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Has any info come to light yet about what airline will be operating this service on behalf of Virgin using the a319 airbus, or will it be virgin leasing in a a319 and training its own staff to operate this service 3 times a day.
Its the MAN - LHR route i am talking about.
Its the MAN - LHR route i am talking about.
Last edited by fjencl; 13th Sep 2012 at 18:49.
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PR noise to deflect scrutiny from the departure of the CEO when no successor has been identified?
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Quote: "I believe easyJet are looking at a LGW operation for Moscow, they have no LHR plans."
Does this mean that just VS are after the BD LHR Moscow slots that BA have to divest?
Does this mean that just VS are after the BD LHR Moscow slots that BA have to divest?
If we assume the niceties of theoretical separation of the 2 contests are respected, what political fudges are available to let Easyjet win the traffic rights, Virgin to win the Heathrow slots, and also avoid the CAA / OFT being completely lambasted in the press should such a sequence of events happen ?
Without a credible option existing for the CAA / OFT, if they don't get everything they want, Easyjet could theoretically cause trouble through the courts about the impossibility of their winning rights to Gatwick-Moscow traffic, or Sir Beardy could claim in front of the TV cameras that the process for divesting the bmi slots was flawed and seek a judicial review.
Without a credible option existing for the CAA / OFT, if they don't get everything they want, Easyjet could theoretically cause trouble through the courts about the impossibility of their winning rights to Gatwick-Moscow traffic, or Sir Beardy could claim in front of the TV cameras that the process for divesting the bmi slots was flawed and seek a judicial review.
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 18th Sep 2012 at 20:18.
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As far as I'm aware, there are 14 ex-BMI frequencies on London-Moscow to divvied up. Making an educated guess, it wouldn't take too much to work out that the CAA are quite likely to give 7 weekly frequencies each to Virgin and easyJet (actually not a bad result for BA as this would mean only having to give up 7 instead of 14 weekly LHR slot pairs).
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Aer Lingus are getting 2 additional 319s from Iberia, it would seem that one will be stationed at LGW as it operates to NOC daily. Aside from that I had expected that BHD would get the other one as the bases 3rd based aircraft for summer, but it seems that this will be 320. What are the chances that EI will operate for VS on MAN LHR and a wider deal be struck for interlining pax at LHR for onward travel to non US destinations?
EI-BUD
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I did speak to a member of EI and it was stated that there may be a EI and VS code share on LHR and I assume LGW from BHD
Would make more sense if EZY would do this to LGW for VS as they have many more destinations than EI
I know they are LCC but they are drifting more and more into the main stream
Would make more sense if EZY would do this to LGW for VS as they have many more destinations than EI
I know they are LCC but they are drifting more and more into the main stream
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I know they are LCC but they are drifting more and more into the main stream
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As far as I'm aware, there are 14 ex-BMI frequencies on London-Moscow to divvied up. Making an educated guess, it wouldn't take too much to work out that the CAA are quite likely to give 7 weekly frequencies each to Virgin and easyJet (actually not a bad result for BA as this would mean only having to give up 7 instead of 14 weekly LHR slot pairs).
However regardless of any restrictions on the number of airlines, the amount of traffic rights VS wins does not impact on the number of slots to be divested at LHR. There are 12 slots up for sale and theoretically they could all be used to Aberdeen. They aren't tied exclusively to Moscow. There are just 5 for which Moscow is an 'eligible destination' along with ABZ, EDI, Cairo and Riyadh (and Nice?). Chances are if one or two don't get used for Moscow, they will simply get used to another eligible destination
The slots and traffic rights are totally different processes. The slot divestiture is being overseen by the EU. The traffic rights by the CAA. They could produce incompatable outcomes. VS could win the slots but not have the traffic rights. They could win the traffic rights but not win the slots and therefore need to source slots from elsewhere
Last edited by airhumberside; 18th Sep 2012 at 22:36.
... a side issue is what happens to the MAN-MOSCOW rights?
When Cathay wanted to re-introduce HKG-MAN via Moscow it was objected to & refused, because BMI held the rights for MAN-MOSCOW.
If EZY were to get LON-Moscow, would that also allow them to operate Moscow from MAN too? If VS won the rights they would be unlikely to include MAN into the mix.
Just asking.
When Cathay wanted to re-introduce HKG-MAN via Moscow it was objected to & refused, because BMI held the rights for MAN-MOSCOW.
If EZY were to get LON-Moscow, would that also allow them to operate Moscow from MAN too? If VS won the rights they would be unlikely to include MAN into the mix.
Just asking.
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... a side issue is what happens to the MAN-MOSCOW rights?
When Cathay wanted to re-introduce HKG-MAN via Moscow it was objected to & refused, because BMI held the rights for MAN-MOSCOW.
If EZY were to get LON-Moscow, would that also allow them to operate Moscow from MAN too? If VS won the rights they would be unlikely to include MAN into the mix.
Just asking.
When Cathay wanted to re-introduce HKG-MAN via Moscow it was objected to & refused, because BMI held the rights for MAN-MOSCOW.
If EZY were to get LON-Moscow, would that also allow them to operate Moscow from MAN too? If VS won the rights they would be unlikely to include MAN into the mix.
Just asking.
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Sources have rumored that, In the interest of new working relations in LHR, BA will operating a code share agreement with VS on the LHR MAN route using one of the newly acquired ex BMI airbuses.
The project is designed to keep LHR slots within the current LHR operators preventing any more operators "getting a foot in LHR".
The project is designed to keep LHR slots within the current LHR operators preventing any more operators "getting a foot in LHR".
