I think the blind thing is to ensure maximum light in the cabin (given lights dimmed down) and also as a result enable passengers eyes to be acustomed to the outside/ambient light?

I am sure Flybe are sweating a bit. If these problems continue and start to happen with other operators surely there could be a CoA being withdrawn which would crippled Flybe?

Have you tried asking Flight International direct. Im sure they have PDF etc copies of their old magazines?

I noticed around 8-10 Dash 8 wheels and some other parts/boxes sitting on the ramp at Belfast City when i landed on Wednesday from Stansted.

Maybe they were changing parts as surely if they had arrived as freight they would not be left sitting on the ramp?

On the subject of MaxJet I was flying out of STN on Wednesday evening (1630) and noticed three B767 of MaxJet down by the FLS Aerospace Hanger. Are they having problems or do they keep them there?

I suppose it all depends on the routes that are served from the two airports though Andrew, people will travel to LGW from East Anglia if the route is not served from STN, and there are also some people who will travel from LGW because they seem to think they are getting a better deal by getting a lower price…what they dont think about is the additional time, money and stress involved in getting to LGW.

When talking about catchment areas, you do not usually take into account people who are travelling because of route selection or price as this can take place across any UK airports. If a route is not available from Manchester, it is possible that the closest airport is LHR and they travel there.

Of course there are exceptions to every rule but on a majority basis people will not travel to LGW if STN is the closest airport.

BA said that the deal between GB Airways and Easyjet was expected to be completed within eight weeks.

During this period flights, will operate as normal. When the deal is completed, passengers can either rebook on Easyjet or will be entitled to a full refund.

From what they are saying GB will dissappear immediately with no intergration period? I doubt that.

I imagine it will be like Go and take around 3-6 months. They will most likely drop GB branding asap and switch flights to EZY flight numbers etc whilst still operating the GB aircraft. I can easily see the A321s being transfered into easyJet seating and branding and used on higher density routes where they could easily overfill an A321 and then use the A320s on routes slightly over A319 capacity per flight.

Edit:

easyJet will co-operate with British Airways to ensure a smooth and orderly transition for customers. To this end GB Airways will continue to operate all routes under the British Airways brand until March 29th, 2008 after which flights will operate under the easyJet brand.

GB Airways state that they will be fully intergrated to easyJet by the start of the winter schedule on 28th October 2008. Interestingly from the wording of their statement easyJet could keep GB routes going as they are (excluding LHR no doubt) for the future. I imagine they will swap the aircraft about to utilise them more effectively but maybe this will be a very clean merge and the only thing that easyJet will have to do is rebrand and familiarise the new crews?

I doubt the engines will be an issue as various airlines operate mutliple engine types and if easyJet are really bothered about them they could just buy new CFMs and sell the IAEs off.
This could be interesting expansion into the Canary Islands market for easyJet, something they are bound to have looked at previously? I believe that could spell huge problems for charter carriers!

I think a Gibraltar route could work for them but I can see easyJet using their newly aquired slots for expansion on routes they know that work before they keep exisiting GB routes as I imagine BA will also keep flying GB routes and did passengers not book through BA for GB as it was?