Manchester: Ryanair Route News & Base Updates

[Comet]

Most of the Winter timetable has now been released. Only GRO and TFS to come.

As a result ALC,HHN,FAO & MAD & probably TFS and all but 3 DUB rotations will be on non based A/C.

The 2 winter based A/C will be fully occupied. However at present the released timetable shows the RYG morning departures on MON,WEDS, FRI & SUN as requiring a third A/C. There could be changes to the timetable but might in fact there be more routes yet to come ie ORK and NOC which most thought would be announced and maybe also KUN or RIX which have been mentioned. Time will tell

 

[Comet]

It is now looking as though it will only be 2 A/C. Some adjustments still to be made.

 

[Aviador]

Thanks for the updates comet, it's much appreciated.

 

[Comet]

Some FR Summer 2012 flights now on sale.

BIQ 2xWeek 3 7
BZR 2xWeek 1 5
IBZ 3xWeek 2 4 6
MJV 4xWeek 1 3 5 7
REU 2xWeek 3 7
TLL 2xWeek 1 5
TUF 3xWeek 2 4 6
VLC 2xWeek 1 5

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Ryanair ‘could add more Manchester routes’

Ryanair would consider adding more services from Manchester Airport if its new base proves a success, the MEN reports. The budget airline will launch its new hub in two months’ time and has already sold 20,000 seats for its winter programme. There has been huge demand for its Oslo service in particular, from Scandinavian football fans eager to follow both Manchester United and City this season. The Canary Islands are also proving popular with winter sun seekers.

In July, Ryanair announced it would open a new base at the airport, with 17 winter routes, growing to 26 routes by the summer of 2012, operating 260 flights a week. Marketing executive Maria Macken told the MEN: ‘We are eight weeks away from opening the base and things are looking very good. We will consider adding routes to the summer service if things go well. Announcing the base was a huge step for us, as Manchester is one of the most important airports in the UK.’

Source[/textarea]

 

[User0001]

On the opening of the Manchester base, Michael O Leary has basically confirmed that Manchester will be a 6 unit airport in 2013.

"But for summer 2013, we are already talking to the airport about adding a fifth and sixth.

Lets hope his choice of routes will continue on the lines of what he has at Manchester already.

Id personally love Tampere, Gdansk, Krakow, Karshule and some of the more obscure Italian destinations.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... er-airport

 

[User0001]

MOL complimentary about LBA and MAN:

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... ds-of-jobs

Mr O'Leary said Manchester and Leeds-Bradford Airports were the two bases it has that were showing “rapid growth” and predicted that would continue

But, its clear who is loosing out on this:

He added: “One airport that clearly won't show more growth but won't decline is Liverpool

 

[User0001]

Well, seems the FR Staff at MAN have been told that Ryanair eventually want MAN to be a 25 aircraft base!

hmmm, thats pretty damn big, making it the second largest base.

I wonder if all this MAN expansion is to sweeten up MAG incase they buy STN?

 

[Aviador]

Well, seems the FR Staff at MAN have been told that Ryanair eventually want MAN to be a 25 aircraft base!

hmmm, thats pretty damn big, making it the second largest base.

I wonder if all this MAN expansion is to sweeten up MAG incase they buy STN?

I dare to say, I think whoever told you that must be living in la-la land. London has around 8,000,000 inhabitants as opposed to the 2,200,000 living in the Greater Manchester region. I find it difficult to see how Manchester could handle such an operation without massive reductions in operations from other airlines. If this is the end goal of Ryanair at Manchester, Manchester will stand to loose a substantial amount of it's traditional carriers who will be scared off by such a move. Didn't even Thomson Airways pull their base at Stansted for example!

 

[User0001]

I dare to say, I think whoever told you that must be living in la-la land. London has around 8,000,000 inhabitants as opposed to the 2,200,000 living in the Greater Manchester region

But, don't forget the wider area. I know LBA and LPL also have Ryanair bases, but, not all routes will be available at all 3 airports.
Even to the basics before my in depth reply. If MAN is a 2m person city, but it handles on average 1.6m pax per month, its obvious they ain't all from MAN, otherwise the city would be bloody quiet!

