allmccExcellent news for BHD and Belfast. Bit disappointing that BRS and LTN were not included particularly BRS which performed reasonably well for BE until they ditched it last year. In fact, the announcement was uncharacteristically downbeat for FR, perhaps they want to test the water and see what reaction there is from the local NIMBYs to yet more “great big jumbo jets rattling the chimney pots and knocking granny’s ornaments off the mantlepiece” before considering further routes.
Now we all await the Aer Lingus announcement about BFS with baited breath!
allmccFlywhoosh website now showing on line booking to be available from 30 April – pity still doesn’t show whether Belfast is to be BFS or BHD.
allmccFlyBe are going to have one heck of a presence at MAN, we’ll soon be sick of seeing them! :diablo:
With the demise of BA Connect on BHD – MAN, Flybe will be operating 9 weekday rotations on this route from the start of the summer schedules. From the flight duration timings, it looks as if some will be jet operated – anyone have any further info – perhaps EMB145s?
allmccAny new route news out of BHD is good news – however, no schedules or fares yet published and it can’t be booked – with a start date of 26 March, only 5 weeks away, someone would need to get their finger out!
p.s I assume the BHD service will be operated by Scot Airways Do328s
allmccMore good news for BHD on the top of Newquay & Rennes last week – nice to see BHD linked with CWL again after Air Wales dumped it a couple of years back. If Flybe can make it work (the timings and fares seem good) then Bmibabys’ BFS – CWL could be in for a tough time!
allmccI think Flybe, more than any other, is always trying to put this great spin on their news to make it seem much better than it really is.Everywhere is a base. Every time they announce a new route at Bhd, same old story, further expansion etc, never do they say but we have dropped this route or that.
It won’t be long before they are out of Ncl and Lba just like Brs at Bhd. More rubbish quotes from flybe in the Belfast Tele tonight, the takeover of bacon gives them the opportunity to consider large increases in frequencies on routes, like Bhd – Man, up to about 10 a day. What they don’t say is that 10 a day is about the current frequency between Flybe and Ba. More of the same rubbish that they used to spout about their position on the Ncl – bhd route, major player and all that. A quick check tonight on prices to Galway and doncaster tells me that you will see them go the same way as Nwi and Lpl. Is’nt it great to be so selective with the facts.
True Blue, congratulations for cutting and pasting your posts on PPrune on to this forum! Flybe are not alone in hyping up new routes just look at the trash press releases that both Easyjet and Ryanair and now Jet 2 issue – in fact, Jet 2 now have the audacity to call themselves “Belfast’s Low Cost Airline” when they don’t even operate from anywhere near Belfast!. When do you ever see any airline actively publicise dropping a route – the aforementioned airlines have all dropped routes without notice and seldom give a valid reason for doing so – remember the Jet2 fiasco over BFS – ORK and BOH a while back?
What is the problem with Flybe saying they will increase MAN frequencies? Would this not be a natural thing to do since BA Connect will be no more? I would say that WW would need to start worrying at BFS!
allmccNowhere near Belfast? Then why aren’t they called something else?
If you use the theory that an airport should be named after the city it is nearest to then BFS should rename itself Lisburn International – Lisburn had city status conferred on it last year and is much closer to BFS than Belfast is!
David2386, I am entitled to my views just the same as you!! Your PPrune style name calling is somewhat immature to say the least and ultimately not very clever!
allmccTrue Blue, you seem to be viewing the entire NI airport scenario through rose tinted glasses – yes, some of BHD’s routes have shown a drop in passenger nos as indeed have some of BFS’s – however, overall passenger nos at BHD continue to rise annually by a small percentage which is in line with the airports’ projections.
You ask why the province needs 3 airports – the very reason for BHD’s success is mainly down to a total lack of investment at BFS by it’s current (and previous) owners – it’s all very well to introduce new routes every week without considering where they are going to put the aircraft or the passengers and, indeed this is the crux of BFS’s problems – the current terminal building is 42 years old and still very much in evidence despite abortive attempts to disguise it by adding bits on here and there – the entire terminal facilities are now quite frankly a mess – the recently published Master Plan cites provision of a new terminal in 8 years time – why not now! The main reason BFS keeps it’s charges low is because it must to retain Easyjet et al and because it, like many airports including BHD, relies on income from ancillaries like car parks to make any profit.
