PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11137 posts, RR: 63 Posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 2702 times:
In a move which will counter FlyBe's new LGW-NQY service, Air Southwest have today launched a twice daily PLH/NQY LCY service. Fares will start at just £29 each way, and I can't wait to fly it.
From Newquay to London City
Flight Number Dep Arrive Days Via Aircraft Change En Route From To
663 07:45 09:30 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Plymouth No 20/04/2009
667 16:50 18:35 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sun Plymouth No 20/04/2009
From London City to Newquay
Flight Number Dep Arrive Days Via Aircraft Change En Route From To
664 09:55 11:40 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Plymouth No 20/04/2009
668 19:05 20:50 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sun Plymouth No 20/04/2009
From Plymouth to London City
Flight Number Dep Arrive Days Via Aircraft Change En Route From To
663 08:20 09:30 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri No 20/04/2009
667 17:25 18:35 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sun No 20/04/2009
From London City to Plymouth
Flight Number Dep Arrive Days Via Aircraft Change En Route From To
664 09:55 11:05 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri No 20/04/2009
668 19:05 20:15 Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sun No 20/04/2009
Lapper From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2002, 1507 posts, RR: 8 Reply 7, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 3 days ago) and read 2449 times:
Quoting Richardw (Reply 5): Surprises me that LCY doesn't have more summer only destinations such as PMI , BIA on Sat mornings and Sun afternoons during the summer months.
It's a great idea. The only trouble with flying out of LCY to PMI on a Saturday morning would be the return rotation as LCY would be closed for the return on a Saturday afternoon. It would cause a few headaches for any operator wishing to take this up as there would be an overlap of people who had flown out on a Saturday waiting to return on a Sunday.
Back on topic, good for WOW. Hope it lasts for them.
BrianDromey From Ireland, joined Dec 2006, 3808 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 2431 times:
Quoting Richardw (Reply 5): Surprises me that LCY doesn't have more summer only destinations such as PMI , BIA on Sat mornings and Sun afternoons during the summer months.
I should imagine that runway restrictions at City would be one deterrent, high cost of operation and lower yields another. Also I suspect some operators take the time to do scheduled maintenance at this time, keeps the fleet reliable during the busy working week.
Brian.
Next flights: MAN-ORK-LHR(EI)-MAN(BD); MAN-LHR(BD)-ORK (EI); DUB-ZRH-LAX (LX) LAX-YYZ (AC) YYZ-YHZ-LHR(AC)-DUB(BD)
BALHRWWCC From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2291 times:
Quoting NQYGuy (Reply 10): The guy on the local BBC News said to expect more routes from ASW soon, so maybe..!
Maybe they might start twice daily JER/LCY or LCY/JER/GCI/LCY Service.
I wonder if they will cut back on their LGW services due to competition from BE. To focus on what could be a nice little earner operating services from LCY.
Thanks for that - I thought it odd that it was released to the local press at midday, but by 1pm there was still no official anouncement on their website.
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 6): £29 for LCY-PLH-NQY. Quite tempting!
Very, I've just booked myself on the first service
Quoting NQYGuy (Reply 10): The guy on the local BBC News said to expect more routes from ASW soon, so maybe..!
Fingers crossed, with the new leadership WOW and PLH/NQY will be accessing more destinations soon.
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 11): Maybe they might start twice daily JER/LCY or LCY/JER/GCI/LCY Service.
I wonder if they will cut back on their LGW services due to competition from BE. To focus on what could be a nice little earner operating services from LCY.
I'd doubt it, VLM offer a LCY-JER service so it would be in the face of established competition.
The four daily LGW services will be retained in order to compete with BE's new LGW flights. I'm sure this move was inspired by their launch recently, and it's certainly a very well played counter move - FR are the cheapest option to the South West from STN, WOW are the most frequent and crucially they offer flights out of PLH and NQY which are early enough to connect with European or longhaul services from LGW - the 06:45 flight is normally half full of passengers connecting onto VS or BA. This leaves the BE flights on on a limb a little - they'll do ok during the summer, but come winter it's going to be very tough for them.
Quoting EXTspotter (Reply 12): For these extra routes are they planning on increasing the fleet? Do they still have the leased in ATR 42?
Not just yet, I haven't seen the ATR for several months now, certainly not at PLH and I think it was only covering for maintainance work on the rest of the WOW fleet. By the time this new service stars the seasonal GNB flights will have finished, so I presume it will be using the spare aircraft - no doubt though a future spare will be needed, so I'd expect a G-WOWF to arrive within a year. This makes a lot of sense actually; the extension of the JER flight to GCI would have been pushing the current schedule, so now I presume the aircraft used for the LCY flight will also operate to JER/GCI during the downtime inbetween flights.
