VS Plans for LHR Runway 3 Expansion

VS have revealed plans for 400% increase in services on long and short haul routes out of LHR if the Third runway happens. Clearly some of this strategy is already in play with the Flybe acquisition


https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -dominance

https://thepointsguy.co.uk/news/virgin- ... ic-routes/

Of course it would be lovely to see all this happen, but it's just noise and bleating at the moment. When the diggers are in the ground then perhaps it's something to get excited about. The third runway is still just a concept.

Why would they open a route to Raleigh-Durham? I know AA has one a day but I wouldn't think there is that much demand.

Makes you wonder what the fleet will look like by then...

Second flag carrier! So the Spanish Flag will be joined by the USA with a big dollop of France/Netherlands.
What a puff piece by the Guardian.

If only there were some slots that were free to acquire for use on some of these routes... Oh... Wait...

Pie in the sky. Reminds me of when RB used to visit places like Dublin and Belfast and say how keen he was to offer flights to New York and the like...

I'm 45 and in general good health. I don't expect to see runway 3 at LHR in my lifetime.

There will be legal challenges / appeals / inquiries aplenty.

All bluster from VS and DL as they look to gain slots if LHR expansion does go ahead. I’m minded to say that if DL wants to expand at LHR maybe it should put its money on the table and pay for extra slots right now.

Would be good to find out what the plans are with FlyBe rather than some of this material. Presumably Connect Airways ain’t ready to spill the beans as yet. This whole piece however was well planned PR to coincide with the A350 press launch.

All bluster from VS and DL as they look to gain slots if LHR expansion does go ahead. I’m minded to say that if DL wants to expand at LHR maybe it should put its money on the table and pay for extra slots right now.

Virgin have access to the remedy slots, have access to the sale of other slots and they also own slots they lease to other carriers. If they want to start expanding there is no reason why they couldn't start now.

It’s a flagrant act of politicking - there is no way an airline would publish any bona fide plans for expansion in the public domain.

Contrast with the more immediate location for expansion, where there is next to no public statements other than some general comments about enhancement...

Virgin have access to the remedy slots, have access to the sale of other slots and they also own slots they lease to other carriers. If they want to start expanding there is no reason why they couldn't start now.

As IAG have been quick to point out.

It wasn’t BA who closed Little Red and pulled out of the MAN, EDI & ABZ domestic routes because it couldn’t make them pay.

And in recent years VS has ditched CPT, YVR, SYD, HND & DXB to name but a few.

But added ATL, SEA, TLV, GRU, BGI, LAS, BOM. a second daily JNB and BOS.

And at the end of October they will be reclaiming the slot they are leasing to flybe for the Guernsey-LHR flight (previously leased to Cobalt who went bust)

The problem with slots is that sometimes they aren't always the best for the flights you want to operate so until you can use them yourself you lease them out until you can do a swap with another airline or sell them (but VS aren't going to sell to BA are they)

Once the JBA gets approved I see a bit of swapping of slots between the partners to make pairs that work better for long haul.

And as for BA how many empty flights have they operated between LHR and Cardiff just to keep a slot for later use??