Re: September announcement

Anybody know if the 7500 miles previously quoted includes taxes? Be a bit of a bad deal if it's £60odd in taxes plus 7500 miles!

If it is just the 7500 miles then count me in for the inaugural!

Sounds and feels like good news. The BA service from LBA is nearer for me and they have recently upgraded some flights from a A319 to a A320 because "of strong demand" (could just be spin of course!!) and I know speculcaiton exists that BA is simply slot sitting....so we shall see.

But overall welcome this news and as Manchester airport is only an hour from me will probably make use of this. I like the sound of the fares and indeed, 1TP per sector.....some serious mileage run options with that!!

Jon y)

[mitchja]

Tax/charges on return domestic flights is not far off £100 now.

Think mine was £22 of the base fare and £98 in tax/charges!!

Miles redemptions on domestic flights is a waste of miles.

Tax/charges on return domestic flights is not far off £100 now.

Think mine was £22 of the base fare and £98 in tax/charges!!

Miles redemptions on domestic flights is a waste of miles.

That's what I thought would be the case.

It’s really great to see VS move in to the domestic market and hopefully make a mark on the stranglehold BA have on the domestic UK market. But I am a bit perturbed that the reason for picking MAN first is to keep it connected to the rest of the world. I’d say MAN is very well connected internationally as it is, being the third largest UK airport. GLA for instance has a fairly limited selection of flights outwith Europe, the majority of which are seasonal. As a GLA traveller, unless I want to go to Spain on my holidays I find myself having to connect at LHR most of the time. Also given the news about WCML, we have a monopoly on Glasgow trains (First Scotrail being the biggest operator up here) and a monopoly on LHR flights. It feels like options are being reduced all the time. I see EDI and ABZ are being touted as possible Scottish bases for VS, I think GLA is a better option but any choice for Scottish flyers has to be a good thing.

but any choice for Scottish flyers has to be a good thing.

y) y)

David

Note it's only timetabled thru till 26th Oct'13, assume 6mths of feet finding before further tweeking...let's hope no reductions in service thereafter...

[Darren Wheeler]

Flights will be around £95 return approx.

Definitely a cheap TP run then. Or possibly a counter argument is that it devalues AU status, given it would only take £1900 in annual revenue spend to achieve!

I wonder how long before a limit is introduced to stop this. Say, only 10 TP's per membership year count.

[Darren Wheeler]

It’s really great to see VS move in to the domestic market and hopefully make a mark on the stranglehold BA have on the domestic UK market. But I am a bit perturbed that the reason for picking MAN first is to keep it connected to the rest of the world. I’d say MAN is very well connected internationally as it is, being the third largest UK airport. GLA for instance has a fairly limited selection of flights outwith Europe, the majority of which are seasonal. As a GLA traveller, unless I want to go to Spain on my holidays I find myself having to connect at LHR most of the time. Also given the news about WCML, we have a monopoly on Glasgow trains (First Scotrail being the biggest operator up here) and a monopoly on LHR flights. It feels like options are being reduced all the time. I see EDI and ABZ are being touted as possible Scottish bases for VS, I think GLA is a better option but any choice for Scottish flyers has to be a good thing.

Not sure about connected to the rest of the world, but the announcement is clear it's to provide a regional feed to the long haul network.

Easier connections with JFK, LAX, SFO, HKG, SYD etc. all on one ticket so protected. I guess easier and cheaper to set up the feed than to launch new, direct routes out of MAN.

Note it's only timetabled thru till 26th Oct'13, assume 6mths of feet finding before further tweeking...let's hope no reductions in service thereafter...

I'm sure most routes will only be timetabled until the end of October as that's the summer timetable, anything beyond would be the winter 2013/2014 timetable.

I think this is a 'show of commitment' to the EU regulators regarding the 14 slots that IAG have to give up in October for a march 13 launch to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Moscow. Virgin are showing that they will have a proper go at creating a domestic route network.
Because the MAN route is specced to use only one aircraft with long turnarounds, this MAN timetable is probably created to fit in with other planned routes to EDI and ABZ on 319's, thus providing a degree of flexibility for delays and techs. Therefore I also believe that if they lose the EDI/ABZ slots, the MAN will never launch.

[honey lamb]

Re the problem with T3 and T1, I think the problem is that an A319 can't use any gates at T3. So T1 is the alternative.

If only there was a Terminal at Heathrow that would allow short and long haul flights....

Doesn't T1? ?| It has NZ, United and SAA as well as UK and ROI domestic

[Neil]

I think this is a 'show of commitment' to the EU regulators regarding the 14 slots that IAG have to give up in October for a march 13 launch to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Moscow. Virgin are showing that they will have a proper go at creating a domestic route network.
Because the MAN route is specced to use only one aircraft with long turnarounds, this MAN timetable is probably created to fit in with other planned routes to EDI and ABZ on 319's, thus providing a degree of flexibility for delays and techs. Therefore I also believe that if they lose the EDI/ABZ slots, the MAN will never launch.

The fact they have already started selling seats for the MAN flights would suggest otherwise.

The interview with SR about the Scotland flights clearly states it is not a certainty yet, but rather something they are hoping will happen. It wouldn't make any sense to have a big announcement and start selling the MAN flights if they weren't serious about them, regardless of the Scotland ones.

Yes but VS have currently pulled out of T2 as they didn't get their way with BAA (VS isn't like BA...) If after they have finished their little hissy fit, I'm sure they could be back in with planning to move there.

