NEWCASTLE - 8
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Gateshead, UK
Age: 25
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I'm sorry but up here you'd be hard pushed to find anyone who classed "bloody" as a swear word. If ever you need to walk through Newcastle, bring ear plugs.
I was simply making the point that quarter of a million people quite happily flew to Stansted from Newcastle on a yearly basis both when Go operated it and when Easyjet operated it. As has been mentioned, pulling LGW has little to do with Newcastle itself, except that there is SOMEWHERE else where they can earn a couple of extra quid per passenger. Any selection of the 4 airlines could have made LGW work, and each of them have various, non-NCL related reason why they pulled:
British Airways - Care too much about Heathrow, can't be bothered with domestic from Gatwick... They pulled Manchester!
Flybe - Forced to leave by increasing costs for small aircraft at LGW + flights were quite expensive at times, closing off to the lower end of the market.
Jet 2 - Did it with a leased RJ100... Wrong from the offset, 12-13 weekly 733, has a chance I think, if they had low enough fares and a correct schedule, often a sticking point with LS.
Easyjet - Schedule was quite good, don't understand the lack of flights on the weekend, EZY can be temperamental on occasion, they found somewhere with more money, pulled out.
The route could come back, maybe NAX could try, with a good schedule and their things like wifi, could attract businessmen IF they advertise, which is another reason quite a lot of routes don't exist.
I was simply making the point that quarter of a million people quite happily flew to Stansted from Newcastle on a yearly basis both when Go operated it and when Easyjet operated it. As has been mentioned, pulling LGW has little to do with Newcastle itself, except that there is SOMEWHERE else where they can earn a couple of extra quid per passenger. Any selection of the 4 airlines could have made LGW work, and each of them have various, non-NCL related reason why they pulled:
British Airways - Care too much about Heathrow, can't be bothered with domestic from Gatwick... They pulled Manchester!
Flybe - Forced to leave by increasing costs for small aircraft at LGW + flights were quite expensive at times, closing off to the lower end of the market.
Jet 2 - Did it with a leased RJ100... Wrong from the offset, 12-13 weekly 733, has a chance I think, if they had low enough fares and a correct schedule, often a sticking point with LS.
Easyjet - Schedule was quite good, don't understand the lack of flights on the weekend, EZY can be temperamental on occasion, they found somewhere with more money, pulled out.
The route could come back, maybe NAX could try, with a good schedule and their things like wifi, could attract businessmen IF they advertise, which is another reason quite a lot of routes don't exist.
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: London
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bmi regional
Seeing as Aurigny and blue islands can fly into LGW and have been doing so for many years on less than 50 seat aircraft.
Maybe bmi regional could have a think about operating the NCL-LGW route.
Who knows !!!
Time will tell if another operator tries this route or not in the future.
Maybe bmi regional could have a think about operating the NCL-LGW route.
Who knows !!!
Time will tell if another operator tries this route or not in the future.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Miles from where I want to be.
Age: 39
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Yes. Aurigny do. What's the alternative? A long ferry/road and rail trip. The Channel Islands have lots of very wealthy people living/working/evading tax on them. It's a high yield route, and the there is little option but to fly. It's a whole different animal to the NCL-LGW route.
North Easterners can take a fast frequent train to London with many options of departure times and connections throughout the southeast just a couple of platforms aware in Kings X or next door in St Pancras. Apples with pears. The train also gives people the convenience of over a dozen departures points, more if you include the five daily sunderland to London service.
What can bmiR bring to the table? Very expensive ERJ flights. Again, they'd have to W though NCL, base a second jet at NCL, or change the BRU timings (which will mean one of the routes will not have business friendly timing).
These days nothing surprises me so a fifth operator wouldn't come as a shock. It won't last.
North Easterners can take a fast frequent train to London with many options of departure times and connections throughout the southeast just a couple of platforms aware in Kings X or next door in St Pancras. Apples with pears. The train also gives people the convenience of over a dozen departures points, more if you include the five daily sunderland to London service.
What can bmiR bring to the table? Very expensive ERJ flights. Again, they'd have to W though NCL, base a second jet at NCL, or change the BRU timings (which will mean one of the routes will not have business friendly timing).
These days nothing surprises me so a fifth operator wouldn't come as a shock. It won't last.
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London
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it's not just the 3 hours to Kings X - you have to spend 30-45 hanging around either LHR or NCL - you can turn up 5 minutes before the train and go and the time can be spent working or relaxing - not being herded through security etc
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Miles from where I want to be.
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Don't see why not. You get on, take your reserved seat, enjoy a meal if you're in first, you have more space, no stowing devices for takeoff and landing, your always contactable (save for a few tunnels). Even the wifi helps keep my in touch with the office.
