BWIA to BFS ???

[BFS/BHD]

Any more info on this route that i read about a while ago? When will it start/ aircraft type etc.

[SNNEI]

If i'm not mistaken it will originate in MAN and operate with an A340. Beyond that I dont know much else i'm afraid :(

They were considering DUB too, but we lost that because of the stupid stopover!

It will certainly be a colourful addition to Aldergrove :)

[EGAC_Ramper]

Indeed would be nice to see at Aldergrove.Add a bit more variety.

[uy707]

In addition to tourism, BWIA has probably a sizeable ethnic market waiting to be adressed.
I personnally don't know Belfast, should they are large communities of Trinitadians, Jamaicans and other Carribeans here we get the answer. They are prospective clients who wait for
-fair priced tickets
-therefore allowing more visits home and with families (often large)
Should they do the same as in France :
-they often pay cash
-travel in sizeable parties (Mr+Mrs+3/4 kids)
Alain

[eastern wiseguy]

In addition to tourism, BWIA has probably a sizeable ethnic market waiting to be adressed.

Quite the reverse .However NI does have a population with a (in relative terms) a large disposable income...so there may well be a market for Bwia:ok:

[Bagso]

The Manchester service is now running pretty full so not sure why they would now wish to go anywhere else ......

Thuis was not quite the case in Winter when Befast and Prestwick first were mentioned !

[BFS/BHD]

Now that the winter is approaching again is there any news on BWIA starting flights from BFS.

[Vuelo]

Bee Wee reps here at MAN, or more precisely those who represent Bee Wee, say there are no plans to operate via BFS this winter, and that their flights are booked pretty much up through the winter months.

[JIPPO]

2 November 2004…BWIA West Indies Airways, the international airline of the Caribbean, has announced the introduction of flights from Glasgow Prestwick International and Belfast International.

The weekly service from Prestwick will fly non-stop to Barbados, continuing to Port of Spain, Trinidad, with connections available to Tobago. The Belfast service will operate non-stop to Barbados and continue to Port of Spain. Both flights are scheduled to operate with an Airbus A340-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration, with introductory fares starting at £299 in Economy and £999 in Business/First.


Glasgow flights will depart from Prestwick on Saturdays at 14.10hrs, arriving in Barbados at 18.40 hrs, continuing to Port of Spain and arriving at 20.15 hrs. The Belfast flights will operate on Sundays at 15.50 hrs, arriving in Barbados at 20.20 hrs, continuing to Port of Spain and arriving at 21.55 hrs.

Return flights to Glasgow depart on Fridays from Port of Spain at 20.30 hrs and Barbados at 22.05 hrs, arriving in Prestwick on Saturdays at 13.35 hrs following an intermediate stop in Manchester. Flights to Belfast depart on Saturdays from Port of Spain at 22.15 hrs and Barbados at 23.50 hrs, arriving in Belfast on Sundays at 15.05 hrs via Manchester.

The new services will launch on 16 January 2005, bringing BWIA’s UK service points to four, and with the range of connections available in the Caribbean, clearly put BWIA as the lead carrier from the UK to the Caribbean. BWIA currently offers a daily service from London Heathrow to Port of Spain, Trinidad, daily to Tobago, twice-weekly to Antigua, three-times weekly to Barbados and twice-weekly to St. Lucia.

[BFS/BHD]

Excellent news can't wait to see the A340

[eggc]

not so good news for MAN passenegers tho', an extra stop....

[gayrugbybloke]

go with BMI then! Thats driect and a better in flight service and VERY nice staff!! Even tho I say so myself!!

[Oshkosh George]

The way I read it,it's VIA Man on the return legs to PIK/BFS,therefore it's NOT an extra stop for MAN pax,but an extra stop for PIK/BFS pax!

Or am I going crazy?

[eggc]

an extra stop one way only...as i said an (1) extra stop.

BMI it is then, where's my trunks....

[Runway 31]

It will arrive MAN drop off and pick up passengers then to PIK before flying to Barbados.

Brilliant news. I have been on the Bwee website and nothing is mentioned. Tried to book and still nothing.

[BFS/BHD]

It has just been announced on the airport website

www.belfastairport.com

[Oshkosh George]

OK,it didn't mention MAN on the outward,I'll take your word for it!

[Tower Ranger]

We went to Tobago a couple of years ago with BWEE to POS and then onward with Tobago Express. The A340 was a bit tatty on the inside and not much of the inflight entertainment worked but it was cheap and we got there and back.
Its a great prospect to be able to go from BFS direct but if you are planning to go to Tobago it looks like you`re gonna be stuck on Trinidad for the first night as there are no flights out of POS after 21.15 ish.

