LHR
 

According to the latest BA shedules the NCL-LHR service is reduced to 5 daily M-F, 3 on Sat and 4 on Sun for Summer 2013. ??

Ba
 

Will be BA be starting 2x daily to LHR from DTV hence the drop for ncl?

Hasn't the number of LHR flights regularly changed between summer and winter in the past, in the same way that the AMS does?

Having just launched LBA I'd be surprised at a LHR service from MME, unless somebody is bunging cash at them.

LHR
 

The number of weekday flights does not normally change between summer and winter. Weekend frequency does slightly change ( 5/6 Sat in winter to 4 summer ) I think Sun is constant.

Other than for a couple of odd months you would have to go back to the days of BKS/Northeast to have frequencys as low as the summer 2013 schedule.

I thought BA were talking about increasing frequencys on existing domestic services with the new slots.

The summer 2013 NCL-LHR are showing very long
gaps between some flights, especially in the afternoon/evening. Its not exactly a good business schedule.

Maybe it will be changed, but BA rarely change schedules once published.

The passenger numbers on this route are usually growing with very busy flights feeding the LHR services, so the reduction is surprising.

seems strange and 319s as well....flew route friday and sunday on very very busy 321 and 320.

The domestic routes always show the A319 as the aircraft operating, it gets changed to the actual aircraft later in the year. It was like this last year as well.

FL Dutchman wrote
"I thought BA were talking about increasing frequencys on existing domestic services with the new slots"

BA always talk a good story but they would rather use the slots for long-haul and make more money

Heathrow Harry
 

Yes your probably correct,

However connection times are important and with aprox 4.5 hr frequency gaps between flights up to NCL in the afternoon and evening ( 9hrs on Sats !) it could put people off flying BA Longhaul/european routes from/to the North East Via LHR.

I thought they were giving up some slots from LHR to ABZ and was it also LHR EDI?. Whilst maintaining or increasing frequency on other domestics in addition to starting 3 new domestic routes. Obviously not in the case of NCL.

Booking tool for this summmer (June & July) shows exactly the same as next year (as 5 Daily M-F; Sat 3 & Sunday 4) So change is from next month.. But September shows higher frequency levels as current!

April provisional figures from the CAA:

Gatwick -13%
Heathrow +9%
Brussels +2%
Paris CDG +8%
Dusseldorf -1%
Dublin +15%
Amsterdam +8%
Stavanger +10%
Dubai -12%


For the 12 month rolling period, the airport handled 4.33m pax, -1.2% down.

fl dutchman
 

Almost... As part of the sale of bmi, British Airways had to give up 7 daily slot pairs to be used between EDI and/or ABZ.

BA can keep as much frequency as they like on those routes it's just they have to give 7 of their 56 gained slots up.

LHR
 

Yes it looks like the reductions start in June but its irregular. ie first two weeks in june, a week or so in July and a week in September.

Perhaps they are updating there system in stages?

So Captain Dooney, are you saying that they had to give up slots specified to ABZ and EDI, but then they switch slots from other airports to fill the ones given up at ABZ and EDI?

ABZ and EDI will still be maintained by BA at 7x daily and slightly reduced on weekends.

But from the 56 slots gained from BMI, 7 daily slots MUST be given to a different airline who wants to fly ABZ or EDI. They can only be used on ABZ and/or EDI.

Captain Doony,
Thanks I hadnt realised that was the state of play.

However some of the good connections through LHR with BA returning to NCL especially at weekends are now very poor indeed.

Competitors will probably benefit.

I see the NCL-LHR was up again in March (9%).

The domestic slots, if they are indeed ever used, before relapsing back to BA- will not be used until at least late 2013 according to BA
DXB down 12% - ouch, and thats before the 777 :eek: Odd that some other EK stations noting declines, albeit less impressive. Is it still true that NCL is the "weakest link" for EK UK ?

So the reduction of flights between NCL and LHR has in effect nothing to do with the BMI takeover?

EK. Yes its probably the weakest link in terms of passenger numbers, but it also has the lowest number of seats available.
What is the LF on the NCL route vs the others? What are the yields like? What are they making on freight?
Surely it would not be upgrading to a 777-300ER if it was not performing well enough.

DXB - Easter effect!!

Easter effect
 

OH Yes!! Never thought of that.

In that case the increases to AMS, CDG, DUB, LHR etc are more impressive

EK/TS
 

I wouldnt worry too much about the dubai figures.
Heard someone on the BHX forum saying they were in a minus too.
Easter and also with them people travelling to MAN so they can fly the A380.

Im sure that from September we will see a big increase in pax with the 777 having a better product to offer than the A330.

TS - been operating for the last 2 weeks now how have the loads been?

TS loads
 

Todays TS load was just over 100 and last weeks was in single figures :(