Originally Posted by
chinapattern
Reports that Ryanair maybe basing a seventh aircraft at BHX next summer and launching new routes to go head to head with EasyJet and Jet2.
Ryanair
I think there are some possible clues already, the main one is the 7 late evening arrivals on 6 of the 7 evenings from June
although similar things have happened in the past only to change when the final schedule is released with a lot of frequencies changed to away based or cut. The best one was pre-Covid when 4 aircraft were based and they had 7 based departures early one afternoon and it goes without saying it never happened and it was back to 4 with day changes, cancelled frequencies and away based flying but that was just one day out of seven.
The current schedule is also minus Bydgoszcz (2-4 flights) Modlin (2-4 flights), Girona (2-4 flights), Porto (2-3 flights) and Toulouse (2 flights). Bydgoszcz is not a base but is generally one of the last flights to be released and worryingly has been increased to 4 per week this winter like Gdansk was planned to last winter and we know how that one ended. Modlin of course is an issue but could get replaced by Warsaw, Girona is operating now and I am sure will reappear same with Porto but not so confident with Toulouse though.
I can't remember seeing so many days on an initial release where an extra aircraft is required but of course I am also mindful that Ryanair have already sent salvo's to Boeing about aircraft deliveries and it might end up a bun fight to see which airports get extra aircraft as FR keep everything in-house.
Pegasus
Excellent and now showing 21 December which I am sure was the 23rd when I first looked and it should be an A320 per some other booking engines.
Jet2
The A21N has started ops on the Tenerife although it seems to end after the 16th before coming back again on 11 December, if the Jet2 seat-map is correct in the booking engine.
Pete