So, its not just Manchester. For North Wales, its technically easier to get to MAN, and its even easier and quicker to get to MAN. There are not only direct trains, but, there are more per hour to Manchester than Liverpool. I know this to be a fact as I spent the first 18 years of my life there!

Then there's the Doncaster and Sheffield area, served with an Hourly train to the airport direct, and every half an hour to Manchester (with a 7 minute connection time to MAN). The Woodhead pass takes 1 hour, and when the choice is already greater at MAN, with cheaper prices, the south Yorkshire region is likely to choose MAN. (I have also seen research (not online) that shows South Yorkshire prefer to use MAN.

Its always a bone of contention on here, but Leeds and York. Again, trains direct to MAN very frequently (Im lead to believe as little as 20 minutes apart at peak time), the M62 and something you will se written a few times, more choice at lower prices. No matter how loyal someone wants to be to their local, if you see for example, someone wants to got to TFS on a Monday. LBA-TFS at £200 on a sunday, no flights on a monday, but MAN has it at £65 on the monday, its a no brainer what that person is going to do. (I have no idea if there is a TFS on a monday at either airport, it was just an example). People vote with their feet. This is why LBA is a 3m pax per anum airport, whilst MAN is close to 19m pax per anum.

Then theres the West coast. Down the M6 and then 10-15 minutes along the M56 and your there. Again, there are direct train links to the airport every 30 minutes all the way up to Glasgow (hourly to Edinburgh), or, you can easily connect at Warrington Bank Quay or Crewe for Manchester.

Liverpool itself. Yes, LPL does have its own airport, but, there is no long haul at LPL, and a greater choice/selection at MAN, so, quite a lot shimmy over to MAN.
Again, motorways and trains make it 50 minutes away, and, I have seen myself how busy the Liverpool Lime St-Manchester airport train is, it can be PACKED!

Last but not least, you have South Cheshire down to Birmingham. You would be surprised how many Brummies you see at Manchester Airport. Paul Kehoe of BHX himself has said up to 60% of BHX's catchment is heading elsewhere to catch flights. The majority go to London and East Midlands, but, a fair few head up the M6 for exactly the same reason as Liverpool, more choice at a cheaper price.

I find it difficult to see how Manchester could handle such an operation without massive reductions in operations from other airlines

Dont forget, Ryanair serve a LOT of point the traditional carrier will never ever serve, and that Ryanair can aim for.
Would BA serve MAN-Lodz? Would Monarch serve MAN-Kerry? Would Jet2 serve MAN-Kaunas?
There is still a lot of potential at MAN Ryanair could achieve before it really starts to tread on other toes too much. Just look at Ryanair's route list and you would be hard pushed to find another carrier to serve them.
I am not expecting the full 25 units, I must admit, but, I do believe there is scope for 15 based units. Jet2 is up to 10 based units and they only offer 36 routes, so, shows you how there is scope.

Didn't even Thomson Airways pull their base at Stansted for example!

Nope, I can assure you that is still there and going strong. Its recruited new Cabin crew this year and is doing so again next year.

 

[User0001]

The use of MAN from areas outside of the core Gtr Man catchment area varies wildly by destination and the type of service. For the LBA / LPL / DSA core markets of European Scheduled traffic, leakage to MAN is much lower than it is for European Charter and Long Haul Charter and Scheduled. Other than some niche target routes, none of the other airport operators are going to waste any serious money trying to create a large haul operation to compete with MAN. Long haul charter is proving to be a basket case anyway of late anyway

So the battleground between MAN and the rest in the North will be European routes. MAN has lost significant market share in the last decade in this area but still has dominance on the short-haul charter market. That said short-haul charter continues to contract and is increased financial pressure due to the problems in North Africa - a place they thought was a safe haven from the likes of Ryanair. But you are still left with oddities such as LBA having very little leakage to MAN for Malaga, Faro, Alicante, Murcia and very high leakage to Greece and Turkey. Is that because passengers booking for Greece 'vote with their feet' differenty to those who book for Faro? Maybe. Or maybe, if Greece is dominated by charter services and they decide to concentrate services at MAN, then perhaps the consumer has no choice.

