LX to cease flights from BSL beginning 2015
Jul 9, 2014, 6:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: Miles and More
Posts: 155
LX to cease flights from BSL beginning 2015
According to the local newspaper LX ceases flights from BSL beginning 2015. LH plans to offer some flights under the brand "Eurowings".
Link: Bazonline.ch
Link: Bazonline.ch
Jul 9, 2014, 10:19 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: M&M FTL (*Silver), KLM/AF blue
Posts: 343
There was some talking about creating a "wings family" in the Swiss news (in context with this move).
Would we see someting like "Swiss wings" and "Austrian Wings" "Lot wings" "SN Wings" and so on?
Would we see someting like "Swiss wings" and "Austrian Wings" "Lot wings" "SN Wings" and so on?
Jul 10, 2014, 5:03 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
I quite like this quote:
"The plan is for two to four Eurowings A320s to put pressure on EasyJet, which last year flew 54% of passengers at Basel, Lufthansa said on Wednesday. Swiss had a market share of 5%."
http://origin.swissinfo.ch/eng/eurow...95602?rss=true
Sounds like quite a bit of "pressure" the plan will be putting on the competition- Easyjet must be really worried now.
"The plan is for two to four Eurowings A320s to put pressure on EasyJet, which last year flew 54% of passengers at Basel, Lufthansa said on Wednesday. Swiss had a market share of 5%."
http://origin.swissinfo.ch/eng/eurow...95602?rss=true
Sounds like quite a bit of "pressure" the plan will be putting on the competition- Easyjet must be really worried now.
Jul 10, 2014, 6:56 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: Eurostar Carte Blanche, SBB-CFF-FFS GA-AG, SNCF Grand Voyageur LeClub
Posts: 7,832
Crossair indeed had the Basel hub including trunk routes such as Basel-Baden-Baden/Karlsruhe or Basel-Friedrichshafen.
During the SR days there was an A330 going to EWR, at the time that was a special request from the pharmaceuticals industry in Basel. Maybe a Privatair BBJ would have been sufficient.
Now Easyjet will completely dominate, just as they already dominate GVA. But then we must admit that LX (or LH) simply do not have the right operating model for serving non hub P2P routes in Europe for small markets like BSL.
Dec 8, 2014, 8:00 am
#12
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,446
Update:
http://www.20min.ch/finance/news/sto...rueck-10622971
Swiss will close BSL for good at the end of May 2015 (I assume that means 31st May)
The more important part: No plans yet if there will be any further operations in BSL from LH group (ie, Eurowings) - ie, not just no date set yet, according to the article it's unclear IF there will be any Eurowings base at all.
So it might be that - apart the shuttle flights to MUC/FRA, and the "Flugzug" to ZRH (which isn't a flight anyway..) BSL will be given up fully. The article basically says that Easyjet has won.
Doesn't surprise me. Direct trains to ZRH in just a bit more than 1 hour (compared with a rather annoying ride on Bus 50), unclear situation about further status of BSL (France wants more money..) plus Easyjet having the better business model for whatever was left at BSL.
Plus, for LH, Frankfurt airport reachable in under 3hrs with hourly trains from Basel. Wouldn't surprise me if they make it some sort of "LH Train" as well, just keeping the flight to MUC as "last man standing" in the near future.
http://www.20min.ch/finance/news/sto...rueck-10622971
Swiss will close BSL for good at the end of May 2015 (I assume that means 31st May)
The more important part: No plans yet if there will be any further operations in BSL from LH group (ie, Eurowings) - ie, not just no date set yet, according to the article it's unclear IF there will be any Eurowings base at all.
So it might be that - apart the shuttle flights to MUC/FRA, and the "Flugzug" to ZRH (which isn't a flight anyway..) BSL will be given up fully. The article basically says that Easyjet has won.
Doesn't surprise me. Direct trains to ZRH in just a bit more than 1 hour (compared with a rather annoying ride on Bus 50), unclear situation about further status of BSL (France wants more money..) plus Easyjet having the better business model for whatever was left at BSL.
Plus, for LH, Frankfurt airport reachable in under 3hrs with hourly trains from Basel. Wouldn't surprise me if they make it some sort of "LH Train" as well, just keeping the flight to MUC as "last man standing" in the near future.
Dec 8, 2014, 4:19 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL, BCN
Programs: A3*G, IB
Posts: 106
It was stupid of LX to announce to cease operations at BSL without having good alternative plans at hand... In the case of BCN, I am happy that Vueling steps in, maybe LCY will be served by another carrier, PRG will probably be lost and HAM an EasyJet monopoly, which is not good for the airport.
Dec 15, 2014, 2:12 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: GVA,OPO
Programs: BD the last decent FFP
Posts: 1,856
Swiss own press release on the subject:
http://www.swiss.com/corporate/EN/me...elease20141208
My main take aways:
- BSL Ops never made a profit
- Eurowings Ops ex-BSL not a given
http://www.swiss.com/corporate/EN/me...elease20141208
My main take aways:
- BSL Ops never made a profit
- Eurowings Ops ex-BSL not a given
As previously announced, SWISS will cease its flight operations at EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg at the end of May 2015, since these have failed to generate a profit ever since they were commenced. The decision has been taken independently of whether Basel may be chosen as a future Eurowings base of the Lufthansa Group.
Dec 15, 2014, 4:02 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BSL/FRA or PHL
Programs: LH Miles and More, DL SkyMiles, Bonvoy, Hilton
Posts: 2,335
Update:
...So it might be that - apart the shuttle flights to MUC/FRA, and the "Flugzug" to ZRH (which isn't a flight anyway..) BSL will be given up fully. The article basically says that Easyjet has won...
...Plus, for LH, Frankfurt airport reachable in under 3hrs with hourly trains from Basel. Wouldn't surprise me if they make it some sort of "LH Train" as well, just keeping the flight to MUC as "last man standing" in the near future.
...So it might be that - apart the shuttle flights to MUC/FRA, and the "Flugzug" to ZRH (which isn't a flight anyway..) BSL will be given up fully. The article basically says that Easyjet has won...
...Plus, for LH, Frankfurt airport reachable in under 3hrs with hourly trains from Basel. Wouldn't surprise me if they make it some sort of "LH Train" as well, just keeping the flight to MUC as "last man standing" in the near future.
Last week on Wednesday morning early, the departure board at BSL was full of EasyJet flights, and I counted 8 EasyJet A320s on the ground, with another arrival as we were pushing back with our Cityline flight to FRA. Despite living in Freiburg, I don't originate from BSL very often (only typically to go to LON or BRU), and I was reminded again that as much as I am growing to detest DB, they are equally if not more convenient as a feeder to FRA compared to flying from BSL. I am returning this Wed again to BSL, and when I include the taxi ride, it will actually take me more time to get home than simply taking DB from FRA directly to Freiburg (my house is 12 min by car/taxi from Hbf FR). I flew from BSL this time because I found the ticket price was about the same as ex-FRA (which is not typically the case).
Train or drive to ZRH is also, IMHO, easier than trying to feed in from BSL.
Especially if the French want to make operations more expensive/difficult, it is not surprising to me that LX wants to give up at BSL/MLH.
