Leeds Bradford: EasyJet Flights, New Routes & Schedule Updates

[User0001]

If either RYR or LS started GNB, it wouldnt put off easyjet. If easyjet see demand for a route, they will go for it, look at MAN, the majority of easyjet routes are already served by another carrier, so, cometition seems to be just a small obsticle for them.

 

[backtrack]

Why do you think FR dont have a winter schedule at LBA yet? Is this something to come in the near future. With regard to EZY operating GNB, i think FR are more likely to implement some sort of ski programme with the likes of GNB and LYS and TRN.

 

[Aviador]

Im not saying easyjet will never open a base at LBA

Hold on a minute, 🙄 who said anything about opening a base at LBA?
Easyjet has at least 16 bases where W leg flights into Leeds Bradford Airport could be possible. Some would be very unlikely or unrealistic to consider but at least 7 or 8 routes would be achievable without having an Easyjet base at LBA.

Basel
Belfast
Berlin-Schönefeld
Bristol
Edinburgh
Geneva
Glasgow
London-Gatwick
London-Luton (HQ)
London-Stansted
Lyon
Madrid
Milan-Malpensa
Paris-Charles de Gaulle
Paris-Orly
Rome-Fiumicino

 

[User0001]

Well, if we are going into technicalities, a W route can be operated from ANY easyjet airport, example MAN-PMI-LBA-PMI-MAN, but it doesnt mean its going to happen.

 

[tleeds]

you just beat me to that very point world_rep 🙂 ,but isn't that what FR did? They had Alicante and Gerona from their spanish bases before basing aircraft at lba.

 

[User0001]

Ryanair still do that at MAN Tomleeds, they have an ALC-MAN-PMI-MAN-ALC flight.

 

[Aviador]

I never said it was going to happen. I just said it could. Nobody on here knows what easyjet will do in the next twelve months or in the future. Even if you are privy to some information regarding Manchester airport, Easyjet are not going entertain discussions with the Manchester airport route development team about what they may or may not do from other UK airports.

One thing I perhaps should have also mentioned without sounding like I am trying to downgrade the importance of Manchester in any way, but Leeds is also a very important city and one which is gaining increasing importance not just in the UK but in Europe and beyond. Airlines are increasingly realising the importance of direct flights to Leeds. Manchester airport will always come in useful for some flights but many European destinations could (and should) be operated to/from Leeds Bradford Airport or other northern cities where appropriate.

 

[tleeds]

yes they do, but what I was trying to say is that airlines (mainly FR) try out W legs, before basing aircraft.

 

[User0001]

Aviador, whilst Im not doubtful of what you say, why is there this paranoia of MAN.

Im constantly slagged off here for always saying 'how great MAN is' and so on, but the one time im not bringing MAN directly into the debate, the paranoia surfaces again? Why are the LBA'ers trying to chase MAN and its services all the time instead of finding its own niche and its own profile?

Also, you slightly contradict yourself here:

Manchester airport will always come in useful for some flights but many European destinations could (and should) be operated to/from Leeds Bradford Airport

But then say:

or other northern cities where appropriate

Last time I checked, MAN was considered a 'Northern' airport.

 

[Aviador]

There is no paranoia about Manchester airport here but the fact remains the airports such as LBA and LPL have long being trying to claw back traffic they think is rightfully theirs. Needless to say MAN will therefore often get a mention.

 

[User0001]

Well, its a given there will always be some local rivalry, but can you blame airlines for being slightly catious when an airport is closed for nearly 2 days because of fog (LBA), or closed for a days/ aweek due to snow (DSA/LGW/LHR) and has large aircraft banned on a scheduled basis due to the taxiways being ripped up every time (LPL) ?
I know we cant help the weather, but still, it doesnt look good.

And just incase anyone says thats a null point and weather doesnt cloud an airlines judgement, funny how the Qatar decision to drop LGW for MAN just after the snow fiasco wasnt purely down to coincidence.

 

[lbaspotter]

Well like i said earlier I’ll stick to thinking Easyjet won’t be setting up a base at LBA anytime soon.

LBA will most likely continue to get flights either from Easyjets foreign bases or aircraft operating W-legs from its UK bases if they do decide to expand LBA ops in the furture.
I can see that LBA will most likely end up like easy's BHX operation which is winter only routes to GNB and GVA. This is due to the fact that Easy dont do many W-legs in the summer season. It’s mostly point to point traffic only.

Off course there was the exception last year with there short attempt of an operation down the road at DSA but that was operated by LPL crews.

 

[User0001]

Aviador, whilst Im not doubtful of what you say, why is there this paranoia of MAN.