In the different boardrooms, it presents a differnt challenge. If you are running MAN you know that if you can strangle supply at places like LBA and LPL, customers will come to you as the next best alternative. Nearly 9m passengers using LBA / LPL and DSA that you know would probably use MAN is an attractive prospect to get after. Why bother trying to create new custmers our of thin air when you pinch somebody elses is sound business logic.

At LBA they think (and I know because I speak to them regularly), OK, all the data and research we have shows that when we make services available, we become the first choice departure point for quite a large catchment area. So what we need is more capacity to places where we suffer the highest leakage; cue this week Ryanair services to Greece and other things happening behind the scenes

As this battle plays out, it will be an interesting few years

 

[User0001]

For the LBA / LPL / DSA core markets of European Scheduled traffic, leakage to MAN is much lower than it is for European Charter and Long Haul Charter and Scheduled

MAN really did start in the back foot with the Low Cost scheduled market, but, the future of LPL and DSA in particular look a bit shaky now, as its official that MAN has well and truly caught up to be the biggest loco-hub in the North, and, in a smart move, it still only accounts for around 35% of movements (where at LPL its closer to 90% and LBA 65%).

This year, MAN has been very clever in that it hasn't pinned its hopes on 1 market, but, across 3 (long haul, Loco and Legacy), and, this comes down to choice again.
Price is a big factor, but, emotion is to. I know several people personally that refuse to step foot near a Ryanair plane for example, and, you see many more cases online and in the media where this also happens. By having alternatives, MAN has more chance of keeping its catchment open to areas with other airports.

we become the first choice departure point for quite a large catchment area

Part of this is changing the minds of the public. Travel agents in the North will often quote MAN as the starting point (unless it was ULH and then it was Heathrow).
Then there is advertising. MAN is one of the best airports for doing this. There are adverts in the evening standard (London), that states: Flights from London and Manchester. I know when I look at the advert that other airports have a flight, but you never see them mentioned.
The internet. Nearly every site with a scrolling banner lately just seems to be Manchester Airport advertising loco flights.
Sporting events. The etihad sponsorship of MCFC raises awareness, Arsenal have huge signs proclaiming 'Fly the A380 from London and Manchester.MUFC has the Turkish Airlines deal. Even as far away as New Zealand, Emirates destinations (inc MAN obviously) tickered along the pitch edge signs!

So, Leeds does have a fair few passengers in it, but, due to the transport options direct to the airport, MAN is easily within LBA's catchment too. I fear LPL will come off worst in MAN's latest assult, but, LBA have done well and lets hope they continue to do so, because, emotions aside, business is ruthless, and as has been noted, you do what you can to survive/make profit!

 

[Aviador]

I have no doubt that Leeds is within the Manchester airport catchment area, just as Manchester is within the Leeds catchment area too but to a far lesser degree. If a service is available locally, more often than not you will choose the local option, hence why you don't often see people from Sale flying from Leeds. As you say, people are prepared to travel to an airport further away and transport connections to each airport do play a part. Manchester airport is one of the best connected airports in the country if not the best when it comes to rail travel. Despite that, many people don't want to use the train. There's nothing worse than getting off a 4 hour flight to then have to start another journey by rail (or road for that matter) but if people from places like Leeds do have to use Manchester airport, most will drive there so they don't have to worry about making the rail connections or worry about making onward travel arrangements from Leeds railway station.

 

[User0001]

Despite that, many people don't want to use the train

I disagree. I see more and more using the train. Manchester airport has had to build a 3rd platform to accomodate demand and are even having to look at plans for a 4th platform.

