EXETER
 

there is talk around that the airport are in talks with other airlines about the flybe sun routes, with jet2, ryanair, easyjet,and monarch, anybody share more news on this, its going to be a big blow for the airport if they cant find a replacment.

Seems like Flybe have dropped Glasgow as a direct route from the end of the summer schedule

The route continues via Manchester though using Dash 8 a/c. There appears to be 3 based Dash 8 for the winter season now

That's normal, the direct flight does not operate during winter season.

Does the second daily Paris stop for the winter too? I assume if one aircraft is doing the evening MAN, the second will do the new evening LCY and the third does the late afternoon channel isles triangle followed by the late evening DUB there wouldn't be space for it anyway...

Pity as I honestly think, given 'normal' spare aircraft availability in winter, there would be a fair degree of sense in keeping an additional dash 8 in Exeter through the winter to operate a morning Dublin to allow connections into long haul there (esp. given the US customs pre-clearance) and to continue with the evening Paris Cdg in the continued absence of a Bristol day return option on this route.

With the forthcoming nuclear power plant development in Somerset (for which, arguably, given ease of access to the M5, Exeter might well be a quicker option to get to by road than Bristol) and I understand French companies are to be heavily involved in that...then hopefully a year-round double daily CDG code shared with AF could be a solid prospect?

Next: can I suggest Exeter-Newquay-cork two or three days per week in summer, please?!

sun routes and maintance at exeter
 

talking to friends at the airport today, the talk is that monarch is the fav to take over the main hangars and training, plus the sun routes with the airport in talks , understand easyjet, ryanair want to expand bristol, anybody got any more news on this, also can anybody tell me what is in the main hangars at the moment, seems to be just flybe and aero mexico connect ex kenya emb170,

Monarch
 

Interesting, but I am sceptical...

Monarch Engineering have only just this year opened a huge hangar at Birmingham capable of holding 2x 777-300's, and they also have major maintenance bases at Luton and Manchester... (I think Gatwick too?!)

Seeing as this huge increase in Maintenance capacity only became available this year, I doubt they will be looking to increase capacity again that soon...

With regards to Monarch starting up scheduled flights from the airport, they have only operated flights if they have based aircraft at airports previously. Their smallest bases at present are EMA and LBA with 2 aircraft based at both, could Exeter really support 2 aircraft flying exclusively on scheduled services to sunshine destinations, for example with both flying 3 routes a day? That is potentially 42 departures and 42 arrivals a week!

You also have to throw into the mix, Monarch operate the A320 as their smallest aircraft, with 180 seats. That is a 50% increase on the capacity of a FlyBE EMB-195, if they are struggling to use this sized aircraft to the Med how can you expect an A320 to work?

Both airlines also operate around the same price point, usually being a little more expensive than the likes of easyJet and Ryanair, so there is unlikely to be any £20 flight sales with Monarch to fill the seats.

If they were to base a single A320 at the airport, they are a long way from any other bases for crewing and support purposes with Luton and Birmingham nearly 200 miles away!