Originally Posted by
bhd1
Confirmed from inside source that HOP will be will be soon announcing BHD-CDG 7 Days a week with a night stopping A/C. Vueling are also set to operate ALC,AGP,PMI Summer 20 as well as KLM going to two flights a day, BHD to announce mid OCT. BHD management have also been in contact with Lufthansa to operate a FRA route, A lot of Major European airlines see BHD as a feeder route into their long haul networks. I also hear that Stobart are also looking to BID for both BHD and BFS handling contracts,
So a 'new poster' reveals all. It would be so nice if true, but this is highly questionable. Here are some points to.consider;
- KLM has used E175's in September so far. The best they manage in the peak demand period in summer is an E190. If demand is so great why on the single daily rotation do we not see a 737-700, or why is it that we don't see 190's on a Sunday, probably the peak day for easyJet on the route.
- EasyJet don't even run a daily flight on CDG. The largest demand on the Paris route originates in NI not France. Yet AF are proposed at daily. The demand is not on point to point and this is a battle that AF cannot win. It cannot compete with easyJet on a marginal route. If the desire is to pick up long haul pax to feed to the CDG hub, the question is why would AF KLM group want a 3rd daily flight from Belfast into their respective hubs. Could the proposed double daily KLM,s not satisfy these long haul connections? The USA is the largest demand, it's well covered by way of London and Manchester oh and Dublin too. KLM are well aware of the different tax regimes that are in place in DUB and NI.
- Given that KL got an eye watering contrubution to operate AMS, will AF get the same?
- So Aer Lingus a sister airline of Vueling exits its sun routes from BHD and there is no linked up narrative to create a cut over, ie on AGP?
- ALC, PMI and AGP are such hotly contested routes ex Belfast, the demand is predominantly on the Belfast side and these routes have been tried and tested yet Vueling after abandoning BCN would come back now with not 1 but three routes..
- BHD does not cater well for parking and the prices are eye eyeing, on this point alone the client will look to BFS...
- Lufthansa will not come near the place. There are limited routes to Germany from Belfast and these gave been at best marginal, ie Berlin. Lufthansa have huge investment in Dublin and that market is flooded with over capacity and low prices, it's a blood bath and yet it is proposed that Lufthansa would want to fly direct to BHD...
- Sadly all the challenges are up against BHD; short runway, restricted opening hours, no family friendly parking charges, staunch competitors up the road in Jet2 and easyJet, each with they own niche and loyal followings, and fierce competition with BFS for every new opportunity.
for all of the above and commercial reason, sadly these see will not see the light of day IMHO...