Aviation Discussion

[Crawley Ben]

Norwegian have purchased 28 weekly slots from Small Planet Airlines at London Gatwick. Wonder what new routes might well be in the pipeline in view of this?

http://media.norwegian.com/uk/#/pre...ick-to-support-continued-uk-expansion-2330288

Cheers

Ben

 

[atillathehunn]

RAF Typhoon flew down the Mersey at about 8pm tonight, made a hell of a racket and I'd be surprised if it wasn't using reheat, naughty naughty. Couldn't see it as I was just outside Lime Street, everyone heard it though. It made it on to the Liverpool Echo website.

I'm sure that made quite a sight.

 

[atillathehunn]

Norwegian have purchased 28 weekly slots from Small Planet Airlines at London Gatwick. Wonder what new routes might well be in the pipeline in view of this?

http://media.norwegian.com/uk/#/pre...ick-to-support-continued-uk-expansion-2330288

Cheers

Ben

Is there such a thing as short haul or long haul slots? I ask because Small Planet is a short haul airline, which would then determine which destinations they might be considering.

 

[daikilo]

Is there such a thing as short haul or long haul slots? I ask because Small Planet is a short haul airline, which would then determine which destinations they might be considering.

In theory a slot is a single take-off or landing so 28 may mean 2 slot-pairs per day. In general, each slot will have a specific time window. There have been cases, such as ceasing of operation, where returned slots may then be reserved for a specific destination/s.

 

[gsnedders]

In theory a slot is a single take-off or landing so 28 may mean 2 slot-pairs per day. In general, each slot will have a specific time window. There have been cases, such as ceasing of operation, where returned slots may then be reserved for a specific destination/s.

I've never totally understood how a slot is a slot is a slot, because the rules don't actually work like that. If you're the only Super aircraft movement in amongst predominantly Medium aircraft, the required wake separation is going to mean you'll consume more than one slot.

As far as I'm aware, there's also legal requirements at some airports for a certain proportion of slots to be used for domestic flights, most notably at Heathrow. No idea if that applies to Gatwick too?

 

[fowler9]

I'm sure that made quite a sight.

Bit dark but I'm sure it still would have been a sight, deffo sounded like it was using reheat, naughty naughty.

Always love it when the Typhoons leave JLA after the Southport Airshow as we can see them out the office window doing a performance takeoff. They loop back down the river back towards Runcorn, turn back towards JLA and do another low pass down the runway and pass our office again. The noise is amazing.

 

[Richard_B]

Flew New Orleans - BWI - Providence on Southwest then onto Norweigan to Dublin and then hopped the Irish Sea on Ryanair earlier this week. One thing that struck me about the Norweigan flight was the demographics of the flight. Clearly the schools aren't out yet so not surprising there were no kids but neither were there any "oldies". Virtually everyone was between 20-35. Only person I saw on the flight who looked over 50 was one of the flight attendants! I hear the Joon is aimed at millennials but perhaps they don't need the patronising marketing just unbundled and low fares will do the trick. AlSo was very impressed by Southwest, and gee their boarding operation is a ruthless machine, perhaps something European airlines to look closely at..

 

[atillathehunn]

I've never totally understood how a slot is a slot is a slot, because the rules don't actually work like that. If you're the only Super aircraft movement in amongst predominantly Medium aircraft, the required wake separation is going to mean you'll consume more than one slot.

As far as I'm aware, there's also legal requirements at some airports for a certain proportion of slots to be used for domestic flights, most notably at Heathrow. No idea if that applies to Gatwick too?

I believe some of the slots at Gatwick are reserved, I believe the slots for Ireland. But I don't think there are quite as many as at Heathrow in the wake of BMI.

I agree with the comment about the slot not being a true slot system with the differences in wake turbulence. I would guess the slot is given on the basis of a certain type of aircraft operating X number of times in the year. I would think a slot for any of the Super Heavy jets is specific and the additional time for the wake to clear behind is built into the cost of the slot.

Fowler: I'm sure they make an impressive sight. I saw the A400m fly over my car on the Brussels ring on the way into Zaventem, escorted by F15s. V impressive!

Richard_B: Was the flight on the 737? Would be interested to know how the flight was. I would imagine that the older travellers might be willing to pay a bit of a premium to travel on a 'proper' airline. Might also be just the time of year; I can't imagine the weather is all that great on the East Coast this time of the year.

 

[Richard_B]

Was the flight on the 737? Would be interested to know how the flight was. I would imagine that the older travellers might be willing to pay a bit of a premium to travel on a 'proper' airline. Might also be just the time of year; I can't imagine the weather is all that great on the East Coast this time of the year.

