Leeds Bradford: New Route Development & Rumours

[LBAYORKIE]

British Midland used to operate LBA-LCY with an ATR42-400 many years ago which I used several times. Always seemed popular but of course didn't last. Point to point - but it was easy to get into the City as LCY is connected directly to DLR.

I flew on the first flight. The ATR was supposed to be a stop-gap awaiting certification of the E135/145, but it never happened.

 

[Starflyer]

I doubt these slots are anything to get excited about unfortunately. Whilst they may be looking at adding more from LBA they’re probably more likely using these slot applications as placeholders for other routes.

Correct.

If I recall correctly, the Aer Lingus Regional franchise only allows services to and from the island of Ireland, which LBA-LGW (or LTN or LCY) wouldn't fit. It seems to be no coincidence that the Derry - London PSO is due up for re-tender in the next few months and an operator would need to demonstrate access to London airport(s) to be placed to bid. For LBA, I seriously wouldn't get your hopes up that anything is remotely possible or probable.

 

[SierraHotel]

Leeds Bradford Airport: Airline suspends route to popular destination and blames 'rising global jet fuel prices'

An airline operating flights for holidaymakers from Leeds Bradford Airport has suspended flights to a destination and blamed “global jet fuel prices”.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

 

[Finger66]

If say EAG were to take over the LDY-LON PSO and use LGW or LTN as the destination airport then that would free up LM slots at LHR. Now I just wonder ......

 

[Starflyer]

If say EAG were to take over the LDY-LON PSO and use LGW or LTN as the destination airport then that would free up LM slots at LHR. Now I just wonder ......

Loganair has sold its own Heathrow slot to BA and has announced DND-LHR is stopping, apparently to be replaced by something else which I'll believe when I see it. All this rather suggests they are moving away from LHR rather than launching new routes to it.

 

[BCFC]

I remember LBA to LCY with Jersey European…..many years ago but that didn't last long…in those days the DLR didn't reach the airport directly…£50 return.

 

[Aviador]

I remember LBA to LCY with Jersey European…..many years ago but that didn't last long…in those days the DLR didn't reach the airport directly…£50 return.

The DLR didn't open until after 2005 long after Jersey European operated to London City. BMI operated the route using an ATR-42 just prior to the DLR opening. If I remember correctly the DLR was slightly delayed which didn't help.

 

[KARFA]

Correct.

If I recall correctly, the Aer Lingus Regional franchise only allows services to and from the island of Ireland, which LBA-LGW (or LTN or LCY) wouldn't fit. It seems to be no coincidence that the Derry - London PSO is due up for re-tender in the next few months and an operator would need to demonstrate access to London airport(s) to be placed to bid. For LBA, I seriously wouldn't get your hopes up that anything is remotely possible or probable.

EI regional have a UK AOC - otherwise they could not run UK mainland to NI services.

for a while EI mainline also based Irish registered aircraft at BHD which they were allowed to do for a while after brexit for a transitional period, but they were withdrawn at the end of that period which was around 2024 i think.

 

[pug]

EI regional have a UK AOC - otherwise they could not run UK mainland to NI services.

for a while EI mainline also based Irish registered aircraft at BHD which they were allowed to do for a while after brexit for a transitional period, but they were withdrawn at the end of that period which was around 2024 i think.

If I’m interpreting right I don’t think it’s a regulatory issue given the aircraft in the fleet on the G Reg, I think it may be a company policy? I.e they are not permitted to operate under the Aer Lingus franchise on routes that don’t go from the UK to the island of Ireland?

 

[KARFA]

If I’m interpreting right I don’t think it’s a regulatory issue given the aircraft in the fleet on the G Reg, I think it may be a company policy? I.e they are not permitted to operate under the Aer Lingus franchise on routes that don’t go from the UK to the island of Ireland?

where are you getting that from? quite simply, unless there is something in the franchise agreement with EI which says they can't, they are able to operate any route within the UK.

at the end of the day they did operate a wetlease for BA from LGW-GLA for many months. i assume that was with the ok from EI, but clearly if BA wanted EI regional to operate a LBA-LHR route I fail to see why EI would say no unless it detracts from there UK-DUB feed for them. there is no regulation which would prevent that.

