UK leisure carrier Monarch has decided to take on Jet2.com by launching a base at Leeds Bradford next summer. Which ‘sunshine’ routes will it operate and what additional competition is it likely to face from the likes of Ryanair and Thomas Cook Airlines?
Ryanair has selected Maastricht Airport in the Netherlands to be the airline’s 51st designated base starting in December with one aircraft. How has Ryanair developed its presence at the airport and how much flying did it do there last winter? And which other Ryanair base might be a little worried?
A major milestone is reached by Ryanair with the announcement of its 50th base. And unusually the new base is also a new airport for the airline. What frequencies will be offered on each route and which two country markets account for half of the routes? What indirect competition will there be from Cyprus’ other airport at Larnaca?
Two new bases in two weeks? And this one’s in Germany! When did Ryanair first start serving this airport close to the French border (and why), and how many routes has it opened since then? How many are still operating and at what frequencies? Which new routes are being added next summer?
easyJet already has three bases in France (two in Paris and one in Lyon) and has now announced two more for next summer. But how have its operations at Nice and Toulouse developed in recent years? Which new routes has it already announced and how big is the current market on these routes?
Czech Airlines has announced plans to base a single 737-500 at Bratislava Airport and start six new routes from 23 June. It already operates flights from Prague, but now it will compete indirectly with Ryanair on four routes. What does the aircraft’s schedule look like?
Despite air transport liberalisation in the EU, it seems that only LCCs have embraced the idea of setting up ‘foreign’ bases. The latest example is Spain’s Vueling, which last week set up a base in Toulouse, France. Which routes has it selected and on which one will it face most competition? What hours will the single A320 have to work each day?
Wizz Air is opening its second single aircraft base in the space of a month, this time in Lithuania. What competition will it face and how has it scheduled its flights? On which day does the aircraft operate just two daily rotations instead of the usual three?
After 15 months of serving the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Ryanair is making it a base and adding 12 new routes this summer. How many passengers did it carry there in 2010 and what milestone should it reach in May? Which is the only destination to be served daily and what competition is there?
Following its decision to relocate all its Belfast services at the downtown City Airport in January, bmibaby has now announced plans to start international services later this year. But what competition will it face from Belfast International Airport on its new routes?
Yes, apparently a base can consist of just a single aircraft, at least according to Wizz Air. But which new routes has it added from Belgrade this week and what competition does it face, directly and indirectly? How is demand developing in Belgrade and what other new routes are starting there this summer?