Yeah it was on a 737 max. I had booked a while ago and got a seat selection + meal fare, so I was in an exit row which made it far more civilised then standard economy on a bigger plane, being able to do this makes Norweigan massively attractive even if they weren't cheaper. No ife screen may be annoying to some but it's not too long of a flight that it's desperately needed. But there is no reason not to fly them based on it only being a 737

 

[atillathehunn]

Interesting. How well loaded was the flight?

Have no problem with the 737 for longer haul particularly; I've flown Turkish Airlines to East Africa which is about 6 hours, so same length as US - Ireland. However the Turkish Airlines 737s are kitted out with IFE. This makes the journey slightly more pleasurable.

 

[fowler9]

Fowler: I'm sure they make an impressive sight. I saw the A400m fly over my car on the Brussels ring on the way into Zaventem, escorted by F15s. V impressive!

Very jealous. Closest I have ever got to F-15's was seeing contrails over North Wales from the office window. Have seen a few A-400's fly right past the office at low level though. Have come very close a few times to getting site visits to Marham, Lakenheath and Brize Norton through work but none of them have come off yet, hopefully soon.

 

[WatcherZero]

Surprisingly regularly see Airbus Beluga from the continent flying very low over Wigan to pass under Manchester Airport flightpaths (they pass in to the Irish Sea around Formby to approach Broughton from the Northwest). They fly so low and slow they look like they are stalling.

 

[atillathehunn]

Very jealous. Closest I have ever got to F-15's was seeing contrails over North Wales from the office window. Have seen a few A-400's fly right past the office at low level though. Have come very close a few times to getting site visits to Marham, Lakenheath and Brize Norton through work but none of them have come off yet, hopefully soon.

They make quite the sight and quite the noise. The A400M is a very impressive beast.

Surprisingly regularly see Airbus Beluga from the continent flying very low over Wigan to pass under Manchester Airport flightpaths (they pass in to the Irish Sea around Formby to approach Broughton from the Northwest). They fly so low and slow they look like they are stalling.

They are also quite often over my parents place, and they do look like they shouldn't be able to fly. Weird things.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Had the joy of seeing a Beluga take off from Hamburg Finkenwerder (from the opposite bank in Blankenese) once. Still don't know how that thing got off the ground.

Can't say I'd relish six hours on a 737, but as with everything it depends how squashed in everything is. Four hours to Lanzarote on an A321 was quite enough for one lifetime.

 

[gsnedders]

Had the joy of seeing a Beluga take off from Hamburg Finkenwerder (from the opposite bank in Blankenese) once. Still don't know how that thing got off the ground.

Can't say I'd relish six hours on a 737, but as with everything it depends how squashed in everything is. Four hours to Lanzarote on an A321 was quite enough for one lifetime.

I still can never believe an A380 gets airborne every time I see one taking off!

My longest flight on a 737 was a 737-900 from Boston to Seattle earlier this year, a bit over six hours. That… wasn't great. Better than my flight from Keflavik to Seattle on a 757-200 (c. nine hours), though, IMO, even though that flight had IFE and all but somehow with a much less nice ambiance in the cabin. It's worth remembering than an A320 family aircraft typically has a wider seat than a 737, which IMO is nice on such a long flight!

 

[atillathehunn]

I'll add the Jumbo to the list, Somehow the single deck aircraft look slightly more natural in the air, the double deck things just look like they shouldn't be able to be airbourne.

I'll agree the A321 is a nicer experience on the mid-haul though I will say the downside for mid-haul on single aisle aircraft is the toilet issue. When sitting down, I didn't notice too much difference. I did 6 hours on a Qatar A320 and didn't find it too bad seating wise. Actually better than the 787. But the evening departure from Istanbul to Kigali/Entebbe is rough. Big dinner with two drinks runs there is a long line for the toilet...

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Surprisingly regularly see Airbus Beluga from the continent flying very low over Wigan to pass under Manchester Airport flightpaths (they pass in to the Irish Sea around Formby to approach Broughton from the Northwest). They fly so low and slow they look like they are stalling.

The approach to Broughton (officially known as Chester!) depends on traffic at Liverpool. Occasionally they get a direct routing from Wigan/St Helens direct over Huyton to cross the Mersey before making a spiralling final descent.

I'll add the Jumbo to the list, Somehow the single deck aircraft look slightly more natural in the air, the double deck things just look like they shouldn't be able to be airbourne.

