Virgin express new routes

virginexpress · Post by **virginexpress** » 22 Sep 2004, 20:55

New 2 routes are coming in December with Virgin express

First one: To Valencia
Second one: TO Grenoble

Both starting in December, to grenoble once at week.

P.S. Source coming from my wife,because she works at Virgin express headquarters.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » 22 Sep 2004, 21:02

Thanks virginexpress. Will they discontinue some routes?

Avro · Post by **Avro** » 22 Sep 2004, 21:07

Thanks for the news.

I suppose this is the first effect of the SN/VEX co-operation.

Let's see if TV will be able to compete against VLG.

Chris

virginexpress · Post by **virginexpress** » 22 Sep 2004, 21:15

Answer of my wife:

Probebly, but at this time not yet sure Virgin express will stop the route Brussels--Bordeaux when the new routes are coming or some time later.

themole · Post by **themole** » 22 Sep 2004, 21:26

virginexpress wrote:Answer of my wife:

Probebly, but at this time not yet sure Virgin express will stop the route Brussels--Bordeaux when the new routes are coming or some time later.

Tell your wife that she is right. Virgin Express will indeed discontinue the Bordeaux route at the end of the current summer season.

Post by **sn26567** » 23 Sep 2004, 09:35

themole wrote:Virgin Express will indeed discontinue the Bordeaux route at the end of the current summer season.

Another fatality! SN stopped the route, TV jumped in and made apparently profits at the beginning, flying daily. Then they reduced he frequency to 4 flights weekly, and now ... RIP

Boeing767copilot · Post by **Boeing767copilot** » 23 Sep 2004, 10:24

TV to Valencia? Together with Vueling, is that not to much capacity on the Brussels-Valencia route?

themole · Post by **themole** » 24 Sep 2004, 18:33

sn26567 wrote: Another fatality! SN stopped the route, TV jumped in and made apparently profits at the beginning, flying daily. Then they reduced he frequency to 4 flights weekly, and now ... RIP

Virgin Express might discontinue the route, but the route itself will continue to be operated. Air France will inaugurate services to Bordeaux soon, operated by its subsidiary Régional.

Post by **sn26567** » 24 Sep 2004, 22:58

themole wrote:Virgin Express might discontinue the route, but the route itself will continue to be operated. Air France will inaugurate services to Bordeaux soon, operated by its subsidiary Régional.

Yeah! with much smaller planes that fit better with such a route. And much higher prices! How long will they survive?

ERICAIRLINES · Post by **ERICAIRLINES** » 25 Sep 2004, 13:08

why not bod during the summer,planes are quiet fully booked in summer on this route if daily flights only..and grenoble during the winter for the ski season..but grenoble will not work well,tgv from zyr to this city,lyons is very near and geneva not very far also....why not choose montpellier next summer iso ??For bod i agree smaller aircraft will do better..but fares will go up....tks to af/kl monopoly...we will see ...
valencia overcapacity on this route..during the summer season ok but in the winter,it won t be a successstory

beaucaire · Post by **beaucaire** » 25 Sep 2004, 19:11

Hello
I live close to Montpellier and was always wondering why nobody offered Brussels -MPL flights? Going to Grenoble is a pretty stupid idea - the tourism-flow and growing business opportunities in the Montpellier region would make a link to Brussels interesting...

Post by **sn26567** » 25 Sep 2004, 19:13

Welcome to Luchtzak, beaucaire!

beaucaire wrote:I live close to Montpellier and was always wondering why nobody offered Brussels -MPL flights?

