Just to be different, I read this thread often and was never under the impression that anyone else would be operating their flights. Further down the thread there was a link to the SAGA website and discussion on the aircraft type they would use.

It was TC-SGH of SAGA.

Or is this SAGA operating on behalf of Viking?

Viking got into a LOT of trouble last year with Newcastle Airport, after running for several weeks with no bags and high numbers of offloaded passengers to to weight issues with the MD83.
I think the Airport would be reluctant to have VIK back which might explain why SAGA are flying this in.

RTG!

Viking have done a deal with Saga whereby they will operate one of their 737-800s on behalf of Saga for certain days of the week. All other flights are operated by Saga Airlines own aircraft - TC-SGH. One of the 737s (either the Viking or Saga aircraft) will be based in Dalaman and the other in Bodrum but i think they reguarly rotate as the Viking aircaft is not based in Turkey for the full week.
Saga Airlines and Viking Airlines aircraft may both be seen at Newcastle over the summer
Hope this clarifies things!:ok:

Sam

I would think that the airport authority are not in a position to 'ban' an airline or not allow them to serve routes on behalf of tour operators or are they? Has it happened before? I know the local press made quite a large story of the Viking troubles last year, but is it enough to stop an airline operating into any specific airport - surely they bring money etc into a difficult market at present?

Incidentally the punctuality statistics have improved since last year!

Both viking and saga aircrafts will be used- mainly viking it seems to be the old XL aircrafts which are going to be used, however it is not 100% that the MD will not be coming in to NCL.

the airport might not be able to actually "ban" an airline, but I am sure they could make it very difficult for it to operate. Charging higher prices perhaps, or threatening large penalties to avoid all the negative publicity that they gained last year.

RTG!

Dub-ncl
 

Dublin to Newcastle for Winter 09/10 with Ryanair now on sale. Stays 9 weekly despite Aer Lingus axing DUB-NCL and Ryanair axing DUB-MME

Dublin
 

Its possible that EI again restart the NCL service for the winter. They have done this before even when FR were doing 2X Daily.
I am sure this route will easily sustain 2 flights per day! as it has done for some years now, Say for example FR in the morning and EI in the early evening, I always thought the Late FR service was scheduled a bit to late.

I notice that the WOW Plymouth/Newquay service was cancelled yesterday (Tues). Anyone know why?

fl dutchman

I can only see EI coming back again if they re-start an EI Commuter type service again, with maybe Q400s or a similar sized a/c.
From what i hear, loads were pretty poor on their latest attempt into NCL - sure they can fill the flight at weekends, but weekdays sometimes seen very poor loads.

As EI don't operate those types or anything vaguely close to it then that won't happen. They miss a trick every time they stop and start the route by not grabbing an AM slot and selling through tickets to the USA.

They last operated mid afternoon between the two FR flights (which then made day returns easy for business) and missed the day traffic and missed any connecting traffic.

DOubtless they will appear again later in the year and repeat their annual poor effort.

Dublin
 

I am sure if EI restarted on this route say in the late evening now that FR are only doing once daily most days the loads would be much better. The FR day return facility has now gone on most days and the FR timings are not great.

There was always enough people flying the route to sustain two flights, dont know if any money was being made though.

Expect to see a huge drop in pax numbers on this route when the figures are released.

Sharm El Sheikh
 

Sharm now on sale on Jet2.com website as of today :ok:

Lowest price so far found is from £60 p/p one way :)

CB
 

Does Anybody No Why there was a Scot Airways in on Wednesday 13th May from London Stansted?

Scot Airways have the contracts for Sunderland and Newcastle United. So I would guess a football charter.

Also, theres often an Aer Arran ATR for big Sunderland games, chartered by the Irish owners and investors of Sunderland

On a side note, Portsmouth use Flybe for their charters, Fulham, and Hull City use Eastern Airways, and Chelsea use BMIregional.

RTG!

It was G-BZOG with the Under 18 Spurs team, they are playing at Sunderland tonight.

EZY
 

Heard That Easyjet 2 base 3rd A319 Up here on the 20th May can anyone confirm?

