Does anyone have any further information on the runway resurfacing at Newcastle throughout the next winter season?
It would appear from the tender document that it is to take place from 3rd November 2008 thru to 3rd April 2009.
Looking at Easyjet's schedules they have re-scheduled their later flights from 2230ish to 2150 arrivals. This would tend to hint at the runway closing at 2200.
How will this affect the cargo flights (specifically the mailers?) - I suspect Fedex may just be able to avoid it.

Budget airline to spread its wings from Newcastle
 

good work flybe :ok:

looks like they just have the correct balance to make the flagging gatwick connection work. Be interesting to know how it would have fared if LS stuck it out.

mmeteesside

I would expect the mail to operate back in to DTV once the runway is shut for WIP. The mail will probably depart from NCL. As for the Fedex.... probs just show up once we are open @ 06:00. Hope this helps :ok:

Unless they do another Keegan and run away again!

XLA/VIK Summer 2009
 

XLA are to do friday night flights to heraklion instead of Viking using the based aircraft for summer 2009.

Summer 2009
 

Anybody know of any more changes to summer 09 since the flights went on sale in may.
Wonder who thomas cook group will use for there sunday naples now
hope they dont go back to sharing the TOM flights

XL Gone!!!!
 

looks like XL is grounded big meeting taken place.

Very sad news

XL Update 00.10 12/9/08
 

from bbc.co.uk

Package holiday firm XL has filed for administration after experiencing financial difficulties, reports say.

The firm is Britain's third biggest tour operator and flies to 50 destinations, mainly in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

XL is the latest travel firm to face financial difficulties as the industry struggles with sky-high fuel costs and an economic downturn.

Low-cost transatlantic airline Zoom collapsed last month

Another casualty of the industry crisis we face. Good luck to all XL staff.

There will be a large gap in the market, with all associated XL companies folding. They were particularly big in the Greek market and operated to some of the smaller islands from regional UK points, like NCL.

All passengers are being advised not to turn up at the airport and to contact travel agents. Message on airport website and XL website.

XL Airways
 

My thoughts are with all the XL staff, especially those in NCL. Very sad to say goodbye to XL. I hope this is the last of the job losses we see in NCL. Lets hope all of the suppliers all get their bills settled too...

anyone know how lucrative (pax) the XL route network was from ncl? Be interesting to know if any other carriers pick them up.

Maybe an opportunity for LS or even FR to step in :hmm:

Without XL and their associated tour operators, NCL will loose destinations such as EFL, JSI, KVA from their route network and frequency to TFS, PFO, CFU, FNC, ZTH and DLM will decrease. Kosmar, part of the XL group who collapsed along with the airline were the UK's number one operator to Greece and operated to many smaller islands in Greece from smaller UK regional airports. Considering the current state of the industry I think it is highly unlikely that many destinations will be reinstated by alternative operators. having said that, most XL flights were very popular from NCL - particularly the Greek islands. NCl cannot afford to loose many more destinations or expansion will be affected greatly.

XL will be a miss in the industry and good luck to all the staff affected.

I think expansion is on hold if the airport like it or not for a few years to come (same for every other airport). What was a year of nil growth will turn into a year of negative growth. The remaining operators will pick and choose, thin routes won't be reinstated, historically thick routes will get thinner and prices will go up. Less competition, fuel prices and the economy doing what its doing all contributing to the biggest slow down in the industry ever. Quite a few years before any growth me thinks.

then fewer people will pay the increased prices which just pushes them up further as the carriers struggle to make a viable return on a flagging route network, and round and round we go...

Really tough times ahead.

Jet2
 

they are doing some of the resuce flights and also heard that they will be doing the Air Bee's naples flights tomorrow?

............rescue flights. A lot of the crews, as I'm sure is happening with most airlines, are being asked to work days off to help out.

Jet2 are already doing some of the Futura flights too :(

This is the first post I have made on PPRUNE since the XL announcement. I trained with a couple of pilots who are (were) at XL. I can't begin to imagine how they are feeling. (Lets hope those of you who had BA sim checks recently, got through :ok:).

Without wishing to detract from XL, Jet2 annouced record profits for the companies history, in the first half of the year at £30 Million.

I only mention this to rest any fears of another Newcastle based airline folding and to hopefully ward off any speculation.

good news, and a point well made :ok: