Easyjet & Bfs

[ALLMCC]

Just heard that Easyjet are planning additional rotations on London services out of BFS - Gatwick up to 4 a day, Stansted up to 5 & Luton up to 6??. Am I missing something or is there a real danger of massive over capacity to London from Belfast.

From what I heard, Easyjet are hard pushed to achieve even a 50% load factor on the existing Luton & Stansted - if this is true, why offer even more flights?

[Uncle Monty]

They're full, they're all FULL!

[jumpseater]

Q. Am I missing something?
A. Yes, factual information.

[babydoc]

From the BBC


EasyJet expands Belfast service

Easyjet has increased its services from Belfast
Budget airline EasyJet is to significantly expand its services between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The no-frills carrier has announced that it is boosting services out of Belfast International Airport to make it the biggest UK base outside London.
Belfast is to get a 15% increase in low cost flights from next month.
From 26 October there will be 15 daily services to London with the Gatwick route increased to four flights a day, Luton getting a sixth and Stansted increased to five a day.
The Belfast to Edinburgh route is also increased to four daily flights, the company said on Wednesday.
"Competition was stiff to attract the growth made possible by EasyJet's new aircraft deliveries," said Albert Harrison, managing director of Belfast International Airport.
"We're delighted that Belfast International is to benefit, giving us 72 easyJet flights a day and making us EasyJet's biggest UK base outside London."
EasyJet is recruiting 24 new Belfast-based cabin crew in preparation for a further expansion of services later in the year and next year.

[eastern wiseguy]

So added to the fact that Bmi are REDUCING the capacity(A321's going...albeit temporarily)and as Monty says EZY are all full!! Things look good for BFS! sorry Allmc you won't like news like that one bit!!!:ok:

[ALLMCC]

EASTERN WISEGUY

Thanks for that - as you can probably tell I am a BHD supporter - sad really but unless Ferrovial can pull something out of the hat pdq the writings on the wall for them - remember what Prestwick was like pre MOL. No amount of runway work & terminal alterations will help unless they have the right operators with the right a/c and the right (low) fares.

Looks like Belfast will be back to one airport before too long!

[lowfaresbuster]

because there is only one direct continental (or International) scheduled route from Belfast (i.e. AMS with eJ), a lot of people use the low fares airlines to get to London, and get onward connections to Europe/World with other carriers.
This creates massive demand for the London Routes.
Belfast people are sick of travelling to Dublin for direct (over priced) flights- as well as outrageous parking charges.
As I mentioned in a previous post, there is a great site for making low fares connections, sorry to harp on, but, I find it brilliant-
openjet (http://www.openjet.com) :cool:

[ALLMCC]

Oh well we'll see what happens - still maintain there will be over capacity to London & sooner or later something or someone will have to give when the bubble bursts. An interesting scenario would be if MOL arrived on the scene! That would cause a major skirmish and would sort out the men from the boys!

[Pontious]

ALLMCC

I think the reduction in BMI's capacity out of BHD is due to a combination of EZY's product model, the fact that they are committed to making a home at Aldergrove, plus the fact that BMI mainline know that they cannot compete seriously because they are financially vulnerable.
Take it from someone who HAD TO position through BHD at my companies arrangement, but when it came to personal preference method of travel, the EZY/BFS combination won every time, hands down. I only used to consider BHD if I was entering the UK through Manchester, which is monopolised with BA ****iexpress to travel to NI. Then came Baby!! There is a god!!!

It's BHD that should be worried, I mean with Shorts Bros. relegated to manufacturing components, BHD occupies some serious real estate prime for development. Watch your back!

:ok:

[ajamieson]

a lot of people use the low fares airlines to get to London, and get onward connections to Europe/World with other carriers.

This can hardly be true, given that the only onward connections from STN and LTN are with other low cost airlines...hence no connection guarantees etc. And LGW is no match for LHR for global destinations and choice of carrier. Onward connections are BD's strength in Northern Ireland, not a weakness. The cost saving (if indeed there is any) has to be considered against transferring between London airports or the inconvenience of hanging about to make connections between separate tickets, re-checking baggage etc. Not much fun if you are headed to a different hemisphere, is it?

