...and they'll not bring 2 extra aircraft in for 1 days worth of flying, they'll reschedule flights and keep it at 4 based.

How many are based now? IIRC correctly its 2x733, and that lovely white 752 (which is horrifically underused and spends most of its time on remote!).

And how will the new flights affect thier lucrative mail contract. I doubt LS would risk a 733 being back at NCL too close to the mail flights, bearing in mind the time required to tow, convert, load and dispatch the mail.

Anyone know the timing of the LS mail?

RTG!

RTG all of the 737 operated passenger flights are scheduled to arrive before the mail flights depart, except saturday evenings when no mail flights (or a reduced schedule) are/is operated.

In terms of aircraft numbers based, I have to agree with CentreFix that some re-scheduling may take place, unless of course additional routes are announced. The rumoured KGS charter could be operated on the 733 after the PMI, but could be tight for mail flight?! There are some gaps left in teh schedule, which could yet be filled - there is no reason why LS wouldn't use their 757 for night flying to maximise useage and potential profit!

As for YYZ, not convinced on that one for LS, but the loss of the route certainly needs a replacement!

tcx00 the days of operation are just changing for next summer by the looks of it. DLM will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays - more or less same capacity as this season. However again glancing through the programme indicates gaps on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday evening.

She's being painted this winter, apprently but no winglets and not for certain if LSAD is coming back next year?

It does 4 rotations a day except for Tues and Weds where it does 2 so it's not that bad!!

Apologies if the following post is in the wrong place but here goes

Returned to my former 'local' airport on a break to England last night with Thomson through Palma

Landed early at 00.05 and was advised during taxi that there would be a short delay in disembarking to allow the fitting of an airbridge (which bemused me as to why they announced this?) which was to our advantage as the weather was atrocious (very heavy rain)

After 10 minutes the pilot came on and apologised saying we'd have to disembark via stairs as the airbridge operator was unavailable. Hmmm. So another 5 minutes and stairs were attached. By now we've been on the ground nearly 20 minutes. I exited via front stairs which to my mind weren't attached properly. They shook like hell and were very very slippy. It was like a funhouse ride from the Town Moor. The air stewards started directing people to the back doors instead.

Was then stuck in a 10 minute queue at the UK Border Agency (rent a failed cop) who had 2 people for the whole flight yet 2 people controlling a queue! They spent an age looking at passports and passengers and barking at parents who dared to move forward with their children. Rather appalling behaviour.

Eventually I moved forwarded and was grunted at by a spotty 20 year old who ordered me around like a 12 year old. I half expect this from UK immigration these days.

So onto the baggage collection which took 45 minutes! Landing at 00.05 I didn't leave the airport until 01.15 and we were the only flight at the time (another TOM jet from Ibiza was due in 20 minutes after us) The cases were soaked through to add injury to a growing insult.

It just seemed a wholly inefficient slow and poor operation from gate to arrivals hall.

Sorry to hear of your experience, JKKne. I've heard similar concerns about customer service relating to both travelling and accommodation in the UK. It is not something peculiar to Newcastle.

Such lapses happen, in my view, when management loses sight of the big picture. (Why do we provide a service? To keep people safe and make them happy. If they are safe and happy, they will come back for more, thus ensuring the pennies keep rolling in.) Ideally, staff training would include an element of observing best practice, wherever that might be located (Do hoteliers ever stay in other hotels? Do immigration officers ever pass through immigration abroad?). Staff could also be encouraged to take a personal interest in their career development (= I want to be good at my job, so I'm going to learn something or do something that will enable me to perform better). Often things get out of hand when they get too big and too impersonal: eg you sometimes get good service at small hotels, on small airlines and at small airports.

I regularly stay at a particular large chain's hotels on my travels and have been very impressed by their corporate style and methods. They seem to have been able to instill in staff a 'can do' and 'want to help' attitude that many organisations would do well to follow.

Hope your next trip back to The Toon runs more smoothly.

Its not all bad, I've flown into or out of NCL 6 times this year. On each occassion I had 2 children and 2 suitcases and made it through the airport on every occassion as quick as it could possibly be done (in my opinion). Other than the notorious revolving door, I can't think of any point of the procedure that could have went better or quicker.

It bemuses me as why they told you this as well because the flight deck knew well in advance of landing that the airbridge was u/s, and had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that there was no operator present. (There was actually an operator present well in advance of the a/c pulling on to stand but unable to use the airbridge as it's currently broken.).

2 sets of stairs were waiting and were connected to the a/c (properly) within 5 minutes of it pulling onto stand. The front stairs were connected first and the majority of the flight disembarked via the front stairs with no other complaints made. The a/c was fully clear of passengers and the crew had disembarked within 20 minutes of its arrival on stand so your times are very inaccurate.

