col From Malaysia, joined Nov 2003, 2040 posts, RR: 22 Reply 2, posted (2 years 9 months 4 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 2608 times:
The LHR-MAN flights were the fastest runs I ever made on that sector, also a sprightly take off from LHR. From memory it would route SYD-SIN-LHR-MAN-LHR-BKK-SYD. If I used them from SIN, then the return I would have to shuttle down on BA to pick up the evening LHR-SIN flight.
airways45 From United Kingdom, joined May 2000, 299 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (2 years 9 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 2463 times:
According to a book on Manchester Airport I have, Qantas began a 747-200 service from Manchester twice weekly via Amsterdam, Bahrain and Bangkok on 1 April 1983. The equipment changed to be a 747-300 in 1988 and went (I think) three times a week. The aircraft was upgraded to a 747-400 (not sure when) and ran via LHR. It stopped on 29 October 1994 after BA gained 25% of Qantas and the flightcode was put on the BA MAN-LHR shuttle service.
I recall a (flightline??) BAe146 operating LHR-MAN on behalf of Qantas say 5 years ago or so? Maybe more - something about keeping LHR slots? Anyone remember this?
TN486 From Australia, joined Jul 2008, 816 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (2 years 9 months 4 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2287 times:
Quoting airways45 (Reply 3): The aircraft was upgraded to a 747-400 (not sure when) and ran via LHR. It stopped on 29 October 1994 after BA gained 25% of Qantas and the flightcode was put on the BA MAN-LHR shuttle service
I have a QF timetable effective 30 Oct 94 displaying the following:
QF9 daily 744 SYD-MEL-SIN-LHR-MAN and return QF10 daily MAN-LHR-SIN-MEL-SYD.
A QF timetable effective 27 Oct 96 displays the following:
QF1 daily 744 SYD-BKK-LHR with a tag to MAN using BA 4412 (767). Return was BA 4433 (767) from MAN-LHR then QF2 LHR-BKK-SYD.
So using the BA tag happened sometime after Oct 94 and before Oct 96.
MAN was served by QF metal through a number of different routings between 1983 and 1996 as indicated by posters above. One that I have found not yet mentioned was eff 1 Nov 83 SYD-MEL-SIN-BOM-FRA-MAN day 2 and 6 QF 5 and return reverse routing QF6 day 3 and day 7 using a 742
remember the t shirt "I own an airline"on the front - "qantas" on the back
smi0006 From Australia, joined Jan 2008, 1382 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 1984 times:
Quoting airways45 (Reply 3): I recall a (flightline??) BAe146 operating LHR-MAN on behalf of Qantas say 5 years ago or so? Maybe more - something about keeping LHR slots? Anyone remember this?
I do recall this! I believe it was to reserve as you say LHR slots before they were taken up by the QF29/30 the MEL-HKG-LHR service, but I am not 100% on that!
david_itl From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2001, 7145 posts, RR: 14 Reply 6, posted (2 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 1809 times:
Quoting airways45 (Reply 3): It stopped on 29 October 1994 after BA gained 25% of Qantas and the flightcode was put on the BA MAN-LHR shuttle service.
I recall a (flightline??) BAe146 operating LHR-MAN on behalf of Qantas say 5 years ago or so? Maybe more - something about keeping LHR slots? Anyone remember this?
We also had the BA 737s operating QF10A/9A to/from LHR in winter 1994 to connect to the QF services but were pulled after 6 months us as they alleged it they were taking pax away from their shuttle services.
the FLT services were ostensibly slot fillers for QF but you could book them on the QF website but never really attracted lots of passegners (the most I can recollect is about 20, with 2 or 3 pax being typical). Theg operated 2 daily (but can't remember which of the sectors couldn't be book, think it was one of the MAN-LHR routes), but this was reduced as QF got spare equipment to add more LHR services, leaving the field clear for other airlines to cream the MAN-Australia traffic (and as a generalisation, as long as London myopia afflicts certain carriers, they'll be losing out as the premium pax MAN and other regional UK airports get will increasingly use those airlines who aren't frightened of operating into percevied "lesser" markets) and why it was disappointing that the Australian authorities couldn't give rights to Backpackers Express as they'd have got 3 routes to generate traffic namely MAN-SYD, MAN-BOM and BOM-SYD, as they failed to get adequate backing to launch themselves.
Not sure if that'll come up as a proper link, but type Qantas Manchester and do a search under 'news' (in the most obvious search engine!). I have my doubts about Jetstar flying MAN - SIN with presumably connections south from there.....although the Australia market from not-London UK is immense as we know.
Quoting david_itl (Reply 6): it was disappointing that the Australian authorities couldn't give rights to Backpackers Express as they'd have got 3 routes to generate traffic namely MAN-SYD, MAN-BOM and BOM-SYD, as they failed to get adequate backing to launch themselves.
I thought Backpacker Express was a very badly ill-conceived idea. You can't target or try to appeal to one slim section of a market and hope to be successful IMO. Having said that, Airtours and Britannia charters to Australia were popular for a while (I used AIH once to SYD via BAH and SIN - stopovers not permitted) - obviously this was a bad utilisation of aircraft for charter operators.
david_itl From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2001, 7145 posts, RR: 14 Reply 8, posted (2 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 1696 times:
Glad to finally see a new article linking Jetstar, 787 and Manchester! The Backpackers Express name would have probably have to been ditched and a limited amount of premium economy or J class seats offered if they were ever to have become sucessful. Still, only 20 or so days before QF make their annual visit to MAN!
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