MANCHESTER 1
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Manchester City to welcome Chinese visitors with Etihad stadium tours in Mandarin - Manchester Evening News
Reference to Shanghai is buried in this item!
Reference to Shanghai is buried in this item!
Join Date: Dec 2003
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https://www.visitbritain.org/markets/china
The Visit Britain website site shows of course no reference to Manchester flights !
Surely something that Manchester Airport now needs to challenge robustly. ... or am I missing something?
The Visit Britain website site shows of course no reference to Manchester flights !
Surely something that Manchester Airport now needs to challenge robustly. ... or am I missing something?
Join Date: Nov 2013
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It was operated by the A333 in the past.
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CX to daily - delayed 'til 2017?
According to the South China Morning Post, proposed frequency increase to daily has been put back to 2017.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Manchester, England
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Cathay
I don't think they have the airframes to add frequency this year amid the other additions to the network. The A350 which was possibly earmarked to boost MAN is instead being used to launch Gatwick later this year. Whilst disappointing, I think we can rest assured that MAN-HKG is a strong route with which Cathay are well-pleased, and that additional capacity will come on it before too long. There's no doubt an issue with the crewing as the article sets out, there have been a few spectacular delays to CX357/8 over the past few months which may be a sign of the difficulties being experienced, and the need for more slack in the rostering.
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I think it's a shame that A350 has had to be postponed, but also this obviously ruins a chance of a daily service for I while. I think the MAN-HKG route has proven a good, strong one. It also proves that routes to key markets, like HKG, can work well at MAN too and not all traffic has to originate from LHR to be successful. 
On another note I was also thinking that with the success of Norwegian down at Gatwick, could Norwegian operate a long-haul base in MAN. I think they could successfully operate to JFK, LAX, MCO, LAS, BKK and many others to compete with the likes of Virgin or provide MAN with new needed links like LAX & BKK. What are your thoughts?
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Norwegian
I think Norwegian would undermine the embryonic Thomas Cook long-haul programme. TCX (MT) - our own Manchester-based airline who are steadily growing and developing a promising network to mainline cities in the USA with feed from Flybe and others at the home end. Norwegian would just dilute that. In time there is no reason why TCX could not build on the USA network and open services to BKK, JNB etc.
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Shame about "lack" of aaircraft re Cathay BUT if they really wanted to lets not forget they could have gone daily !
They chose to redeploy to LGW "despite" what we are led to believe are outstanding figures.
They chose to redeploy to LGW "despite" what we are led to believe are outstanding figures.
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I think Norwegian would undermine the embryonic Thomas Cook long-haul programme. TCX (MT) - our own Manchester-based airline who are steadily growing and developing a promising network to mainline cities in the USA with feed from Flybe and others at the home end. Norwegian would just dilute that. In time there is no reason why TCX could not build on the USA network and open services to BKK, JNB etc.
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Norwegian
I'm not saying I don't want TCX to grow because I think they are doing well but I was just 'proposing'. I understand that Thomas Cook have built up a good long-haul network in Manchester, but I think that Thomas Cook are at a disadvantage at attracting US originating pax from their destinations like JFK, MIA and LAX & BOS to come. They also focus heavily on the leisure market, selling fly-drives and package holidays to the US. I just think the Norwegian could work better and also deliver cheap fares, although Thomas Cook are cheaper than current competitors. I would definitely like to see Thomas Cook grow even more at MAN as you said to destinations like BKK & JNB, but I think Norwegian would perform better.
I think Norwegian would undermine the embryonic Thomas Cook long-haul programme.
What is fair to say I think is that Norwegian has the potential to do way more at MAN in this market than TCX could ever accomplish, they have an enromous economy of scale and a very aggresive growth plan. All those shiny B789s have to go somewhere.
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Norwegian would probably do well at MAN but there would be casualties, and I would prefer to keep and develop what we already have, against a backdrop of fierce competition from LHR and increasingly from DUB.
Our North American services have proved a little fragile in the past but there are signs that the N-registered carriers are slowly building their offer, and Thomas Cook may be leisure focussed but are honing their premium-economy product, destinations, frequencies, and UK connectivity. Now is not the time to throw a fox into the hen coop.
Gatwick have much less to lose with Norwegian setting up a long-haul base, most of the US carriers having long since moved to Heathrow.
Random question - does Morten Harket or other members of A-Ha feature on the tail of a Norwegian aircraft? I don't think Thomas Cook will be singing 'Take On Me'.
Our North American services have proved a little fragile in the past but there are signs that the N-registered carriers are slowly building their offer, and Thomas Cook may be leisure focussed but are honing their premium-economy product, destinations, frequencies, and UK connectivity. Now is not the time to throw a fox into the hen coop.
Gatwick have much less to lose with Norwegian setting up a long-haul base, most of the US carriers having long since moved to Heathrow.
Random question - does Morten Harket or other members of A-Ha feature on the tail of a Norwegian aircraft? I don't think Thomas Cook will be singing 'Take On Me'.
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There's no doubt an issue with the crewing as the article sets out, there have been a few spectacular delays to CX357/8 over the past few months which may be a sign of the difficulties being experienced, and the need for more slack in the rostering.
On my last CX357 inbound to MAN when I got to the gate the ground staff were encouraging any JCL pax or shiny card holders to return to The Wing to await further info. We eventually left a couple of hours late behind both BA flights that I watched board from the QF lounge hours earlier and the poor sods on the Dragonair flight to PEK that had been on board since 7pm. I was chatting to the FO (who was from very close to MAN) shortly before landing and he said the Chinese keep rejecting flight plans to northern Europe out of the blue. He had a three hour wait on a day flight to LHR a couple of weeks before. He said CX had offered to fly further north over Korea and around that way but they still weren't having it.
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Thomas Cook do have one thing going for them which is a brand name and a significant degree of repeat custom.
Ask 100 punters up here if they have heard of TC and I suspect the answer will be 60%+.
Same question of Norwegian and I doubt it would be more than 10% if that. .....
I'm actually staggered they do so well out of Gatwick!
Ask 100 punters up here if they have heard of TC and I suspect the answer will be 60%+.
Same question of Norwegian and I doubt it would be more than 10% if that. .....
I'm actually staggered they do so well out of Gatwick!