For the maximum "looks impossible" effect watch landing traffic during a heavy crosswind. If you can get close to the runway threshold on the windward side you'll see the aircraft crabbing their final approach so as well as looking like they'll fall out of the sky at any moment they also look like they're heading straight at you. Brilliant demonstration of physics/aerodynamics in action!

 

[atillathehunn]

I've not stood in that exact position, but I have been in a Dash 8 waiting for take off at Manchester and watching an A380 working hard on an approach with a crosswind. Very impressive, especially from such a low vantage point. The contrast in plane sizes is quite something.

 

[frodshamfella]

They make quite the sight and quite the noise. The A400M is a very impressive beast.



They are also quite often over my parents place, and they do look like they shouldn't be able to fly. Weird things.

It had to divert in to Liverpool recently, something was wrong with it so I Beleive.

 

[atillathehunn]

The Beluga had to divert?

 

[Crawley Ben]

Emirates have announced they are to start operating to/from Standstead Airport. Flights will be operated daily using a Boeing 777 aircraft. Link to story below.

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/294437/emirates-announces-stansted-dubai-route

Cheers

Ben

 

[atillathehunn]

I really didn't see that one coming at all. Thanks for posting, CB. That is a quite staggering amount of capacity out of the various London airports now. Will there be terminal upgrades to go with it? I can't imagine Emirates business class passengers being too thrilled about the lack of lounges.

 

[Richard_B]

Stansted makes more sense to get to for plenty of north+east Londoners than Heathrow or Gatwick so I can see the logic. But the capacity is indeed staggering, 7?8? are A380 as well.

Interesting. How well loaded was the flight?

Have no problem with the 737 for longer haul particularly; I've flown Turkish Airlines to East Africa which is about 6 hours, so same length as US - Ireland. However the Turkish Airlines 737s are kitted out with IFE. This makes the journey slightly more pleasurable.

Flight was full, but then again they were still selling £130 one way tickets 5hrs before departure so it's not surprising.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Emirates have announced they are to start operating to/from Standstead Airport. Flights will be operated daily using a Boeing 777 aircraft

Didn't see that one coming! Good for north east London, Cambridge, etc though. Good luck to them. Seems a massive amount of capacity though, when you factor in Birmingham too.

 

[atillathehunn]

The article says this is 10 to London daily spread over LHR, LGW, STN. All 6 London flights are A380, all 3 Gatwick flights are A380 leaving the solitary STN flight as B777

 

[atillathehunn]

Didn't see that one coming! Good for north east London, Cambridge, etc though. Good luck to them. Seems a massive amount of capacity though, when you factor in Birmingham too.

Peak season Birmingham is twice daily A380, making 11 A380 daily from the vageuly South East/London area. Rising to 14 if you're very generous and include Manchester.

A colleague got off a Qatar A380 to London today and said it was 95% empty. I'm sure Emirates are hoping to mop up some of those passengers. Cambridge with a very international student profile travelling 3 times per year, plus the very financially plush industry around it they will do nicely out of it. They are selling it as three class - what lounge provision is there at STN?

 

[Tetchytyke]

A colleague got off a Qatar A380 to London today and said it was 95% empty. I'm sure Emirates are hoping to mop up some of those passengers.

An extension of the political battle against Doha? Wouldn't actually surprise me. That, or willy-waving towards Etihad.

 

[AlterEgo]

Peak season Birmingham is twice daily A380, making 11 A380 daily from the vageuly South East/London area. Rising to 14 if you're very generous and include Manchester.

A colleague got off a Qatar A380 to London today and said it was 95% empty. I'm sure Emirates are hoping to mop up some of those passengers. Cambridge with a very international student profile travelling 3 times per year, plus the very financially plush industry around it they will do nicely out of it. They are selling it as three class - what lounge provision is there at STN?

There’s an Escape Lounge which is acceptable but not really Emirates quality.

 

[atillathehunn]

An extension of the political battle against Doha? Wouldn't actually surprise me. That, or willy-waving towards Etihad.

I would generally suggest it's the political battle against Qatar. They have been going after them hard with the political sanctions and really tearing into their airline business.

I think the willy-waving with Etihad is a done battle - Etihad doesn't stand a chance.

Speaking of Qatar, they have announced they are launching flights with Meridiana using QR metal. They will give them wide bodies for the Milan - JFK/Miami flights and narrow bodies which are sitting empty for domestic flights. They have ambition to become Italy's national airline with the inevitable failure of Alitalia.

 

[atillathehunn]

There’s an Escape Lounge which is acceptable but not really Emirates quality.

Wonder what they will do. Random date next summer one way from STN to DXB starts at +£3000. They aren't going to be happy with a naff lounge or a voucher for the Weatherspoons.