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Post by Humberside on Dec 24, 2010 16:14:23 GMT
Their links to Viking Airlines. IIRC Viking Hellas deny there are any strong links between the two but after Viking stopping operations, the Kiss Flights collapse, and earlier XL collapse (some of the same people involved), I'm a bit sceptical of Viking Hellas
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Post by lbaspotter on Jan 11, 2011 23:31:19 GMT
Hi
Further update regarding Olympic Holidays summer 2011 programme after spat with Monarch Airlines and the collapse of Euro Cyprina.
Following the recent change to the planned Wednesday, Cyprus-Larnca service from Cyprus Airways to Viking Hellas last month Olympic Holidays have now also changed there weekly Crete-Heraklion service from Cyprus Airways to Viking Hellas. Flight are to now operate as follows.
Tuesdays Heraklion 18:45 - Humberside 21:10 = VKH186 Humberside 22:10 - Heraklion 04:15 = VKH187 Wednesdays Larnaca 07:00 - Humberside 10:10 = VKH1337 Humberside 11:10 - Larnaca 18:00 = VKH1338
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Post by pug on Jan 14, 2011 17:02:26 GMT
This is pure speculation on my part, but it seems Thomas Cook are moving into DSA in a big way. Also including initiatives like these www.traveldaily.co.uk/AsiaPacificNews/Detail.aspx?Section=21611I just cant see them commiting much to HUY long term. With FlyBE seemingly not interested in operating any Spanish routes, despite AGP doing very well, and TCX neglecting popular routes and moving into DSA, i fear S2012 will be one of ABZ and AMS with the odd Turkish charter and perhaps a couple of TCX flights a week at best. Not a great time for local aviation at the moment it seems, with Brough airfield destined to become a road after the planning approval yesterday.
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Post by Humberside on Jan 14, 2011 17:25:53 GMT
DSA's current proactiveness could indeed be a threat and shouldn't be dismissed. And is was notable how Thomas Cook wasted no time in ditching flights when ECA collapsed.
But I personally think Thomas Cook will go were the best deal is. I could see them in 2012 having 2 flights, or having 6, or the current 4. They are clearly prepared to run key routes side by side from HUY and DSA, so I think the future of Thomas Cook at HUY depends on how much of a deal DSA will offer them, and how much HUY is prepared to match/better what DSA is offering. We can pretty much guess HUY isn't in the business of offering huge discounts, but we don't know what DSA are offering Thomas Cook for 'just' a few weekly flights. If DSA aren't offering huge discounts then HUY can maybe offer something attractive to Thomas Cook?
I would also mention the flip side of promotions like the one you linked to. Is there no promotions at HUY because flights will fill up without them? HUY is also more of an established market for Thomas Cook, and has far less competition
Aditionally there is a strategic factor with regards to Turkey at least - Thomas Cook reduce and I'm sure h4u would take note. It would not automatically follow that all Thomas Cook's passengers would use DSA instead
The other thing I will say about the charters is each year I expect Thomson might pull out completely, yet they still keep coming back with Palma. So don't count out Thomas Cook
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Post by pug on Jan 14, 2011 18:07:05 GMT
I agree with what you say H, but with TOM only having one flight from HUY now, and the big tour operators seemingly relying on each other more and more for risk sharing, i suspect that TCX will expand to offer more from DSA, and anything at HUY that might be seen as over capacity will be cut with little chance of replacement.
It has been proven that there is demand from Humberside despite DSA being down the road, XL had an extensive programme onsale for 2007 after the success of 2006, the main problem seems to be that these types of operators are no longer in abundance, so there are very few replacements HUY could muster in the current situation. BE looked promising, it now looks like they are not prepared to invest in the airport longer term.
