What plethora? I thought there was a Monarch flight at 0800, and I didn't really want to get the middle-of-the-night train from Sheffield and preceding £30 taxi or go night before and stay in hotel. If any other airline operate direct MAN-BCN I didn't know - Jet2 next year apparently?

Johnnychips is right. there is only ONE flight direct to Barcelona, Monarch. Next year there will be Jet 2 on 4 days a week.
Many people connect to/from BCN because of flight timings. I use Monarch alot-but also use Swiss via ZRH, who can also often be cheaper than Monarch.
I Certainly would not pay for J class on a shorthaul flight.
But Johnnychips you can use the BMI lounge, but the lounge is situated near gate 18 & the BSL flight usuallly goes from gate 53 a fair distance away.
I have also traveled on the BMI BSL service, which had very poor loads both ways & there was not even a cabin divider between economy & business class, mind you there were no J class pax either way.

There is also twice daily (?) to BCN from LPL direct with EZY and that must be the main Northwest routing these days I guess. 14,000+ in Feb 2011 vs 2000+ from MAN. Scope for EZY here. C Class in Europe in my view not worth it, unless you get it as a perk on a connection to longhaul

The problem for locos to BCN is the fact that pax tend not to buy anything, many don't bother with hold bags. Net result higher ticket price as we all know that for locos its all about the extras.

I don't think MAN-BSL ever has had good loads - when Swiss operated it, it was often barely half-full. When they then pulled the RJ100 off LCY and MAN from BSL, I imagine it would have been easy to drop MAN if they'd wanted, and route the passengers via ZRH; therefore Lufthansa (owning both airlines, obviously) must have a reason for wanting to keep it going. I hope it does.

Anyone heard about SQ cancelling MAN-MUC?

SQ flies daily SIN-FRA-JFK with B744. From next winter this flight should be operated by an A380 and FRA-JFK (A380 is too big for this route) could be cancelled.
JFK could be tagged on the current SIN-MUC flight and so MUC-MAN won't operate anymore.
But still, it's just a rumour so far.

Seljuk22

What is your source for this 'rumour' if you have one - thanks...

MM

'Source':
Strecken-Gerchtekche: Slotantrge, Flurfunk etc. - airliners.de - Forum

Seljuk22

Thanks for the link - which is another forum in German.

We will have to wait and see......

SQ
 

Also read somewhere that SAS were to begin code sharing with SQ.

So could it be feasible that MANs SQ PAX start their journey on a 737 via scandinavia ???

SQ
 

Also read somewhere that SAS were to begin code sharing with SQ.

So could it be feasible that MANs SQ PAX start their journey on a 737 via scandinavia ???

More rubbing of hands by the ME carriers !!!

Could be quite interesting as there were 180 pax on Sunday

Ian B

MAN777

I dont think thats a possibility - loads are currently good
and cargo is crucial.

MM

When did good loads have anything to do with it ?

Good loads didnt stop QF, SAA, CX etc etc pulling out.

Commercial politics and best utilisation of an airframe is what matters.

I have heard that we will not be without a service
The cargo alone is worth a lot of money
Re SAA, CX and QF
SAA pulled because they short of aircraft to start the New York service after
aparthied
QF and CX something to do with BA

Ian B

nothing at all to do with BA.

MAN777

Calm yourself down.....all will be revealed.......

MM

Wasn't the CX pull out something to do with the pilots union there?

Perhaps SQ might be able to cash in the Thu and Sat evening slots used by their B744Fs and send Singapore Cargo to Manchester instead? Mind you the A380 into LHR has probably impacted their cargo uplift as well.

Skipness is correct the A380 does have an impact on cargo as it significantly reduces the amount that can be carried.