Astraeus Airlines are to announce a new African charter route from Leeds/Bradford & Bournemouth Airports for the winter 2006/07.
Flights to Banjul in The Gambia will be operated by long range Boeing 737-700’s once weekly every Wednesdays from December 20th 2006 till March 2007 for the independent specialist tour Operator The Gambia Experience.
The Flights will be operated by the Leeds based aircraft & Crews.
By: LBARULES - 14th July 2006 at 16:55
Official announcement now on lbia.co.uk :D.
Leeds Bradford Airport is pleased to announce a new destination for this winter: The Gambia.
The Leeds Bradford to Banjul service will commence on Wednesday 20 December 2006 and weekly departures will continue throughout the season with Astraeus Airlines until Wednesday 28 February 2007.The appeal of The Gambia is simple; less than a six-hour flight away, in the same time zone and with no jet lag, the holidaymaker is welcomed by glorious sunshine – averaging 31 degrees year round, vast golden beaches, friendly English speaking locals, a varied and mouth-watering cuisine and a vibrant, authentic African culture.
The new route is being offered in conjunction with the leading specialist to the destination, The Gambia Experience. The tour operator features a wide portfolio of accommodation, reflecting how The Gambia is excellent value for money, and exclusively offers holidays to deluxe properties such as the award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasutu and Ngala Lodge, a former colonial mansion.
Commenting on the announcement Director Chris Ayling said:
”We are delighted to announce this new route and to make The Gambia more accessible to those in Yorkshire and the surrounding counties. Introductions of prior regional departures have been extremely well received, as holidaymakers discover for themselves what Africa’s ‘smiling coast’ really has to offer.”Ed Anderson, Managing Director at Leeds Bradford International Airport adds:
“The Gambia is a new and exciting destinations for our customers. The area offers the people of Yorkshire the chance to experience a unique type holiday and compliments the extensive range of destinations now available from Leeds Bradford Airport. We are also delighted to be working with new business partner The Gambia Experience.”A week’s holiday to The Gambia this winter starts from £379 per person, based on bed & breakfast accommodation in a 2+ grade hotel, return flights from Leeds Bradford and hotel transfers.
The Gambia Experience is also offering no flight supplements for bookings made by 31 August 2006. For more information or to request a brochure please call The Gambia Experience Reservations on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk/travelENDS
By: Robertt - 12th July 2006 at 09:48
Exactly because Jet2 have stolen all the traditional charter pax, theres no benefit in charter airlines basing more aircraft there to expand when their traditional customer base has changed over to LoCo airlines. As long as this continues there wont be any significant charter expansion from LBA
err, Bristol, Newcastle, Manchester, East Mids, Gatwick, Glasgow, Birmingham? Don’t they all have LoCo airlines as well as charter pax. At Doncaster you’ve even got the same company offering LoCo flights and charter flights alongside each other. So sorry, that argument doesn’t wash.
LoCo’s will affect some charter routes to Spain, but pretty much anywhere else such as Greece and Turkey and Cyprus, they have no bearing.
Rob
By: by738 - 11th July 2006 at 20:52
on charter side of things, LBA really hasn’t progressed over the years.
Exactly because Jet2 have stolen all the traditional charter pax, theres no benefit in charter airlines basing more aircraft there to expand when their traditional customer base has changed over to LoCo airlines. As long as this continues there wont be any significant charter expansion from LBA
By: tommyinyork - 11th July 2006 at 19:21
Maybe one key factor, Thomas Cook don’t have a based a/c at LBA, i know alot of people who have been or are going with Thomas Cook this summer.
LBA gets far too overlooked by people, and more needs to be done to promote the airport. Fine JET2 are doing fantasitc, but on charter side of things, LBA really hasn’t progressed over the years.
By: Manston Airport - 11th July 2006 at 19:06
People on charter flights tend to be less upper class than those on scheduled flights. Ask the average Club 18-30 Thomas Cook Airlines passenger about flying from Leeds, they probably think its just an airfield.
No not really people going on Club 18-30 to get pis*ed ,sex and have fun etc do not really care what LBA is like as long they get to there destination they are happy and are you calling me a less upper class I always used to go on charter flights.
James
By: happygolucky - 11th July 2006 at 17:35
Well one of my simple responses from someone who lived in York who went to Tenerife is “I did’nt know you can fly from Leeds to Tenerife”. Problem LBA has is people always refear to Manchester when booking a holiday.
90% of people i know go from Manchester, very rarely i know someone going from LBA.
I am a travel agent and work in telesales on a national basis, and the vast majority of people who live in and close to LBA, that we deal with, much prefer to fly from there local airport.
By: tommyinyork - 11th July 2006 at 14:50
Well one of my simple responses from someone who lived in York who went to Tenerife is “I did’nt know you can fly from Leeds to Tenerife”. Problem LBA has is people always refear to Manchester when booking a holiday.
90% of people i know go from Manchester, very rarely i know someone going from LBA.
By: lbaspotter - 11th July 2006 at 14:12
Originally Posted by tommyinyork
People on charter flights tend to be less upper class than those on scheduled flights. Ask the average Club 18-30 Thomas Cook Airlines passenger about flying from Leeds, they probably think its just an airfield.
