LondonCity From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2008, 1202 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 5443 times:
Quoting AAMDanny (Thread starter): Virgin are to suspend it's operations to Nairobi (NBO) this September. The route is currently operated by the Airbus A340-300.
Here's a news item about the route withdrawal along with an official statement from VS. As might be expected, VS is blaming increased fuel costs and the economic situation.
yellowtail From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 5164 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (1 year 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 5283 times:
i have flown VS to NBO a couple of times....flights have a always been packed to the gills...one time the entire F cabin was booked for the PResident of Kenya and his entourage.
always enjoyed them much more than BA
When in doubt, hold on to your altitude. No-one has ever collided with the sky.
AAMDanny From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2008, 315 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 5051 times:
LOS is a very profitable route, and when more A333's arrive it's rumoured LOS will go twice daily on x2 A333's. Which would not surprise me, there is a strong premium cabin demand (W/J) on this route, plus this would increase connecting opportunities to the US if they had a flight that landed into LHR at 6am-ish, making onward connections to IAD/JFK/BOS/LAX/SFO/ORD/MIA possible (and I suppose in theory, also NRT and PVG, the possibility for connection is there) thru there current route network. Plus other's with VS's codeshare partners.
ACC is steadily picking up however from what I hear the load's do tend to fluctuate, the frequency has increased from x3 weekly to x4 weekly still on a A343, I think there is a low J demand on the route still at present.
JNB and South Africa is still a code share route with SAA, CPT remains to be a winter only operation. JNB seem's to be doing well.
From what I heard NBO had a steady cargo stream on it, and also a good military presence with VS being used to transport troop's etc but the demand for J on the route was not strong enough to make it profitable, the frequencies have been steadily slipping on the NBO route and I'm not surprised to see the route diminish.
There was BA and KQ already operating the route so it was already saturated, plus the other Euro airlines that serve NBO via their UK-hub-NBO routings. I think eventually someone had to give and VS obviously buckled first.
By the looks of thing's the aircraft lost on this route will operate the re-launched VS025/026 LHR-JFK-LHR routing. There must be more money to be made on increasing JFK than there is in pursuing NBO.
I don't think the bilateral (and the fractious relationship that goes with it) between the UK and Nigeria would allow any more frequencies on the LOS route.
Quoting soups (Reply 7): VS won't be able to add extra flight as only 21 frequency are allowed from the U.K.
BA flies 14 of them and VS 7
I dont know if you are referring to JNB but once BA get there A388 we will most probably only see one daily BA flight(AF went from double daily to one flight) unless they send a B773 for the second flight and when VS get ther B789 we might see a double daily to JNB.
anstar From Netherlands, joined Nov 2003, 4848 posts, RR: 6 Reply 9, posted (1 year 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 2971 times:
Quoting AAMDanny (Reply 5): LOS is a very profitable route, and when more A333's arrive it's rumoured LOS will go twice daily on x2 A333's. Which would not surprise me
LOS can only be daily. They dont have rights to start a second service and I doubt approval would be granted.
Quoting AAMDanny (Reply 5): ACC is steadily picking up however from what I hear the load's do tend to fluctuate, the frequency has increased from x3 weekly to x4 weekly still on a A343, I think there is a low J demand on the route still at present.
ACC is now 5 weekly.
Given the increased threat of terrorism in Kenya and all the press with the Somalia pilots on the Kenyan border - it is no wonder demand has dropped off. If people want safari's they will go to a safer country.
sevenheavy From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 1126 posts, RR: 10 Reply 11, posted (1 year 1 week ago) and read 1534 times:
Quoting Richard28 (Reply 10): I seem to remember VS served LOS double daily in the past?
They did, they were both packed as well!
They were both evening flights, almost one after another. I think the slot then got used for the VK flight for a while but not sure what happened after that.
cv990coronado From South Africa, joined Nov 2007, 271 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (1 year 1 week ago) and read 1461 times:
"Quoting SA744"
"I dont know if you are referring to JNB but once BA get there A388 we will most probably only see one daily BA flight(AF went from double daily to one flight) unless they send a B773 for the second flight and when VS get ther B789 we might see a double daily to JNB."
I think you could be wrong regarding BA. They are operating 3 flights to JNB on certain days 2 x 744 and 1 x 77W. I think one 388 and one 744 would be about right for them. It is he premium traffic where there need the seats not in the back. Anyway it will be great to see another 388 in JNB especially a BA one. Pity no SAA one but I just can't see that working.
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migair54 From Spain, joined Jun 2007, 1279 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 1122 times:
The schedule to NBO is not the best... leaving NBO in the morning and so I don´t think they can´t connect to the USA like BA, KLM do beyond LHR and AMS. And now even SN Brussels flights to NBO in the evening hours.
So maybe a reschedule could be a good option but I´m not sure if that´s possible in both ends, NBO and LHR, however in NBO with the opening of the new pier it could be possible.
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