Airport.

[IOM]

10 minutes ago, snowman said:

Flybe have chosen to add a new service from Heathrow to Newcastle (already served by BA) 

Flights begin in less than a week, 7 November, and are replacing the airline's Isle of Man service.

So much for the route could not be operated due to lack of aircraft!  Clearly realised the Isle of Man route was not going to work pretty shoddy really . 

[Ringy Rose]

The only time I've seen a queue at Ronaldsway security was during the summer when three EasyJets all went within 20 minutes of each other on a Friday teatime. Its always been a breeze otherwise, even during half-term. As for facilities at Ronaldsway, it has a bar, a shop and a Costa. I'm not sure what else you'd expect from a regional airport.

I don't dispute what business clients are saying, but if they think travelling by train to Liverpool is preferable they're in for a shock.

The main issue that needs fixing is ATC, but that will require time. ATC is why Loganair are delayed so often; as they use the same two aircraft all day on a fairly intensive rota, once a flight is delayed there's no scope to catch up and things fall further behind as slots get missed in the UK.

Loganair are as local as is sensible these days, they have crew and a plane here but do engineering elsewhere. Paul Quine was the captain on my Loganair flight last week. Aurigny cost Guernsey an absolute fortune.

As for Flybe, clearly they've not sold as many tickets as they expected so they've binned it off. With competition on both routes, that's not a surprise; the old Flybe stopped the daily Belfast because Easyjet's weekend capacity dumping made it unprofitable. 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Ringy Rose

[snowman]

an executive lounge that isn't closed would be useful

[Ringy Rose]

4 minutes ago, snowman said:

an executive lounge that isn't closed would be useful

Quite why Menzies can't/won't staff it is a mystery, but since BA and their Executive Club scheme left do many people actually use it? I'd not be paying actual money to go into it.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Ringy Rose

[Asthehills]

What’s days and times are people flying that it takes 2 hours to get through security?  It’s very rare it has taken me more that 15 minutes

[mad_manx]

14 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

Quite why Menzies can't/won't staff it is a mystery, but since BA and their Executive Club scheme left do many people actually use it? I'd not be paying actual money to go into it.

Many people here have access from bank cards / credit cards etc .. I don't know anyone who has actually paid to use the lounge .

Maybe that's part of the problem 🤔 

Lounges make money by direct bookings and sell spare capacity to lounge access schemes like priority pass / loungekey / dragonpass etc 

So maybe it's not worth opening  if they don't have direct bookings

I understand staffing  issues etc and reduced hours..  ( for example MAN escape lounge used to close at 1700 till a few months ago) but not even opening  at the 'reduced hours' is just poor form.

Closing  it at mid day on a weekday is not great..

The lounge here is quite decent ( if you can get in ) . One of the few non airline lounges in the UK which are self serve for snacks and drinks..

Decent selection of snacks etc but no hot food. ( which is fine for the short haul flights we have )

Edited November 1, 2022 by mad_manx

[ellanvannin2010]

25 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

Quite why Menzies can't/won't staff it is a mystery, but since BA and their Executive Club scheme left do many people actually use it? I'd not be paying actual money to go into it.

Still had the BAEC sign by the entrance last time I looked.

[mad_manx]

3 minutes ago, ellanvannin2010 said:

Still had the BAEC sign by the entrance last time I looked.

And loganair flights ( at least the one to LHR) are BA codeshare afaik.

Can earn avios on flights to IOM if its booked through the BA site..

[ellanvannin2010]

11 minutes ago, mad_manx said:

And loganair flights ( at least the one to LHR) are BA codeshare afaik.

Can earn avios on flights to IOM if its booked through the BA site..

LCY,EDI,MAN,BHX are also BA codeshare flights

[english zloty]

if the airport went arms length, could the government in theory purchase a plane to do runs to Liverpool say three times a day?

To do so, would perhaps provide best value on patient transfer and provide a 'guaranteed' way for Island residents (and visitors) to get to and from. Dunno why, but the latest news release seem to me to be leading that way - like the Steam Packet.

Not saying PQ would pilot it like?

 

[paswt]

On 10/31/2022 at 1:33 PM, Harry Lamb said:

I flew on that Dakota several times. We once made it from Blackpool take off to IoM approach in 17 minutes with a tailwind.

Harry there was more than one , 3 if memory serves(?) . The one that flew to Dusseldorf was 'GAPNB ', I was a 'baggage loader' ( £8 .12 shillings pw) and, as I was one of the few that could read and write ,was responsible for putting the appropriate catering on the right aircraft. the Dusseldorf flight was the only one with a 'bar- box' (which had to be taken off before the ground crew  got their hands on it ! 😉🤣!)

[Ringy Rose]

1 hour ago, mad_manx said:

And loganair flights ( at least the one to LHR) are BA codeshare afaik.

Can earn avios on flights to IOM if its booked through the BA site..

IIRC it gets tricky to use BAEC perks on codeshare flights unless you're travelling on a business class ticket. And there is a subtle difference between a Loganair codeshare and a BA flight operated by Loganair, as was the case before Covid.

I could well be wrong, I usually travel pleb class.

I do wonder why Menzies are unwilling/unable to open the lounge, and whether the airport have any power to force them. Even though a Menzies lounge  has nothing to do with the airport, it's the airport management who get the blame. Same with baggage handling.

[Ringy Rose]

40 minutes ago, english zloty said:

if the airport went arms length, could the government in theory purchase a plane to do runs to Liverpool say three times a day?

It could, but the question is whether that would cost more than paying Loganair/whoever to do it. I suspect it would do, Aurigny makes huge losses every year, which is mostly why Guernsey seemingly wanted us to get into bed with them on it.

 

[John Wright]

48 minutes ago, english zloty said:

if the airport went arms length, could the government in theory purchase a plane to do runs to Liverpool say three times a day?

To do so, would perhaps provide best value on patient transfer and provide a 'guaranteed' way for Island residents (and visitors) to get to and from. Dunno why, but the latest news release seem to me to be leading that way - like the Steam Packet.

Not saying PQ would pilot it like?

 

In theory. But there’s no resilience. Need back up for when it goes tech. Extra crew for illness, holidays, hours restrictions.

Having been a prodigious consumer of patient transfer, two returns a week for 6 months, the numbers aren’t sufficient to cover the costs of the am and pm flights. They’re the icing on the cake that makes the whole operation justifiable.

And, it’s the justification that was used for Guernsey to set up Aurigny for the Alderney/Southampton links. 10 years, £100 million later…

[mad_manx]

https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/minister-disappointed-with-flybes-decision-570582

I suppose no one told him that they decided to fly to Newcastle instead of the IOM. 

 

https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2022/11/01/flybe-to-link-newcastle-with-london-heathrow/

(Assuming   that they use the same type of aircraft to IOM )

Edited November 1, 2022 by mad_manx