Three new easyJet routes for London Southend Airport

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• TimM says:

  24 Aug24 August 06:16

  COVID acted as a catalyst for making better use of technology for virtual meetings and there has been something of a rebound after travelling restrictions were lifted. However, the trend for genuine business travel is only one-way.

  There is a strong case for offering a more comfortable experience for leisure travellers prepared to pay for it. The term ‘business class’ may well die out completely (a la Virgin’s ‘Upper Class’).

  First class is something else – there will always a case for a few seats for footballers, pop stars, minor royals and others with either more money than sense who want extra privacy short of a private jet.

  So the Oman Air story is almost a non-story. It will retain first class in all but name, and the wrong one.

  • Rob says:

    24 Aug24 August 07:02

    It WOULD be a non-story if it wasn’t for the fact that people were looking forward to redeeming Avios for it come the end of the year, and now they can’t.

    • Olly says:

      24 Aug24 August 07:41

      Any update on when the integration is likely to complete. I’ve been holding off booking some flights from Muscat in early Nov but now starting to lose confidence

      • Rob says:

        24 Aug24 August 09:24

        We’ve heard nothing.

        • LittleNick says:

          24 Aug24 August 21:49

          It does sound rather iffy, of course vast majority of us would like it to happen but it seems it could be one of those last minute pull outs, I hope not, as OneWorld needs to get bigger vs Sky/star

• Nick G says:

  24 Aug24 August 07:32

  OT but old news still some decent one world deals ex DUB. Looking next year at £1150 for NYC and only £1370 for LAX….

• Tom says:

  24 Aug24 August 07:57

  “Frankly, I’m not sure it ever made sense to offer First Class on just two routes with two aircraft – there really are no economies of scale at that level, so I can’t say this news is particularly shocking.”

  Indeed, the real killer is not lack of economies of scale but lack of a consistent experience for passengers which leads to empty cabins – unless you want to fly from London to Muscat or Bangkok you’ll be spending a significant amount of time sat in business rather than first, which is not really what passengers paying cash for F want and why EK increasingly dominates the F market to the exclusion of all others. EY has exactly the same problem.

  I’ve flown Oman Air in First more than most and the other issue is constant equipment swaps – you’re not likely to book with them again when you’re a few hours before the flight and find out the aircraft has just been switched and there’s no First any longer so you’ve just been downgraded…

• Matarredonda says:

  24 Aug24 August 13:32

  Love Southend Airport. Stay at Holiday Inn, have breakfast watching the aircraft and the 5 minute walk to check in or security.

• Hostime says:

  24 Aug24 August 14:15

  I flew Oman Air in first twice, both due to free operational upgrades, and while I can’t imagine paying for this product — because their business class is so good — it has a wonderful hard product and is very spacious.

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