BRISTOL - 4
Join Date: May 2003
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Absolutely, I agree, not a risk at all. However I am just taking a guess that it had something to do with avoiding paperwork. But yes, they should have been allowed access on their own passes imho.
Brunel to Concorde
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Virtute et Industria, et Sumorsaete Ealle
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Ryanair v easyJet
Ryanair have announced a Saturday flight to Grenoble during the ski season.
This is the first time they have gone head to head from BRS on a route with easyJet who fly 3 x weekly to Grenoble during the ski season, although Ryanair fly to their versions of Barcelona (Girona) and Milan (Bergamo) against easyjet's services to Barcelona and Milan Malpensa.
The head to head to Grenoble is obviously small beer at 1 x weekly from FR but I wonder if it is an indication of things to come.
This is the first time they have gone head to head from BRS on a route with easyJet who fly 3 x weekly to Grenoble during the ski season, although Ryanair fly to their versions of Barcelona (Girona) and Milan (Bergamo) against easyjet's services to Barcelona and Milan Malpensa.
The head to head to Grenoble is obviously small beer at 1 x weekly from FR but I wonder if it is an indication of things to come.
StandupfortheUlstermen
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Seeing Mo'L on the tube the other night (Tonight, ITV) talking about what the short term future holds, I suppose all bets are off if he wants to keep cash rolling in. Maybe he sees pound signs and wants to test the waters. The 'ski set' often have more disposable than other travellers and I suppose £5 for a set of skis each way (170 pax x £10) adds up!
Brunel to Concorde
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Winter Flight reductions
Having read in other threads of some quite severe culling of routes/rotations by low cost airlines at other airports I thought I’d have a look at Bristol.
easyJet has reduced rotations on a number of routes this winter compared with previous winters, notably Alicante and Malaga that have reduced to single daily for much of the winter from double daily year-round in the past except for January when some rotations have not operated in previous winters.
Other routes that have usually been daily such as Barcelona, Madrid and Berlin Schoenfeld have all been reduced by one or two rotations a week, certainly for January and early February.
Some of the domestic routes to Scotland, Belfast International and Newcastle have also lost a rotation on some midweek days.
An exact rundown is difficult because the website timetable often bears little resemblance to what is available in the booking engine. Furthermore, the web timetable still shows a winter period running from 28 October 2007 to 29 March 2008 on each destination page, although the actual timetables are clearly annotated for winter 2008/2009.
Warsaw has been axed for the winter and Lisbon is not bookable after mid November, although both remain as operating in the web timetable at present (an easyJet spokewoman told the local paper this week that the Warsaw route is axed for the winter but didn’t mention the Lisbon).
Both these routes had monthly load factors well into the 90s% in July and have had excellent loads from the start. One assumes the costs of running them this winter will outweigh even well-filled aircraft.
Interestingly though, easyJet continues to operate the Milan Malpensa daily throughout the winter in competition with Ryanair’s daily Bergamo. easy’s Malpensa route has consistently carried much lower load factors than their Warsaw and Lisbon flights. Equally, FR’s Bergamo route is not a sensational performer and in July returned a lf of only 73%. Is this a case of neither carrier being willing to give best to the other even if it costs them money in the meantime?
Ryanair has axed the 4x weekly Derry flight this winter which is probably not a surprise as it was the worst performing of Ryanair’s routes from BRS in passenger number terms.
With the new routes to Marrakech, Gdansk, Szczecin and Grenoble there is still sufficient work for two based aircraft each day, and GRO, SNN and DUB continue to be operated by aircraft from other bases.
The local paper carried a report of local business people gnashing their teeth because the FR Porto route has gone for the winter. A Ryanair spokesman said it would return in April for the summer season. The paper also asserted that Ryanair aims to be the largest carrier operating from BRS. Hmm……we will see.
At least all this will mean a bit more room in the departure lounge this winter and will probably mean a fall in passenger numbers at the airport for the first time in many, many winters, possibly for nearly two decades.
easyJet has reduced rotations on a number of routes this winter compared with previous winters, notably Alicante and Malaga that have reduced to single daily for much of the winter from double daily year-round in the past except for January when some rotations have not operated in previous winters.
Other routes that have usually been daily such as Barcelona, Madrid and Berlin Schoenfeld have all been reduced by one or two rotations a week, certainly for January and early February.
Some of the domestic routes to Scotland, Belfast International and Newcastle have also lost a rotation on some midweek days.
An exact rundown is difficult because the website timetable often bears little resemblance to what is available in the booking engine. Furthermore, the web timetable still shows a winter period running from 28 October 2007 to 29 March 2008 on each destination page, although the actual timetables are clearly annotated for winter 2008/2009.
Warsaw has been axed for the winter and Lisbon is not bookable after mid November, although both remain as operating in the web timetable at present (an easyJet spokewoman told the local paper this week that the Warsaw route is axed for the winter but didn’t mention the Lisbon).
Both these routes had monthly load factors well into the 90s% in July and have had excellent loads from the start. One assumes the costs of running them this winter will outweigh even well-filled aircraft.
