Blue Islands
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: jersey
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The States are “propping up” Blue Island in order to try & guarantee security of operation for the more important routes to & from the island. I think that the airline retain the right to take commercial decisions other routes; & that is what they have done on those you have mentioned. It may be that such routes will connect with Jersey-Exeter, which would help achieve the States’ objective. Just a bit dubious as to whether BCI will ever be in a position to repay the loan ! Keeping my fingers crossed.
Jenny Tails
But if there is demand from pax for EXT-MAN and it can be flown profitably, then Blue Islands should consider it
Even if pax demand halves from 130k to 65k per year, that's still almost 90 pax daily each way - not bad in an ATR
But if there is demand from pax for EXT-MAN and it can be flown profitably, then Blue Islands should consider it
Even if pax demand halves from 130k to 65k per year, that's still almost 90 pax daily each way - not bad in an ATR
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Was there much connecting traffic to MAN? The Loganair CEO said that Scotland-MAN had a fair bit of connecting traffic, along with competition from the train, hence why they felt they couldn't make it work
Join Date: May 2011
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I think the carriers are starting to realise just how strong BE's connections were over just standard P2P traffic. With their flights bookable through VS, Etihad and more it is clearly starting to become apparent that there were good chunks of passengers connecting onwards.
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People seemed to connect onwards within the UK and IOM too between BE’s flights through MAN. I know this from when I frequented SEN-MAN. At the peak a good few people were flying MAN-SEN-Lyon/Rennes/Antwerp/Caen/Groningen so would assume the same may be true through other airports, I’d guess especially through Southampton into rural France
Join Date: May 2011
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Absolutely spot on. I've flown IOM>MAN with BE so many occasions with an onward connection to other parts of the UK. These guys really need to focus on building up a core regional base like BE had rather than just filling a few routes here and there from different airports if they're going to succeed long term.
How would having a core regional base in mainland UK with (presumably) lots of spokes be more likely to be profitable than Flybe ?
Loganair have survived by sticking to what they know. They've tried the odd adventure (eg Germany-Scotland routes) but cut them pretty fast
Blue Islands are much smaller than Loganair, with far fewer resources. If a route cannot work as a standalone, then they shouldn't be doing it
Loganair have survived by sticking to what they know. They've tried the odd adventure (eg Germany-Scotland routes) but cut them pretty fast
Blue Islands are much smaller than Loganair, with far fewer resources. If a route cannot work as a standalone, then they shouldn't be doing it
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There does appear to be a hell of a lot of "tidying up" needed in the UK domestic market. Flybe became too big and ambitious, riddled itself with debt and expensive leases on aircraft they didn't really need to have, but did build up a good core network and a few hubs that had they got it right from the start, with the correct level of frequency could have led to them still being around.
Loganair, sister of bmi Regional, that started to grow through the ashes of bmi, and has now had to act rapidly to fill the gaps left with Flybe where it see's itself fitting in, with a focus on Scotland but has a fleet of over 5 different types.
Eastern Airways, always living in the shadow of Flybe, not really bothered by expansion but surprisingly always seemed to survive, focusing on the North East but now moving further South with SOU base, with previously unhappy crews and an ageing fleet of aircraft, that's now doing the same as Loganair by filling in the gaps left by Flybe, but also seems to be expanding fast and duplicating routes of other carriers. No-one really knows what their fleet plans are, with 6 types in the fleet or due to join (if the E90's are to be included)
Then you have Blue Islands, again never really bothered by expansion, always living in Flybes shadow, supporting Jersey well, but in a start stop battle with Aurginy. Rumours previously of it's owner wanting to sell up or shut it down, but gradually improving the fleet with ATR 72's.
Domestic travel is likely to be very different for some time and i can't see all 3 surviving the next few years. Blue Islands has always been small and aside from the new EXT and SOU routes, is still relatively the same, but with the bonus of now not having to compete with Flybe to the islands. They have a single fleet that isn't fully utilised and a good brand and with the correct direction i can see them coming out of the downturn slightly bigger and better off.
If any of these has a cost base lower the Flybe, with no debt to worry about, could the long term outcome be many of the previous Flybe routes actually being profitable?
Loganair, sister of bmi Regional, that started to grow through the ashes of bmi, and has now had to act rapidly to fill the gaps left with Flybe where it see's itself fitting in, with a focus on Scotland but has a fleet of over 5 different types.
Eastern Airways, always living in the shadow of Flybe, not really bothered by expansion but surprisingly always seemed to survive, focusing on the North East but now moving further South with SOU base, with previously unhappy crews and an ageing fleet of aircraft, that's now doing the same as Loganair by filling in the gaps left by Flybe, but also seems to be expanding fast and duplicating routes of other carriers. No-one really knows what their fleet plans are, with 6 types in the fleet or due to join (if the E90's are to be included)
Then you have Blue Islands, again never really bothered by expansion, always living in Flybes shadow, supporting Jersey well, but in a start stop battle with Aurginy. Rumours previously of it's owner wanting to sell up or shut it down, but gradually improving the fleet with ATR 72's.
Domestic travel is likely to be very different for some time and i can't see all 3 surviving the next few years. Blue Islands has always been small and aside from the new EXT and SOU routes, is still relatively the same, but with the bonus of now not having to compete with Flybe to the islands. They have a single fleet that isn't fully utilised and a good brand and with the correct direction i can see them coming out of the downturn slightly bigger and better off.
If any of these has a cost base lower the Flybe, with no debt to worry about, could the long term outcome be many of the previous Flybe routes actually being profitable?
Join Date: May 2017
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That is a lovely way to put it. Tidying up. Couldn't agree with you more but how it all pans out is anyones guess. Not sure if you mentioned BA in your summary but the IAG group my look internally for business rather than long/mid haul.
Would any "foreign" carriers dip there toe in domestic flying. Probably not in short term.
Would any "foreign" carriers dip there toe in domestic flying. Probably not in short term.
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Interestingly, in the story on the SOU website there's a line which says:
"Blue Islands will also be working with partners to offer connections for passengers travelling northbound beyond Manchester."
Tie-up with Loganair in the offing? That would leave Eastern in the middle of the country feeling the squeeze.
"Blue Islands will also be working with partners to offer connections for passengers travelling northbound beyond Manchester."
Tie-up with Loganair in the offing? That would leave Eastern in the middle of the country feeling the squeeze.
Join Date: Oct 2019
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Doing a dummy booking allows for a Manchester - Jersey booking via a 35min stopover in Exeter. Maybe we could see Blue Islands takeover the direct Flybe service to Manchester in the near future if bookings show that it could be done.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Originally Posted by flyerguy
Doing a dummy booking allows for a Manchester - Jersey booking via a 35min stopover in Exeter. Maybe we could see Blue Islands takeover the direct Flybe service to Manchester in the near future if bookings show that it could be done.
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Originally Posted by adg737800
Jersey to London Gatwick has appeared on their booking engine with flights on 14th and 16th July only from what I can see. £100 each way.
Join Date: Feb 2019
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Originally Posted by davidjohnson6
Easyjet website shows MAN-JER restarting at 3x weekly. Blue Islands can compete on frequency with an ATR
