You make valid points David. 20 minutes checkin is easily doable at Belfast City Airport but Dublin you do need 30 minutes. Therefore including dublin transfer time you are talking just under 2 hours all in i reckon. Train is a minimum of 2h hours 30minutes.

According to some Translink stats under 50% of the travellers are on business to Dublin City.

They didnt actually have the oppertunity to move to Belfast as this was just part of the “ww moving to bhd” rumor saga. Bmi are comfortable at Belfast City and to bring WW to Belfast City would mean they would need to share checkin desks due to lack of checkin space (the terminal is actually reaching its capacity of airlines and passengers and expansion plans are a foot). Bmi, i hear, would not been keen to share check in and essentially dilute their brands from the customers pov.

I think with the strike actions proposed and the common thought of bmi being much like a headless chicken, bmi baby will not see much happening in NI possibly for a few years. We are actually running fast of our routes that bmi baby could easily offer unless they open a new european destination as we have quite comprehensive coverage of their route network (not including bmi routes).

If they did move to Belfast City they could always look at a Dublin route as recent figures have shown if there was a £40-50 return fare including taxes (30min flight at peak times) passengers would be willing to travel with an airline rather than the train due to various factors but mainly due to less time spent travelling. This would also fit in with the international flights if timed well.

I think I can safely say Belfast City will not see any new airlines until any expansion is carried out. Common belief is that AB wanted different slot times but due to apron space they got what they were given (they would have prefered to arrive at 0800 from STN and come back about 1900). We can only hold 2 A320/B737 sized aircraft at a time without “double parking” which does effect the capacity for airlines such as Wizz to consider BHD as slots are very limited.

Also remember its bacon also on MAN and BHX routes and doing well i hear. WW do offer good fares as you can get £15 single from MAN or BHX if you get the right time and dates in advance which saves at least £10 each way compared to the others!

Rolls-Royce hit by Airbus delays

Rolls-Royce has confirmed it will suspend production of one of its top engines, following delays to the Airbus A380 super-jumbo announced this week.
Airbus’s flagship A380 planes, now two years late, use Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines that are built in Derby.

Rolls-Royce has suspended production for 12 months, saying the “exact implications are being assessed”.

The company said that it was too early to say what impact the decision to cut output would have on its employees.

“We are waiting for more details about requirements from Airbus,” Rolls-Royce said.

“Once we are clear on that and any potential impact on future workload, we will consult with the unions,” it added.

The firm said it would adjust its programme “accordingly”.

Rolls-Royce said the Derby plant – which employs 11,000 workers – would still be producing engines for other companies including Boeing and Bombardier.

Assessing positions

Rolls-Royce was keen to stress that the production of civil engines accounted for only about 20% of the company’s turnover.

And while the Trent 900 engine was seen as a key strategic product going forward, it currently accounts for only a fraction of the firm’s total sales.

Rolls-Royce is also building engines for Boeing’s Dreamliner passenger jet that is scheduled for delivery in 2008.

After initially announcing problems in June, Airbus revealed this week that deliveries of its flagship A380 would face further delays.

The first orders of the A380 planes are not expected to arrive until October, 2007.

The decision by Rolls-Royce to suspend production for a year comes after leading commercial airlines said that they were assessing their positions and orders following the confirmation of further delays to the Airbus A380.

Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines and Qantas – all due to buy the super-jumbo – are among those affected by the delay.

The GE-P&W Engine Alliance is also making an engine for the A380, named the GP7200.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5412378.stm

Virgin, Singapore and Qantas all now “expressing their dissapointment”

WD, do you have a theory on how they hit each other to make this level and position of damage? From the article of the hack onboard seems pilots never saw other aircraft.

All their full time fleet is in their normal c/s. They have several TF reg B737s which are leased from Air Atlanta which are due to go back at the end of this month. Too expensive to paint such aircraft in full colours for this lease period. They have A320s of Air Malta on lease.

I cant say much but my company is working with Air Southwest and Belfast City Airport… Have been for last month.