That must be good for EK.

Slot restrictions
 

"The question is, how come the first flights of the day regularly, almost routinely, take off 20mins+ late when the aircraft were there overnight and the check-in desks close in plenty of time?
ie today, 6.05 AMS left 6.30
6.20 Palma left 6.43
625 CDG left 6.46"

Hi there.

The Amsterdam aircraft would usually get a slot as It's competing for a landing slot with many trans-atlantics aswell as EGPD/PH/PF/NM/CC/NV/CN flights flying into Amsterdam all wanting to land at the same time. Amsterdam tend not to do en-route holding like London do, so they hold aircraft on the ground until such a time they'll be able to fly to Amsterdam with no en-route holding, saving fuel etc.etc.

The Palma would most likely to be caught out in one of 2 London Air Traffic control restrictions - one being Daventry southbound which is sat from Manchester and Oxford FL195+) and if the the inbound Oceanic tracks are northerly then traffic inbound the London area need to be integrated with aircraft from Scotland, NT,CC, GP, AA, AC etc. all wanting to leave the UK via the South coast.

The second restriction will more than likely be London Upper sector restriction as this is basically one great bit roundabout in the sky over London, where UK departures mix with transatlantics inbound to LFPG, EHAM, EBBR, Germany etc. so regulating the flow prevents overloads in that sector.

CDG will be more than likely a combination of either Daventry south bound restriction and like Amsterdam, arrival restrictions into Paris, preventing a flood of aircraft all turning up only to hold until their place in the queue.

Hope this helps :)

Topjet:
Thanks for such a comprehensive reply :ok:

Topjet

I thought you only hung around the ATC forums these days!!!

;)

Haha, no no I still read, I just can't really input not being 'in the know' anymore ;) How's the view? Might have to have a liaison visit in July :)

Just been looking at the Thamas Cook Charter timetable for summer 2011.

Two new destinations....Hurgada and Enfidha (Tunisia

Aircraft needed to fulfill the schedule looks like:-
Mon 4 a/c
Tues 5 a/c
Wed 3 a/c
Thurs 4 a/c
Fri 4 a/c
Sat 3 a/c
Sun 3 a/c

Anyone else noticed this or has any thoughts on it?

Thats good news! Where abouts is the timetable?

Think this is a bit optimistic - possibly includes some flights operated by other airlines for Thomas Cook Holidays? However, unless it's changed a lot from the list I've seen (hard copy at my sister's BBQ!), it looked like three departures most mornings, so maybe a three aircraft schedule (or a lot of 'W''s)?

The Tunisia flight is to the new airport that both Thomas Cook and Thomson are using instead of Monastir from May next year

SWBKCB

All the flights I used were TCX, I left the KM and LS flights out. This year there were a lot of changes to reach the final programme however they have had to add some flights back in. A case of over-pruning, I think.

New car park
 

I had the misfortune to use the new "15 mins free" pick up and collection area this evening for the first time. Could this have been any poorer signposted or any further away from the terminal building? With the clock on the ticket issuing machine being 6 mins slow and the 5-7 minute walk to the terminal this all made for a miserable customer experience.

Well done NCL, you are well on your way to reaching your goal of being the most unfriendly airport in the UK.

Delta Airlines
 

I see that talks between Delta Airlines and Cardiff airport have ended without agreement. Cardiff airport was hoping that delta would start daily flights to New York.

Anybody know if delta have been talking to NCL also??
there was talk that the airport were talking to at least 2 US carriers about a link to new york over a year ago.

Sorry to state this route again just thought people may be intested at the statement from cardiff airport.

I can't help but laugh at the car park between Samson and the Old Wings Bar, which now is always empty. I bet that the cost of the pay and display machine and the painting of the parking bays has not even been covered yet.

They are so desperate at generating income from any redicilous source that they are making themselves a laughing stock. What little money they used to get from me is now spent at Callerton parking and on the Metro.

HH6702
Please, please give this a rest!!!:ugh: Even EZY can't make a decent return:{

On a positive note though, Jet2 seem to be doing very well at NCL, with the prospect of more for next summer, as well as TUI/Thomas Cook figures looking pretty healthy....it does however show the seasonality of the leisure business through NCL, as winter programmes reduce significantly.

TUI will be once again running a series of cruise charters in the winter for the likes of P&O, Fred Olsen and Thomson Cruises.

Jet2 is doing well but look at the routes they serve. Both EZY (except STN/BRS/BFS) and Jet2 are now just bucket and spade competition for the holiday charters.

NCL seems to be slipping back to where we were 20 years ago, capitals served by the expensive flag carriers of those countries and the charter holiday traffic to the med. Lets face it, what you have to pay these days to fly with EZY or Jet2 out of NCL it can hardly be called cheap.

You just have to look at the prices to go the same places from EDI, LBA or MAN and you will see exactly what I mean.

The problem is i think Neil, with the economy back to an even worse state than 1979 there are very tough times ahead. The relatively expensive holidays which form the minority are set to become an even rarer bread for the time being.

Bucket and spades holidays typically hold up regardless, and at the end of the day if thats your market then you have to service it.

Jet 2
 

I see that Jet2 are doing Murcia during this coming winter. Think its up to 30 Nov, then over the Christmas /New Year period, then from early Feb onwards. Not sure of the Frequency. So thats one of the Easyjet routes that was dropped taken over by another carrier. Whats the chances of someone moving onto the Stansted.

That's not quite fair....Murcia was a new destination introduced by Jet 2, EZY moved in on it when they saw how popular it was.