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Post by tagron on Oct 17, 2012 9:05:34 GMT
It looks like my post #12 is closer to the correct version of OLT's SEN plan than my subsequent post. The timetable appears to show flights operating continuously Monday-Friday through to the end of December but this is contradicted by the booking engine and now OLT's own statement on their website. I am assuming the latter position is correct, though there appears to be a one-off flight on Dec 4..
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Post by expressflight on Oct 18, 2012 13:33:29 GMT
The DRS operated this morning with something like 9 pax inbound and 8 outbound. At least the OLT English website is operational now.
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Post by devonian on Nov 30, 2012 16:15:21 GMT
Rumours that CityJet will introduce a LCY-DRS service next year must pose a threat to OLT Express's plans to fly to SEN from DRS next season. That would be a great pity.
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Post by expressflight on Dec 1, 2012 8:39:20 GMT
If Cityjet did choose to operate DRS-LCY I don't see how DRS-SEN could effectively compete as I don't see it being a particularly price sensitive route.
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Post by aurigny72 on Dec 1, 2012 16:45:36 GMT
Cityjet LCY-DRS is now bookable on Amadeus starting April 22rd 2013, official announcement expected next week, so thats it now for OLT DRS-SEN, what a shame.
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Post by Humberside on Dec 14, 2012 19:07:08 GMT
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Post by expressflight on Dec 15, 2012 9:10:13 GMT
I'm really surprised that Panta Holdings, who bought the company only a few months ago, have made such a hash of trying to relaunch OLT as a low cost carrier. They have such long experience of the European airline market that it would have been expected that they would put everything in place before launching the new routes. In reality they made all the mistakes that a new entrant might be expected to make: insufficient time between route announcements and commencement of services, poor advertising & marketing, delay in English language website, delay in getting routes onto Amadeus reservation system and a couple of other things I won't mention here. Let's just hope they haven't left things too late to keep the company intact.
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Post by EGMCfollower on Dec 15, 2012 11:17:13 GMT
If there is one possible positive from this its that SEN may still be there preffered London airport if and when they steady the ship and decide to attempt the London Market again and almost certainly from a different German airport(s). Launching (just about!) two new routes from SEN is a sure sign they wanted to enter the UK market but I imagine it will be a long time before we see or hear of them again.
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Post by tagron on Dec 18, 2012 9:17:42 GMT
There are still 10 DRS-SEN rotations on sale by OLT during the period December 20 to January 3, according to their website. Unsurprisingly the March SEN-DRS and SCN flights are no longer available.
It would not surprise me if the roots of OLT's difficulties were to be found in their previous Polish ownership - it would appear to match the overoptimistic and undisciplined expansion of the Polish parent company. Panta only completed their purchase on August 8, and OLT Germany commenced their LCC operation on September 6. Could it be the operational plans had already been laid and Panta had to find out the hard way that the preparations were inadequate ?
Only conjecture of course and let's hope OLT manage to survive this debacle
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Post by expressflight on Dec 19, 2012 8:39:06 GMT
It would be nice to think that OLT Express Germany's problems were inherited from OLT Poland, but that does not seem to be the case. Panta honoured the agreement that OLT had entered into to buy Contact Air solely because Panta owned most of that carrier's F100 fleet and the wetlease agreement with LH was coming to an end. Therefore they were very keen to keep those aircraft employed and launched a whole raft of new routes while at the same time rebranding themselves as a Low Cost Carrier. Those routes were launched without proper analysis, with too little lead time, too little marketing, a German language only website and a lack of visibility on the GDS systems (reservation systems such as Amadeus). The result is what we now see, with the likely grounding of 4 or 5 F100s, the abandonment of nearly all the new routes and cutbacks in staff. Let's hope that is sufficient to enable OLT to rebuild in a more sensible, sustainable fashion.
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Post by aurigny72 on Jan 27, 2013 22:01:12 GMT
I have just heard on other forums that OLT Express will cease operating services from midnight tonight, not confirmed but looking likely and perhaps not to surprising, shame though when any airline goes under. Anyone esle heard this news?
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Post by slippery on Jan 29, 2013 9:32:58 GMT
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Post by Thames Gateway on Jun 5, 2015 18:00:53 GMT
The shrivelled fruit forum is reporting that the VLM DRS-LCY service is to be dropped from 13th September. There were 20,918 pax on that route in 2014. Is there any airline that might look at doing it into lower cost Southend?
Can't see Stobart Air doing it, as Dublin was said to be 'too far' for them to be profitable on that shorter route with 60,000 pax per annum before the flybe stint on the route.
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