AirBlue to Get Two Airbus A340-300s on Lease from ILFC

[Zulfiqar]

Quite off-topic, but I wanted to have a trip to Manchester in December.
However on karachi's departures I realized there's no direct KHI-MAN-KHI flight. Anyone know why? Thank you.

PK711 & PK 723 are operated KHI- LHE -MAN -JFK

However, no direct flights MAN-KHI as the JFK flight goes directly to KHI.

Mazu,
LHR = London Heathrow,
LHE = Lahore

[Mazu]

They have removed all the posts related to new routes from their official facebook page!!!

[Mazu]

On following link of Manchester Airport; i checked direct flight details to Islamabad during next 6 months; only PIA flight schedules are appearing. Does any one know, why is it so? why it aint showing airblue's expected directed flights??

http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/Info/MAN/Schedules

[SpoolingUp]

Actually Zulfiqar, it goes direct to LHE.

[Moin]

I just received a phone call from a friend of mine in Air Blue (an extremely and the 'only' reliable source) who has been watching this thread and he has requested me to clarify a few matters:

1. There are no new UK routes planned by ED at this point. Luton and Birmingham are rumors only.

2. The Facebook page is NOT the official Air Blue page but one run by fans of the airline and whatever information that is posted on that page does not officially come from the airline, but rather based on gossip and rumors. Air Blue does not have an official FB page and the airline is in touch with the Admin of the page and has requested them not to post unofficial information based on hearsay. They might agree to a collaboration whereby the airline will provide official news and statements to be posted on the concerned page as its considered to be a very impressive page with alot of effort gone into it so instead of starting a new official FB page, Air Blue may use the concerned page based on accurate information supplied by the airline to the Admin for posting.

3. The 2 A340's are currently being painted in Istanbul and will bear registrations AP-EDE and EDF and EDE is due in Isb by the end of this month if all goes as planned. From Isb it will fly to Lhe. The a/c will be based in Manchester for their Isb flights only. No domestic flights will be operated by the a/c. The a/c may pay a visit to Khi for a media and PR related event but that's about it.

4. The 4 Dash 8's are delayed because the airline they were being acquired from (LAN Airlines) has decided to retain them for the time being so the airline is sourcing the a/c from another carrier, SAS being one of the options. Its hoped that these 4 turboprops will come within 6 months time.

[raihans]

thank you Moin for the information, lots of things are cleared now.

[riz]

Info Appreciated.

[blackhawk]

Disappointed to know that no new UK routes are being planned

[Mazu]

what a big disappointment that no new routes are planned; quite surprising.. can anyone explain that, is there enough load factor on Isb-Manchester route that airblue will use two A340s only for that route?

[Mazu]

like.. 2 A340 daily flights to manchester; i doubt that this route will have such a high load factor!!!!

[Moin]

There is no double daily ISB-MAN flight planned.

[Mazu]

There is no double daily ISB-MAN flight planned.

Moin Abbasi sb, lets say up down ISB-MAN flight takes 18 hours (9 hours each side)... so if both are deployed only on this route.. what gonna other plane do, if twice daily flights are not planned... that why i m unable to understand that ED will not introduce new routes......untill someone can give reasonable clarification...over here

[Zulfiqar]

Actually Zulfiqar, it goes direct to LHE.

Yes, you are correct. Routing is indeed via LHE.

[dabi]

I read on this other forum that the planes will be delievered around 27 sep. But there was this whole flight plan for the new flights and routing. I will post them soon.

[dabi]

The following info i got from the other forum!

MAN-ISB 5 weekly A340-300 (already served 3 weekly via SAW which will change)
MAN-KHI 2 weekly A340-300
MAN-LHE 2 weekly A340-300
BHX-ISB 3 weekly A340-300
ISB-SAW-LTN 2 weekly A320

A340's arrive 27th September, flights to be announced in next 3 weeks.

Source= 'http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=94726906'