Air WAles BHD-CWL!!!!!!!

Hpefully Aer Arann might show interest in:

PLH-DUB
PLH-ORK

Looks like Aer Arann are starting CWL-BHD and CWL-DUB and not Air Wales.

http://www.rte.ie/business/2005/1208/aerarann.html

Yes thanks for that – I telephoned Air Wales today pm and they told me route would definitely start in Mar 06 but timings/bookings won’t be available for a few weeks.

Fingers crossed at least 2x per weekday and 1x Sat & Sun.

No it’s definately true- it’s part of their expansion over the Irish sea. Don’t be surprised if SNN & NOC show up soon.

I’ve had a quick look at Air Wales’s website today – despite saying that CWL – BHD would be bookable from midnight on Monday, guess what it isn’t! I’ve spoken to a couple of friends who work at BHD and they’ve heard nothing about it!

Perhaps it is a mistake after all – anyone know different?

Yes it was very good for them- probably why they stopped it.

I though the CWL-NCL route was a good one for 6G. Though the timings were always bad for me going from NCL-CWL I’ve always flown EZY to BRS then got a car. At least I can be there and back in a day doing that!

Could it be they just have’nt started taking bookings for the summer season yet

No, you can book other routes well beyond the 26th up to October, presumably when the winter timetable comes into effect.

It should also be remembered that Air Wales did operate CWL – BHD up until a couple of years ago when WW started from BFS – I suppose it will all come down to Air Wales frequency and timings from BHD – they have the opportunity to capitalise on WW’s 1X daily and offer 2X daily to attract the business “there and back same day” fraternity.

In any event, WW seem to have a somewhat disinterested attitude on this route – looks more as if they will be maximising aircraft utilisation rather than actively marketing the service – better to have an aircraft doing something rather than sitting at CWL for 2/3 hours.

You would be surprised how many business travellers are now told to go loco where possible and business reserved for senior managers etc.

Belfast City does have a tradition of attracting more business travellors (take a look at the terminal at 7-8am on a weekday! Its Hard to move around for suits!) but 40 odd people will be tough for them to find when the overall load factor to cardiff is currently the same. With babys 735 giving over 100 extra seats on the route it will be hard for them to attract passengers from loco market such as leisure and i doubt they will be able to sustain load factors over 1/3rd if even that on BHD route!

Air Wales seem to be aiming at the business traveller on this route. I’d imagine they’ll charge more than baby, add some frills like flexibility and, yes, market quite hard.

PeterP

mm bmi baby are going to use a B737 on the route when Air Wales come off it in March when an ATR 42 is currently used. Thats going to create alot of additional capacity at bmi babys “low fares” plus customers are used to booking via bmibaby and some will just keep to the same option as they have used it for ages.

Air Wales will find it hard to compete. They will need to mimic bmi baby prices to take the customers away and promote heavily within Northern Ireland. I wish them luck but bmi baby will probabaly not take too kindly to this given then sort of pointed out indirectly there is capacity on a Belfast route! Id give them about 4-6 months at BHD max!

Air Wales will be competing with bmibaby from Cardiff to Belfast but aiming at a different marketplace by serving Belfast City.

Could it be they just have’nt started taking bookings for the summer season yet

OK here it goes, below are the routes that it appears are going to go from the 26th March next year:

CWL-ABZ
CWL-NCL
CWL-DUB!!!!!
PLH-DUB
PLH-NCL
PLH-ORK

What the hell is going on!!!! They drop CWL-ABZ, but keep PLH-CWL. That means that instead of going from PLH to ABZ via CWL, theres just going to be a route from PLH-CWL. When the a/c arrives at CWL from PLH it’s nearly empty!!! And they choose this route over DUB & NCL!!! What are they playing at!!!

OMG!!!! The same goes for NCL as well, no flights beyond the 26th!!!!! Looks like theres going to be a lot of room for WOW to expand.

Yes I know I noticed that too. I’m also very worried- There are no available flights from CWL-ABZ after the 25th March 06. The new summer timetable comes into effect on the 26th. Sadly it looks like ABZ will go. 🙁

Booking and availability for CWL-BHD will be from midnight Monday, fares starting at £29.99 one way inc. taxes.

Or- this could be another error. remember when I contacted them about PLH- LBA & MAN showing up. They said that their website was managed by an outside operator and they were incorrectly entered. Unlike NQY-ORK, they have not made an announcemnt today, which could mean that this is untrue. However, due to the fact that I know they were interested in starting CWL-BHD again, I think the chances are this is true.

Hi

I thought they Air Wales were taking Leeds/Bradford and Manchester out of the websites low fare system asap. There still in there both LBA and MAN one week later.

It appears that Air Wales are competing head to head with bmibaby. baby will operate their own route to BFS using their own a/c, while it would appear that Air Wales have decided that they can make a service to BHD work as well. From next March, CDG will be the only route that baby and Air Wales operate in partnership, all others will be seperate. I don’t know what terms they ended the discussions on. If baby pulled out against Air Wales’ wishes, this could be a retaliation attempt. Or, they could be timed to compliment each other, freeing up a/c for both airlines. We will have to wait and see Air Wales timings.

Or- this could be another error. remember when I contacted them about PLH- LBA & MAN showing up. They said that their website was managed by an outside operator and they were incorrectly entered. Unlike NQY-ORK, they have not made an announcemnt today, which could mean that this is untrue. However, due to the fact that I know they were interested in starting CWL-BHD again, I think the chances are this is true.

I am confused as of who is operating what from CWL! lol