 

[pug]

where are you getting that from? quite simply, unless there is something in the franchise agreement with EI which says they can't, they are able to operate any route within the UK.

at the end of the day they did operate a wetlease for BA from LGW-GLA for many months. i assume that was with the ok from EI, but clearly if BA wanted EI regional to operate a LBA-LHR route I fail to see why EI would say no unless it detracts from there UK-DUB feed for them. there is no regulation which would prevent that.

I’m simply interpreting what starflyer was saying differently to how you did. I have no idea whether that is accurate or not.

Again nowhere have I or anyone suggested that there are any regulatory hurdles so long as they’re using U.K. registered aircraft. Of course it is possible that Emerald are entering into another franchise agreement, but I think more plausible that IF they are not permitted to operate non U.K.-Island Of Ireland routes it would be due to an agreement with Aer Lingus to prevent network dilution.

I therefore believe it’s more likely that they are acquiring slots for as yet unannounced routes that there’s planning and using LBA as a placeholder.

 

[gulftraveller]

where are you getting that from? quite simply, unless there is something in the franchise agreement with EI which says they can't, they are able to operate any route within the UK.

at the end of the day they did operate a wetlease for BA from LGW-GLA for many months. i assume that was with the ok from EI, but clearly if BA wanted EI regional to operate a LBA-LHR route I fail to see why EI would say no unless it detracts from there UK-DUB feed for them. there is no regulation which would prevent that.

As a wet lease, BA would appear in the slot allocation, not Emerald. It would be BA’s only current lease of an Emerald aircraft. Not very likely, really.

 

[KARFA]

but I think more plausible that IF they are not permitted to operate non U.K.-Island Of Ireland routes it would be due to an agreement with Aer Lingus to prevent network dilution.

yes. it is a franchise agreement, they operate under that agreement for EI. they can only operate in EI colours and with EI flight numbers the routes EI want them to, and cannot simply freelance. that is what a franchise agreement is.

As a wet lease, BA would appear in the slot allocation, not Emerald. It would be BA’s only current lease of an Emerald aircraft. Not very likely, really.

yes, i was merely countering the point that EI regional were somehow prohibited by some regulation from operating anything other than UK mainland to NI/Ireland routes.

like everyone else commenting on this thread, i do not have any idea what is actually going on with these slots which have appeared on the gatters list 🙂

 

[pug]

yes. it is a franchise agreement, they operate under that agreement for EI. they can only operate in EI colours and with EI flight numbers the routes EI want them to, and cannot simply freelance. that is what a franchise agreement is.



yes, i was merely countering the point that EI regional were somehow prohibited by some regulation from operating anything other than UK mainland to NI/Ireland routes.

like everyone else commenting on this thread, i do not have any idea what is actually going on with these slots which have appeared on the gatters list 🙂

For what it’s worth I had them down as a shoe in for the LGW-NQY before the Cornish authorities pulled the PSO. Maybe..??

 

[Starflyer]

Pug’s interpretation of what I said is absolutely correct. It is not a regulatory issue as they have a UK AOC and OL and would have the rights to fly the route. That does not translate to having the right to sell and market under the Aer Lingus brand on the same route, which is a totally different thing.

They did operate the BA GLA-LGW last year (but not this year) as a wet lease. Those flights were not marketed or sold using the Aer Lingus brand.

Lack of a brand under which to sell is probably the reason they took no interest in the Newquay PSO. It was reported that Skybus was the only bidder. Emerald are probably most glad they avoided the bunfight that it became. Wise move.

 

[SierraHotel]

LBAs Easyjet programme could be reduced to just CDG, BFS and BCN from W26 onwards. Fingers crossed it isnt🤞

 

[Finger66]

Unless..............
But that I suspect is pure wishful thinking

 

[Aviador]

Unless..............
But that I suspect is pure wishful thinking

Hopefully with the Iran war looking like it might be over, people will have more confidence to fly and airlines will have more confidence to launch new routes.

 

[Finger66]

Or return with existing ones at least

 

[Birmingham Aviation]

Usually new routes mid June so should be tonight.

Rome or Amsterdam is on the cards I reckon