That statement doesn't really say anything, all it says is that it'll connect the regions but connect it to what? Manchester and Heathrow? Anywhere that doesn't connect to those two could be in for worrying times.

See post #2432 - to recap, these are statements from Virgin Connect:

Recent Flybe users at CWL, DSA and to a lesser extent SOU (where they appear to be re-trenching so some extent also) may beg to differ.

I think people may well need to remember that Virgin Connect will be a separate entity and not a subsidiary like say KLM Cityhopper is.
Virgin are an investor and although yes it's quite probable they'll build up Manchester and Heathrow where possible and feed Virgin Atlantic the company will still need to make a profit so it's investors get a return. And I maybe wrong but I don't think that they would achieve that by withdrawing from key regional markets at Edinburgh, Southampton, Belfast and Birmingham and other smaller ones like Cardiff, Exeter and Newquay just to feed what is a small long haul airline at the moment at 2 airports but that is just my opinion.
Summer 2020 will probably give us some idea of where they'll go as an airline.

CWL and DSA always looked like attempts to find a way to make money with expensive Embraers, supported by airport money. Whats's been dropped from SOU - sun and regional French routes? Hardly core.

A few other points - Virgin only own 30% of BE, BE feed into MAN is already pretty extensive, slots at LHR are horrendously expensive, particularly at the peak times needed to support VS LH. Talk of LHR seems like positioning for a post 3rd runway world.

So - there will be some tweaking of MAN to improve connections to VS, any opportunities at LHR will be grabbed (a la IOM, GCI) and the deadwood will continue to be cut.

I don't think we need to wait to S20. I would suggest that from Jan20 we will see further cuts and other changes to the network to ensure that S20 is in keeping with the overall plan

There are reports at SEN that three Virgin Connect ATR72 will be based there. One of these, EI-FMK, flew DUB-NWI for respray yesterday (although reportedly due to it going back to the leasing company). EMB190 EI-GMK arrived at SEN on Satruday from AMS and is currently parked up.

Well, how useful that they are getting rid off the larger E195s.

virginblue, I can sense the sarcasm but I don't think you've any idea how much those aircraft cost to the business in leasing costs, the term eyewatering doesn't do it justice.

Yep, and if responses that BEE get on social are anything to go by, there are plenty of previously loyal but now unhappy punters bemoaning the end of the sun routes from SOU, EXT, NWI and DSA.

Probably so. At least down in EXT they now have RYR on ALC and AGP.

Indeed and this seems to be the focus, although this area has not been entirely entirely unscathed either.



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Sure, but if they were in a position to return them, they were also in a position to keep them on renegotiated, better terms.

They were at one point just going to cut the loses by returning them and paying the penalty but decided it was better to keep them for a while and try to at least break even with them

Why would they want to do that? Even with better terms the operating costs just to keep it in the air are more than double the eye watering lease cost. They don't want them, they want shot of them, it's as simple as that. If you knew the figures you'd understand why.

Have BE dumped SOU-VRN next Summer?

Inghams Holidays shows they fly on WEDS and SATS for their package holidays to Lake Garda
Flt nos. BE1223/1224 but are these charters then?