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Post by eye2eye5 on Jan 13, 2020 12:17:24 GMT 1
The LPL IOM service is currently being flown by Stobart.
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Post by viscount on Jan 13, 2020 12:26:58 GMT 1
Aer Arann has based an aircraft at Ronaldsway in the past and operated the Liverpool-Isle of Man link (October 2005-June 2006) in competition with EuroManx. Aer Arann then provided an aircraft on lease to EuroManx to operate the route and subsequently since for long periods Stobart provided two ATR-72 aircraft to Flybe under contract to fly the routes.
As far as I am aware the Manx Government do subsidise some air travel for residents needing mainland specialist care, but they don't dictate routes and capacity on the airlines as the routes are not subsidised directly.
Should Flybe collapse then I would think that there is high probability of Stobart being in a good position, should they wish to likely with an airline partner, to take on the Flybe Isle of Man routes (Liverpool, Manchester, Birmngham, Belfast). However depending on the agreements resulting from government negotiations during 2020, the rules for EU based airlines flying domestic routes within the UK will change at the end of December 2020. How much it will depart from the current EU 'Open skies' back to 'Freedoms of operation' is a matter of complete conjecture.
From the Liverpool perspective, don't overlook the fact that EasyJet are in competition with Flybe on the Isle of Man route and will certainly take up some of the slack should Flybe cease operations. The Isle of Man will not be a lost destination, although Newquay would be. Although it has been noted on here a number of times how the Liverpool to Isle of Man route thrives during periods of competition and annual passenger totals suffer with just a single operator.
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Post by silvercity on Jan 13, 2020 12:46:14 GMT 1
The LPL IOM service is currently being flown by Stobart. i don't really understand how Stobart operate, I know they control CAX and SEN and have tie ups with Loganair and Flybe, but they don't seem to operate routes under their own banner, is that right ?
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Post by LPL on Jan 13, 2020 12:49:47 GMT 1
There is a contract but if an airline doesn't want to be involved then there isn't much that can be done.
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Post by eye2eye5 on Jan 13, 2020 13:18:26 GMT 1
The LPL IOM service is currently being flown by Stobart. i don't really understand how Stobart operate, I know they control CAX and SEN and have tie ups with Loganair and Flybe, but they don't seem to operate routes under their own banner, is that right ? They do, but in this case they are operating on behalf of Flybe. Going forward, Stobart may also have financial challenges. They are exposed to Flybe (20% ownership) and also have a significant shareholding in Eddie Stobart which has also come close to collapse recently.
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Post by silvercity on Jan 13, 2020 13:23:32 GMT 1
i don't really understand how Stobart operate, I know they control CAX and SEN and have tie ups with Loganair and Flybe, but they don't seem to operate routes under their own banner, is that right ? They do, but in this case they are operating on behalf of Flybe. Going forward, Stobart may also have financial challenges. They are exposed to Flybe (20% ownership) and also have a significant shareholding in Eddie Stobart which has also come close to collapse recently. Options are growing a bit thin. There are just not the quantity of carriers these days.
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Post by andyh on Jan 13, 2020 13:41:07 GMT 1
Can we just stop the (pointless) speculation now please until there is actually some clarity on what’s happening at Flybe? Sometimes talk like we’ve had becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Post by lfc84 on Jan 13, 2020 14:57:42 GMT 1
<snip> Should Flybe collapse then I would think that there is high probability of Stobart being in a good position, should they wish to likely with an airline partner, to take on the Flybe Isle of Man routes (Liverpool, Manchester, Birmngham, Belfast). </snip> viscount - flybe don't do Belfast-IOM. They sell IOM to LPL, MAN, BHX, SEN and GVA.
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Post by viscount on Jan 13, 2020 15:32:47 GMT 1
Guilty of being out of date on that detail and not checking first.
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Post by baldyman26 on Jan 13, 2020 20:48:29 GMT 1
I'm lost here, clearly there are issues and all of us don't want to see anything happen..... however what company is supposedly in trouble, Flybe or Virgin Connect... The consortium took over the airline including its debts so this situation should not be a surprise to them...although this will muddy the flybe name should anything happen, Virgin won't be associated as the rebrand hasn't happened... Are they jumping before being pushed... If flybe cannot sustain passenger numbers in a domestic market.. Who can
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Post by lfc84 on Jan 13, 2020 22:33:02 GMT 1
They owe uk government about GBP 25m APD
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Post by baldyman26 on Jan 13, 2020 22:37:35 GMT 1
Apd is paid by the passenger though, so where has this money gone
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Post by lfc84 on Jan 13, 2020 22:58:41 GMT 1
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Post by ronturner on Jan 14, 2020 12:22:59 GMT 1
Isn't it interesting that suddenly, the most important aspect of domestic aviation is "connectivity". It seems the government are looking at ways of scrapping or reducing passenger tax on theses routes. At the time of its introduction, we all knew that the excuse about it being for environmental reasons was not true. It was and is, just another way to squeeze the taxpayer until the pips squeak (To quote Denis Healey) When you consider the billions being spent upon shaving a few minutes off the train time from London To Birmingham one wonders what small portion of this would be enough to give true connectivity by air, to places that trains just do not reach for any practical purpose. (Try getting from Bristol to Norwich by train.) Its the same in France by the way. North South train service is fantastic, but try getting from Bordeaux to Strasbourg or Lyon.
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Post by silvercity on Jan 14, 2020 12:45:30 GMT 1
We are so London centric in the UK, governments have show little interest connecting regional cities.
From what I recall Easyjet dropped LPL-LTN due to APD
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