Plus I can finish early and hop on a train for the journey north within half an hour of turning up to the station and be home in my local station where my car has been parked cheaply all day and is just minutes from the train door and no waiting til 20:00 for the one afternoon flight home. I get a meal to wind down and after a days work and enjoy the scenery. Plus there's no extended walk or shuttle bus to the car. It's just there.
No baggage claim, surge of 150 others getting off at the same time, and no standing with locked automatic doors in NCL arrivals waiting five minutes for someone to come unlock them.
Come to think of it, why would anyone fly?
Plus I can finish early and hop on a train for the journey north within half an hour of turning up to the station and be home in my local station where my car has been parked cheaply all day and is just minutes from the train door and no waiting til 20:00 for the one afternoon flight home. I get a meal to wind down and after a days work and enjoy the scenery. Plus there's no extended walk or shuttle bus to the car. It's just there.
No baggage claim, surge of 150 others getting off at the same time, and no standing with locked automatic doors in NCL arrivals waiting five minutes for someone to come unlock them.
Come to think of it, why would anyone fly?
Train vs Plane
Great if you're in first...
I tend to have to drive past the airport to get the city centre train station, struggle to find a parking place I'm going to pay through he nose for, then have to argue with whoever's sat in my reserved seat, no room to work (if I could ignore the inane chatter of the travelling masses), sit in middle of a field wondering why we aren't moving, then when I want to get off struggle over the suitcases in the passageway because surely they aren't expected to leave their cases in the luggage racks? And your stuck on it for so long, and it keeps stopping...
Granted the train wins on frequency, but otherwise I'll take the plane thanks
I tend to have to drive past the airport to get the city centre train station, struggle to find a parking place I'm going to pay through he nose for, then have to argue with whoever's sat in my reserved seat, no room to work (if I could ignore the inane chatter of the travelling masses), sit in middle of a field wondering why we aren't moving, then when I want to get off struggle over the suitcases in the passageway because surely they aren't expected to leave their cases in the luggage racks? And your stuck on it for so long, and it keeps stopping...
Granted the train wins on frequency, but otherwise I'll take the plane thanks
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Miles from where I want to be.
Age: 39
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I regularly sit in standard, and it's much of a muchness in terms of getting work done. Northbound I've NEVER had anyone sit in my seat, southbound I've had it once or twice and a polite works and they move no bother. Never had a problem parking, and on the few occasions I used Newcastle Central I'm sure it was a fair but cheaper than the airport. A majority of the Tyne and Wear population live south, so the city centre is either six and two or closer to the station.
The Alnwick and Morpeth folk can leave their cars close to home and hop on a train. Same for Durham, Chester and Darlington. Sunderland, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough folk can get a local link five times a day.
I'd say those who live closer to the airport than the city has to be the minority. Most of the conurbation extends southward.
Anyway, those willing to pay a premium to fly to London have BA and BA only from next spring. So everybody's happy. But LHR cannot be sustained on O&D traffic. It has to be majority transfer with a much smaller percentage of O&D on each flight.
The Alnwick and Morpeth folk can leave their cars close to home and hop on a train. Same for Durham, Chester and Darlington. Sunderland, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough folk can get a local link five times a day.
I'd say those who live closer to the airport than the city has to be the minority. Most of the conurbation extends southward.
Anyway, those willing to pay a premium to fly to London have BA and BA only from next spring. So everybody's happy. But LHR cannot be sustained on O&D traffic. It has to be majority transfer with a much smaller percentage of O&D on each flight.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Newcastle
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Gatwick
Evening all
I agree with what everyone is saying but let's all face it the route is gone!
The only route that we will keep (for now) is heathrow and that will work as you have the onward connections!!!
4 airlines have tried LGW and all 4 will have made money however as it has been said all 4 can make money on routes elsewhere.
I'm flying to hamburg and toulouse later in the year and you can fly each way with BA from heathrow for 32.00 each add the ncl sector on and they want 110 for the flight.. Domestic travel has been killed by price of tax.
Yes other airlines may try LGW, likes of BMI, EZE even DY however it will be the same story after a few months money can be made else where and lots off it.
Let's wait and see if easyjet do give us 4 based aircraft and what other new routes we will gain over the 12 months.
We have loads of new routes and flights starting soon so all is good at ncl. Let's grow slowly and keep the flights we have
I agree with what everyone is saying but let's all face it the route is gone!
The only route that we will keep (for now) is heathrow and that will work as you have the onward connections!!!
4 airlines have tried LGW and all 4 will have made money however as it has been said all 4 can make money on routes elsewhere.
I'm flying to hamburg and toulouse later in the year and you can fly each way with BA from heathrow for 32.00 each add the ncl sector on and they want 110 for the flight.. Domestic travel has been killed by price of tax.
