How is CLE-LHR doing?
 

With the switch of the seasonal service from LGW to LHR, most people are saying that the demand for the round will increase. How has the route been doing load factor, revenue, and premium pax wise? I check the seat map weekly and it has been looking good some days, great other days, and horrendous the rest of the days. Any information is appreciated.

Our fearless and sometimes overserved moderator, MBM3, is somewhat plugged in to the happenings at The Hublet. I'm sure he will see this and chime in with his usually accurate take on the subject.

Better than anticipated for being the start of the route and prior to the busy season.

But good enough to last?

That sounds great! I am really hoping they renew the route next year but I believe someone on this site said the slot was "loaned" to them for the season only and that airline wants it back, is that correct? If it is, I sure hope they are able to obtain one next year! And what do you (being an expert) think the chances are of seeing CLE-FRA next year? Along with that, do you think (seeing that CO is leaving ST) the chances are of the long-rumored CLE-AMS? Probably 0, I'm guessing.

I sure hope!

I took this flight the first week it was flying (May 7-10), and have to say that while the loads were light in both directions, the Hub and CLE-based crew did an outstanding job of providing service.

When we landed in CLE on our return, there were several customer service agents in Immigration to meet the flight, answer questions, shephard customers through after security, and even getting us on the bus, etc to baggage claim.

It sure beats the screaming agents at EWR down in customs. :rolleyes: The agents at CLE were friendly, talkative, and all of them talked about how important this flight is to them and to CLE in general. ^^

Even with our tiny INS facility in CLE - it is a great way to travel!!!

Is the CLE-CDG nonstop back this year?

I'm taking CO66 and 67 next month, and really looking forward to the trip. Not sure how I'll like TATL on a narrowbody, but for the price and convenience of having N/S service, it was a still no-brainer.

Nope :(

Just LHR this summer it seems

cle-lhr
 

I am doing cle-lhr CO66 this weekend. I did it a few years ago and loved it. The convenience of the NS is a real plus, and with the new AVOD I don't really care that it's a narrow-body... I am returning from FRA which is a 767.

I would have taken CLE-IAH-LHR for a ton more EQM's, but that route priced a lot higher.

I considered doing PIT-IAH-LHR, which is the cheapest fare to LHR from the USA by far... but it's a 2 hour drive to PIT for me and I didn't want to drive home that far after a TATL segment.

sorry if a strayed off-topic... ;-)

LHR might be back if they can reobtain the slot, but it is anyone's guess what else we might see next year in regards to *A. CLE-FRA makes the best sense, but it is my understanding that the route is just beyond the range of the 752 so perhaps BRU might happen instead. It is my understand that there is enough cargo demand for a widebody, but we all know there are not many sitting around....

Are you saying there is enough demand cargo-wise for a widebody to BRU or FRA? And thte 752 to BRU is fine with me although I am really hoping we can get LHR back!

BRU or FRA
 

is BRU a *A hub?

I would LOVE to see CLE-FRA

Yes, for SN Brussels, a subsidiary of LH and member of the M&M family.

I thought Brussels Airlines made it a *A hub becasue it was owned by LH or something?? Correct me if I am wrong, because I am not sure. I think we need CLE-FRA with the 762- us Clevelanders could get almost anywhere in the world from FRA. I assume the BRU would be for O&D or what? And maybe MBM3 will know if there is ever the possibility of the rumored CLE-AMS for '09 that never took off because of the switch to *A. I thought someone said it was mainly for economic ties and would now have to have significant O&D because after 10/24 there will be no connecting pax at AMS.

Well, with the new anti-trust deal with United and LH, maybe we can find a widebody or two for CLE-EU flights. :)

That's the other thing I was hoping for: something similar to the AF-DL-KL ATI where you have DL starting oddball routes like PIT-CDG because it does not matter who operates it because the costs and profits are split equally. LH could put a 330 on FRA-CLE since CO has no widebodies to spare right now and the costs and profits would be split equally-and make us all happy!

That gives me a chubby :)

I think this is most likely our best chance of getting a scheduled PAX widebody here in CLE. Plus, lest we forget, LH was considering CLE as a cargo port in the 90s so it shouldn't be too novel of an idea for them.

That is making the assumption that LH has "spare widebodies" to commit to the route.

FWIW, I tried to book CLE-LHR on either June 12 or 13 and it appears to be sold out on both days.

That is a REALLY good sign.

I'm flying LHR-CLE on friday the 14th of august.
I've never done a TATL in a narrowbody. I'll be in Economy...

any reports on what the flight is like?
does it really clock in @ 8h50m?

I've flown it recently, and due to weather diversions over Canada, the block time was 9hrs 10 minutes. Still, the CLE-based flight attendants are fantastic. They really do a great job. They're almost like 'hybrid' F/A's - very professional, like an international Houston crew, but fun too, like an international Newark crew. I really enjoyed their hospitality.

The meals out of LHR in Y are decent enough, with 3 choices - beef, chicken and a veggie option. Also, the IFE on the 757, whilst not of the 777 calibre, is decent enough with enough choice to keep you occupied for several hours.

The arrivals process in Cleveland is awesome - you arrive at Gate A14, go downstairs, you're immediately at immigration, the pleasant agents are very quick, then you pick up your bags, breeze through customs and if you're connecting, you drop your bag on a belt, then go upstairs and through security again. I did it from plane to connecting gate in 12 minutes, with my wife and two checked bags in tow, including one that needed to be re-tagged.

