Just A Thought...

With BMI being swallowed up by IAG/BA, Virgin (and *A overall) will soon lose the remaining feed from the UK regions.

Going by the assumption that IAG will have to surrender some LHR slots, would it not be a good idea for VS to acquire enough to launch their own hub-feeding services? For instance, they could launch LHR-GLA/EDI/ABZ/MAN/BHD/NCL etc using A319 aircraft, and call the operation something like "Virgin Connect".

In turn, VS will once again be able to feed their LHR flights from the regions, and Star Alliance carriers would also receive feed. Consequently, VS would join Star Alliance.

So what do you think v-flyers...an idea which would never take-off, or an idea which could become a reality and soar?! If you'll excuse the poor puns! :#

GB

If there were 1/2 "banks" of long-haul departures from LHR it might be feasible, but as VS departures are spread right across the day, you need a high frequency of flights on each feeder route to offer competitive connections.

Also, bear in mind that feeder traffic would probably represent less than 50% of short-haul loads on such an operation and the short-haul market is so competitive, it's not really a market to enter right now.

In the Financial Times today, Steve Ridgway was pressing for the UK competition authorities to review the IAG/BMI transaction. The thinking seems to be that at a European level they will focus on competition on existing BA/BMI routes that overlap. Thus the likely remedy from Europe is that IAG must make available slots on routes where competition will be lessened (rather than shave off a percentage of IAG slots) and there aren't many such routes (MAN, EDI) as BMI has stopped serving GLA as well as AMS, BRU etc.

I love the idea but I would think the numbers just don't add up.

The sheer cost of such an operation would not be worth the connecting traffic, maybe if VS were in an alliance it might help, but to be honest, I think the biggest competition is the fairly decent rail services right now and in the future with HS2.

Lovely thought - but economics will squash it, I don't doubt.

Only way it could work, is if VS were in an alliance, but even then, I suspect not.

Best approach (and has started) is for VS to start up direct routes from MAN/GLA etc - expanding those services means that VS become more attractive as they are direct flights.

Anyway, as we all know, nothing will happen, probably!

Cheers for the replies folks! y)

The sheer cost of such an operation would not be worth the connecting traffic, maybe if VS were in an alliance it might help, but to be honest, I think the biggest competition is the fairly decent rail services right now and in the future with HS2.

But if Virgin were in *A at the time of launch, then the likes of Air Canada, Singapore, Thai, Air New Zealand etc could use the "new BMI" to feed their own flights.

Anyway, it was just a thought!

Cheers for the replies folks! y)

The sheer cost of such an operation would not be worth the connecting traffic, maybe if VS were in an alliance it might help, but to be honest, I think the biggest competition is the fairly decent rail services right now and in the future with HS2.

But if Virgin were in *A at the time of launch, then the likes of Air Canada, Singapore, Thai, Air New Zealand etc could use the "new BMI" to feed their own flights.

Anyway, it was just a thought!

.... but why stop at flying into LHR, what about adding in some LGW connections as well.

If anyone has arrived into to LGW off an MCO at 7.00am (either VS or BA) and isn't in time for the first shuttle upto EDI, the wait in LGW until lunchtime is hellish.

I believe the same applies to flights upto MAN.

There must be people from outside London who would like to fly to some of VS's connections out of London, but dont because of the poor connection times / extra expense of shuttles / overnight stays / or lack of interline facilities resulting in loss of baggage allowances.

David