Interestingly though, easyJet continues to operate the Milan Malpensa daily throughout the winter in competition with Ryanair’s daily Bergamo. easy’s Malpensa route has consistently carried much lower load factors than their Warsaw and Lisbon flights. Equally, FR’s Bergamo route is not a sensational performer and in July returned a lf of only 73%. Is this a case of neither carrier being willing to give best to the other even if it costs them money in the meantime?
Ryanair has axed the 4x weekly Derry flight this winter which is probably not a surprise as it was the worst performing of Ryanair’s routes from BRS in passenger number terms.
With the new routes to Marrakech, Gdansk, Szczecin and Grenoble there is still sufficient work for two based aircraft each day, and GRO, SNN and DUB continue to be operated by aircraft from other bases.
The local paper carried a report of local business people gnashing their teeth because the FR Porto route has gone for the winter. A Ryanair spokesman said it would return in April for the summer season. The paper also asserted that Ryanair aims to be the largest carrier operating from BRS. Hmm……we will see.
At least all this will mean a bit more room in the departure lounge this winter and will probably mean a fall in passenger numbers at the airport for the first time in many, many winters, possibly for nearly two decades.
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Bristol
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Winter flight reductions
Have to concur with M.V.
Next year will be interesting times for regional airports in the U.K. Possibilities of further reductions can't be discounted, but at least BRS hasn't lost any of it's major players....YET
Unlike poor CWL with the demise of Zoom, and seemingly Air Transat not interested in setting up at CWL but increasing availabilty at other regionals.
On a slightly different note,M.V.
I don't suppose you go by the name of Mendipman when replying to news threads on BEP, as the content is of a very similar vein to your concise and sensible comments on here.
Next year will be interesting times for regional airports in the U.K. Possibilities of further reductions can't be discounted, but at least BRS hasn't lost any of it's major players....YET
Unlike poor CWL with the demise of Zoom, and seemingly Air Transat not interested in setting up at CWL but increasing availabilty at other regionals.
On a slightly different note,M.V.
I don't suppose you go by the name of Mendipman when replying to news threads on BEP, as the content is of a very similar vein to your concise and sensible comments on here.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bristol
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Have received a reply from LH on the BRS-FRA reductions in the Winter timetable.
As expected, it largely talks about balancing supply and demand on routes, but they tell me that my question about a Friday night FRA-BRS and Saturday mid-morning BRS-FRA is going to be passed onto the Operations department in Frankfurt for a review.
Also - has the departure tax from BRS gone up? It always used to be about £15-£16, but some recent tickets had it at £18.42? (Or am I suffering from a poor £-€-£ conversion).
As expected, it largely talks about balancing supply and demand on routes, but they tell me that my question about a Friday night FRA-BRS and Saturday mid-morning BRS-FRA is going to be passed onto the Operations department in Frankfurt for a review.
Also - has the departure tax from BRS gone up? It always used to be about £15-£16, but some recent tickets had it at £18.42? (Or am I suffering from a poor £-€-£ conversion).
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Not heard anything about walkway, but does anyone not think that seeming they've already extended the 2nd floor over the arrivals area now, that they may as well continue it over the rest of the terminal, would create a lot more space for capacity reasons?
Also Globespan to YHM still not on sale for nexy summer, guessing that its not returning then, with the loss of Zoom at CWL that only leaves lucky little EXT with Canada routes from the region.
Also Globespan to YHM still not on sale for nexy summer, guessing that its not returning then, with the loss of Zoom at CWL that only leaves lucky little EXT with Canada routes from the region.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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BRS expansion
With regard to the expansion, and this is directed to those with far more knowledge than me (M.V.) 
Does the airport require planning permission to build up over the extended check in area??
Also what's happened with the wind turbine request?
Can just see the nimbys at parish council running round trying to find good excuses for it to be refused!!!
Meanwhile the expansion of Royal Portbury docks is greeted imense pride and pleasure within local councils.
Does the airport require planning permission to build up over the extended check in area??
Also what's happened with the wind turbine request?
Can just see the nimbys at parish council running round trying to find good excuses for it to be refused!!!
Meanwhile the expansion of Royal Portbury docks is greeted imense pride and pleasure within local councils.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I'm sure they already have permission to go above the 2nd check in hall, think it was granted when it was built as it was supposed to be tempory structure or something daft like that, but i think a 2nd floor over the main check in would be a good idea.
Join Date: May 2003
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I believe extending the floor over the checkin area is on the cards...
Also, tomorrow, the newly developed terminal forecourt should be operational with rising bollards aswell as barriers. Watch out all ye tailgaters who don't read signs...!
Also, tomorrow, the newly developed terminal forecourt should be operational with rising bollards aswell as barriers. Watch out all ye tailgaters who don't read signs...!
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Well if they're going to do it(2nd floor extention), now would be a good time to get the ball rolling with winter around the corner. Shame BRS has lost a Canada route, may be the BRS - Canada curse has scared them off? 
Join Date: Apr 2006
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BRS -Canada curse
If it wasn't for the economic woes affecting so many of the major and minor airlines, I think that BRS - Canada (preferably YYZ) would have been very likely to have succeeded, especially with the visible success of BRS -EWR.
