IOM Covid removing restrictions

[2112]

16 hours ago, John Wright said:

Well, here’s the green list. At least two countries won’t let Brits in without expensive hotel quarantine, and some of them are almost impossible to reach, or can only be reached via countries on the amber and red list.

Well at least some of our politicos are sorted for their holidays this year. They can can go to the South Atlantic hot spots under the guise as being members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Didn’t Spewin Juan, Mr Speaker claim for a packet of paracetamol on his jolly to that neck of the woods?

[2112]

13 hours ago, snowman said:

If ever there was a time easyJet could operate flights to Portugal from the island and fill it....

I’m sure the two LOCAL travel agents would love to do that and it would sell out easily, unfortunately the amount of hoops, bureaucracy and dealing with political idiots I would imagine would be immense, Plus the dithering and procrastination as well, I would go on Freedom Travels chartered flights direct from the island to Majorca given the chance. It will be lucky if it happens this year. 

[Happier diner]

4 minutes ago, 2112 said:

I’m sure the two LOCAL travel agents would love to do that and it would sell out easily, unfortunately the amount of hoops, bureaucracy and dealing with political idiots I would imagine would be immense, Plus the dithering and procrastination as well, I would go on Freedom Travels chartered flights direct from the island to Majorca given the chance. It will be lucky if it happens this year. 

That's right. It's not easy or cheap to just develop air routes and landing slots between international destinations. I couldn't see it being financially viable for the small market like we are.

[Banker]

5 minutes ago, 2112 said:

I’m sure the two LOCAL travel agents would love to do that and it would sell out easily, unfortunately the amount of hoops, bureaucracy and dealing with political idiots I would imagine would be immense, Plus the dithering and procrastination as well, I would go on Freedom Travels chartered flights direct from the island to Majorca given the chance. It will be lucky if it happens this year. 

Parts of Spain have low rates of cases, well below 100 per 100k, these areas include Majorca, canaries, Valencia region ie benidorm, Alicante. However UK lump all Spain together & Basque & Madrid regions have very high rates impacting country rates.

Probably little risk with direct Majorca or Madeira flights 

[2112]

3 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

That's right. It's not easy or cheap to just develop air routes and landing slots between international destinations. I couldn't see it being financially viable for the small market like we are.

Guernsey flights last year sold out. The direct flights to Majorca in 2019 were popular as well. 

[2112]

2 minutes ago, Banker said:

Parts of Spain have low rates of cases, well below 100 per 100k, these areas include Majorca, canaries, Valencia region ie benidorm, Alicante. However UK lump all Spain together & Basque & Madrid regions have very high rates impacting country rates.

Probably little risk with direct Majorca or Madeira flights 

There used to be chartered direct flights to Madeira from the island. Again they were popular. The travel agents here want to do things but it’s the departments and politicos who are dragging their heels.

[forestboy]

5 minutes ago, 2112 said:

There used to be chartered direct flights to Madeira from the island. Again they were popular. The travel agents here want to do things but it’s the departments and politicos who are dragging their heels.

The Madeira flights were great. Did several although a couple were not direct but via Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin for fuel. Returns were always direct. 

[The Dog's Dangly Bits]

37 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

That's right. It's not easy or cheap to just develop air routes and landing slots between international destinations. I couldn't see it being financially viable for the small market like we are.

It's perfectly viable.  Which is why we've had direct flight holidays for a number of years.

[The Dog's Dangly Bits]

30 minutes ago, 2112 said:

There used to be chartered direct flights to Madeira from the island. Again they were popular. The travel agents here want to do things but it’s the departments and politicos who are dragging their heels.

It has absolutely zero to do with politicians.

[2112]

27 minutes ago, The Dog's Dangly Bits said:

It has absolutely zero to do with politicians.

Yes, Yes, Yea ………. Whatever you say! Your the expert. 

[The Dog's Dangly Bits]

2 minutes ago, 2112 said:

Yes, Yes, Yea ………. Whatever you say! Your the expert. 

It's common sense.  Putting on a direct flight is a commercial business decision.

Freedom travel did it.  You charter a plane from BA. And you have the commercial taxes and landing fees at your respective airports.  You have fixed costs.  It's then up to them to fill that plane.  Which they did.

Politicians play no part.  You (if you were not so bitter) could do it yourself.  Anyone can really.

[John Wright]

33 minutes ago, The Dog's Dangly Bits said:

It's perfectly viable.  Which is why we've had direct flight holidays for a number of years.

Not a scheduled, regular, services. But a series of one off charters. They’re mainly packages rather than flight only, and, I’m not being snobbish, I go away to get away, not sure about being at a hotel/resort with 150 Manxies.

[The Dog's Dangly Bits]

1 minute ago, John Wright said:

Not a scheduled, regular, services. But a series of one off charters. They’re mainly packages rather than flight only, and, I’m not being snobbish, I go away to get away, not sure about being at a hotel/resort with 150 Manxies.

To be fair I did  several of their directs.

The reality is you don't need to see Manx people at all.  We certainly didn't other than some people we specifically went with.

There's loads of places to stay and you can actually just use them for flight only.  I know someone who did this. Got a Villa etc.

They were brilliant.  Turn up 90 minutes before.  80 seater. Nice plane. 2 hours 15.  Done.  Really good.  No pissing about in the UK etc.

Anyone can do this. Any time. It's simply a business decision.  Plenty of scope, especially now, to be running directs.  Imagine the demand !

[forestboy]

1 minute ago, The Dog's Dangly Bits said:

To be fair I did  several of their directs.

The reality is you don't need to see Manx people at all.  We certainly didn't other than some people we specifically went with.

There's loads of places to stay and you can actually just use them for flight only.  I know someone who did this. Got a Villa etc.

They were brilliant.  Turn up 90 minutes before.  80 seater. Nice plane. 2 hours 15.  Done.  Really good.  No pissing about in the UK etc.

Anyone can do this. Any time. It's simply a business decision.  Plenty of scope, especially now, to be running directs.  Imagine the demand !

+1

[cheesypeas]

I think it’s a bit blasé to assume anyone can arrange a charter holiday flight. Certainly without the right licenses, you would be scuppered. I was involved with the first batch of these flights when we used Aspro Holidays and Intra European Airways. If I remember correctly, they used Intasuns aircraft after they went to the wall. Anyway, there’s quite a bit of certification required, such as Atol. 
 

....we went on one of the trips ourselves to Rhodes (refuel stop in Newcastle). We ended up in an apartment next to ‘Yankie Shimmin’. Jesus !