BA launches campaign attack on budget airlines

[Joe Curry]

Source: http://www.utalkmarketing.com

....The campaign, which launches today, centres on BA’s offer of £49
for a one way fare to a number of European destinations. It includes
an online cost comparison tool designed to show extra costs incurred
by Easyjet and Ryanair.....

Full Story

http://www.utalkmarketing.com/pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=19463&Title=BA_launches_campaign_attack_on_budget_airlines

[Joe Curry]

On Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:25:15 +0000, Joe Curry

Post by Joe Curry
....The campaign, which launches today, centres on BA’s offer of £49
for a one way fare to a number of European destinations.

But all are from London.. plus the return one way fare is quite often
double that of the outbound. (Edinburgh to LHR is £38 and the return
is £77 - connecting flight.) .

[dagspot]

Post by Joe Curry
On Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:25:15 +0000, Joe Curry

....The campaign, which launches today, centres on BA s offer of 49
for a one way fare to a number of European destinations.

But all are from London.. plus the return one way fare is quite often
double that of the outbound. (Edinburgh to LHR is 38 and the return
is 77 - connecting flight.) .

Stick to bargain basement FR then

[Roland Perry]

In message

Post by dagspot

Post by Joe Curry

....The campaign, which launches today, centres on BA s offer of 49
for a one way fare to a number of European destinations.

But all are from London.. plus the return one way fare is quite often
double that of the outbound. (Edinburgh to LHR is 38 and the return
is 77 - connecting flight.) .

Stick to bargain basement FR then

The real point is that, much as BA and other purveyors of frequent flyer
cards would like us to think, there is no "one size fits all" answer to
this. You have to treat each destination on its merits.

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry
The real point is that, much as BA and other purveyors of frequent flyer
cards would like us to think, there is no "one size fits all" answer to
this. You have to treat each destination on its merits.

'Looton' doesn't seem so bad after all :-)

[Roland Perry]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry
The real point is that, much as BA and other purveyors of frequent flyer
cards would like us to think, there is no "one size fits all" answer to
this. You have to treat each destination on its merits.

'Looton' doesn't seem so bad after all :-)

Easy to get to, especially from north of London, or by all-night train.

But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

[tim....]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry
The real point is that, much as BA and other purveyors of frequent flyer
cards would like us to think, there is no "one size fits all" answer to
this. You have to treat each destination on its merits.

'Looton' doesn't seem so bad after all :-)

Easy to get to, especially from north of London, or by all-night train.
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

tim

[Roland Perry]

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry
The real point is that, much as BA and other purveyors of frequent flyer
cards would like us to think, there is no "one size fits all" answer to
this. You have to treat each destination on its merits.

'Looton' doesn't seem so bad after all :-)

Easy to get to, especially from north of London, or by all-night train.
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

"one size doesn't fit all".

[Joe Curry]

On Tue, 9 Nov 2010 12:54:50 -0000, "tim...."

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

The runway length?

[Roland Perry]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by tim....
I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

The runway length?

While it's tempting to say that limits the destinations, Stansted has a
long runway and has a similar pattern of destinations (and apart from
freight mainly the smaller planes).

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
The runway length?

While it's tempting to say that limits the destinations, Stansted has a
long runway and has a similar pattern of destinations (and apart from
freight mainly the smaller planes).

Seems BAA's past stranglehold of it's London airports relegated STN
into a category of it's own? I always said they intended filling-up
LHR first..then LGW and lastly STN. The CC having foiled plans
somewhat?

[tim....]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
The runway length?

While it's tempting to say that limits the destinations, Stansted has a
long runway and has a similar pattern of destinations (and apart from
freight mainly the smaller planes).

Seems BAA's past stranglehold of it's London airports relegated STN
into a category of it's own? I always said they intended filling-up
LHR first..then LGW and lastly STN. The CC having foiled plans
somewhat?

