Thanks chaps.

Yes sadly ZB pulled out of AGPABZ, it was a perfectly profitable route for them (72,000 pax in the year I think it was on a 3w pattern) but once they pulled the AGP base, forcing MAN-based crews into operating the route, the extra costs involved made ABZ no longer viable. ZB I thought were a good airline, I hope somewhere, sometime, Monarch come back…unlikely however. All not lost as GSM picked up the AGP run (737w) currently 2w, I believe due to go to 3w in the summer when the ABZ is reactivated for the season.

I would like to see VLM at ABZ regularly, they do make occasional appearances on charters (they did IT flights to JER last year but with Flybe operating a JER scheduled service this summer, don’t know if they will be required for 2008). They have been rumoured before for LCY & BRU.

OSL I would say is between Flybe & Eastern, but “a number” of airlines allegedly showed interest, so I wouldn’t yet rule out Wideroe, who do SVG & BGO from ABZ already. I cannot see the route sustaining a jet, unless it was a low cost route.

ABZ used to have a few “3rd level Norwegian routes”. The demise of X9 has seen us lose Kristiansund & Alesund (which operated via SVG) & bmi R pulled Kristiansand (different from ‘sund!). We also used to have Haugesund, which Coast Air operated in the 90s – Coast themselves went out of business in the last year. They had slots last summer for a reactivation of an ABZ route, but in the event didn’t take them up. Would be nice if someone could bring them back, but it would have to be an aircraft in the 30-seat range max I would say.

As regards Houston. All the pointers were COA & a 757, but last year KLM actually came out & said they would be interested in an ABZIAH service. Not sure how they would work it, maybe something like an A330 routing AMS-ABZ-IAH. The COA would be direct (OK with an outbound intermediate stop, unless ABZ’s runway is extended by then!). I didn’t see any mention of EWR.

Canada would be nice. There were rumours of GSM suggesting they could look at ABZ-Canada (obviously with the oil industry in mind, but not exclusively so) but any talks would be in its very early stages I would say &, again, the runway would be something of an issue as it is currently. It is due to be extended in 2009, when resurfacing is also expected. Air Transat used to do a YYZ link in the 90s (IT flight), with 757 & occasional A310.