Rumours about MAN expansion 2011

Can't imagine that a CH would be effective based on a twice a week service, it's taken EK long enough to pull their fingers out and that was with a twice a day service.

It's much more than a twice weekly service at MAN:
Twice weekly to BGI
Twice weekly to LAS
PLUS
Twice daily to MCO (744 + 333)

Also as mentioned above, MCO will be 4x daily

Both less than LHR & LGW but compared with the other 8 clubhouses ...?

Time that VS gave the B&S routes the investment.

'Unfortunately' I don't do Virgin check-in at work anymore

Sorry to hear that Lizz - was going to be looking out for you this Saturday!

Will have to check the check-in carefully!

No need to be sorry, it's a nice change for me, even if it does mean 3am starts now!

... I can see them wanting to go self-handling really, they hate the way swissport do things, hate how check-in staff aren't amazing like virgin staff are, hate the baggage handlers being unreliable and I've heard they're going to dispatch their flights themselves soon. I'm amazed they kept the contract!

Maybe the extra flights will give VS the critical mass needed or the impetus to staff it themselves rather than contract it out?

If not then whoever wrote / negotiated the contract with swissport didn't do a very good job ... or the person who monitors the contract ... or they just don't care and would rather just deal with any complaints than confront swissport.

OOPS - Didn't realise VS presently / propose to fly a fairly significant schedule out of MAN as this Bill S...

It's much more than a twice weekly service at MAN:
Twice weekly to BGI
Twice weekly to LAS
PLUS
Twice daily to MCO (744 + 333)

Also as mentioned above, MCO will be 4x daily

Both less than LHR & LGW but compared with the other 8 clubhouses ...?

At what point does an airline decide to opt for a Clubhouse / own lounge facility? It must only be when the customer base / routes are proven to be successful and profitable I would guess? Anyway, I hope that the rumours are correct because it can only improve on the present services.

[Pete]

At what point does an airline decide to opt for a Clubhouse / own lounge facility? It must only be when the customer base / routes are proven to be successful and profitable I would guess? Anyway, I hope that the rumours are correct because it can only improve on the present services.

The biggest decider is normally space. Airports are busy places, and real estate is at a premium. Normally you have to wait for a suitable location to become available before you can consider a lounge. Virgin would rather have their own facilities in most locations rather than pay (pretty high) per-head charges to airport authorities and other airlines.

Now official

http://www.facebook.com/notes/virgin-at ... 7012539452

David

Suppose its not really an expansion, given the routes they dropped the other year..its just returning some of what they did- but not all..
Eitherway encouraging & will likely be popular route, just need a decent east/west coast route & those much needed A/C upgrades and they'll have some very happy northern monkeys...

(MAN CH?? pie & peas, scraps and gravy...pints of Mild.. ): ) )

Great news, finally MAN is getting something new! Hopefully this is just the start of things and maybe we'll see some more routes starting once the new a/c arrive!

I've just read that its a twice weekly service but on the LAS destination info on the V Hols website its saying 3 times a week? ?|

[Nottingham Nick]

It is definitely two services a week to start with - leaving Manchester on Thursdays and Sundays.

Nick

[fozzyo]

Now if they could start a NYC service that would be perfect!

But it is good news all round!

Now if they could start a NYC service that would be perfect!

But it is good news all round!

I agree but with DL having recently pulled their JFK flight due to low loads and yields and with CO soldiering onto EWR (sometimes with two flights daily), I can't see it anytime soon unfortunately.

Any news on when the BGI second flight will be?

Finally, someone has just pointed out on a.net that VH are have mentioned flying direct to St. Lucia from Glasgow and Manchester.

agree but with DL having recently pulled their JFK flight due to low loads and yields and with CO soldiering onto EWR (sometimes with two flights daily),

DL is resuming their service in May, AA is operating to JFK from mid-May to September and CO is back to double daily - it typically floats around 10 or 11 weekly in winter time.

Finally, someone has just pointed out on a.net that VH are have mentioned flying direct to St. Lucia from Glasgow and Manchester.

Actually it does say Gatwick and Manchester. But I am reliably informed that St Lucia is not going to be announced shortly but another former bmi Caribbean destination

Actually it does say Gatwick and Manchester. But I am reliably informed that St Lucia is not going to be announced shortly but another former bmi Caribbean destination

So thats ANU then.


I dont see VS entering into the MAN-NYC market, as pointed out it is fairly saturated with US legacy carriers at the moment, all with fairly loyal corporate customers who fill the seats up front.

However MAN is in desperate need for some routes. In particular a US West Coast route, would imagine LAX would be the most likely. Many commentators have been stating for a while that US West Coast is an untapped market. There could also be a good opportunity for VS to pick up on connecting passengers through to AKL given the links between NZ and VS. Discussions have been had many a time on a.net with regards to a possible NZ service into MAN but the general consensus was that it would be better connecting to a UK based carrier at LAX.

The other 'black hole' seems to be a far eastern destination, most probably HKG. The general feeling was that MAN needed SIN or HKG. SIN is now back however HKG would be a nice addition. But of course the route faces quite stiff competition from SQ, QR, EY and EK all via their respective hubs.


It is going to be interesting to see how VS play MAN. The initial indications are that it is going to be used to grow leisure orientated routes. This follows the trend of VS of late, LGW has remained fairly positive in the economic downturn (after all us Brits love our holidays), and the leisure orientated routes seem to be performing well (this also seems to be echoed by BA's decision to start SSH and MLE from LGW to tap into the leisure market). It does make sense, for now, to follow the leisure routes as they are guaranteed bums on seats but importantly dont always give the yields. So I am hoping in the longer term VS will introduce some more "true" scheduled routes from MAN and make a real go of it.