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11137 posts, RR: 63 Reply 15, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 2105 times:
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 13): Does ASW operate charter flight to JER on a Saturday through the summer?? Maybe they make more money than they think the LCY will on a Saturday
Yes, they are offering a Saturday charter to Oxford during the summer.
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 13): Maybe their might be a new aircraft order on the cards. Do Bombardier still build the Q300's
Their are a few Q300's stored around the world but also their are a few DH4's that used to belong to SAS still looking for homes.
The Q300 is no longer offered as far as I know, but there are a shed load available as airlines not requiring the extra STOL performance upgrade to the larger Q400, which itself could just operate from PLH, but it's marginal with the current runway length of 1,161m.
BALHRWWCC From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 2094 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 14): I'd doubt it, VLM offer a LCY-JER service so it would be in the face of established competition.
I have operated flight ex JER to LGW for years and alot of the pax say that the problem with the VG's JER is there is only one a day and the timings are no good. They sayif there was a morning flight ex JER to LCY it would make a killing as once at LCY they can be in the office in 30mins where from LGW it is over 1--2 hours. Business pax want to go to LON or JER in the morning and return at night. Which VG don't offer and the other alternative ex LGW can add over 4 hours to their journey. That was the reason I though ASW would be a good fit.
ASW could operate NQY-JER-LCY-JER-NQY or so not duplicate the NQY/PLH/LCY/PLH/NQY they could operate BRS-JER-LCY-JER-BRS twice daily. If the flight got into LCY for 09:00 amd the evening return was just around 18:00 they would very likely start making alot of money.
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11137 posts, RR: 63 Reply 17, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 2062 times:
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 16): ASW could operate NQY-JER-LCY-JER-NQY or so not duplicate the NQY/PLH/LCY/PLH/NQY they could operate BRS-JER-LCY-JER-BRS twice daily. If the flight got into LCY for 09:00 amd the evening return was just around 18:00 they would very likely start making alot of money.
There could be some NQY-JER traffic to make use of, but I doubt it would work twice daily from both PLH and NQY, there just aren't that many people wanting to fly to central London each day. The problem with routing BRS-JER-LCY is that the current JER flight collects pax at both BRS and PLH, cutting out the PLH stop would really hit passenger number as this is where most get on, plus it would mean re-opening the crew base at BRS, which was shut a while ago awfter the NWI flights ceased.
Vfw614 From Germany, joined Dec 2001, 3593 posts, RR: 5 Reply 18, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 2029 times:
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 16): I have operated flight ex JER to LGW for years and alot of the pax say that the problem with the VG's JER is there is only one a day and the timings are no good. They sayif there was a morning flight ex JER to LCY it would make a killing as once at LCY they can be in the office in 30mins where from LGW it is over 1--2 hours. Business pax want to go to LON or JER in the morning and return at night. Which VG don't offer and the other alternative ex LGW can add over 4 hours to their journey. That was the reason I though ASW would be a good fit.
Initially, VLM operated three daily flights with good timings but these did not work out. So it is now just the daily off-peak parking exercise. Like over at GCI, there is always talk about the need for a link for JER with LCY - but whenever someone takes the bait and considers the route, the figures simply do not add up.
BALHRWWCC From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 2026 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 17):
There could be some NQY-JER traffic to make use of, but I doubt it would work twice daily from both PLH and NQY, there just aren't that many people wanting to fly to central London each day. The problem with routing BRS-JER-LCY is that the current JER flight collects pax at both BRS and PLH, cutting out the PLH stop would really hit passenger number as this is where most get on, plus it would mean re-opening the crew base at BRS, which was shut a while ago awfter the NWI flights ceased.
Never thought of that Dan. Guess only time will tell what they have planned their is alot of talk on other sights that maybe they will step in and fill the market left by BD from either LBA or MME to LCY. Can't see LBA happening myself. The reason BD couldn't do well on the route is because of improvement to the Leed-London rail link. Maybe MME but that would be a new airport to starts ops from.
Have flown ASW a few times from NQY to LGW, NCL and GLA over the last year or two and it is a good little outfit and a big plus they don't charge extra for baggage. Which is unheard of in the LOCO market. Would rather pay a little extra and fly with them than BE personally. What ever they decide all the best to ASW. They have worked heard to get where they are today and lets hope LCY is just the start of greater things to come
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11137 posts, RR: 63 Reply 20, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1999 times:
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 19): Never thought of that Dan. Guess only time will tell what they have planned their is alot of talk on other sights that maybe they will step in and fill the market left by BD from either LBA or MME to LCY. Can't see LBA happening myself. The reason BD couldn't do well on the route is because of improvement to the Leed-London rail link. Maybe MME but that would be a new airport to starts ops from.