I’ve never read so much r—–h in my life Tommy. I know people who have a hell off a lot of money that use Charter flights and use Low Cost not all people think like you. I also know people who are not so well off that use Scheduled flights. E.g. myself who uses full fares airlines from the likes of bmi & BA and still use the low cost airlines like Jet2.com and Ryanair.
Most people in the Yorkshire region know there’s an Airport at Leeds/Bradford. The problem is that there are not enough flights from the airport to fit the current demand. Hence the reason people have to still fly from the likes of Manchester, East Midlands, Teeside, Humberside and now Doncaster mate.
End off… Mods if you feel you need to change this please do so at will.
By: LBARULES - 11th July 2006 at 13:56
People on charter flights tend to be less upper class than those on scheduled flights. Ask the average Club 18-30 Thomas Cook Airlines passenger about flying from Leeds, they probably think its just an airfield.
What else is it? A palace?
Absolute garbage…
By: gpb_croppers63 - 11th July 2006 at 13:48
People on charter flights tend to be less upper class than those on scheduled flights. Ask the average Club 18-30 Thomas Cook Airlines passenger about flying from Leeds, they probably think its just an airfield.
Well most of the charter passengers I speak to have the exact oposite opinion to the one you’re expressing. The majority of the “Magaluf once a year” crowd in South Wales won’t go on holiday unless they can fly from Cardiff. Bristol at a push but god forbid they should travel to Birmingham, Gatwick or Manchester (despite the fact that they’d save an absolute fortune on their flights)!
By: tommyinyork - 11th July 2006 at 13:31
Jet2’s LBA customers obviously aren’t bothered by facilities or road access otherwise Jet2 wouldn’t have 10 or 11 aircraft, including 757s, based there.
Or are you saying that road access and airport facilities are more important for customers on charter flights than scheduled flights? If you are, I’m fascinated to know why.Rob
People on charter flights tend to be less upper class than those on scheduled flights. Ask the average Club 18-30 Thomas Cook Airlines passenger about flying from Leeds, they probably think its just an airfield.
By: Robertt - 11th July 2006 at 13:26
Mainly because when i ask people where they are flying from they always say “Manchester”, and when i ask why they say “Because its easier to get to” or “its a bigger airport with more facilities”. People are still ignorent to think Leeds is toy town international.
Jet2’s LBA customers obviously aren’t bothered by facilities or road access otherwise Jet2 wouldn’t have 10 or 11 aircraft, including 757s, based there.
Or are you saying that road access and airport facilities are more important for customers on charter flights than scheduled flights? If you are, I’m fascinated to know why.
Rob
By: LBARULES - 11th July 2006 at 11:02
When is this announcement to be made I have checked LBA’s website, Gambia Experience and Astraeus website and there is no mention of it?
It’s in the LBA downloadable PDF timetable :).
By: tommyinyork - 11th July 2006 at 10:49
Taba and Banjul maybe but not sure about those Greece destinations. Just look at what goes from NCL this summer.
4 757s a week going from NCL to Rhodes
3 757s, 1 A320 and 1 737 a week going NCL to Heraklion
2 757s and 1 A320 NCL going NCL to ZakynthosAll this to serve what, 2m people something like that. How many people live in West Yorkshire alone? 2.3m + North Yorkshire so hard to believe LBA would struggle to fill a single 757.
Rob
Mainly because when i ask people where they are flying from they always say “Manchester”, and when i ask why they say “Because its easier to get to” or “its a bigger airport with more facilities”. People are still ignorent to think Leeds is toy town international.
By: happygolucky - 11th July 2006 at 09:31
When is this announcement to be made I have checked LBA’s website, Gambia Experience and Astraeus website and there is no mention of it?
By: Robertt - 11th July 2006 at 08:57
It’s hard to be certain; but it’s very likely that LBA-Heraklion, Rhodes, Zakynthos, Taba and Banjul all would not have happened if a 757 was the only aircraft available to fly them.
Taba and Banjul maybe but not sure about those Greece destinations. Just look at what goes from NCL this summer.
4 757s a week going from NCL to Rhodes
3 757s, 1 A320 and 1 737 a week going NCL to Heraklion
2 757s and 1 A320 NCL going NCL to Zakynthos
All this to serve what, 2m people something like that. How many people live in West Yorkshire alone? 2.3m + North Yorkshire so hard to believe LBA would struggle to fill a single 757.
Rob
By: bwaflyer - 10th July 2006 at 21:54
Don’t know the set up at LBA but how are they planning the operation ? Are they going to dead head a crew down there and then do the same with the other crew on the way back ? I know from experience this is a very tight day out to plan !
Crew layover in Banjul. I’m guessing that they’ll mix with MAN crew operating flights in and out of MAN via EMA and BRS. Gatwick crew layover for three or four nights for the twice a week scheduled service in a very nice hotel.
By: Manston Airport - 9th July 2006 at 22:45
Would AEU ever think of some Canadian routes from LBA.
No way the only airline I could think off doing Canadian routes from LBA would be Air transit and Zoom.
James
By: SOFTLAD - 9th July 2006 at 21:09
Don’t know the set up at LBA but how are they planning the operation ? Are they going to dead head a crew down there and then do the same with the other crew on the way back ? I know from experience this is a very tight day out to plan !
By: by738 - 9th July 2006 at 17:25
Would AEU ever think of some Canadian routes from LBA.
No :rolleyes:
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July 7, 2006 at 1:55 pm