BFS or BHD - DUB

[BELHold]

Understand that Aer Arran will commence services from NI to Dublin in the not too distant future.

[eastern wiseguy]

I hear from DUB scources that BHD is the departure point ..never seems to work remember Capital?I still think the train is the better option:O :O

[shake n bake]

Capital went out of business in 1989. Thats 14 years ago, and Irish air travel has definately changed since then. I believe a morning and evening service to start with might actually be a success.

[eastern wiseguy]

well we will see ...city centre to city centre ....train wins !

[shake n bake]

City to city is best if you really want to go in to the center on business.
What about Dublin as a transit point for US & European destinations ?. Very few direct services from BFS/BHD, while DUB has an ever increasing range of destinations on offer. Example, check in bags at BEL, transit DUB 1-2 hours and collect bags in JFK,BOS,LAX,ATL,YYZ,BWI,PHL etc.. or as another forum suggests, pax can link in with other Arran flights to 5 or 6 Irish regional airports.

[Yupe]

Don't Arran feed Dublin with connecting pax from smaller Irish airports ? and then theres Loganair feeding from LDY into DUB. If they can facilitate through tickets with other airlines they should aim for that market rather than trying to compete with trains.
I've used their website to book a ticket from SOU to Cork once, not sure if they are in any res systems.

[BillTheCoach]

I don't think this will work as the city centre to city centre time is quicker by train or coach (Translink operate both) and I wonder just how comparable the fares would be.

Don't you think if it was feasible RYR would have been in there first ?

What next - BHD to BFS cos the flight time is shorter than getting a bus to the City Hall and getting the Airbus ? Or perhaps we will see someone seek a new route from Belfast City to Carr's Glen to challenge Citybus's monopoly on the 35/61/93 bus routes.

By the way for those who don't know where Carr's Glen is, even the good citizens of Belfast are unsure with most claiming :

"I don't know where it is but I see it on the front of buses"

[MarkD]

BTC

from what I hear the Enterprise rail service often goes tech due faults in the locos. Not to mention certain w**kers who damage the line for political purposes.

RE seem a canny bunch, only a pity they didn't start NCL before FR had the chance.

[bounty]

By the way for those who don't know where Carr's Glen is, even the good citizens of Belfast are unsure with most claiming :

"I don't know where it is but I see it on the front of buses"

Just like "An Lar" in Dublin then ;)

[glynn-kayes]

according to todays belfast telegraph aer arran have not decided on which airport to operate from,,their website states they are still finalising operations..:confused:

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Aer Arann also fly from MAN-Galway using ATR 72's

Regards
BAe 146-100

[owc]

I would be surprised if bfs was the choice, earlier this year I was at a presentation given by a senior member of the bfs management, when asked about a dublin service they more or less said over my dead body.

[starone]

For those who rubbish this route, i think it will work very well on a number of levels. firstly driving to belfast can be a nightmare due to traffic on the m1, secondly the train breaks down often, thirdly, re still have to make a mistake with regard to routes (discounting szd-dub, early days) and finally there are quite a few people, me included, that take charters or easy ex belfast and would consider this a nice way to finish off the trip, provided the price is right. It has also been mentioned that fr may be starting a base in belfast, with dublin being a route considered, but this is, as yet, pie inthe sky.

[Standard Noise]

Probably best if they operate out of City, that way at least you won't be depressed until you get to Dub. Have you seen the state of the terminal (great description for Muckamore that is) up in the sheep paddock? It's enough to put you off your over priced fry up!

Did you hear the one about the guy who went in for a fry at the Muckamore restaurant? He said to the spotty faced McD's reject behind the counter "I want a piece of bacon, but it has to be crispy, so crispy that when you stick your fork in it, it splinters into a thousand tiny pieces. I want an egg, fried so long ago that you can take it off the plate and bounce it up and down on the floor. A sausage, give me a sausage that's so well cooked you could use it for doing a charcoal drawing. And fried soda which leaks grease when it's put on the plate. Oh yeah, give me some beans, but they have to be cold on top, red hot in the middle and burnt mind you, burnt on the bottom."
Spotty says to him, "Give over mate, I haven't got the time to do all that."
The guys says, "Well you f*****g found time yesterday!"

[airbourne]

As far as I aware the choice is BFS.

Couple of points about the train. Yes it goes from City to City, the cost is €29 one way. the other problem is that the line is regularly closed because of bomb threats on the line, so its train to Newry and then bus it to Belfast.

Travelling to Belfast from Dublin can take upwards of 3.5 hours. I reckon it could work, but only if the fares are competitive. We will see what happens.

[NWSRG]

airborne,

Belfast to Dublin Airport by road takes less than two hours. Dublin Airport to the city centre causes all the problems. The air route won't solve that one. For city to city, the train is definately best.

[Findo]

Thought I saw a Jetmagic E145 planned for today to the City. Was that the start of a new schedule ?

[Press Button B]

Dublin Airport to the City Centre is mainly a problem if you're in a private car, or also a problem if you're trying to get to Connolly Station to get the train to Belfast. Bus lanes for coaches and taxis make the Airport - City journey easier for those arriving at the airport. This all assumes everyone who travels from Belfast actually has to go to the city centre in Dublin and that everyone from Dublin who goes to Belfast originates in Dublin city centre. For much of Dublin, esp North and Northwest, the airport via the M1/M50 is far more accessible than Connolly Station, especially at peak rush hour times. Many will pass by Dublin airport on the M1 their way into the city centre to catch the train. Much easier to go to the airport and cut out the hassle of going into the city centre. Ditto for anyone on the M50 ring.

At the end of the day, it becomes a question of preference - three hours in a car door to door (at say 70c per mile mileage allowance = E140 round trip cost per car), taxi to/from rail station, boarding etc and 2.5 hours in the train or taxi to/from airport, boarding and 40 minutes in the aircraft).

What sort of fares will lure people off the train or their Beamers?

[controller friendly]

This one is really 6's & half dozens......!

But I do think if it happens it will be outta BHD. Why would BFS wanna put people on an aircraft to fly them to an airport where they then get onto another one and fly to one of BFS' destinations? And don't forget aer arran are probably getting subsidised by the irish government for the pleasure:confused:

Question is(for a hairy arsed mp), are loganair in ba colours being subsidised by the irish government to fly people from northern ireland into southern ireland to then fly onwards and line dublin airports profits........?

Same old story while BHD & BFS get embroiled in the old my airport is better than your airport, DUB is running away with all the passengers.........:{

Don't forget JEA also did it for a while in the mid 90's.....& i think EIN did it in the 70's or 80's.......

[bounty]

Question is(for a hairy arsed mp), are loganair in ba colours being subsidised by the irish government to fly people from northern ireland into southern ireland to then fly onwards and line dublin airports profits........?

v probably. The last time I was on LDY-DUB-LDY (quick day trip last year), there were two pax one way, and four returning. It was a bank holiday Monday, IIRC.

[refjohn]

The Derry - Dublin flight is subsidised by the Irish Government - but Loganair must be starting to do very nicely out of it. Flew several times last month and every time loads were 80%+. A lot of business travellers doing one and two day trips - beats the 4 hr drive anytime.

[Powerjet1]

It's BHD, twice daily from 18 June 2003.