightly further than Crete!! Do Gate know what they've let themselves in for?

Viking Programme

One off charter to INN 24 Jun
One off charter to PUY 16 Sep
One off charters to VRN 24 May & 27 Sep

All taken from airport website, however no full season charters to Cyprus or Turkey showing, could the aircraft not be a sub for another carrier - Saga Airlines, Onur air...?

[sunshine79]

I believe all their UK based aircraft are B738's this summer, which are ex-XL birds. No mad dogs in the UK this summer.

[transwede]

But the MD's are still based in HER to operate adhoc charters etc, so could still see them in the UK. Hopefully performance issues will have been rectified for any UK charters this year?

[wouldhave]

Hope someone can help me. Does Newcastle Airport still have those really ancient buses that used to be used for taking pax out to the remote stands parked up?

If so, does anyone know who I could contact regarding them? Slightly off topic I know but if anyone could tell me the information, I know the guys on pprune could.

Cheers

[ReadyToGo]

I admit that my information is second hand, so I could be wrong with the destinations of the one-offs. I imagine Cyprus would have to be a 738 as you say. Bodrum is definately at least weekly according to a reliable friend of mine.

With Onur Air operating all A321 this season (I think), can we expect any MD83's in? AirBee maybe?

RTG!

[sunshine79]

Air Bee went under about a week after XL did. According to the airport website is all the usual A's and B's

[globetrotter79]

Actually the Viking fleet based in the UK this summer will be a mix of B737-800s (one or more their own and, I think, a pair coming from Sunwing in Canada) plus a pair of B737-300s.

I would expect that the Newmarket Holidays program (the one-off departures to INN, PUY, VRN) will be flown on the B737-300 as Newmarket always tend to go for 150ish seat aircraft wherever possible.

[GrahamK]

Some good news is that the Cimber Air Copenhagen flights have been reinstated, ends on 8th May but restarts 11th May

[ReadyToGo]

What the hell? Cimber close the route for 2 days? Is the pilot on holiday or something?

Oh and Viking's weekly (possibly twice weekly flights in the busy season) to Bodrum/Dalaman are operated by 737-800's on behalf of Saga Airways of Turkey I am told. The one-off charters to Innsbruck, Heraklion and Verona will be a mix of MD83 and 737-300.

As the MD's are in Heraklion... will that mean a return to the chaos of NCL-HER for some folk this summer...

RTG!

[airhumberside]

The 8th is a Friday and the 11th is a Monday, so just no weekend flights