I 'understand' that not to be the case

y)

Yes but VS have currently pulled out of T2 as they didn't get their way with BAA (VS isn't like BA...) If after they have finished their little hissy fit, I'm sure they could be back in with planning to move there.

I 'understand' that not to be the case

y)

Looks like the long neglected Virgins up north have a ray of hope. Spare a thought though for those of us on that little island on the left. I love to fly virgin, but the cost of connections from Belfast can be horrendous. Not surprisingly, I would have loved the 'September announcement' to be something like a codeshare with Aer lingus (who will soon have flights from BHD to both LHR and LGW). I had hoped that with BA taking over the BHD LHR service I would see cheap connections with BA, but there is no sign of that so far...

Yes but VS have currently pulled out of T2 as they didn't get their way with BAA (VS isn't like BA...) If after they have finished their little hissy fit, I'm sure they could be back in with planning to move there.

I 'understand' that not to be the case

The problem with T2 is that the plans keep changing . There was BMI, then it was VS. I expect VS will go back to T2, but not exactly in the way they wanted.

Looks like the long neglected Virgins up north have a ray of hope. Spare a thought though for those of us on that little island on the left. I love to fly virgin, but the cost of connections from Belfast can be horrendous. Not surprisingly, I would have loved the 'September announcement' to be something like a codeshare with Aer lingus (who will soon have flights from BHD to both LHR and LGW). I had hoped that with BA taking over the BHD LHR service I would see cheap connections with BA, but there is no sign of that so far...

I'd actually say that the LHR/BHD prices have gone up since BA took over. As I've lamented before, there are fewer and fewer options into BHD from London airports these days, which doesn't help competition. Much as it pains me to say it, bring back Ryanair and their £8 one way specials from STN...

I can't work out how exactly this is going to work.

1. What slots?

Erm BA has to give up some slots as part of the BMI acquisition.

Not on the LHR-MAN route. IAG only has to give up slots on routes where post merger it has become too dominant. So LHR-CAI and DME are two prime examples. At least that is my understanding.

Anyway its by the by now as we know the slots are coming from existing slots that have been babysat by another carrier.


It will be interesting to see who gets the wet lease for this. I would have thought they will go with a traditional ACMI specialist although this may not be the case (look at how LH has used wet leased carriers).

I still feel like this will need a good proper go at it by VS. Despite what others say I feel that there will need to be some good partner airlines come on board to make a go of it. I know this flies in the face of the VS line of not wanting alliance help at the moment but I strugle to see exactly how VS will get bums on seats for these flights.

My worry is that VS cannot create enough feed for it to really work. So 60% of passengers connect onto an international flight but with what carrier? If you are connecting onto a One World carrier you will select BA and lets not forget the dominante force at LHR is one world. If BD couldnt make it work with their star membership I dont see how VS with no aligned partners will make it work. VS on its own is not enough feed.


Interestingly in the legal press there is now talk about FR instructing solicitors to negotiate with VS over the sale of EI LHR-DUB slots. FR (being a 30 odd percent owner of EI) feels that now is a great time to sell slots to allow VS to expand and FR will then get the green light to take over EI from the EC.

More info internally:

Airbus A319 aircraft
3 daily services
Flying in VS colours and will "offer an extension of the service customers know and love"
Using slots previously leased to another airline
LHR Terminal 1, MAN Terminal 3
Economy service only

FLYING CLUB
750 miles earned, 1TP earned per sector
7500 miles for a reward flight per sector

Passengers connecting on to a long haul reward flight will not have to use 7500 miles for the MAN-LHR section, these will be absorbed by VS.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE
If just travelling LHR-MAN-LHR then normal Economy allowance 1 x 23kgs, 1 x 6kgs
If connecting to international flight then same allowance as your entitled to for that.

Departs from MAN at 0650 1220 1750 / Departs from LHR at 0920 1610 2010
Flight numbers VS3041,2,3,4,5 & 6
Bookable today (21/08) via the Contact Centre, and 29/08 online

After discussing with the reservation line tonight some of the prices are uncertain and the types of aircraft although stated as A319 are not confirmed. The agent advised that the return flight is a guideline at present of £93.62 return and that at present they are only offering economy but the belief and briefing they have been given is that over the coming weeks it will open up to a three cabin option.

As I say this was confirmed by VS reservations by phone today but I see this as an excellent move and hope that it is a major success for VS as I know that this will now make me choose flying than traveling by train with the announcement of Virgin Trains going and to be honest I have been considering the idea of traveling by plane to Manchester and this will not give me the perfect excuse.

^) ^) ^) ^)

[Darren Wheeler]

I cannot believe that a 45 minute flight will go 3-classes. Barely time to do a drinks run from seat belts off to seat belts on. Maybe 2-class with Y and W, but not J.

A319 is deffo confirmed, and briefing documents I have seen say Economy cabin offering only....

The £95 (or £93.20something) approx price was also detailed in the docs I've seen but this is the lowest 'O' class fare so will be higher for busy flights. From looking at the system today, this price actually has a fare of £0, it's just taxes and charges.

Just a thought. How does sending aeroplanes on a barely 45 minute domestic hop fit with SRB's environmental policy?

From looking at the system today, this price actually has a fare of £0, it's just taxes and charges.

So theres absolutely no point of using miles on this route then? Although it is good of VS to do all this for no profit whatsoever... yeah right.

Re the problem with T3 and T1, I think the problem is that an A319 can't use any gates at T3. So T1 is the alternative.

There is, there are 2 jetways around the "back" so to speak. Inbetween the old Cathay stand and the A380 stands. SAS use them and Iberia used to before they moved to T5.