Heathrow-3

Join Date: Feb 2023
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So interestingly overnight, VN have updated their summer schedule, with three direct flights per week (HAN & SGN) from LHR. I assume they've managed to negotiate new slots at LHR and won't be moving ops to STN?
If the domestics weren't a commercial success they wouldn't offer them, would they ? There has long been a very considerable gaming of the financial reports - at one stage certainly through BA fares connecting at Heathrow were attributed £1 to the domestic sector and all the rest to the intercontinental one. For any network operation there are infinite ways in which revenue attribution can be split to achieve what is wanted. management will have a separate perspective. BA is fortunate to have all this internally; the poor revenue split on connecting fares, particularly once the Star Alliance attribution method came into play, was a significant part of BMI's financial downfall.
Join Date: Mar 2020
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https://twitter.com/SeanM1997/status...453444101?s=20
Looks like they are staying with three weekly flights in total.
Looks like they are staying with three weekly flights in total.
I never expected for one minute that Vietnam Airlines would be leaving LHR especially for STN. The slot application for STN was obviously a safety net and nothing else.
How do several posters feel now with the news that Vietnam Airlines are to remain at LHR after doubting other people's comments.
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Great opportunity now for Bamboo to add frequency and become the dominant carrier whilst Vietnam are stuck at their favourite airport on 3 flights a week to 2 destinations. They had been on 7 flights a week previously I think.
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Perhaps these slots were cast-offs from elsewhere within SkyTeam?
They remain at LHR with poor slots (for VN) which offer virtually no onward connectivity. Perhaps hence the low frequency. Who is to say they won’t turn up at STN or LGW as well on the other four days?
Perhaps these slots were cast-offs from elsewhere within SkyTeam?
Perhaps these slots were cast-offs from elsewhere within SkyTeam?
Join Date: Jan 2000
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Just as I expected, although with a reduced schedule.
I never expected for one minute that Vietnam Airlines would be leaving LHR especially for STN. The slot application for STN was obviously a safety net and nothing else.
How do several posters feel now with the news that Vietnam Airlines are to remain at LHR after doubting other people's comments.
I never expected for one minute that Vietnam Airlines would be leaving LHR especially for STN. The slot application for STN was obviously a safety net and nothing else.
How do several posters feel now with the news that Vietnam Airlines are to remain at LHR after doubting other people's comments.
Vietnam lost their summer historic slots at Heathrow for the summer season. They have managed to get some slots back again on an ad-hoc basis through re-allocation of the extra 5% of historic slots that operators were permitted to hand back without losing their own grandfather rights.
The slots that Vietnam now has at LHR don't actually match the schedule it has on sale - it has got five weekly sets with none on a Saturday. These are not guaranteed beyond this summer. I'd expect to see further change, and I wouldn't shout down anyone who happens to say that might be likely. It is.
How or why did Vietnam Airlines loses their slots ? Was it Covid travel restrictions in Vietnam that prevented them flying to/from LHR ? Did somebody do an enormous screw up and forget about the use-it-or-lose-it rule ? Something else ?
Join Date: Jan 2000
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There were "justified non-usage of slots" clauses to cover an eventuality where an airline could not fly due to continuing Covid restrictions. I don't know if VN failed to invoke those or whether it was just an enormous screw-up as you suggest. The end result was the same, however. And the main beneficiary of this for Summer 2023 - via a series of other slot moves which helped existing airlines to tidy up slot timings - was Loganair, which got a new early afternoon slot after everything else had worked its way through the system.
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Bamboo left LHR for LGW just after they had a B787 impounded in Australia for non payment of fees, they remain at twice weekly out of LGW and are barely able to cover that.
You seriously think they're going to add costs by splitting across two London airports in a marginal market? They're barely surviving as a business from day to day. They're going to be in rebuild mode for a few years. And given the value of tradeable slots, what on Earth is a cast off?
You seriously think they're going to add costs by splitting across two London airports in a marginal market? They're barely surviving as a business from day to day. They're going to be in rebuild mode for a few years. And given the value of tradeable slots, what on Earth is a cast off?
Reality checks are indeed one of your best trait's on this forum.
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No, unless your specific airline decides to or has introduced such a measure. However i dont believe any airline based at LHR currently do this. Just ensure that it is within your airlines size measurements and you are able to lift it yourself unaided into the overhead lockers.
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No, unless your specific airline decides to or has introduced such a measure. However i dont believe any airline based at LHR currently do this. Just ensure that it is within your airlines size measurements and you are able to lift it yourself unaided into the overhead lockers.
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No, unless your specific airline decides to or has introduced such a measure. However i dont believe any airline based at LHR currently do this. Just ensure that it is within your airlines size measurements and you are able to lift it yourself unaided into the overhead lockers.
Hmmm - years ago I was travelling slave LHR-SIN with SQ
My checked luggage was right on the limit and I was carrying about 20 kg of books in "hand" luggage - the check-in clerk asked - "any hand luggage sir?"
I cheerfully grinned - picked up the bag one handed and held it at arms length - "fine she said" - I strode off to collapse in a grey sweat behind the nearest concrete pillar - I couldn't use the arm for weeks.................................
My checked luggage was right on the limit and I was carrying about 20 kg of books in "hand" luggage - the check-in clerk asked - "any hand luggage sir?"
I cheerfully grinned - picked up the bag one handed and held it at arms length - "fine she said" - I strode off to collapse in a grey sweat behind the nearest concrete pillar - I couldn't use the arm for weeks.................................

Paxing All Over The World
I agree with Asturias56 that hoisting the bag in a carefree manner usually works! I have only had my case heavily checked against size and weight once and it seemed at random. It was an LCC but I have also seen the same LCC ignore carry ons, so I think it was just that outstation had been visited by a senior.
Join Date: Aug 2001
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A query folks...used to be that the little red buses offered a free hop-on hop-off between the terminals and hotels. Is that still on offer? T5 to Renaissance, then hotel to T3 the next day...I see you can book at Hotel Hoppa, but can't find the red bus option. I think it used to actually pull into the Renaissance car park.