Germania pull the plug on PIK

[billyg]

Todays Germania flight from Prestwick to Berlin was the last, seems that only O'Leary can make pik work!

[kpiko3]

I think Germania changed there mind after the route was started and tried everything to get the route dropped.Just the way I see it.
Now I can see Oleary staring a PIK-Berlin SFL service.

Kpiko3

[Runway 31]

It is hardly surprising that it did not work. I don't think that I have ever seen any advertising for the service and from what I hear there did not appear to be any advertising in Germany either.

Considering the number of incoming pasengers on Ryanairs flights out of Hahn I think that it would be relatively easy to make a go of flights from Berlin.

Some you win, some you lose.

Runway 31

[IanH]

Shame about Germania..... but as has been said, no advertising means no passengers.... The only advert that I saw was an advertising board at Prestwick Airport.

From what I have seen, the BMI Baby service from/ to Cardiff seems very busy.... so its not all Ryanair !

[sparkymarky]

There was virtually no PR done for this route. Very strange.

I wonder if the discussion on another thread about Ryanair killing off underperforming routes in favour of new options might encourage them to have a look at PIK to Schonefeld as a possible option?

[OLNEY 1 BRAVO]

Reminds me of the Hapag-Lloyd Express flights out of Luton ... no advertising and surprise, surprise low load factors.

A self-fulfilling prophecy.

[BALIX]

Aha! That explains why the banner on the walkway over the dual carriageway was no longer there this morning when I drove to work.

The problem with the Germania service from a potential passenger's point of view was that it wasn't a daily service and that the fixed price tickets were not particularly good value. A weekend in Berlin was tempting but the a return ticket cost £130 or thereabouts no matter how far in advance you bought it. Unless you leave it very late, you are unlikely to pay anything like that much on any RYR service or, indeed, BMI Baby or EZY.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

<<<
Unless you leave it very late, you are unlikely to pay anything like that much on any RYR service or, indeed, BMI Baby or EZY
>>>

Or even British Airways. I recently flew Heathrow/Berlin return for about 90 quid all in.

[kpiko3]

What I could see happening is since the PIK-STN service is doing so well,they could simply keep the 10 daily flights to stansted and put Shannon,Bergamo and Berlin Schoenfeld on a based aircraft,maybe they could use one of the RYR 200 aircraft up the North side for the time being and replace it with a newer aircraft.
Also they could put the Berlin service on the SE fund,clever move if they do,that would mean 5 routes they have which they virtually arent paying for.

Kpiko3