Tag Archives: MAN

Flybe to fly the Aberdeen-London City route, replacing British Airways

Flybe (Exeter) is saving the Aberdeen to London City route, with twice daily flights starting on Monday, October 27, 2014. The route be flown with the pictured Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400).

The news follows British Airway’s recent announcement that it would be withdrawing from the route at the end of the summer season, and after serious concern around the future of the service that is considered crucial given passenger demand that reflects the strength of the economy in the north of Scotland.

The airline has also announced five more routes to its 2014-15 Winter Schedule including two that are brand new, namely between Birmingham and Berlin (Tegel) with Embraer 175 aircraft and from East Midlands to Aberdeen (weekdays) also with Embraer 175 aircraft. The airline’s daily service between Exeter and Newcastle also returns from October 26, together with two winter ski routes to Geneva from Cardiff and Inverness that start on 20th December 20.

In total, Flybe’s 2014-15 Winter program now features 105 routes offering customers a choice of up to 2,809 flights a week: 16 routes being brand new, with a further 11 that include seasonal routes returning or being extended for the first time through winter.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. Once painted in the special “Low cost, but not at any cost” color scheme, Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) G-JEDP (msn 4085) is now painted in the 2014 purple livery.

Flybe:

Current Flybe routes from London (City):

Flybe introduces “FlyShuttle” starting on October 26

Flybe (Exeter) starting on October 26 will introduce a new “FlyShuttle” service with Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) turboprop aircraft. The first route will be the Jersey-Southampton-Leeds/Bradford-Aberdeen route and return.

The airline unveiled this new concept with this announcement:

Jump on board FlyShuttle, an innovative, seamless and convenient way to travel around the UK! Just like a bus, you can hop on and off to destinations of your choice – without the hassle of traffic along the way!

Our first route from Jersey spans the length of the country with brief touch downs in Southampton and Leeds/Bradford before travelling on to Aberdeen. Here, you will turn around and head back down south.

With the first flight starting on October 26 this fast, multi-stop travel service provides increased frequency to some of our top UK destinations. The best bit? On UK flights you can continue to relax on board the plane between landing and take-off, avoiding the trouble of changing aircrafts.*

*Passengers arriving from the Channel Islands will be required to disembark to clear customs before connecting onwards.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. Painted in the new purple look, Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) registered G-JECY (msn 4157) taxies at Manchester.

Flybe:

Flybe to add 2 new routes from Birmingham to Hamburg and Oslo

Flybe (Exeter) has announced it will operate two new routes from Birmingham Airport this winter namely a daily service to Hamburg and Oslo from October 26, 2014 through to March 27, 2015 with Embraer 175s.

Already Birmingham Airport’s largest carrier, the airline has also announced (May 20, 2014) that, due to early successes, it will extend to year-round on six of the new routes it is operating this summer. Flybe will continue to operate up to 28 weekly flights to Cologne, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Florence and Oporto with frequency aimed to provide convenience for business travellers and those passengers wanting a short break on the continent. Due to the popularity of its summer twilight flights to Reykjavik, it’s also moving this three times a week service to daytime flying, also with effect from October 26.

The move is estimated to result in Flybe carrying an additional 100,000 passengers a year at Birmingham Airport. Altogether, it’s another exciting week for Flybe in Birmingham as its last four remaining inaugural flights for summer take off to Newquay, Bordeaux, Palma and Toulouse.

In total, Flybe will operate up to 350 flights a week from Birmingham on 26 routes as part of its 2014-15 winter schedule.

Copyright Photo: Rob Skinkis/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 170-100STD (ERJ 175) G-FBJA (msn 17000326) arrives in Manchester.

Flybe:

Routes from Birmingham:

A second US Airways flight diverts to Ireland due to flight attendant illness

US Airways (Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth) had a second European flight divert yesterday (May 19) due to flight attendant illness. This incident follows the previous incident on May 10. Both flights originated in Venice, Italy.

Flight US 715 with an Airbus A330-200 with 238 passengers and 12 crew members from Venice to the Philadelphia hub was forced to divert to Ireland again after five flight attendants and this time a passenger felt ill according to this report by CNN.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

US Airways:

Flybe expands operations at Birmingham to become the largest base

Flybe (Exeter) on April 10 celebrated the inaugural flight of eight new routes to operate from Birmingham Airport with passengers taking off to Cologne/Bonn on the carrier’s distinctive Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) signature purple aircraft (above).

On the same day, Flybe also took off on the first of its daily flights to Florence – the first time ever this route has been offered out of Birmingham. This was followed on April 11 with the airline’s inaugural flight to Porto (four days a week) and its four-days weekly service to Alicante (started on April 12).

The remaining four of Flybe’s new routes from Birmingham will take off in May, with Bordeaux, Palma de Mallorca and Toulouse starting on May 13 and Newquay on May 16.

The airline will also operate nonstop service from Birmingham to Ibiza (three days a week) and Keflavik (three days a week) from June 29 through September 7.

With a record 12 aircraft based at the airport, Birmingham has become Flybe’s largest base. This summer, it will be operating 32 routes to and from Birmingham with a total choice of up to 381 return flights a week.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. The “Purple Plane”, namely Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) G-JECY (msn 4157), completes its final approach into Manchester International Airport (MAN).

Flybe:

Routes from Birmingham:

Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways move slowly towards a merger

Libyan Airlines (Tripoli) issued this statement in their website:

Although Libyan Airlines flights to UK remain suspended until further notice, sister company, Afriqiyah Airways (Tripoli) has resumed services between Tripoli and London-Gatwick. Flights presently operate three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

However the Libya Herald reported on March 3 Libyan Airlines was going to restart its European flights operated by Nouvelair.