I don't think that you know the history of STN

Initially BAA tried to use it as an overflow of LHR with its own "normal"
mix of flights (including some AA flights to the US).

That failed spectacularly and for a time STN was virtually empty with almost
no-one wanting to fly from it.

And then the LCCs saved it!

tim

[Jim Mason]

In article <***@mid.individual.net>, ***@yahoo.co.uk
says...

Post by tim....

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
The runway length?

While it's tempting to say that limits the destinations, Stansted has a
long runway and has a similar pattern of destinations (and apart from
freight mainly the smaller planes).

Seems BAA's past stranglehold of it's London airports relegated STN
into a category of it's own? I always said they intended filling-up
LHR first..then LGW and lastly STN. The CC having foiled plans
somewhat?

I don't think that you know the history of STN

Tim

He doesn't give a hoot.

He is simply trying to post boost the failing aaue newsgroup (which is
empty apart from him) by cross-posting news which he hopes will provoke a
reaction from other groups and boost the figures in aaue.

[Roland Perry]

Post by tim....
I don't think that you know the history of STN
Initially BAA tried to use it as an overflow of LHR with its own "normal"
mix of flights (including some AA flights to the US).

Continental tried it for a while too, but pulled out after the 9/11
downturn. Then AA came back, but pulled out in the 2008 downturn!

Has the airport had its three (transatlantic) strikes now?

I've never flown AA from Stansted, but did use Continental. Nowadays
have to go to Birmingham or Manchester for that (avoiding LHR and LGW).

Post by tim....
That failed spectacularly and for a time STN was virtually empty with almost
no-one wanting to fly from it.
And then the LCCs saved it!

Go (go go) being the first perhaps? Sold off to Easyjet, which is
perhaps why they have a hub there as well as relatively nearby Luton.

[Roland Perry]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by tim....
I don't think that you know the history of STN
Initially BAA tried to use it as an overflow of LHR with its own "normal"
mix of flights (including some AA flights to the US).

Continental tried it for a while too, but pulled out after the 9/11
downturn.

...

Post by Roland Perry

Post by tim....
And then the LCCs saved it!

Go (go go) being the first perhaps?

And I forgot to mention - on 9/11 I flew out of Stansted on Go. In the
departure lounge people were crowded round the screens watching events
unfold in New York. Of course, we had no idea what was really going on.

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry
And I forgot to mention - on 9/11 I flew out of Stansted on Go. In the
departure lounge people were crowded round the screens watching events
unfold in New York. Of course, we had no idea what was really going on.

Just as well! :(

[Roland Perry]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry
And I forgot to mention - on 9/11 I flew out of Stansted on Go. In the
departure lounge people were crowded round the screens watching events
unfold in New York. Of course, we had no idea what was really going on.

Just as well! :(

It made for a wasted trip, as we were going to an International
Conference which was cancelled next day due to travel issues for several
of the key speakers (including Al Gore). The following week I was due to
fly to Toronto for another International conference, but by then it was
clear that guaranteeing to get there and back on any kind of tight
schedule was going to be impossible.

The funny is, we all got back from that first conference before they
could impose a no-fly zone in Europe, or even step up carry-on security.

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Roland Perry
And I forgot to mention - on 9/11 I flew out of Stansted on Go.

The funny is, we all got back from that first conference before they
could impose a no-fly zone in Europe, or even step up carry-on security.

I was due to fly out to Orlando on 13/11 a lot of re-arranging
flights/accomodation etc..and finally booked everything a few weeks
later.
The locals in Orlando were surprised so many Brits had not cancelled
plans completely.

[Roland Perry]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Roland Perry
And I forgot to mention - on 9/11 I flew out of Stansted on Go.

The funny is, we all got back from that first conference before they
could impose a no-fly zone in Europe, or even step up carry-on security.