It does seem you've had a long wait for you bags however but this may have something to do with the TOM IBZ actually landing 15 mins before you not 15 mins after.

Cannot comment on the majority of that situation, other than immigration can get very hectic at certain times of the day, IMHO the area is far too small and cramped for busy periods, though during the night maybe a leaner coverage of border control officers are present, leading to longer wait?? I have no objection in them thoroughly checking documentation, but adequate provision of staff and a spacious area would improve passenger transit.

likewise security on the way out.

I have to say, I've never found NCL any worse to arrive in than any other airport, and I pass thought a few times a month. I think a lot of your problems are probably due to the late arrival time. At that time of night, the handling agents have a skeleton staff, that can probably cope with all the work, provided nothing is too early... or too late.
I can imagine that immigration is a nightmare if you land a few minutes after the Emirates though!

Though nice to know I'm not the only one who HATES those damn revolving doors! I've even been on flights that have landed late, and the revolving door in the domestic hall had been switched off!

Is there a reason NCL doesn't have the sliding doors like everywhere else?

Perhaps the late hour clouded my mind. I was in row 23 and everyone behind me was told to disembark via the rear stairs.

The pilot was most talkative, I assume he was just using spiel.

I'm used to flying into Palma, the most godforsaken impersonal of airports (though a joy out of season it has to be said) but I've never had a baggage wait longer than 10 minutes with them and immigration in particular has been a breeze. Man with gun waving through at the sight of some red leather or a national ID card

On the doors. They were blocked off when I arrived and we were directed to the door to the left of them in arrivals

apparently the funding was ringfenced in place a while back for the sliding doors as replacements. however prior to this work starting there was an incursion from land / airside at another airport and this led to the door changes/upgrade being put on hold...... thats what i hear anyway,

Looks like there will be stability at best from Easyjet at Newcastle in 2010. It's pulling out of EMA, cutting 20% at Luton and at Belfast, Bristol, Newcastle and Stansted aircraft numbers will remain the same, but a total of 40 pilot and cabin crew jobs to go across the 4 bases.

Glad to hear NCL has escaped any cuts.

Jet2 adds again
 

Jet2 has put tunisia on sale from newcastle, leeds and manchester today

sunday flights from june until sept

Given that the reason for the EZY EMA base closure is that the base has been stagnant for the last few years does anyone think that NCL should have something to fear.

I posted a couple of years ago when we lost Berlin, Copenhagen, Budapest that I was concerned that we were becoming like EMA then. I know we dont have just 3 based EZY aircraft here but we have been quite stagnant now for a couple of years, with regard to EZY aircraft numbers, I know some of the EZY folk have become quite concerned over the last couple of days.

Any thoughts from anyone else on this one

I agree that EZY has been a little stagnant for a while at NCL now, Jet2 seem to be making NCL into quite a large base for them, it would be interesting to compare pax numbers on the 2 airlines from NCL. Having said that with 6 based aircraft EZY still has a fairly large base, with a good number of routes and frequencies - which obviously are making a nice earner for them, if not wouldn't the base have also been closed? Don't think we run the risk of loosing them unless the economic situation deteriorates, in which case anything could happen?!

I seem to remember that in EZY's last financial report they singled out NCL as a successful and profitable base for them.

Easyjet
 

Hi

I think the reason is to why easyjet havent done much with ncl over the last few years is that we have been a boeing base. All new aircraft into the easyjet fleet have been airbus hense no extra aircraft at ncl.

I think that things will now change as we will be airbus only by end of summer but maybe not for at least another year when conditions improve.
The airport bosses can now fight with other airports for new routes and new based aircraft which the airport couldnt have done this before now!!

I think the easyjet will find it hard to expand into TFS,ACE as jet2 now have these routes well covered.

Im sure that easyjet can find room still and make money on routes to turkey and greece. i agree with what someone wrote before we need our city breaks routes back and hopefully easyjet will bring them back once the market returns....

:ok:

Flybe have put Limoge and Jersey on sale for summer 2010....just tried to access it on the website but not available at the time of this post.

Strange....that information about launch of even more summer flights for 2010 has now disappeared from the Flybe website.

I departed from Newcastle a week past Saturday and both sets of escalators up to departures were broken forcing any passengers with disabilities to wait ages for the lifts which are touch and go at the best of times. Returning back through the airport today the escalator to arrivals was also broken again. Surely an airport of this size should have a maintenance contract to keep them running - this sets a poor example to visiting pax.

Tis very rare that arrivals escalators are switched on, so they may not actually be broken, just in the 'off' position, but totally agree with your comment, NCL "at times" does not set a very good example!

The other side of the coin
 

After my little rant about arriving into Newcastle I feel it only right to describe my departures experience back home to Palma through Newcastle.

The revolving doors, I hate them too, but for the first time I got around in one without some dozy duffer clattering into them and stopping the bloody things

Check in was a breeze. Quick and efficient and a really smiley chatty airline rep who made the whole dull process rather bearable.