There's nothing worse than getting off a 4 hour flight to then have to start another journey by rail

I also see more people wanting to take the train over driving (unless they fork out for a taxi), as they have the attitude of 'cant be bothered to drive'. Yes, driving is still popular (evident from the fact MAN has had to build yet more car park space), but, its not as easy to write off the train as it once was.

 

[User0001]

I have no doubt that Leeds is within the Manchester airport catchment area, just as Manchester is within the Leeds catchment area too but to a far lesser degree. If a service is available locally, more often than not you will choose the local option, hence why you don't often see people from Sale flying from Leeds. As you say, people are prepared to travel to an airport further away and transport connections to each airport do play a part. Manchester airport is one of the best connected airports in the country if not the best when it comes to rail travel. Despite that, many people don't want to use the train. There's nothing worse than getting off a 4 hour flight to then have to start another journey by rail (or road for that matter) but if people from places like Leeds do have to use Manchester airport, most will drive there so they don't have to worry about making the rail connections or worry about making onward travel arrangements from Leeds railway station.

I agree. As of May last year, the latest public transport stats for MAN were just 11% of passengers using train, bus and coach. From Yorks and Humberside, nearly 80% of passengers using MAN use private car and of the 20% that don't, taxi and mini bus are included in the stats.

Aside from the lugging your cases around the station and onto the train, one of the main issues from Leeds is that the train only departs from Leeds City Station, so you have to get into the city centre first. For most travellers, that only realistic option is a taxi or to get a friend to drop you off, at which point you might as well have gone to LBA and saved the 1hr 20min train journey. I think in certain circumstances it works and it might be improving as fuel and taxi fares increase, but it will always be a niche option.

 

[User0001]

Ryanair have announced their first new route since announcing the base last year.

As of 21st February, Ryanir will run a 3 times weekly service to Budapest:

RYR8357 BUD 1610 MAN 1810
RYR8358 MAN1835 BUD 2235

Flights op on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday using Budapest based B737-800.

This also means 10 weekly flights to Budapest from Manchester, due to the dailt Jet2 flights

This is obviously due to the Malev collapse, although why Manchester was added in the 'rush' destinations is unknown.

Also, Manchester-Brussels Charleroi will increase from Daily to 13 weekly from 25th March. Extra flights daily except Saturday, on morning and evening flights. Extra flights on a CRL based aircraft.

 

[Aviador]

I have no doubt the introduction of new parking and trolley charges are paving the way for the introduction of more Ryanair based equipment. It might sound like an odd association but everybody know airports don't make money from landing fees from Ryanair so they have to look at alternative forms of income. I imagine we'll be hearing much more from them over the next few months.

 

[User0001]

paving the way for the introduction of more Ryanair based equipment

Well, based units 3 & 4 are joining the base next month, and MOL has been documented as saying he wants 5 & 6 to join the base in 2013.

I imagine we'll be hearing much more from them over the next few months

Well, there are quite a few routes I think could work from MAN, and could yet make an appearance.
Eastern Europe and Italy still have some big gaps that Ryanair could fill, and Warsaw is due to get a base soon, so, just like Budapest, MAN could hopefully make an appearance.

Also looking at the Ryanair timetable, Rome CIA has increased from 4 weekly to daily as of the summer timetable.

 

[User0001]

From November, Ryanair will fly 3 times weekly to Warsaw-Modlin airport, using an aircraft based in Warsaw.

Flights to be announced shortly.

Its also expected that the plans for the 5th and 6th based aircraft will be announced in the next month or so.

 

[User0001]

Ryanair have announced the French city of Poitiers from Manchester. Flights begin 21st August.


Tue

MAN 0645 PIS 0915
PIS 0940 MAN 1025

Thu

MAN 1225 PIS 1505
PIS 1530 MAN 1615

Flights to Poitiers will replace those flights to the nearby city of Tours.