I was due to fly out to Orlando on 13/11 a lot of re-arranging
flights/accomodation etc..and finally booked everything a few weeks
later.
The locals in Orlando were surprised so many Brits had not cancelled
plans completely.

They might be surprised at the comparative ease with which Brits can
re-arrange their booked vacation.

I cancelled my trip to Canada because I had a more important meeting
that I needed to be back in the OK for, the day after. And I knew it was
going to be next to impossible to know I could fly when booked (if you
remember, there were people camped at Heathrow for days on end).

Ten days after that, I was in Brighton at a fringe meeting of the Labour
Party conference, and it seemed that it would either be the most
dangerous place in the world, or the safest. In the event I think they
had a no-fly zone over that bit of the Channel for the duration.

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
I was due to fly out to Orlando on 13/11 a lot of re-arranging
flights/accomodation etc..and finally booked everything a few weeks
later.
The locals in Orlando were surprised so many Brits had not cancelled
plans completely.

They might be surprised at the comparative ease with which Brits can
re-arrange their booked vacation.

Takes a bit of effort..is it so difficult in the USA?

Post by Roland Perry
Ten days after that, I was in Brighton at a fringe meeting of the Labour
Party conference, and it seemed that it would either be the most
dangerous place in the world, or the safest.

Depending on one's political leanings..personally I would have felt
secure.

[Roland Perry]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
I was due to fly out to Orlando on 13/11 a lot of re-arranging
flights/accomodation etc..and finally booked everything a few weeks
later.
The locals in Orlando were surprised so many Brits had not cancelled
plans completely.

They might be surprised at the comparative ease with which Brits can
re-arrange their booked vacation.

Takes a bit of effort..is it so difficult in the USA?

Yes, they only have two weeks, and absence from work has to be planned
in very carefully.

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry
Ten days after that, I was in Brighton at a fringe meeting of the Labour
Party conference, and it seemed that it would either be the most
dangerous place in the world, or the safest.

Depending on one's political leanings..personally I would have felt
secure.

People still weren't sure if there was going to be any continued
"activity", although history now tells us that these attacks seem to be
a series of isolated incidents.

As for politics, I was there to lobby the "the Government" (which is
what most other people holding fringe events are doing - making use of
the fact they are all in one place at one time), which just happened to
be Labour at the time.

[tim....]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by tim....
I don't think that you know the history of STN
Initially BAA tried to use it as an overflow of LHR with its own "normal"
mix of flights (including some AA flights to the US).

Continental tried it for a while too, but pulled out after the 9/11
downturn. Then AA came back, but pulled out in the 2008 downturn!

I'm going back much further than that.

IIRC my first trip to stansted was when I bashed the north curve which (as
you can't get a to Cambridge ticket via the airport) must have been on
separate tickets so they'll be in my box somewhere, but it would have been
around 95. It was empty then

tim

[Roland Perry]

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry

Post by tim....
I don't think that you know the history of STN
Initially BAA tried to use it as an overflow of LHR with its own "normal"
mix of flights (including some AA flights to the US).

Continental tried it for a while too, but pulled out after the 9/11
downturn. Then AA came back, but pulled out in the 2008 downturn!

I'm going back much further than that.

Stansted used to be regarded by the locals as "refreshingly easy" to
catch a flight from, and you could park outside the front door for less
than a King's ransom. I flew from there a bit in the 1999-2001
timeframe, and by then it was getting busier. Flights seemed to be
mainly from full service airlines based in Europe, plus KLM-UK which was
neither one thing or the other.

Post by tim....
IIRC my first trip to stansted was when I bashed the north curve which (as
you can't get a to Cambridge ticket via the airport) must have been on
separate tickets so they'll be in my box somewhere, but

Would that the be famous "Not Stansted" ticket between London and
Cambridge, which was in fact valid via Stansted because the fare of the
"via Stansted" ticket was the same?

Post by tim....
it would have been around 95.