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Post by Humberside on Jan 14, 2011 22:37:13 GMT
Seat sharing isn't as common as some would believe. Look in a Thomson brochure and I would say 90% of the airline codes are TOM. Likewise with a Thomas Cook brochure and TCX. It's often concentrated on certain destinations like Bourgas, Funchal and Luxor too. Now it may well be that Thomas Cook take additional allocations on TOM DSA flights, but I personally don't see that as a threat to HUY. HUY can't offer the same potential to seat share as DSA, so can't benefit from Thomas Cook growing through seat shares. But just beacuse HUY can't benefit from that growth doesn't mean it's going to see cutbacks. And ultimately Thomas Cook taking seats on TOM at DSA does not mean additional capacity is being added from DSA, it's just someone different selling seats that Thomson once sold themselves. The threat comes from Thomas Cook expanding their own range of flights from DSA
Another point I think is worth noting is that Thomas Cook are adding Enfidha from HUY this summer, despite Tunisia having been an established Thomas Cook destination from DSA. It works both ways
Also Thomas Cook's current schedules maximise choice offering passengers both HUY and DSA. Maybe Thomas Cook are adding at DSA to offer choice? And that would be a reason why they wouldn't consolidate at DSA either
Time is running out for Thomas Cook to make any changes for this summer (Have to hope the situation in Tunisia calms down though). And as I said for Summer 2012 I could see Thomas Cook having 2 HUY destinations, or 6. DSA is a potential threat, but I wouldn't get so pessimistic yet since the threat is only potential. As yet no capacity has been directly moved from HUY to DSA by Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook could quite happily expand side by side at HUY and DSA and keep everyone happy. I guess Summer 2012 is starting to be planned now and hopefully HUY management have noted Thomas Cook's recent DSA expansion and are offering Thomas Cook competitive deals to firstly maintain what we have got and to ensure we can benefit from Thomas Cook's growth in the region as well. So long as HUY management are being proactive (and they are adding plenty of new charter capacity this summer) then I wouldn't worry until Thomas Cook starting moving capacity
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Post by Humberside on Jan 14, 2011 22:48:05 GMT
Only a small thing but taking two DSA press releases The Aer Arann press release talked off "Nick Smillie, Aviation Sales Director, said: “This is great news for the airport and for people living in Yorkshire, and the North Midlands." A press release from this week relating to Thomas Cook talks only off the "Doncaster and Sheffield areas " www.robinhoodairport.com/press-releases/airport-bosses-hit-the-streets-spreading-the-news.htmlNote how the region being targetted has been reduced in size with relation to Thomas Cook. Far more localised despite the DSA's catchment being larger If the extra Thomas Cook capacity at DSA is being targetted primarily within South Yorkshire, then it would appear complimentary to what is offered at HUY
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Post by Humberside on Feb 14, 2011 12:57:43 GMT
Larnaca has been reduced a short season of flights. Starts in May as usually but last departure sadly early July. Heraklion will also end earlier than normal in mid-September
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Post by pug on Feb 14, 2011 13:04:27 GMT
Shocking. Olympic holidays do very well from Humberside, so its surprising that they would have a route that will last only a couple of months.
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Post by Humberside on Feb 14, 2011 13:15:18 GMT
I wonder if aircraft availability could be an issue and the HUY-LCA plane is needed to serve a larger airport replacing Monarch in the peak summer season?
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Post by pug on Feb 14, 2011 13:18:15 GMT
I would think that is the reason, with ECA now gone.
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Post by john2408 on Feb 14, 2011 21:26:43 GMT
Could this be an oppertunity for Jet 2 !!
Why no announcement yet on the airport pages re FR. is there more news to come?
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Post by Humberside on Feb 15, 2011 9:32:46 GMT
I think the airport have forgotten what a press release is - not just FR without a press release. Nothing for Enfidha, h4u increases nor any of the new special departure flights
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Post by pug on Feb 15, 2011 19:08:59 GMT
They have all had press releases, just not on the website. The website is set out in such a way that theres probably not much point in putting news up, as its not exactly in your face when you go on the homepage. There are big adverts for many of the flights however, and this is what counts really.
As for Larnaca being replaced, i can see this as another one that will be forgotten about. I have a feeling that CY will start flights from DSA next year, and Olympic holidays will follow with them. Hope i can be proved wrong.
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Post by Humberside on Feb 15, 2011 19:25:21 GMT
The press may have picked up on FR/Enfidha, but I've not seen a single press report on h4u or the extra special departure holidays. So if press releases have been issued then they haven't been very effective
I won't knock the advertising at the moment since the airport seem to be doing a good job (shame the KLM billboard on Newland Avenue in Hull has been vandalised though) but the PR strategy is either non-existant or not worth the paper its written on. There could have been multiple good news articles in the past year about the airport. I suggest they take a look at Peel/VAS who put out the press release for the smallest bit of good news and usually get it picked up by the local press
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