It's just a shame that A.C. don't have a similar aircraft in payload and size to CO's 757.
I believe that Air Transat have got rid of theirs.....
Let's hope that once the economic down turn points upwards again things might look a little rosier
It's just a shame that A.C. don't have a similar aircraft in payload and size to CO's 757.
I believe that Air Transat have got rid of theirs.....
Let's hope that once the economic down turn points upwards again things might look a little rosier
Brunel to Concorde
Join Date: Mar 2003
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The airport endeavoured to build the walkway under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 on the basis that it was ‘permitted development’ not requiring planning consent under this Order as its design did not increase the terminal floor space which had previously been increased in size by the allowed 15% from the original – mainly the check-in extension on the eastern side of the terminal building.
The planning committee of North Somerset Council disagreed and told the airport it would have to submit a full planning application despite the council’s own professional planning officer agreeing with the airport’s view. Whether the airport is to appeal against the planning committee’s edict or whether it is considering an amended walkway design that it thinks the council will agree is permitted development I don’t know.
The relevant legislation can be found at this link.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uks...4.htm#IDAYVG3D
It will be seen that floor space is calculated by external measurement so I suppose the airport could extend some more of the intermediate-level floor area as permitted development (presumably this is how they have been able to extend part of the floor area above the departure lounge and expand the security zone, but I'm not an expert so stand to be corrected).
However, this would do nothing to address the walkway which is needed to assist in the quick turn-rounds of aircraft on the western apron without the need for buses. It would also in my view lead to an unpleasant environment and somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere for those people below .
As for the Globespan Hamilton route, I recall there was a lot of disappointment on this message board when it transpired this was to be the route and carrier to service the ‘Toronto’ service that had been hinted at by the airport a week or two beforehand.
Published loads so far haven’t set the world on fire, perhaps partly because of the Ryanairesque nature of the ‘Toronto’ airport involved, the adverse publicity the carrier received nationwide earlier this year and the split route both ways. That said, EXT did a bit better, passenger-wise, with a similar set-up last year even though it had a competing Transat route to Toronto Pearson.
I smile wryly to myself when I read some Cardiff aficionados speculating whether Globespan might ‘transfer’ its Hamilton route to there. When the BRS-YHM route was announced there was comment from across the Severn pouring scorn on the idea of a 757 to a place like Hamilton when one could fly wide-bodied to ‘proper’ Toronto from there.
I could see some merit in that opinion but I suppose changing circumstances alter views.
The planning committee of North Somerset Council disagreed and told the airport it would have to submit a full planning application despite the council’s own professional planning officer agreeing with the airport’s view. Whether the airport is to appeal against the planning committee’s edict or whether it is considering an amended walkway design that it thinks the council will agree is permitted development I don’t know.
The relevant legislation can be found at this link.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uks...4.htm#IDAYVG3D
It will be seen that floor space is calculated by external measurement so I suppose the airport could extend some more of the intermediate-level floor area as permitted development (presumably this is how they have been able to extend part of the floor area above the departure lounge and expand the security zone, but I'm not an expert so stand to be corrected).
However, this would do nothing to address the walkway which is needed to assist in the quick turn-rounds of aircraft on the western apron without the need for buses. It would also in my view lead to an unpleasant environment and somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere for those people below .
As for the Globespan Hamilton route, I recall there was a lot of disappointment on this message board when it transpired this was to be the route and carrier to service the ‘Toronto’ service that had been hinted at by the airport a week or two beforehand.
Published loads so far haven’t set the world on fire, perhaps partly because of the Ryanairesque nature of the ‘Toronto’ airport involved, the adverse publicity the carrier received nationwide earlier this year and the split route both ways. That said, EXT did a bit better, passenger-wise, with a similar set-up last year even though it had a competing Transat route to Toronto Pearson.
I smile wryly to myself when I read some Cardiff aficionados speculating whether Globespan might ‘transfer’ its Hamilton route to there. When the BRS-YHM route was announced there was comment from across the Severn pouring scorn on the idea of a 757 to a place like Hamilton when one could fly wide-bodied to ‘proper’ Toronto from there.
I could see some merit in that opinion but I suppose changing circumstances alter views.
Join Date: Jul 2007
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The airport can expand internally without the need for planning permission, therefore the area above the main check-in area and the two voids in the departure lounge could be used to install a new floor. The area above the check-in extension could not be used because that is external. It was originally proposed to incorporate the extension into the terminal when the masterplan was released. The planning application under the masterplan is due in November, but whether this occurs is debateable. I suspect the plan will be quite low-key with the airport looking to maximise existing space in the terminal rather than extend, some more parking, a travelodge style hotel and the walkway. I doubt it will be the rather grand vision of the masterplan with airbridges and all. With reference to the walkway it could not increase terminal capacity, i.e. there could be no seats in the structure, in order to qualify for permitted development. I wonder if the car competition platform in departures was put in to reduce the number of seats/capacity in the terminal in order to give the application another go!
