Worcester

There is an escape Lounge at STN and Aspire lounge in LTN, I quote

"Whether you’re on business or not, our luxurious Executive Lounge is a great way to treat yourself for just £22.99."

So there you go. Luxury can be yours for £22.99.

headingwest

Very true. Didn't Germanwings/Eurowings start as separate entities though, that were gradually brought under the LH umbrella? Then the strategy seemed to change to replace existing services with these cheaper to run alternatives. IAG could still do the same with Vueling.

Perhaps I've got it all wrong.

Worcester

I doubt they would confirm this, but the LCCs don't have the legacy costs of the likes of BA et al so there is a business rational for what they are doing. The who thing of offering a business class equivalent service (blocked middle seat, extra luggage, lounge etc) is muddying the difference between the carriers.

bluemoon68

I should have been clearer! Is there a free lounge at LTN or STN?

I've been in the LTN aspire lounge, there are cheaper rates than £22.99. Mrs blue moon has a deal with her bank account, so she has a premier plus card and can sign guests in for £15 each.

The lounge is a merger of what was the aspire and the aspire+ lounges. Aspire+ was the small LY Business lounge. It can be found upstairs near the prayer room.

ian001

However, LH has kept short-haul flights to its long-haul hubs in FRA and MUC under LH mainline.

I don't think you'll see VY takeover BA short-haul at LGW or LHR as it dilutes BA's brand presence in London and adds brand inconsistency for transfer passengers.

That said, the pressure from IAG to deliver a target return on capital to justify new deliveries of aircraft is never going away.

FrancisA

I agree with you on that, but for more reasons that just consistency for transfer passengers.

We have seen considerable BA route growth over the last couple of years, both LH and SH. Indeed the route network is back to pre-2001 levels and the SH route network gives the impression that LCCs have not had any real or lasting impact.

CE loads seem also to be at very high levels, which is amazing when many thought short haul business class was dead in the post 2008 financial crisis business environment. If CE is buoyant, and a clear differentiator from LCCs, why would you throw that advantage away by handing routes to VY?

Where BA is lacking compared with the 90s is in terms of domestic network and flights from the regions. That does reflect a market that prefers direct non-stop flights at a good price to hub and spoke or Euro-hub style operations.

bluemoon68

Main discussion here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...o-ibz-pmi.html