Ryanair flies to Carcassonne from "Brussels South" 8)

beaucaire · Post by **beaucaire** » 25 Sep 2004, 19:18

That's more than one hour drive from MPL ,finding a parking is sheer misery and Ryanair is not my can of beer ...

waldova · Post by **waldova** » 01 Oct 2004, 13:27

I don't think that Virgin Express will be more competitive than Vueling. They can't beat the prices Vueling offers. By the way, why the hell would they even want to fly this route. I have been on Vueling flights to Valencia already 6 times. Always the plane was never more full then 70% maybe. And the timetable to Valencia of Vueling is really good. Virgin Express will never be able to make profit on this line. Even fill their airplanes.
No I really don't think it is a good idea of Virgin Express to open this route! Even so, I would never fly Virgin to Valencia. I have been on Virgin Express flights a lot already and never the service on board of Virgin Express was as good as what I experienced with Vueling.
Also Vueling uses brand new airbus A320. Who wouldn't rather fly with a new aircraft than with an old 737 of Virgin? Not me anyway. If I'm going on vacation to Spain and I can take Vueling I will. It makes the start of the vacation already more enjoyeble than unfriendly crews that I encountered a lot with Virgin Express.

waldova · Post by **waldova** » 01 Oct 2004, 13:41

beaucaire wrote:That's more than one hour drive from MPL ,finding a parking is sheer misery and Ryanair is not my can of beer ...

One hour drive? Come on, this is really not so much. Even if you think a minute. To go from Brussels city to Charleroi is already 30 minutes drive.
I really can't understand those people who always say these low cost carriers are not my thing. Well do you prefer to pay double or triple the price or even more?
Also so many people always say: 'Oh I don't fly Ryanair because it is not safe, ... ' . Well to those people who still think this you are being stupid. They fly in Belgium. They have to apply to the regulations of the Belgian aviation authority, also to the European Aviation authority. These regulations are really strict. So I can assure you that flying with Ryanair or other low cost carriers in Europe is safe! Even these airlines wouldn't want a crash or somethin likely to happen, because it would damage their image so much and give all those people who always criticiced those airlines reason. These airlines will do everything to avoid this and they will because of this not cut back on safety! They just can't cut back because of the regulations and because of their own interest.

So please people, stop saying that this is not you share only if you have to much money to spend and you don't know what to do with it, by tickets that are so much more expensive.

Can you believe this? Ryanair has invested a lot of money in new Boeing 737-800 while a company as Virgin Express flys old 737-400. Also a next generation airline (what is different than a lowcost airline) as Vueling flys new airplanes of the A320 type. Somebody told me last week while talking about flying to Barcelona that she would prefer to fly with Iberia or SN to Barcelona because she doesn't think Vueling is safe. This is stupid. Even the ticket was triple the price than the Vueling ticket. I just can't understand those people. They are talking about it but they just don't know a thing about it. Even I experienced the service on Vueling much better than the service on SN brussels Airlines and on Virgin Express. Also with Ryanair the service was good.

Well anyway, I will never doubt on flying with Ryanair or Vueling. I will just buy the cheapest ticket available. And because Vueling is the only one flying to Valencia at the moment I will choose Vueling.

AFApresident · Post by **AFApresident** » 01 Oct 2004, 14:06

Maybe they don´t want to fly a LCC because they can´t collect frequent miles. Or because he /she doesn´t want to depart at 7 in the morning at Barcelona (and that´s the only flight).

Apart from that i will try out Vueling once

waldova · Post by **waldova** » 01 Oct 2004, 14:08

Yes I have to agree that the flight from BCN - BRU has a bad timetable but the other timetable is really good in my opinion.

Well enjoy your flight with Vueling. I can ashure you you will enjoy it!

beaucaire · Post by **beaucaire** » 01 Oct 2004, 16:57

Well Carcassonne is about 145 Km from Montpellier and 1.30Hours drive- not really a close airport when it comes to catch a low-cost flight.My point is not against Ryanair or Carcassonne my point is that Montpellier deserves better airservices considering it's size.If I calculate ths cost to get to and from Carcassonne,Highway-fees( yes Highways are expensive in France !!) and cost of parking ( used to be free...) I have spent nearly 85 Euros for a four days trip.

Post by **sn26567** » 01 Oct 2004, 17:04

I agree with you, beaucaire, that Montpellier is one of the main cities in the Southwest of France and deserves good air service.

The bankruptcy of Air Lib certainly did not help.