LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Posted (5 years 6 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1245 times:
Spain woos Kingfisher for Madrid European hub. http://avindia.blogspot.com/
Geographically, Madrid makes less sense then say Vienna or Munich as it will entail significant backtracking for connecting flights to NA. HEL is an ideal location.
Kingfisher's stated strategy is to offer non-stop flights to NA, and not go through an European hub.
Quotes:
Spain is in advanced talks with Indian private carrier Kingfisher Airlines to make Madrid its European hub for onward flights to the US and South American destinations, an official said Thursday. "We are in advanced talks with Kingfisher and hope to see progress," Enrique Ruiz e Lera, director of the Spain Tourism Board for India, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, told IANS here.
"We had previously spoken to Jet Airways to make Madrid its European hub. Brussels offered them a better deal but we hope for better luck with Kingfisher," the official added.
PavlovsDog From Norway, joined Sep 2005, 655 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (5 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 1001 times:
They're welcome to come to Oslo. We could certainly use more long-haul flights and the airport infrastructure is outstanding. Easy in, easy out. I imagine the 2nd terminal, now under planning, could be built to accommodate the 380 as well if they were committed.
Personally I'd go for Düsseldorf or Milano. Milano is especially attractive with AZ pulling out.
IBERIA747 From Spain, joined Aug 2003, 1825 posts, RR: 62 Reply 3, posted (5 years 6 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 959 times:
Quoting RAFVC10 (Reply 1): I think that Madrid, actually is very collapsed
With a capacity for over 70 million pax and current traffic figures about 20 million pax below that (about 51 millon expected to be reached in 2007) there's still a lot of room for growth. That said, I would not describe MAD as "collapsed".
Quoting RAFVC10 (Reply 1): Barcelona would be another chance with more space and slots available to be the Kingfisher European hub
BCN will indeed boast a huge increase in capacity after the new Terminal South enters service. However, I don't think it will ever be able to reach the 120-ops-per-hour capacity MAD has.
Anyway, it could also be seen as a "potential" candidate in case the geographical situation of Spain is convenient/adequate for the airline's plans.
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From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, 
From Spain, joined Sep 2005, 1980 posts, 
From Norway, joined Sep 2005, 655 posts, 
With a capacity for over 70 million pax and current traffic figures about 20 million pax below that (about 51 millon expected to be reached in 2007) there's still a lot of room for growth. That said, I would not describe MAD as "collapsed". 
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