For many years, BFS has spent more time and money trying to compete with BHD on domestic routes instead of trying to attract international routes which is what it should have been doing all along – in fact, had it not been for the Route Development Fund, I suspect BFS would still be sitting with a few summer charter destinations and little else so obsessed were they with trying to prevent any growth at BHD!
Finally, your comments about City of Derry relate to public expenditure and, if you feel so strongly about that perhaps you should direct your concerns to your local MP.
allmccAndrew
Can’t agree with all of your comments. I’ve been following the growth at both airports for some time now on the Caa site, Bhd seems to be going nowhere. As I said before, they keep adding all these new routes, but pax don’t increase. The pax figures for Aug show a -2.9%, it’s been like that now for months. I travel on business and I see lots of business pax on my flights from Bfs. You see, some would like to make it seem that business pax are only interested in using bhd, what complete nonsense. As Bd are now finding out since they moved to Bhd, the August pax the lowest ever at just 55k. This on a route that used to carry well over 100k p.m. In fact, Lgw carried just 3k less than Lhr and with the recent increase in frequency from Easy, Lgw may soon become the main connection from NI. BD has lost me from the Lhr route since the move and clearly there are many more like me.
If BHD appear to be going nowhere as you state, it should be remembered that they have had to put up with a ridiculously outdated obstacle in the form of a passenger cap which has effectively ruled out any meaningful expansion – it is no coincidence that BFS involved themselves in the recent Examination in Public so worried are they that any expansion at BHD will affect them!
Thankfully the Government have finally realised that capping passengers numbers at BHD is not an effective way of controlling expansion. Apparently the findings of the EIP panel are now in the hands of the planners and an announcement on the way forward at BHD is expected this month.
On the subject of falling passenger numbers between BHD and LHR, if you look at CAA stats, you will see that passenger nos on most domestic routes to and from LHR have been falling over the past few years not just Belfast.Why then would Aer Lingus consider BFS – LHR even if the slots were available at LHR? Would they fare any better than BMI from BHD? I think not!
allmccOne can only wonder if Wizz knew about Easyjets’ plans when they exchanged contracts with BFS.
Three separate routes to Poland from BFS with two airlines suggests overcapacity to me – will be interesting to see if all three will be sustainable in the long term – of course, Wizz could always operate to/from BHD instead – it has worked for AB to STN!
In any event, with all this expansion at BFS, space is rapidly running out – BFS will really need to do something soon in this respect.
allmccIs there any truth in a rumour I heard the other day that WOW are considering stepping in when Flybe dump BHD – BRS at the end of next month?
allmccWhilst on the subject of flybe does any one know what aircraft will be operating the new 2x daily Doncaster to Belfast route starting on the 29th October? I presume it will probably be the Q400.
Thanks
It is scheduled to be a Q400 but expect to see the odd 146 (or even an E195) especially if the Q400 goes tech!
allmccIf VLM are looking to diversify and for a route where they don’t have to compete with surface transport, then look no further than LCY – BHD which was dumped by Flybe a couple of years back – with sensible fares and timings this could easily work.
allmccThis not entirely unexpected announcement is bound to raise serious doubts about BACON’s sole remaining route out of BHD to MAN – currently running at 6X daily. I’ve heard that Flybe are making big inroads with their 4X daily and are currently considering increasing frequency. Bearing in mind their significant reduction in frequency on the BHD -LPL, it is clear they are serious about capitalising on the demand to MAN.
When BACON announced BHD – BHX, many raised doubts about the viability of the route bearing in mind the capacity already provided by WW and Flybe – a twice daily to LCY might have been more sensible.
allmcc[QUOTE=eastern wiseguy]
Serious question Mr McCall…why? I flew Dublin Baden Baden at the weekend and found them
a/ On Time
b/ Very competitively priced
c/ Clean
and most of all FULL of punters.
They were fine…….bring them on! :p
OK, let them come to BFS and watch the sparks fly!!
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