Huh? AMS have five runways (one built in recent times) to serve less traffic than LHR handles. LHR has two runways, and is slot constrained to the point where bmi (and/or Lufthansa) feels it can make more money using those slotes to serve other routes than it can serving LBA or MME. Maybe bmi would, if slots were not an issue, like to keep the routes, but unfortunately good business practice and UK aviation policy rather put an end to that opportunity. In any case, revenues have undoubtedly been diluted on these routes since the “glory” days (110 pax on a DC-9-30 and a full hot meal and drinks served on these routes – anyone else remember that?) as the trains have got better – MAN-LHR is also massively down for the same reason and it would not surprise me to see it’s link to London go the same way in the more distant future. To be honest, I have little sympathy for those moaning about the loss of the route – its just repeating what happened to EMA-LHR and BHX-LHR in the past, and as I said I would not be surprised to see it happen to MAN-LHR (or at least further significant reductions in frequency) in the future.
In any case, people SHOULD use the train – its less hassle, its more environmentally friendly, and if in the long run we can get rid of these short domestic services aviation can be seen to be doing something to counter the climate change lobby.
Andy
I do remember the days of BD DC9s to LHR and full service on-board to boot, and I think your right MAN-LHR may very well go the same way, at least BD going anyway (Does British “Midland” mean anything now !!?) probably not BA. In fact Lufthansa who I beleive are taking over BMI now would probably welcome cuts from the UK regions to LHR, as it would push more passengers via Frankfurt.
The train is great if you are going city centre to city centre, but forget it if you want to go to LHR, or LGW for that matter for a long-haul connection. Passenger from the regions will just use European hubs like Amsterdam more and more because it’s basicly much less hassle. The fact that LHR is slot constrained and short of runways high lights the short-sightedness of previous UK governments not thinking “big” as France and The Netherlands did with CDG and AMS a long time ago. Borris Johnson recently spoke about shutting LHR and creating a new airport out in the Thames estuary, all old news this was an idea years back for Maplin Sands.
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