[gayrugbybloke]

From what I hear, the main revenue from the BW flight in to Manchester comes from cargo, flowers and fruit predominantly, and not passenge traffic.

Wonder if it will be the same for NI and Scotland?

[Runway 31]

Now on the Prestwick Airport website and also on the BWEE website although they state Dublin instead of Belfast.

[ALLMCC]

According to NI Travel News start date has been put back yet again - now expected to commence mid March 2005

www.nitravelnews.com

[farnboroughspotter]

Has BWIA recovered from its finincial problems of 2003? I was out in BGI last year while 2 of its 737-8's were impounded at MIA and a few locals thought it might merge with LIAT or go under?
Was a great time to be a BGI spotter with the likes of Tobago Express DHC8's a long way from home on sub charters.
Good luck to them, I well remember flying in their N reg L1011 to POS in the late 80s':D .

[Twin Pioneer]

I know that this service was going to start on Sun 16th Jan 2005,
and from PIK the day before. The PIK-BGI service has now been
delayed by two months, and will not now start until Sat 12th Mar 2005.
Someone told me, that this was due to A/C availability, so I don't know if the BFS service will be delayed also.

TP



:confused:

[JIPPO]

Got a call from my travel agent earlier this evening, BWIA now have their schedules loaded from Belfast and Preswick to Barbados and Port of Spain , now bookable.

Latest update, Belfast starts 20 March, and Preswick 19 March.

Great news!

Jippo

[eastern wiseguy]

There seems to be NO END to the good news at BFS .....over to our bhd correspondent Mr Mcall ....lololol:ok:

[Dee747]

Any of our local NI Ppruners want to offer bets on the next destinations to be offered by easyJet or Jet2?

For what it's worth - easyJet to start Faro and Venice or Budapest before the end of this year is my guess. As for Jet2 - maybe Pisa or Ibiza.

No insider knowledge, and just for fun - what do you think?

[ALLMCC]

Who's Mr Mcall? Seriously though, the penny finally seems to have dropped with BFS - now starting to live up to their name by concentrating on international routes - bit of a change from the last few years when all they have done is flood the domestic market to over capacity simply to erode competition from BHD.

As far as further international destinations are concerned, this may depend on whether more funding can be obtained from Invest NI - the current pot of money is almost exhausted.

[CaptJ]

More typical nonsense from ALLMCC.

AIRLINES operate routes, NOT Airports.

As for EZY and JET2's holiday destinations, they are NOT Invest NI funded.

[ALLMCC]

Capt J

Please be kind enough to check your facts before dismissing my posts as nonsense - AFAIK airlines need airports to operate routes into/out of (correct me if I'm wrong) - the Route Development Fund provides funding to AIRPORTS (not AIRLINES) to enable them to pass on reduced landing charges etc.

If you check, in addition to Berlin & Rome, I think you'll find Easyjet's Paris & Nice routes both benefit from funding although the reason for this is somewhat bewildering given that they operate into BFS for next to nothing anyway!

[with alacrity]

ALLMCC is correct on this one.
Air Route Development (NI) Ltd is a company providing investment support to local commercial airports to encourage new air route development to and from Northern Ireland. The investment support can be provided for a three year period.
It is aimed at helping the airports to reduce the costs of landing charges on new air routes that are shown to be of a net economic benefit to Northern Ireland.

To date ( and i stand to be corrected) the routes supported by the fund are:
Belfast International to Geneva,Paris, Nice, Rome, Berlin and Newark.

City of Derry to Manchester and Birmingham.

Belfast City to Norwich.

[747loadie]

Scottish National Newspaper has caption this morning that BWIA inaugural flight from PIK will be on 12 March. What PIK needs now is a regular service to either Canada or USA. too many carrires operating to these destinations from GLA - competition is needed on a low cost basis.

[MarkD]

747loadie

kinda odd that PIK didn't attract Zoom's services from Canada, being as it is touting itself as a lowcost transatlantic carrier?

[kpiko3]

There is talk of the new possible tx carrier Atlantic Express wanting to start to several UK airports from New york with 757 a/c. Those were.....

Glasgow Prestwick, Manchester, Stansted and Gatwick.

With all the upgrades almost complete at PIK and the new M77 getting constructed, who knows what might happen !!

Kpiko