Yes other airlines may try LGW, likes of BMI, EZE even DY however it will be the same story after a few months money can be made else where and lots off it.
Let's wait and see if easyjet do give us 4 based aircraft and what other new routes we will gain over the 12 months.
We have loads of new routes and flights starting soon so all is good at ncl. Let's grow slowly and keep the flights we have
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Newcastle
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aer lingus
I would be very surprised if EI are going to just a daily flight.
It would affect the connecting traffic loads.
Maybe they have just. Put the morning on sale to get some booking until full timetable is sorted.
If anything I would expect to see the EI flights going 3x daily??
Cork will go on sale later in the year
It would affect the connecting traffic loads.
Maybe they have just. Put the morning on sale to get some booking until full timetable is sorted.
If anything I would expect to see the EI flights going 3x daily??
Cork will go on sale later in the year
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NE ENGLAND
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I would be very surprised if EI are going to just a daily flight.
It would affect the connecting traffic loads.
It would affect the connecting traffic loads.
In addition then DUB's advance immigration clearance "advantage" is becoming more diluted now that the US are bringing in automated clearance as an option for those who have visited previously on an ESTA.
On another tack I'm not at all surprised LGW is to be axed. Another low volume flight offering very limited choice & perhaps more fundamentally bl***y
useless for connections as no through checking of bags, multiple separate tickets & security provides the nightmare option for a connection, which materialises every time one sector suffers delays, not to mention the extra cost !Quite simply ( & unfortunately) if you are on business and want to get to into the centre of London / most suburbs, take the train ! it makes sense in total time, cost, choice & can actually be less stressful.
Unless the economic situation in the North East improves then I don't see any sustainable growth in current traffic levels or available destinations.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Newcastle
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When BA replace their Gatwick based 737s with A319s is it going to be a straight 1 for 1 swap or is gatwick seeing an increase in aircraft? If so, and assuming that the A319 is more fuel efficient than the 737 would there be a possibility of BA reopening the route? It would give connectivity to a load of BA destinations that are unlikely to be served by anyone from NCL.
I've used the gatwick flight on three different carriers umpteen times and the vast majority of times, load factors seem to have been excellent. OK, I agree that full seats don't automatically equal profitability, but I'm amazed that no one can seem to make this route work.
I've used the gatwick flight on three different carriers umpteen times and the vast majority of times, load factors seem to have been excellent. OK, I agree that full seats don't automatically equal profitability, but I'm amazed that no one can seem to make this route work.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Southampton, U.K
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It is expected that the fleet will increase from ~22 now to ~25/26 once the fleet renewal is complete. As for domestic routes I'd expect to see MAN return long before NCL and even that seems unlikely I'm afraid. Flybe had the right aircraft for the route (and indeed the others they used to fly) but GIP decided those slots could be more profitably flown by something orange...
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Tyne and Wear
Age: 35
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BA wouldn't reopen Gatwick to the regions, even a few years ago they possibility of BA pulling out of Gatwick completely was a very near possibility. They did a lot of cost cutting and moved to using Swissport instead of their own staff which they had always previously done.
I tweeted Easyjet about the Gatwick route asking if more dates were going to be released after March 27th and they said that they haven't fully released the summer schedule yet and that would be complete in October and to check once it's released, so it still may continue after March though I appreciate that the team who work for the twitter department would not know the full picture.
It's definitely tax which is killing domestic travel in the UK, my last ticket back in staff travel from Heathrow costs about £20 for the return ticket and £50 in tax.
I tweeted Easyjet about the Gatwick route asking if more dates were going to be released after March 27th and they said that they haven't fully released the summer schedule yet and that would be complete in October and to check once it's released, so it still may continue after March though I appreciate that the team who work for the twitter department would not know the full picture.
It's definitely tax which is killing domestic travel in the UK, my last ticket back in staff travel from Heathrow costs about £20 for the return ticket and £50 in tax.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Newcastle
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It's definitely tax which is killing domestic travel in the UK, my last ticket back in staff travel from Heathrow costs about £20 for the return ticket and £50 in tax.
Tax plays a part, sure, but I've just had a look at BA's own breakdown of the £108.86 fare for an NCL-LHR return in December. Of the £85.86 in 'taxes, fees and carrier charges' only £26 is APD. £19 is a 'carrier imposed charge' and £40.86 is a 'passenger service charge' which the BA website doesn't explain very well but the CAA website explains is a 'Charge imposed by airlines to cover costs they pay to airports for the passenger to use the airport’s facilities ' (my italics) .
When I buy a bag of carrots from Asda the cost isn't broken down into, among other things, separate charges for using the car park.
Sorry for thread drift!