Originally Posted by
golf yankee one one
An EZY base is very good news, if it means unserved destinations are added.
But, if it largely involves substituting home based for away based aircraft, there could be a couple of not so great consequences;
Every based aircraft wants to start flying between 0600-0700 to maximise utilisation; at present EZY doesn't usually have outbound flights until around 0800. So, more pressure on border and security areas at already very busy times.
Secondly I for one would regret it if some departures in mid morning/ middle of the day (eg GVA) became 0605 departures with home based aircraft.
I imagine the 3 based aircraft might have an early departure to GLA, EDI, BFS, which would probably be very helpful for folks with 0900 meetings in those cities.
Interesting times!
BHX has been 10 & 15 easy flights a day this summer so you are correct the three based aircraft could be used up hoovering up the away based flights with plenty left over.
I am sure the temptation will be to operate EDI-MED-EDI-EDI and same for GLA and BFS and get 8 sectors out of the aircraft. The problem with that despite COVID reducing domestic business flying they are still slightly biased load-wise towards first thing inbound to BHX although looking at next week fares they are mixed with Glasgow & Belfast showing slightly higher fares inbound first thing and EDI higher outbound (none particularly spectacular in the week).
I agree in that an 06:00 to Lisbon or Geneva from BHX would not be much better than 06:00 from Lisbon or Geneva and hence why BHX-EDI (GLA OR BFS) -BHX-LIS (MXP, PMI, NAP, FAO, GVA)-BHX -might be better especially for a new route whilst it gets established if the slots allow of course.
The Geneva in winter has had quite a few late BHX departures arriving around 22:00 which due to aircraft delays earlier in the day have resulted in cancelled flights and even yesterdays was scheduled 21:00 in Geneva on an away based UK aircraft which is also fraught with danger and I do expect that to one of the first to go to a based aircraft along with Amsterdam (slot permitting), Lisbon & Palma not far behind. The other aspect is that Belfast - BHX being a short sector probably fits well into the BFS utilisation and they won't want too many changing to the BHX based aircraft but no doubt some will.
By the way a couple of weeks ago, BHX had three departures between 7am and 8am although not the norm (certainly isn't now) there is runway and stand space although security until next June might not be pleasant (understatement) and at some point the terminal will become an issue as well, as the there is no date to restart work on the terminal extension.
Pete