What happened to Murmansk?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Asia
Programs: AY Gold (OWS), SK Gold (*A Gold), airBaltic VIP, Hilton Gold, PP
Posts: 377
What happened to Murmansk?
Earlier in the spring AY announced a new summer connection to Murmansk. Since then, that leg has disappeared from the AY online bookings.
The Helsinki-Vantaa airport online schedule still lists:
HEL-MMK 357 2350 *0245 AY189 EMJ NONSTOP
MMK-HEL 146 0600 0650 AY 190 EMJ NONSTOP
starting on 1 July.
What happened? MMK is not well connected, it has a growing business community and it has potential to become even a more frequent destination (with daily flights and better schedule)... After all, AY started IEV with one flight a week, but operates that route today on a daily basis (some flights as codeshares).
The Helsinki-Vantaa airport online schedule still lists:
HEL-MMK 357 2350 *0245 AY189 EMJ NONSTOP
MMK-HEL 146 0600 0650 AY 190 EMJ NONSTOP
starting on 1 July.
What happened? MMK is not well connected, it has a growing business community and it has potential to become even a more frequent destination (with daily flights and better schedule)... After all, AY started IEV with one flight a week, but operates that route today on a daily basis (some flights as codeshares).
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,043
According to the following link:
http://barentsnova.com/node/1103
AY axed whole MMK route before it started.
Hmm.. no press release, nothing on their website or bookings...
http://barentsnova.com/node/1103
AY axed whole MMK route before it started.
Hmm.. no press release, nothing on their website or bookings...
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Asia
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Certainly not a good business strategy. It reminds me of AY's adventure to Kuala Lumpur, some five years ago. AY launched the route, but axed it before it ever started.
MMK would certainly become profitable with some marketing... both in Russia and in Europe.
MMK would certainly become profitable with some marketing... both in Russia and in Europe.
#4
Ambassador: Finnair Plus
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Perhaps they are waiting for the final decision on the development of Shtokman gas field? If it goes forward, there will be a lot of demand for flights. The decision has been postponed MANY times, it should come in Q3/11. Well, that's the plan anyway
#6
Join Date: Oct 2004
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#7
Join Date: May 2011
Location: HEL
Programs: M&M
Posts: 6
Yeah, lots of rods in luggage on the MMK route. Mostly pax from Britain on that route IIRC. The flights have been quite full in previous years so no idea what's up this year.
#8
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Asia
Programs: AY Gold (OWS), SK Gold (*A Gold), airBaltic VIP, Hilton Gold, PP
Posts: 377
A classical case of a good business opportunity lost because of bad or insufficient marketing?