VS's Future at MAN

looking at booking MAN JFK, it seems it does not restart until around march 31? and stops again around oct 26

has it gone seasonal?

thanks

When are you looking to travel? Is it within the 331 day limit that they normally open bookings for?

EDIT: It’s letting me book beyond 26th October 2021. Just did a dummy booking and it’s offering me the direct flights outbound on the 28th and back a week later on the 4th.

not beyond 331 limit

just re-checked, still nothing before march 31

availability now stops on November 8 but the price has gone down about 200

thanks

Somewhat relevant to this thread. AA have announced they won’t be resuming the MAN-PHL route in 2021. This was a former US Airways route.

For the first time in years, that leaves MAN with no US carriers directly serving it.

I see that the fitting out of the T2 departure lounge has continued during lockdown and hopefully will be opening some time in 2021.

Does anyone know if work has continued on the VS Clubhouse during this time too?

[mitchja]

I’ve no idea but I’ve got my figures crossed it will be open before September as I’ve just booked MAN>JFK . At least the A/C type is back to an A333.

I’ve no idea but I’ve got my figures crossed it will be open before September as I’ve just booked MAN>JFK . At least the A/C type is back to an A333.

We've just booked MAN-MCO for September too, hence my question! We're also currently on the A333 which I'm pretty pleased about. Hope it stays that way.

Anyone got any whispers of when new routes may be released from MAN?

As in reinstated routes? BGI will I think be next although this is a re-reinstatement.

Then MCO/ATL/JFK as the US opens. MCO is very important for VS as that will be a major cash cow once it can be opened up.

In terms of "new" routes, I really don't know and I think we might have to wait and see what and when other countries open up. I still think some service to India might materialise in the medium term. VS have shown themselves to being agile and adapt to change the last year and as we move through recovery I think that will continue. Who, 6 months ago would have forecast Pakistan from Manchester and that it would be doing so well?

Hoping for India and Cuba!

As in reinstated routes? BGI will I think be next although this is a re-reinstatement.

I thought MAN-BGI was reinstated in December just before Lockdown 3.0 commenced? A 787 that was used for the ISB flights also did BGI in between.

[mitchja]

MAN>BGI was suspended again. The proposed start date for this route in currently Mar 2nd.

Edit - that date has now slipped to Mar 9th.

After months of speculation, Aer Lingus have formally announced long-haul flights from MAN. JFK and MCO will start late-July, with BOS commencing in 2022. One route that's come out of the blue is Barbados which will commence late-October: -

https://mediacentre.aerlingus.com/news/ ... o-120-jobs

It'll be interesting to see how both Aer Lingus and VS get on. I've always said there's room for another airline on the JFK and MCO routes, though BGI will be interesting given VS were increasing capacity post-Thomas Cook and TUI also operate that route.

I presume all these dates are provisional on COVID-19 travel restrictions being eased by then.

[mitchja]

The new T2 extension at MAN is tipped to open in April which I guess also applies to the new VS Clubhouse opening as well.

This will be very subject to current government guidelines though as so far only T1 is operating at MAN.

The new T2 extension at MAN is tipped to open in April which I guess also applies to the new VS Clubhouse opening as well.

This will be very subject to current government guidelines though as so far only T1 is operating at MAN.

If restrictions continue for longer than expected they could reopen T2 and close T1 as T2 will be much better for keeping to social distancing than T1.

I’m not sure how the Pandemic has affected work on the Manchester CH! I do know one of the ladies I follow on LinkedIn was involved but seems to have now left VS.

I regularly check VS careers site and I haven’t seen any recruitment for it either, but I’m not sure how much outsourcing will be done.

I suspect it will open either for W21 of Summer picks up or they may hold it till S22!

The new T2 extension at MAN is tipped to open in April which I guess also applies to the new VS Clubhouse opening as well.

This will be very subject to current government guidelines though as so far only T1 is operating at MAN.

If restrictions continue for longer than expected they could reopen T2 and close T1 as T2 will be much better for keeping to social distancing than T1.

I don't think that will work. The T2 extension won't bring additional contact stands right away, plus I recall the plan is/was for parts/all of the current T2 building to close at that point in order for the next stage of the redevelopment works to take place as the extension contains new check-in desks, baggage reclaim halls, departure lounges, etc. If anything, there might be a bit of a reduction as the lower numbered gates in the current terminal will have to be taken out of use at some point for redevelopment.

What I can see happening is T2 only being open during certain hours. It's something that used to happen during the winter months pre-pandemic when there were no flights after mid/late-afternoon etc.

Long-term, I believe the plan is to get rid of T1 in its current form, though don't quote me as the plans have changed several times since the project was first announced.

I’m not sure how the Pandemic has affected work on the Manchester CH! I do know one of the ladies I follow on LinkedIn was involved but seems to have now left VS.

I regularly check VS careers site and I haven’t seen any recruitment for it either, but I’m not sure how much outsourcing will be done.

I suspect it will open either for W21 of Summer picks up or they may hold it till S22!

I'm 99% sure they had been actively recruiting for the Manchester CH pre-pandemic, but as with everything else, it will have been put on hold. Perhaps they had recruited enough/will redeploy existing staff to the CH once opens.

[mitchja]

T1 at MAN is also the only terminal that has an A380 ready gate which EK use / used.

And I am sure that EK will be eager to get 380 ops back to Manchester too!

Some recent comments from Shai Weiss in relation to MAN. Who knows if this is PR puffery (comments made on the inaugural MAN-LAS) or a genuine statement of intent:

Chief executive Shai Weiss said the airline was evaluating more flights from the carrier’s secondary hub in Manchester and an expansion of the Virgin Holidays arm as part of its plans for growth between 2025 and 2030.

The blueprint, not yet made public but known internally as VX30, will aim to grow revenues by 20pc beyond the £3.5bn expected this year, Mr Weiss said.

He said: “I think we’ve got to rule out a third runway, which leaves either the acquisition of slots at Heathrow or flights from Gatwick and secondary cities in the UK.”
Growth at Virgin’s main Heathrow base remains the preferred option because of the high margins and better connectivity between flights there, but the new growth plan will assume scope for that will be limited.

Mr Weiss said Manchester can expect to get one or two new destinations a year under the airline’s expansion plan, while flights may also be put on at Bristol. Virgin’s only other UK base is in Edinburgh, but there is a chance that flights from Glasgow and Belfast, which have remained grounded since the pandemic, could also be restored.

To put on the extra flights, Virgin is looking at leasing extra aircraft to expand its fleet beyond the 45 planes the company will have once the last A350 jet from its existing order book arrives.

I’m now at the stage where I will believe new routes announced from MAN when I see them on the departure boards and the aircraft positioning in. There are at least three routes announced in recent years that never took off, two routes that have not returned since COVID and BGI reduced to winter seasonal.

However, it seems to be an acknowledgement that LHR growth is at the limit barring any slots becoming available in the short-to-medium term with no sign at all of the third runway, so to continue to grow its right for them to look elsewhere. It’s needed if they want to grow and turn those losses into a profit, standing still won’t work.

BRS is interesting. My money will be on a seasonal MCO if anything comes out of it. The runway there is short (6,500ft), so that limits what anyone can do long-haul wise.

I cannot see Virgin adding any more routes either at LHR, LGW or MAN for the foreseeable future.

They are already struggling with some planes being out of service and having to cancel upcoming flights due to operational reasons.

Deliveries of the Neo aircraft are slow and taking a long time.

They have postponed the retirement of the A330-300 from end of 2026 to 2028.

RB has said he wants to bring the bars back on the planes. This probably will not happen (the amount of extra money and time and planes on the ground, they haven’t made profit since 2017/2018).

Plus the VA clubhouse at MAN has been confirmed not to open. True it could be a “Sky Team” Clubhouse.

The only way they will be to add 1-2 flights per year from MAN, add flights from LGW, is either:

Increase order of Neo aircraft’s

Not retire A330 but then re-fitting them with new cabins.

Also, 787 will need to be re-fitted.

I love Virgin and have only flown them Long Haul apart from Delta ATL-LHR (on the 767-400). They have a lot of competition with BA, AF, Delta and other air carriers.

I think once they start getting more of the 16 neos they’ve ordered they will start refitting some older planes (787, 330). That way they keep the bar (may have less UC seats). But right now their fleet is out of whack.

For me it remains to be seen if the comments make about MAN and expansion generally are a load of PR hot air or a genuine statement of intent.

If the latter, the only solution I can see is to retain the A333 whilst the current A339 deliveries take place - and in the background place a top up order of A339 / A35K which will replace the retained A333 and the B789 fleets.

This should deliver a little increase in the current fleet totals (IIRC 45?) to deliver expansion at MAN and also commonality across the fleet to A339 and A35K which should make the fleet more efficient.

It does beg the question as to why the Clubhouse at MAN was ditched if ultimately the levels of activity are likely to increase in the next 5-10 years.

My guess would be PR hot air as it has been for the last 4 years.

Well as it stands MAN-MCO is only 9 weekly next summer - I don't know what to say anymore !