So after AA had come and gone (the first time). I used to fly AA a lot
in those days, mainly from Gatwick as they seemed to be short of slots
at Heathrow. Adding a route from Stansted probably looked like a good
idea at the time, but I suspect they underestimated the extent to which
the Brits saw it as a regional airport rather than a "real" third London
airport.

Post by tim....
It was empty then

Airports with mainly European routes tend to have quiet periods during
the day, even if they are busy at dawn and dusk.

[Joe Curry]

On Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:14:16 -0000, "tim...."

Post by tim....
And then the LCCs saved it!

I first used STN with AirUK and the airport was carrying some 6M pax
annually. A few years later and I flew GOfly the airport was busier,
the bars were full of Irish and the toilets full of Italians. No
disrespect to either.... :-)

[tim....]

Post by Joe Curry
On Tue, 9 Nov 2010 12:54:50 -0000, "tim...."

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

The runway length?

It's because EZ and RA have moved many of their flights to STN

tim

[Roland Perry]

Post by tim....

Post by Joe Curry

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

The runway length?

It's because EZ and RA have moved many of their flights to STN

Have they moved them, or were the Luton flights the first to get
cancelled in the downturn?

Like I said, you have to pick the airline and airport based on what's
available. My last flight was to Lithuania and the only direct flights
were one from Stansted and one from Gatwick - and nothing from any full
fare airline, let alone BA.

[tim....]

Post by tim....

Post by Joe Curry

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

The runway length?

It's because EZ and RA have moved many of their flights to STN

Have they moved them, or were the Luton flights the first to get cancelled
in the downturn?

They re-based long before the downturn.

Like I said, you have to pick the airline and airport based on what's
available. My last flight was to Lithuania and the only direct flights
were one from Stansted and one from Gatwick - and nothing from any full
fare airline, let alone BA.

You've picked a difficult destination. When I went, the only direct flight
that I could find from any London airport to any LIT airport was Ryanair to
Kaunas (probably from STN, can't remember!).

tim

[Roland Perry]

Post by tim....

Post by tim....

Post by Joe Curry

Post by tim....

Post by Roland Perry
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

I would have thought the, now, fairly limited choice of destinations is a
bigger problem

The runway length?

It's because EZ and RA have moved many of their flights to STN

Have they moved them, or were the Luton flights the first to get cancelled
in the downturn?

They re-based long before the downturn.

So something like three years ago? I'm afraid I don't remember what
Luton was like, that long ago.

Post by tim....

Like I said, you have to pick the airline and airport based on what's
available. My last flight was to Lithuania and the only direct flights
were one from Stansted and one from Gatwick - and nothing from any full
fare airline, let alone BA.

You've picked a difficult destination. When I went, the only direct flight
that I could find from any London airport to any LIT airport was Ryanair to
Kaunas (probably from STN, can't remember!).

Oddly enough, one of the flights to Vilnius from a "nearby country" is
Aer Lingus from Dublin. But that would require taking a Ryanair flight
to Dublin first, if I was start from East Midlands.

[Joe Curry]

On Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:59:15 -0000, "tim...."

Post by tim....

Post by Joe Curry
The runway length?

It's because EZ and RA have moved many of their flights to STN

And that of course...

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
'Looton' doesn't seem so bad after all :-)

But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

The cash-cow fast track?

[Roland Perry]

Post by Joe Curry

Post by Roland Perry
But very slow immigration in the later evening rush.

The cash-cow fast track?

Fast track is for outbound security, not inbound immigration. And I
don't think Luton has a fast track even for security (they are generally
installed where there are full-fare airlines as well, which they don't
have any of, afaik).

[Joe Curry]

Post by Roland Perry

Post by Joe Curry
The cash-cow fast track?

Fast track is for outbound security, not inbound immigration. And I
don't think Luton has a fast track even for security (they are generally
installed where there are full-fare airlines as well, which they don't
have any of, afaik).

Give it time Roland? :-)