Jet Setter From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (12 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 1435 times:
Newlines are a new UK based airline that plan to commence operations next Spring. They plan to offer service all Business Class service using B757-200ER aircraft between London-Standsted and New York-JFK. Fligts will be operated on behalf of Newlines by Air 2000, the only UK airline experienced in this type of operation as they already operate 2 B757s in an all First-Class layout.
Newlines have been planning their startup for some months now, recently they advertised for staff. Yesterday Air 2000 applied to the CAA for the scheduled licence to operate the STN-JFK route, no firm startup date was given in the application.
It is also still unclear whether Air 2000 will source extra B757s for the route, or use existing aircraft. They have A321s on order for next year to replace older B757s, but these could be retained to allow existing aircraft to operate the service.
This is an interesting venture, not only will it be the only UK airline offering all Premium-Class service of the type you would find on Midwest Express and Legend in the USA. They will be the only airline with long-haul passenger flights from London-Standsted. Only time will tell as to the success of the venture. Newlines will however save a lot of money on startup costs by contracting their flights to another airline, meaning they will not need financial outlay on aircraft purchase, training, certification, spares and training - but will pay a fixed monthly cost.
Any thoughts on the future prospects of this venture, good or otherwise?
FLY777UAL From United States of America, joined May 1999, 4510 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (12 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 1276 times:
Jaysit From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (12 years 8 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 1244 times:
Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Why would you wanna fly into Stansted ??
Also, if you fly AA, UA, BA, etc, with a business class ticket, you accumulate frequent flyer miles.
Billy From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2000, 895 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (12 years 8 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 1227 times:
Flying an all-business class flight into an airport that is currently feeding off low-cost services (GO, Ryanair and Buzz). Cannot see much interlining there.
TWAneedsNOhelp From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (12 years 8 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1206 times:
Unlike the others, I'm not quickly discounting this new venture. They're is, and will always be, a significant demand for flights between London and New York, aguable the two most important of the worlds citys. That the airport is Stansted and that Newlines has no FF affiliation will surely hamper the operation initially, but first class and biz class accomodation between the citys is in high demand, so if Newlines offers slightly better product, lower price, and effective marketting, I think it could work. For discriminating travellers flying a no-name airline, the service would have to superb so as to have a word of mouth effect. pax A flies Newlines, loves the price and service and recs. to pax B: "You gotta try this new airline to London.....".
Skeptical of course, but certainly a better idea than flying all-F. class dc-9s out of Dayton!
Ryanair From United Kingdom, joined Jul 1999, 654 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (12 years 8 months 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 1151 times:
I think STN is a good location for such a venture. North Essex/ South Cambridgeshire are very wealthy areas and Cambridge it's self (20-30 minutes up the motorway) regularly hosts global forums (as one of the worlds premier seats of learning) and has literally hundreds of high growth multi million (and in many cases billion) pound companies, more millionaires work in Cambridge than anywhere else in the UK (bar The City).
Speaking of which STN is the most convenient airport for The City (ie. Londons Financial District) via the STN Express fast train (although Thameslink to LGW is good, my experience is it's crowded and has nowhere for luggage). Also the Docklands, finally, has become a major financial centre and with two new Skyscrapers being built as we speak is due to challange the City before long (or so it's said).
All o those markets I would have thought are likely to welcome a New York-STN service and are premium markets. Also in terms of facilities, STN is heaven on earth compared to LHR or LGW, the new terminal is the bench mark new airports are judged against, even Hong Kong and Kansai are based on it.
I think the idea makes sence, but I too am scepticle, especially if CO come on the route as they recently said they wanted to.
Ceilidh From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (12 years 8 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1141 times:
I have been following Newlines with some interest as well. The 757 has the lowest operating costs of all aircraft on a seat/mile basis, and on first examination it would appear to be a viable idea.
However, there are a couple of major problems that I'd envisage with this problem. First, as was correctly identified, these pax are generally going to be travelling on expense accounts and therefore want the benefit of FF miles where they can use them to fly themselves and/or families when travelling on personal business. Secondly, you have considerably less opportunity for interlining than you do at say LGW or MAN. Thirdly, to provide a really luxurious service of the Upper Class type, you could only fit in perhaps 50 - 60 seats. It's going to have to compete very strongly on the basis of both fare and service, in my opinion.
As it was first described, Newlines was supposed to be providing feed for one of the US cruise lines from the States to, I think, Manston. That sort of operation - where the seats have been presold to a tiour operator or other charterer is obviously less profitable yet at the same time entails nil risk.
I was involved with the British Atlantic Airways project back in the early/mid 80s (which subsequently became Virgin Atlantic) and we planned on operating LGW-JFK with 150 seat configured DC10-30s. The fare, if I remember correctly, was going to be something like £1,499 return. The CAA turned us down, saying that they were not convinced that such a market existed.
If I was them, I'd be more inclined to use L1011s or similar low cost widebodies (whch the pax prefer anyway) and operate to EWR rather than JFK to cut costs.
At the end of the day, as I tell those who are sceptical of our own operations, the proof of the pudding is in the eating!
Capt.Picard From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (12 years 8 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1135 times:
Mr.Executive (I can't be bothered to spell that Ceil-thing)
"lowest operating costs of all aircraft on a seat/mile basis". What does that mean?
Yes, my one and only encounter with an L1011 was "Air Ops", and I enjoyed the space available.
One more thing, why should the CAA be able to determine whether there is a market for this or that product? Surely this is the business of the airline!?
Sponsor Message: 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From United States of America, joined May 1999, 4510 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2000, 895 posts, 
Someone check their hand luggage for bottles please...
Printer friendly format 