Finally, if the flight is completely full and you're not in a hurry, it's also worth volunteering to voluntarily give-up your seat. CLE has a high show factor, so it's worth remembering.....

Any Discount Ideas on LHR to CLE?
 

I am flying my aunt into Cleveland from London via Continental (it must be Continental) on 9/10/09 with a return flight on 9/17/09 and really need help trying to get the airfare costs down. Continental has $100 coupons for airfares above $400 but the coupon is only worth $20 flying in/out Cleveland and I really don't want to drive to Pittsburgh, Detroit, or Columbus to save the extra $80. Does anyone know of any promotions, coupons etc that can help?

First, is CO still flying the LHR-CLE segment on 9/17? For some reason, I thought that they had ended this flight early (like around the 10th) so you may want to check on that nonstop flight.

Second, if you are coming in nonstop from LHR, take the $20 and run. Your aunt got a hassle discount by avoiding EWR and an extra $20 to boot. If you have to connect through EWR, then check all airports near here such as PIT, CMH, DTW, ERI, CAK since flights from EWR to these cities sometimes are vastly less expensive than flying to CLE. If that is the case, then plan to take a relatively short (2-3) hour drive to pick up your aunt and collect not only a cheaper fare but the $400 discount coupon (which by the way must be something only available in GB).

The process is not so awesome for those passengers ending their journey in CLE because they too must put their bags on the belt and re-clear security even if they are not connecting to another flight. The bags are then delivered to a carousel in the regular baggage claim area.

Compared to connecting in Newark, I would take that small hassle any day! It only takes about 10 minutes.

I agree, but CO/CLE should formulate a solution for non-connecting passengers that does not require them to reclear security and part with their bags after customs.

Actually, this is no longer the case. If your final destination is CLE, you can take your bags and go straight to a bus that takes you to baggage claim, thereby eliminating the need to re-clear security. We did this in May, and it was fast and easy.

It isn't terrible, unless the flight is booked. If there are some empty seats around, it makes it much more comfortable.

Fair point, I was unaware of that, as I've only ever connected through CLE en-route to the west coast.

So to rephrase, the arrivals process for connecting passengers is awesome.

Yep this is true, you can now take your bags right on the bus. Its very easy, much easier then EWR thats for sure.

That up to $100 discount IIRC is only valid on north american itins.

That is a big improvement.

The CLE Customs/arrival for Intl is the worst in the country, a bunch of rent a cops that have part time jobs since we do not have many intl arrivals. The lists goes on and on for it, The lines are always long, scarcity of room in the arrivals hall and baggage area.

Heck once I found a VISA on the floor there for a foreign visitor in the baggage area and i tried to give it to a customs agent as someone would be unhappy to lose it, she refused to take it said to put it back where I found it.....so I dropped it on floor at her feet.

Totally a hillbilly operation there.

I took it over at the end of May, and it was wonderful. My son and I had exit row seats and with a lightish load factor no one was sharing the middle seat with us. Wonderful

This has not been my experience at all (used last year CDG-CLE and this past May LHR-CLE). Who are the rent-a-cops you refer to-CBP agents, TSA agents, Cleveland Police, contracted security agents?

Despite its very small size (I think only about 6-8 immigration booths and one baggage belt), clearing FIS there was a breeze. I know last year, there were potentially 3 arrivals within a half hour scheduled (CDG, LGW, CUN on USA3000). This year it's quieter and more spread apart.

I also like the change this year in allowing CLE-bound passengers to take their bags on the shuttle bus directly to the arrivals area.

For those who have connected to other flights, where did you re-clear TSA security...downstairs or upstairs? I know they built something on the upper level of A concourse last year that protrudes out into the hallway, is surrounded by opaque glass and has an USCBP sign on it and is the exit from FIS. But I've never gotten a peak inside this area since they rebuilt the exit and am curious as to what's behind there.

CBP Agents

I recall that there are only 4 booths, 2 for domestic pax & visa holders, and two for everyone else.

This is a nice change that I have also seen, but it really makes very little sense as the bus ride is like about 45 seconds where I could have walked the same distance much quicker. Ignoring that the experience of everything before the "bus" ride since deplaning reduces this benfit to "I'd rather fly through EWR or worse, JFK". Honestly I avoid CLE direct flights to go through EWR just because of the thought of the CLE Customs.

My last straw was 2 years ago when i had one of these rent a cop part timers stare at my USA passport, circa 2007 , amd look me in the eye and ask me if I was a USA citizen since I had an expired Venezuelan VISA in my USA passport. Offended I looked him directly in the eye and said my passport says I was born in Berea, OHIO, USA, what did he think. He sent me for a secondary customs check which they dismissed 30 seconds after the other agents looked at it. Once again rent a cops trying to justify their job in the name of 9/11 security, ridiculous IMO.

I think this has not changed and is the same as the old days. if you are not taking the new "bus" to exit into CLE then you use the old TSA screening point they used to make everyone go through. This is not a glamorous TSA checkpoint, picture 1970's era checkpoints.

I'm sure there are instances where US entry at CLE is trying, but that has not been my experience. I have arrived in CLE from foreign overseas destinations three times in the last two years and never experienced a speedier immigration/customs experience anywhere in the US. Yes, there may be fewer agents at CLE than at EWR or IAH, but there are also a lot fewer arriving passengers. There are no 777's disgorging people at CLE. Plus (and this is just anecdotal) there seem to be fewer non-US passengers, thus making immigration easier (one supposes). I am no booster of Cleveland, but entry at CLE is probably the easiest of CO's continental hubs.