I think more destinations from the South West are planned initially, to fortify PLH from underuse and thus closure.
Just thinking about it, one possible reason for the later arrival into LCY is that PLH only has three stands, and currently there are three flights out; 06:30 to BRS/MAN/LBA; 06:45 to NQY/LGW and; 07:00 to NQY/NCL. But if so, I'd have thought the flight would have gone out at 07:15.
Quoting BALHRWWCC (Reply 19): Have flown ASW a few times from NQY to LGW, NCL and GLA over the last year or two and it is a good little outfit and a big plus they don't charge extra for baggage. Which is unheard of in the LOCO market. Would rather pay a little extra and fly with them than BE personally. What ever they decide all the best to ASW. They have worked heard to get where they are today and lets hope LCY is just the start of greater things to come
Yeah they are a great little airline, friendly, helpful and convenient - if a tad expensive sometimes, although when you level the prices out between trains/buses to London etc... instead it's really not that bad considering the conveinence. The free baggage is great, and 20/15 minute check in times for this flight will really appeal to business travellers on the route - fingers crossed indeed about things to come, a return to the continent from PLH is my next hope.
JER757 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2006, 350 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 16 hours ago) and read 1985 times:
Good stuff to hear WOW are starting LCY ops, a very interesting hand they've played to BE. They're my favourite airline and I hope it works for them.
I can't see a JER-LCY service working sadly. As stated above VG offered 3xdaily for a year or two, despite heavy advertising and (relatively) low prices it didn't work out. But they still fly an a/c down in the morning (arr JER 1030) and fly it out in the afternoon/evening (dep JER 1600ish). Pax numbers are far from spectacular and many, myself included, have been predicting the demise of the route for years. But its stuck in there, even with the crew day stopping in a nice hotel and an a/c sat on the tarmac making no money.
As Vfw614 states, there's always a lot of talk down these parts about the need for a decent LCY service. They also said that about JER-LHR: BD tried, no-one used it, they made no money, and they pulled the route. There are two things which make life very difficult for any new airline on the JER-LON market - they are BA and BE.
BA gets the vote from the suits. They get their Exec Club points, and the 'prestige'. Most of them would rather spend the extra time traveling, as VG discovered to their cost back in 2004-2005, when they had their 7am departure.
BE, however, get the leisure pax. Heavy, clever advertising means that most will go no further than BE for their trip to LGW to connect to the ChavExpress flights.
Having said that, I would love to be proved wrong!
Cornish From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2005, 8187 posts, RR: 56 Reply 22, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 1900 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 14): Not just yet, I haven't seen the ATR for several months now, certainly not at PLH and I think it was only covering for maintainance work on the rest of the WOW fleet. By the time this new service stars the seasonal GNB flights will have finished, so I presume it will be using the spare aircraft - no doubt though a future spare will be needed, so I'd expect a G-WOWF to arrive within a year. This makes a lot of sense actually; the extension of the JER flight to GCI would have been pushing the current schedule, so now I presume the aircraft used for the LCY flight will also operate to JER/GCI during the downtime inbetween flights.
The ATR has gone, it was just cover as you suggest.
As for more aircraft - not right now. Maybe in the future depending on the success of the new route/s.
Any new routes will still be South west focused.
Just when I thought I could see light at the end of the tunnel, it was some B*****d with a torch bringing me more work
Khaleej777 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2007, 90 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (4 years 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 1777 times:
Thanks for flagging this up, Dan.
Just booked ex-LCY for the first day. Never been on an 'inaugural' before (or, indeed, flown on WOW before) so very excited! 5 hour wait for the return flight from NQY so better take some uni work to do!
Hope the new route works out well for WOW.
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 14): Very, I've just booked myself on the first service
We might just see each other boarding or disembarking, but with the short turnaround times I don't think we'll actually get to meet. I'm flying on the first legs from the South West and back again in the evening - my partner has the day off, so she's joining me now for a shopping trip in London. Yikes!
Quoting Cornish (Reply 22): As for more aircraft - not right now. Maybe in the future depending on the success of the new route/s.
Any new routes will still be South west focused
That would be excellent, more routes the better I wouldn't be surprised to see the ATR back again at some point, next time C/D checks are due.
Dan
25 NQYGuy: Atlantic Express withdrew their AOC last month at their request.. so no ATR covering for WOW for the time being, unfortunately! I'm very envious of Da
26 Palmjet: I am booked on LCY - NQY day return in early May - so although not on the inaugural, I can report back to let you know how the service is doing a coup
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I wouldn't be surprised to see the ATR back again at some point, next time C/D checks are due.
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