Good grief! Private planes for the under 18's?!?

Emirates
 

Seem to a be a fair number of low-density configuration A.330's being used recently. Is this because the extra business class seats are needed (i.e good news) or some other reason?

Stupid isn't it? Couldn't believe Man U flew from Manchester to DTV a few weekend's ago, whats wrong with the M62? :ugh:

Good to hear another EZY A319 is due :ok:

Ready to Go

Add Man City, Bolton, Wigan, Liverpool, Reading and they also do Portsmouth to the Eastern client list

Nothing is wrong with the M62, which is why the team coach (and all the kit) travels on it. And meets the players at the airport. Last time i was there during a football charter.

The coach drives hundreds of miles, with just the bags, meets the players, takes them from airport to hotel/stadium and back, then drives back empty!

RTG!

emirates
 

SWBKCB

Probably low loads, same for BHX, GLA & MAN in May/June as
it is the l"ow season". The CAA stats show this pattern every
year.

BHX usually get the odd 772 or 332 instead of the 77W.

All returns to normal by July.

Pete

My point exactly! Why can't the team use it then :rolleyes::cool:

How will the new Eastern services ABZ - LPL -SOU affect ABZ - NCL - SOU?

Any thoughts?

It will be very interesting. Theres a lot of rumours coming out of Eastern at the minute.

Including

NCL-MME-LCY
NCL-BHX-CWL (Which to be fair would make a lot of sense as opposed to the two flights as stands now)

I fly regularly with T3 between NCL-SOU and would be very surprised if the connection was lost altogether, despite the competition from Flybe. NCL-ABZ is also very lucrative.

Anyone know if the LPL route will be a Saab or a J41?

RTG!

The first flight of the day is the Saab, the other two is the J41.

ABZ seems to reduce from 5 to 4 and SOU is maintained at 3

EI
 

From what I remember EI suspended flights over summer last year too

When I asked EI, being based for work in Dublin they said, and I quote

'We only operate over the football season into Newcastle'

Whether this will now cease as Keane has now departed Sunderland is another question BUT I think they'll be back as they were last time around from August/September

Theres a lot more Irish interest in Sunderland than just Roy Keane. As far as I am aware Sunderland are owned by a consortium of Irishmen, under Niall Quinn.

Seems funny that football is a good enough reason to justify a daily 320.

RTG!

EI's considerably better flight times (for leisure travellers at least) and it's overall standard of service over FR are welcome.

Now that MME has lost its route (which I'm sure had a flight similar to EI's afternoon flight to NCL) it would be nice to see EI move in on that.

And yes, Sunderland were owned by an Irish consortium but are now owned by an American investor called Ellis Short

From what I recall the football is the reason Aer Arran started into Cork too

EI's times were more humane but too late to connect to any transatlantic services so no use to through travellers.

Aer Arran operated to Galway which is great for a weekend away but not much else. The public transport options from Galway were very poor and the flight arrived too late to go on to anywhere else. The only public transport options down the West Coast were by bus as the train services only link back to Dublin in reality. The Shannon flight is now gone making travel into Ireland challenging.

Does Jet2 still have a Cork service?

I used it last year, first (and last) time I have ever flown Jet2.

RTG!

Cork service operates on a friday and a sunday.

I notice that the Eastern non-stop Stavanger route has changed from a J41 to a Saab 2000 according to the timetable

I see your Fedex contract has changed hands again, now with Air Contractors still an ATR42

Hello everyone,

I've just got back from EGNT to find there was a Kuwait Airways A300-600R (9K-AMC) on the north side. After asking a few spotters up there i was informed it arrived just after 6am and i was there to see it depart which was around 10:30ish. Does anyone have any idea why this aircraft was in?!

Thanks all,
Alan

Just a guess, but could be picking up currency from that place in Gateshead (de la... something). Quite a few different airlines pop in from time to time on that contract.

RTG!

De La Rue is the place RTG

Kuwait Airways 9K-AMB turned up a few years ago

Kuwait Airways A300 9K-AMB :: 9K-AMB.jpg :: Fotopic.Net