SoiDog

Apologies if this has been discussed at length before here (I have had a search and didn't find anything pertinent to this) but (there's always a but), I'm wondering if there's any plans to re-introduce MAN - LGW service? If you're based in Manchester and want to get a BA service from LGW it's either a long drive, a rail journey including a cross London change (oof) or LHR and transit to LGW.

Does anyone in the know have any thoughts on this? MAN seems poorly served in this respect.

Thanks, SoiDog

rapidex

No plans. No money in the route.

chris1922Mk2

I had no idea there wasn't a MAN - LGW. What about other domestic routes? I'm GLA based, and do occasionally use the LGW route, for trips to London and to connect.
What about ABZ, EDI, NCL, INV etc ?

Does MAN have an easyjet or Ryanair option ? or even flybe !?

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

EDI has a LGW service ( but not as frequent as EDI-LHR)

I think the NCL-LGW was cancelled a few years ago.

Regards

TBS

Talking Penguin

IIRC, the only domestic services BA do out of LGW are EDI, GLA, and JER. I'm assuming the reason why the other domestic airports are serviced by only LHR (e.g. INV, NCL, MAN, LBA, BHD), is due to competition from low cost carriers making the routes uneconomic.

FlyerTalker39574

NPC

When I left there 9 months ago there was no LGW route by anyone and hadn't been for at least 6 years (I stand to be corrected!) Even LHR is only served by BA from MAN now after Little Red gave it a go a couple of years ago.

RGS5526

At one time Jet2 and BA both operated between MAN and LGW. I cannot remember which one pulled out first, but there was not long between them.

Currently if you try to book MAN-LGW on ba.com all you are offered are MAN-LHR, either direct or via Dublin, or the occasional MAN-LCY.

Blueboys999

Clearly there are good business reasons why there isn't a service from MAN to LGW nor do any of the LCC's offer it from LPL. I don't know what those reasons are but from the perspective of those living in North West England, BA services from LGW are frustratingly inconvenient.

simons1

Airlines are in business to make money and it was reported at the time that BA withdrew because the route wasn't viable.

Of course the LCC model is different (BA at least have connecting opportunities) and I wonder how many point to point passengers want to go from Liverpool to Gatwick?

chris1922Mk2

Sounds like those of us north of the border are truly spoiled then, with direct flights and connection opportunities to LHR, LGW and LCY !

And also have easyjet, ryan air and flybe options to London airports if you're just going point to point.

Perhaps as said, there is just no profit in it, and can't compete with the train ? There is of course a cut off point where the train can be cheaper and quicker than flying, city center to city center.
My usual flight route just now is GLA - BHX with flybe, which is quicker than train door to door (my own front door !), and can be cheaper. No TP of course, but at least a smidgen of Avios.

For what its worth, I think its a shame that other domestic airports aren't offered a LGW connection opportunity.

memesweeper

lost_in_translation

Exactly, the vast majority of MAN passengers are flying BA to connect onwards rather than as O&D traffic (strange Flyertalk-types excepted!) - given how many more connections are available at LHR it makes sense for BA to send all flights to LHR and the odd passenger connecting to a LGW service just has to make do.

In contrast, GLA and EDI have much more a split between connecting traffic and O&D given they are further away, which makes flying more viable vs. the train. LGW becomes attractive for O&D traffic due to being a cheaper airport to operate from and therefore BA is able to offer slightly cheaper fares (or make slightly more profit).

I think JER is interesting, I guess being an island there is probably a decent amount of O&D traffic unlike MAN, but still presumably an argument for moving it to LHR.

simons1

Well MAN has flights to LHR too, so I think that is a different case.

I imagine a reasonable percentage of people from north of the border are travelling to London on business. I don't see the same attraction from Manchester for business people...you can travel by train in 2 hrs without faffing around at airports, much better schedule frequency/protection against delay etc.

chris1922Mk2

Indeed. My trips to London are almost exclusively for business, and it makes no odds if I fly to LHR or LGW. I chose the price and schedule that suits. I do travel to connect for leisure too, but not near as often as for business, and this is almost always LHR, because obviously they have the much larger variety of routes.
In saying this, i'm shortly off to LGW for a London meeting, then again to connect to Tampa !
But previous LHR connections included Pisa, Berlin, Boston and Miami.