Read the latest report: CLICK HERE

Both airlines are owned by the Libyan African Aviation Holding Company (LAAHC).

According to Libya Herald, Libyan Airlines flights (operated by Nouvelair) were suspended to Europe by the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (LYCAA) in late February after a flight lost ATC communications in French airspace.

Both Libyan carriers must use wet-leased aircraft in European Union airspace.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Both companies are moving slowly ahead in their merger process and hope to complete the process by the end of this year. Meanwhile Libyan will concentrate on routes to Africa and is exploring new routes to Asia according to ATW.

Copyright Photo: Rob Skinkis/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-212 TS-INN (msn 793) operated by Nouvelair lands in Manchester.

Libyan Airlines:

Afriqiyah Airways:

Loganair to launch Dundee – London Stansted flights on March 30

Loganair (Flybe) (Glasgow) will operate a twice daily weekday service, and once on a Sunday, from Dundee to London (Stansted) starting March 30, replacing the CityJet service to London City which is due to be withdrawn at the end of March.

In the meantime, tenders will soon be issued to secure a Public Service Obligation that will ensure the long term future of air services between Dundee and London.

Flights will operate twice daily on weekdays, with flights leaving Dundee at 7.00 am and 4.25 pm. Return flights depart Stansted Airport at 9.00 am and 6.25 pm, allowing business passengers to complete a full day’s work in London. There will also be a flight to and from London Stansted every Sunday afternoon, leaving Dundee at 4.25 pm and departing Stansted at 6.25 pm.

The new service, operated by a 32-seat Dornier 328 turboprop aircraft, is the result of weeks of negotiation between Dundee Airport operator HIAL, Dundee City Council, Transport Scotland and the airline.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. Formerly operated by Suckling Airways, the Dornier 328-110 will be operated on the new route. G-BWWT (msn 3022) taxies at Manchester.

Loganair:

Current Route Map:

Small Planet Italia is shut down

Small Planet Airlines (Italy) (Rome-Fiumicino) lost its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) on January 17, 2014 due to concerns of Italy’s ENAC of its financial fitness. The Italian version of Small Planet was an independent company and was using the Small Planet name and brand under a franchise agreement.

The original Small Planet Airlines (Lithuania) (formerly flyLAL Charters) (Vilnius) and (Warsaw) is still operating and issued this statement:

The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) has issued a decision to suspend the operating license of “Small Planet Airlines Italia” in Italy.

“Small Planet Airlines Italia” is an independent company and is related to “Small Planet Airlines” only by franchise agreement. The suspension of the license of the Italian company shall in no way affect our companies in Lithuania and Poland.

The Italian company “Small Planet Airlines Italia” is owned by “Aeroservizi” (64.5%) and “Avia Solutions Group” (35.5%), whereas “Small Planet Airlines” based in Lithuania and Poland are owned by the management of the company, Vytautas Kaikaris (70%) and Andrius Staniulis (30%). Mr. Kaikaris sold his 4.5% stake in “Small Planet Airlines Italia” in April, 2013.

“Small Planet Airlines”, holder of Polish and Lithuanian Air Operator Certificates, is an independent European leisure airline.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by Small Planet Airlines). Small Planet Airlines Italia was operating two Boeing 737-300s. Boeing 737-3L9 LY-FLE (msn 27061) of the Lithuania version of Small Planet arrives at Manchester.

Small Planet Airlines (Lithuania):

Small Planet Airlines (Poland):

SAS to reinstate the Stockholm-Hamburg route starting on April 22

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) announced it will launch a new nonstop route between Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport and Hamburg Airport with two return flights every weekday and one return flight on Sundays starting on April 22. Today, over 100,000 passengers fly between Stockholm Arlanda and Hamburg every year. Hamburg is one of Germany’s largest cities. The last time SAS operated this route was 2009, but it is now being reopened in order to meet SAS passengers’ needs for direct routes within Europe.

The route will be operated by a Boeing 737-600 (pictured) with capacity for 120 passengers and a Boeing 717 with capacity for 115 passengers. The flight time is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Germany is a large market for SAS, and the airline has several daily direct departures from Stockholm Arlanda to the three German destinations of Frankfurt, Düsseldorf and Berlin. In total, SAS operates around 500 flights a week between Scandinavia and Germany.

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-683 LN-RPY (msn 28292) waits for runway clearance at Manchester.

Scandinavian Airlines:

Airblue to drop Manchester tomorrow

Airblue (Islamabad) will drop all flights to Manchester starting tomorrow (January 22). The airline issued this short statement:

Due to route rationalization, Airblue will be suspending flights between Pakistan and the United Kingdom effective on January 22, 2014. This includes the Lahore-Manchester and the Islamablad-Manchester routes. Passengers holding tickets issued by a travel agent for flights on or after January 22, may contact their travel agent for full refund without cancellation fees. Passengers holding tickets issued directly by Airblue may contact Airblue directly for full refund without cancellation fees.

Airblue is now concentrating its fleet around the Airbus A320 after returning both A319s.

Copyright Photo: Nik French/AirlinersGallery.com. Airblue was leasing two Airbus A340-300s for the routes. Both are now being returned with the retirement of the two routes to Manchester. Airbus A340-313X AP-EDE (msn 216) lands at Manchester.

Airblue: