Flybe-V2

[Jamesair1]

Originally Posted by willy wombat

I would think that with all the train strikes they could make good money on the NCL LHR route if they could manage to run a reliable service.

They certainly got some very good comments from a columnist in the Times yesterday who had used the service. (Which, fortuitously, wasn't one of the flights that got cancelled).

[Wycombe]

It would appear that flights planned to start from SOU to MAN and I think EDI from before the end of the Winter season have been removed from the booking engine.

Maybe the start has been delayed to after the end of March, or maybe shelved altogether?

[davidjohnson6]

Southampton-Glasgow looks to have disappeared as well

[ATNotts]

More aircraft being added to the fleet, yet more routes being canned. Something doesn't add up.

[BA318]

I can only say at least they have done it with reasonable time. Much better than the last few cancellations which were incredibly close to flights starting.

[ATNotts]

Originally Posted by BA318

I can only say at least they have done it with reasonable time. Much better than the last few cancellations which were incredibly close to flights starting.

Indeed. I think that perhaps they are just rejigging the schedules around, after all they haven't actually released S23 so far as I can see. On the upside at least with so many DH4s available and due they should have cover for the rest of the winter even given more tech debacles.

[Wycombe]

Reported elsewhere from folks on the inside that the SOU-MAN/EDI/GLA routes have had start delayed until after Winter/Summer season switch at the end of March.
Apparently down to concerns around aircraft availability (as it will need one to be based at SOU).
Hints also at other SOU routes to be announced with the Summer schedules.

[jensdad]

Originally Posted by Wycombe

Hints also at other SOU routes to be announced with the Summer schedules.

Very interesting. Going off on a tangent here, but my one criticism of flybe-v1 was that they had an annoying habit of whenever they announced a new route, they'd stick a hint in along the lines of 'we are looking to add additional routes to Scandinavia and mainland Europe at some point in the future'. Quite clever really - they once managed to get a front page story in our local newspaper when all they had actually announced was a twice weekly flight to Inverness.

[CaptainActor]

Clever

If they were clever, V.1 would still be in business.

[southamptonavgeek]

Summer schedule now up on the Flybe website. Only a couple of new routes so they will hopefully be able to stabilise the operation somewhat ahead of next winter.

[SWBKCB]

Originally Posted by southamptonavgeek

Summer schedule now up on the Flybe website. Only a couple of new routes so they will hopefully be able to stabilise the operation somewhat ahead of next winter.

News flash currently on their website:

Due to industrial action, boarder control may take longer at London Heathrow in December.

[BA318]

Surely the S23 routes are a disappointment to SOU after rumours of a base coming there. It appears they get nothing extra. Can we assume more routes will be added at a later date? Or have they learned their lesson and will focus on current routes and increase frequencies/keep spare aircraft? Otherwise something doesn’t quite add up.

[SKOJB]

Originally Posted by BA318

Surely the S23 routes are a disappointment to SOU after rumours of a base coming there. It appears they get nothing extra. Can we assume more routes will be added at a later date? Or have they learned their lesson and will focus on current routes and increase frequencies/keep spare aircraft? Otherwise something doesn’t quite add up.

Not sure it’s a disappointment to SOU or one of relief. Loganair are running a reliable service with increased frequencies next summer, up to x 5 daily on GLA and EDI and x 3 on NCL, with healthy loads albeit at premium fares, so the appetite from the airport for BE to enter these routes is probably less pressing. However this doesn’t mean that BE won’t introduce further routes in the future and once their fleet numbers have increased to provide some operational stability

[nwoody2001]

Summer 2023 Schedule

Belfast

1. Amsterdam

2. Birmingham

3. East Midlands

4. Edinburgh

5. Glasgow

6. Leeds Bradford

7. London Heathrow

8. Manchester

9. Newcastle

10. Southampton

Birmingham

1. Aberdeen

2. Amsterdam

3. Avignon

4. Belfast

5. Bergerac

6. Brest

7. Edinburgh

8. Geneva (Until April)

9. Glasgow

London Heathrow

1. Amsterdam

2. Belfast

3. Newcastle

4. Newquay

Amsterdam

1. Belfast

2. Birmingham

3. East Midlands

4. London Heathrow

Newquay

1. Manchester

2. London Heathrow

[SealinkBF]

Seems like they have had second thoughts about Inverness too.

[OltonPete]

Not much Christmas cheer

Not the happiest of days again

BHX will see 6 different aircraft today, possibly 5 on the ground at the same time in an hour but only had 3 out of 7 flights have operated - that takes some doing.

Two aircraft now on the ground 24 hours, a third came in empty from Newcastle after operating its first flight after a month in maintenance and to cap it all Heathrow - Amsterdam just landed BHX calling a PAN. I assume it came to BHX hoping to find a serviceable replacement which there should be one inbound from BHD in the next hour.

No idea of the mystery behind aircraft "OR" that positioned Exeter - Belfast yesterday afternoon operated one flight today BHD-NCL 22 hours later, failed to do the return and positioned to BHX. The return to BHD from NCL will be over 2 hours late as it seems to be going to be done on the LHR-NCL aircraft which is just landing.

They did mange 2 complete days in a row at BHX with no cancellations but not really much to celebrate in that. They don't seem to be getting a break with these various issues although most seem tech and only 2 clear days out of 5 at one of their operating airports is not good.

Pete

[Fairdealfrank]

Originally Posted by JonnyH

Thankfully made it back today with BE on LHR-NCL.

NCL-LHR - 6 pax.
LHR-NCL - 15 pax.

BHD was apparently good loads with 120, in total, for the full sector..

They’re absolutely only operating the LHR route to keep the slots. But not sure how long they can make it last.

Going up against BA on LHR-NCL appears to be the height of stupidity, and BA/EI on LHR-BHD and BA/KL on LHR-AMS. Flybe is not British Midland. BE is more suited to thin routes (the aircraft in use is a clue). Would it not be better to link LHR to cities without an existing service such as LBA, LPL, MME, etc.? That said, it would be necessary to heavily advertise these services and relentlessly promote these as a non-stop to the Thames Valley and one-stop connection to the world. There are no direct train services to Heathrow from most of the country. This would be a better use of LHR slots.

[davidjohnson6]

Flybe tried LHR-LBA as a route earlier this year. It didn't last very long

[Jamesair1]

BA had previously operated LBA - LHR and abandoned it.......so I think that ssys it all.

[SealinkBF]

BA cutting NCL LHR services. No I dont think it's because of FlyBE 🤣

From the end of March 2023, Newcastle will drop from 37 weekly flights to London Heathrow to 29. (Head For Points)