Today’s Observer newspaper includes the following snippets:

1. bmi to swap slots used for domestic routes to launch new transatlantic services.
2. bmi’s first three LHR US services may be to Chicago, Charlotte and New York
3. bmi looknig to buy a further 3 A330s
4. BA shifiting Houston services to LHR
5. BA to then move Dallas services to LHR

that such practises do contribute to climate change and if such a practise was banned it would make a difference, every little helps.

Complete claptrap. Please tell me how thw world went into and out of ice ages in prehistory then. What about the coal powered power stations being built in China….what do you think adds more to CO2. A 12 empty flights a week between LHR and CWL operating for 5 months or somerthing that’ll be producing energy and by-products for decades.

If you want to have a go at empty positioners, please take a look at BACitiExpress/BAConnect and the number of times that they’ve positioned an aircraft to MAN (either one of their own or a sub-charter) as anything up to 3 of the based MAN fleet has gone tech. Not timetabled but they exist. Do you want to inform the press of those flights?

i’m annoyed to read that few of the european carriers from last summer are returning

Well that’s the price that’s paid when the routes operated by the airlines concerned aren’t profitable.

A cursory look at the timetable shows no fewer than 17 Flybe aircraft will be spotted at MAN between 0630 and 0820; over a quarter of the new fleet. Are there any other airports that will have that kind of presence?

Noticed that Jet2’s now got a news item on “green” issues

A couple of extracts…

“We believe it is important that everyone is aware of the real facts concerning air travel and the environment. First of all stopping air travel will not save the world. Aircraft CO2 emissions are very small compared with other sources of CO2 pollution. In fact according to the recent Stern Report, commissioned by the Government, aircraft produce only 3% of CO2 in contrast to road transport – 12%, electricity generation – 24% and deforestation (loss of rain forests) – 18%.”

and

“It would be better for us all to lobby to get rid of all those coal burning power stations that are the real threat to our environment.”

Here’s one of those strange but true things…..

West Coast Mainline has been improved, with Virgn now using faster trains (and possibly more frequent?) between Manchester and London.

VLM’s announced that they flew more passengers on MAN-LCY than last year (about 114,000, up 0.5%).

Who’d have thought that the air route continues to be more convenient for some travellers despite all the “hassle” now associated with flying.

Edited to add that when I looked yesterday, the VLM timetable was indicating up to 12 weekday return services in the summer. Perhaps they may be due to announce something shortly or “delete” the extra 4 return sectors to boost loads on the existing 8?

I would rather imagine that any potential drop in revenue by getting crew to position up on a LHR/LGW service would be more than made up with the idea that it’s now a 3 class service, and so have no need for carting some many “premium” passengers on the shuttle service as they can get an almost LHR-standard service out of MAN.