BELFAST CITY AIRPORT (BHD)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good luck to them but 3hrs on a q400 is a step too far. My initial thoughts had been 757 which would've made a great connecting service but flying oceanic at a flight level in the mid twenties on a prop is too much much of a stretch. Easy's bus only takes 2hrs.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: newtownards
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not really much of a difference here to be honest, easyJet from BFS is blocked at 2hr 35 and Icelandair is blocked at 2hr 50 so extra 15 minutes block time.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: belfast
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The big difference is bobbing along at fl240 not being able to climb above the bumpy stuff makes a 3 hour flight seem like a 10 hour one. Another problem they are facing is its right on the edge of max range so any head winds will require a stop in Stornaway. We will not go into aircraft reliability or unexpected winds ETOPS etc. Will be very surprised if it even starts TBH..
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: dublin
Age: 56
Posts: 523
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes 3 times a week does seem rather ambitious unless they really push the onward connection model that Iceland is famous for. But either way 3hrs in a dash......
The seat map on the website shows a couple off rows fwd and aft not available for sale so maybe it's capacity restricted to get the range.
The seat map on the website shows a couple off rows fwd and aft not available for sale so maybe it's capacity restricted to get the range.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Easy's average flight time is around 2hrs. The block time allocated is generous but likely reflects the chance of significant winds. It will take every minute of the allocated 2hr 50 in a q400
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: dodging CB clouds
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stornoway? Why would you divert so early on a route with headwinds, when you could go to Egilsstadir (an Icelandair diversion airport) or Vagar if you really needed to?
Reliability could well be a non-issue. If we forget about a certain purple Q400 operator and look to Wideroe, their pilots have nothing but praise for the machine.. 'unusually very reliable for an aircraft' was the quote.
I'm not sure why you'd think the airline won't start the route, they launched Aberdeen a good while ago, so I'm sure they know what they are talking about.
Hopefully the prices will drop a little bit, but I look forward to using this service in the future, KEF can be a little bit manic during their rush hour but it's a good hub for connecting to North America.
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Antrim
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Blah blah blah. Ya pays ya money ya takes yer chance.
EZY clearly exiting the route. Yes it's a long sector for a DH8 but ultimately from a customer perspective they have quite a lot more legroom than EZY and remove the need to be standing in a line to board the plane before its even on the ground including standing on a stairway for what seems ages, to be told hurry up please we have a 7 minute window to board the aircraft, sitting cramped up in cattle class.... No thanks I'd rather fly from a more convenient airport and have the option of transatlantic connections. Take away from the total journey time the time it takes to get out to BFS if you are a Belfast resident and the time spent standing around and queuing and you soon find its the quicker option.
EZY clearly exiting the route. Yes it's a long sector for a DH8 but ultimately from a customer perspective they have quite a lot more legroom than EZY and remove the need to be standing in a line to board the plane before its even on the ground including standing on a stairway for what seems ages, to be told hurry up please we have a 7 minute window to board the aircraft, sitting cramped up in cattle class.... No thanks I'd rather fly from a more convenient airport and have the option of transatlantic connections. Take away from the total journey time the time it takes to get out to BFS if you are a Belfast resident and the time spent standing around and queuing and you soon find its the quicker option.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NI
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FL240? Not too bad. Consider that the DCs and Constellations heading trans-Atlantic struggled to break FL180, at least not before the final quarter of the flight. Even the mighty Stratocruisers were sometimes stuck around FL160... My only concern about the Q400 on the route is the lack of baggage capacity for people connecting onwards.
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Co
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You don't need to worry about baggage. The q400 can comfortably fit 75 bags in the two rear holds with 30 in hold 7, and 45 in hold 6. Then you always have the front locker hold although you would be lucky to get 5 in there. I've once seen 95 bags packed into the holds, we could have got a few more but the problem was the floor limitations and the weight in which the hold could support.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I do love some of the waffle in the forums. Anyone who thinks a q400 is more comfortable than a bus can't have flown much on either. Flybe used to run it on the odd LGW and leave bags behind. Reason? International connecting passengers with real baggage. If this is a niche replacement for easyJet's withdrawal then fair enough but as a gateway to the US I'd fly to pretty much any UK airport and jump on a jet before considering this... or just get the bus to Dub. I could fly to GLA, check-in, kill time in the lounge and still overtake this before it got near KEF.
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: County Armagh
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would think the majority of people wouldn't care less if it's an Airbus or a Q400. They want to get somewhere, they book a flight, get on a plane of some description and hopefully get off at the other side.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southampton
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And a majority of people would also be disappointed when they realise they are flying on a Q400 rather than an Airbus, a Jet seems the norm for most and a prop means old and slow to most people, us aviation enthusiasts with all the facts won't change that opinion.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Belfast
Age: 40
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Q400's are not a pretty place to be a passenger when it is windy and this routing is very likely to encounter windy conditions.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: UP North
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why don't all the armchair spotters write to FI and advice them what a ludicrous idea it is to fly to Belfast. What are they thinking? If you don't like flying to Iceland on a DH4 then don't do it, but i'm sure there will be plenty who do.
