Flybe - planning Belfast City to Spain

[carlrsymington]

From today's Telegraph

Flybe unveiled new plans to fly direct from Belfast City to either Majorca or a southern Spanish airport - provided the night time curfew at the airport is lifted.

MD Jim French said it would be a weekend service using the aircraft that normally overnights at the airport.

Bring it on !!!
(residents of east Belfast & Holywood ) might have other ideas

[brabazon]

With a Dash8-400? I guess not. Would a 146 have the range from BHD?

[carlrsymington]

Here's the link to the story

Read the article (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/business/story.jsp?story=493360)

[eastern wiseguy]

Although according to the Irish News (another Belfast paper)

BUDGET airline flybe has ruled out starting direct European services from Belfast in the short term.

They quote Jim French as saying that things would need to change ....and it is all hinging on the new aircraft to replace the 146 fleet......Futura et al are ALREADY doing the job from BFS :ok:

[glynn-kayes]

I wonder why they want to start services from an airfield that has nightime curfew restrictions,pax restrictions and no customs clearance,when all can be had at the proper airport for Northern Ireland.Personally I think Flybe are talking Bo**ocks.

[Tower Ranger]

GK I`ll answer all your concerns as politely as I can.
They want to fly out of Bhd because it is their base in NI. The present pax restrictions are of no direct concern to the airline that is for the airport to deal with. Customs clearance is always available at Bhd as there is a weekly intenational charter to Chambrey during the winter season and the schedule to Cork will shortly recommence. Personally you are entitled to your one sided opinion but to call it thinking may be a bit much.
Good work Flybe keep it up!! I think it might even benefit the noise lobby for as well as second homes on the north coast they could now get direct flights to their Spannish appartments!!

[carlos vandango]

N.Ireland could do with a service like this but If Jimbo really wanted to do it then they would find a way..after all look at their 'crew unfriendly' IBZ split duty from SOU. I should imagine that by the time they get around to it, JET2 will have done it to death up the road or maybe EZY when they get bored with all things German.

[mysecretsmile]

Great news for NI, Flybe and BHD.

I think it is more a question of "when" rather than "if" as
to the lifting or altering of BHD's current night curfew situation.

My understanding of the situation is that the night curfew was a voluntary agreement that BHD signed up to some years ago and wasn't something that had been forced upon them.

I can understand the local residents concerns, but I don't think that BHD will ever be bringing in large aircraft around the clock - as its runway simply isn't big enough. Some flexibility is required for what is after all one of East Belfast's largest employer.

[glynn-kayes]

The world and his wife knows that Flybe could never make a success of a southern european route from Bhd.Too long a sector and too small an aircraft and too short a runway to take all pax and fuel for the distance.As Shirley Bassey said to Tina Turner when sang(murdered) Goldeneye"she simply hasent got the range".enough said I think.