The queue at security was fairly large but very well managed, passengers were clearly communicated to (ladies shoes off only! :ok:) and directed to other scanners and again all with a smile.

I found the airside prices reasonable (alas...Palma really must be getting expensive!) and again the service was good and an impressive choice for the airport since my last visit. I even foregoed a visit to the lounge to watch the planes from those big glass windows.

Boarding was prompt, well managed, adhered to and we left dead bang on time.

So, felt it only right to praise as well as criticise. Fly back in 2 weeks for a birthday so we'll see if they keep up the good work!

SFB
 

Hi All,

My wife has just returned from work (travel agent) and mentioned there wont be any TCX flights from NCL-SFB next summer. Looks like the MON charter will be stopping leaving TOM to run the route.
I'm aware its a difficult route to make work as the costs are so high but was a little suprised as TCX ran the 2 weeks in August.
Anyone heard any other rumours?

At present, Thomas Cook (the Tour Op) will not run any SFB charters next summer from NCL, either using MON or any of their own metal. TOM will be responsible for all long haul charters, using their 767 aircraft in a 258 (think thats the split between premium and economy) config, which results in quite a capacity cut to Florida, as MON A330 had 350+ from recollection. Maybe TOM could consider adding an additional rotation, but again in these economic times, I very much doubt it.

It has also been mentioned but NCL will loose its weekly link to Canada, though some rumours place LS as the successor to this route, whther or not they or any other operator will step in remains to be seen.

no opening date for the hotel at all now i'm afraid due to finance problems .. all on hold at the moment ..

just a big empty building that will probably fall into neglect before it actually opens .. shame :rolleyes:

Manx2 increasing frquency to NCL from 14th October, with a new flight on wednesdays. They are planning a daily service during 2010.

The hotel will be open before Christmas as a Doubletree by Hilton Brand.

The CAA August stats show a better picture for the airport in Aug.
Domestic routes: Gatwick +18%, Heathrow +6% Aberdeen +55% Belfast City +14% and Southampton +1% all the others are down. (Jersey has not published yet)

International routes: Nice +2%, Rome +2%, All Spanish scheduled routes are up except Tenerife (the charter figure is down in every case) Faro scheduled is up, charter is down. Dubai continues to rise with a 4% increase.

The airport pax figure as a whole, is down 5.5% which is a lot better than some in August. The rolling year pax figure is 10.6% down at 4,673,982 so it looks like we shall make the magical 5m figure this year.

Yes those figures are quite encouraging. I think the 5.5% August monthly reduction on the same month last year is possibly the lowest for some time and that is with some destination pax figures not in yet. So perhaps things are starting to bottom out, although the coming winter is going to be tough with quite a few cutbacks ie LHR and AMS.

Summer 2010 looks promising at the moment, perhaps there could be a return to growth then ?

I wonder if Easyjet will increase from 5 to 6 aircraft from the end of June next summer as per this year when the seats for that period are put on sale. I seem to remember them saying in a recent release that the proposed staff reductions were to ensure the right crewing levels for future flying or something like that. They also said the number of aircraft at NCL is expected to remain stable. So does that mean stable at 5 or 6?.

KLM this winter will be 3x daily 737 not sure if this is the same amounts of seats on sale??

From what i have heard easyjet will be 5 aircraft only for summer.

The AMS is currently 2x 733 and 2x F70, some days a 738 replaces one of the 733s I think. So its about 414/458 seats. For the winter its at the moment 1x 733, 1x 734 and 1x 738, 445 seats. So the number of seats is similar summer and winter. But in the winter there is no mid morning departure from NCL for the first time since I can remember, a very popular service for connections. Cant understand this at all ?.

It will be interesting to see how the passenger figures look when this happens.

At present from summer 2010 it is planned to go back to 5 daily, with the re introduction of the mid morning departure. (2x 737 and 3x F70?)

ugh. That will mean a 6 hour wait at AMS for early afternoon connections.

FlyBe 2010
 

Dont know if this is an increase, but now booking to end of June for,

SOU 4x daily, EXE 1x daily, CWL 1x daily, LGW 4x daily and Belfast City 2x Daily. (frequency for weekdays, weekends vary )
JER is M W F and Su and Limoges on Sat.
Could it be 3 based aircraft with some new routes to come??.

Jersey gone for winter. Thought it a bit odd for a winter flight fron NCL.

That must mean that NCL-SOU is the highest frequency route out of the airport, 4xFlybe, 3xEastern.

Or is LHR better served?

LHR is at most 6 times a day, dropping to 4 during the winter, if i'm not mistaken.

It is but not by number of seats offered

LHR has been 6x Daily for years summer and winter, but dropping to 5 for most of this coming winter only ?.

So SOU has it on frequency not seats.