I've just booked a LHR-BHDvv next month for £28 plus taxes - lower than any easyJet fare I could find for the same dates, and offering me lounge access, frequent flyer mileage, free drink and a bite to eat. Of course, if the weather is bad enough I could still end up in BFS ;)

[glynn-kayes]

what about bfs-lgw

[controller friendly]

ajamieson

There are onward connection guarantees certainly with EZY if you leave long enough between connections.

If you want to go longhaul then there is no option but to go to Heathrow but don't forget bmi pick all those passengers up because they have no choice, nothing to do with actual want of travelling with them. If its a few days away to a nice european destination then the low cost option is as easy as any. As you are unlikely to have the kitchen sink with you, carting your bag from baggage carousel to the next check in desk is hardly a hardship.....
But don't make me laugh that it makes it all worthwhile flying with bmi to get a free drink & a highly unnutritous sandwich. I prefer to have the extra pennies in my pocket & to choose what I eat, not to have a greasy panini shoved into my face at 0715....

Consider yourself very lucky that you got such a cheap fare as they are very few and far between on that route....:rolleyes:

[Tower Ranger]

There may not be a reduction in the number of seats out of BHD for very long if murmurs of one or even two further BMI rotations per day are to be believed.

[crazy idea]

Quote: "I think the reduction in BMI's capacity out of BHD is due to a combination of EZY's product model, the fact that they are committed to making a home at Aldergrove, plus the fact that BMI mainline know that they cannot compete seriously because they are financially vulnerable"

I love it when people make speculations about things -even better when the facts are already there for all to see.

It is apparant, and undisputed, that the only reason why bmi are reducing the capacity, on what is rumoured to be their most profitable route by a long shot, is due to the A321 restrictions that are being applied world wide, and that the a/c couldn't operate in or out of BHD in bad weather with a full load.

It should also be considered that bmi are the only ones offering full interline flights to the world after BA abandoned the NI public because it 'didn't make money......' and the fact that they are considering additional flights, when the slots would have to be pulled from elsewhere, and the fact that they continued to operate both BFS and BHD for a while, even when it ws at a loss to themselves, show how determined they are to offering a full service schedule for the NI market.

It makes me wonder why these people who slag off the scheduled services because of the "greasy panini" even bother to share their comments and don't just get along with their jobs, seomthing which bmi plus all the others are attempting to do, and keep others in their jobs whilst they are at it!

If the day ever comes when the scheduled flights are reduced to just a few here and there, and the options of travelling internationally freely are made as hard as understanding the logic of some of you, then it would be great to see you all back here to see your thoughts then.

So is it still worth saving a few pennies to travel on low-cost all the time, for every individual?

And here was me thinking that the airline industry stuck together when times were bad.....

bring it on.......

[lowfaresbuster]

This can hardly be true, given that the only onward connections from STN and LTN are with other low cost airlines...hence no connection guarantees etc. .

it is true, because the 2 sector low fares can be cheaper- I believe with some flexibility at least 50% of the time- so it is often a viable option for the traveller.
also openjet (http://www.openjet.com) offer travel insurance that covers missed connections, apparently most other policies do not cover this. It is a small bit more expensive a few other policies I have seen.

[no, no, no]

insurance to cover the missed connections - that is fantastic news. It will more than compensate for being left stranded in STN or LTN with a family of 4 as you missed your 'connection'. Or missing that business meeting you had arranged in Milan and the deal you missed out on coz you didn't bother to turn up.

Or the wedding or funeral that you can not now attend in Alicante, the insurance will definetly make up for that......

sometimes people a few pound savings is not the only consideration that pax have to make....

I agree with crazy idea - the scheduled services are there to create choice for the passenger - some will be suited to low-co, others want the guarantee. There is obvioulsy a place in the market where scheduled services and low-costs can operate along side each other.

[ALLMCC]

At long last some sensible posts on this issue - those who support the BFS obsession with low cost would do well to remember that BMI & other mainline operators have been about for considerably longer than the fledgling locos and as such have a wealth of experience to fall back on.

BMI were in existence when Stelios et al were still in short trousers and have managed to come through some of the most difficult periods in the history of the industry.

Perhaps the best test will be to wait and see whose still in existence in 5 years time.

[lowfaresbuster]

And a sandwich, cup of tea, and a hotel that a full fares carrier provide when they cancel your connection at LHR will also be great compensation for the missed meeting/wedding/funeral!
Get real