Im constantly slagged off here for always saying 'how great MAN is' and so on, but the one time im not bringing MAN directly into the debate, the paranoia surfaces again? Why are the LBA'ers trying to chase MAN and its services all the time instead of finding its own niche and its own profile?

I don't know who you mean exactly by 'LBA'ers', but if you mean the management team then to imply they shouldn't be chasing MAN or its services is a bit naive. The airport is now a private business and, as the management have said from the outset, their business plan is grow the size and profitability of the airport by clawing back traffic that currently uses MAN. In otherwords chasing MAN and its services is their day job.

Considering that is how the business is being run, then it's not unreasonable to expect plenty of discussion on this subject on an LBA forum from people who are well aware about what the LBA management are looking to achieve. It would be odd if this wasn't the case.

 

[lbaspotter]

Easyjet.com have altered the timetable for there remaning 18x Geneva ski flights from LBA as follows.

Thursday 31/03/11 = 11:20-11:50
Friday 01/04/11 = 16:30-17:00
Saturday 02/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Sunday 03/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Monday 04/04/11 = 16:30-17:00

Thursday 07/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Friday 08/04/11 = 16:30-17:00
Saturday 09/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Sunday 10/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Monday 11/04/11 = 16:30-17:00

Thursday 14/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Friday 15/04/11 = 16:30-17:00
Saturday 16/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Sunday 17/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Monday 18/04/11 = 16:30-17:00

Friday 22/04/11 = 16:30-17:00
Saturday 23/04/11 = 11:20-11:50
Sunday 24/04/11 = 11:20-11:50

 

[Hull City Fan]

Flights to Geneva are now onsale for March 2012 using the same timetable as Dec 11 - Feb 12.

 

[tleeds]

are they the new revised times then? I do know that a lot of the flights were unpopular mainly because they missed the main ski-bus to the resorts..?!

 

[Hull City Fan]

Good news! easyJet are returning to Leeds Bradford next winter with their Geneva service.

Flights remain 5 times a week BUT with better timings.

Monday: Arrvies LBA - 12:20
Departs LBA - 12:50

Thursday: Arrives LBA - 12:20
Departs LBA - 12:50

Friday: Arrives LBA - 12:20
Departs LBA - 12:50

Saturday: Arrives LBA - 14:20
Departs LBA - 14:55

Sunday: Arrives LBA - 11:50
Departs LBA - 12:20

Flights like this year are W patterns Mon-Sat from Liverpool and Sundays from London Stansted.

Flights run Thursday 15th December 2011 to Saturday 24th March 2012.

tomleeds, these are the times for the flights this winter. Much better than last year.

 

[yorkshire]

ii was hoping for some more routes from them,but it looks like we have just the one for the moment.

 

[tleeds]

Thank you very much Hull City Fan. Yes, they are highly improved timings, compared with what was on offer when they first commenced the service from LBA.

Yorkshire, I don't think after one winter season easyJet would even contemplate immediately operating another route, possibly for the winter of 2012/2013, we could expect to see them opening the possible Grenoble route, but easyJet aren’t the type of airline to just rush into things. They need to build up their presence at the airport and start to gain customer confidence, after all, I think that if they did open a Grenoble route, a lot of the passengers flying on it, would be the passengers that have flown on the easyJet to Geneva route, along with other passengers - as it would be a brand new route that is not served at LBA at the moment.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

Obviously, the use of Liverpool and Stansted based aircraft on the Geneva is due to the fact that aircraft that would otherwise have no rotation are available to work the route. Geneva based aircraft are clearly not available. I would imagine that, during Summer, Easyjet currently have no aircraft available to work into LBA.

I think Easyjet expansion at LBA is possible, though limited. I certainly do not think an LBA base is a sensible idea as a number of routes Easyjet would be looking to serve with their based aircraft (Nice, Palma, Faro etc) are already well catered for. However, there are a number of Easyjet routes and bases that would be of significant interest to LBA imo.

Grenoble has been mentioned previously and that could certainly work as a Winter 'W' pattern from another UK airport. I would then be looking at tapping into the Madrid and Berlin bases, though any flights to these destinations would probably rely on additional aircraft being deployed to the aforementioned bases. Easyjet also have the benefit of the Madrid route having been tapped into from LBA previously, albeit by Jet2, which did ok without setting the world on fire. Easyjet could definitely take that route to the next level imo.

What is important in securing these extra flights (if at all possible) is how it is managed. There is no point going gung ho on a large expansion that is not an immediate success as Easyjet will just pull out again (DSA anyone?). A slower, more methodical approach would, more than likely, bring success.