The first day seemed to go off well. Lot's of local media coverage and gaggles of locals out around the lanes at Lulsgate watching the event - well it makes a change from worrying about how the cider apple crop will go later in the year.
The 757 landed ten minutes early and pushed back on time for the return. The airport fire brigade gave the a/c a traditional welcome.
The first thing of note was that the 757 did not have winglets, the gadgets we have been told that will make the BRS runway usable under all conditions. 27 was used today and with a full load there seemed to be plenty of asphalt to spare. I say 'seem' because I am not a pilot and can only describe from a layman's perspective.
The reports from the local television stations kept harping on about the 'gamble' that CO and the airport have taken and both channels mentioned 75,000 annual pax as the figure currently projected.
The ITV report was rather confusing. Their reporter said that the service will not go daily in the winter, then in the next breath he said that CO are bullish about the route and cautiously talking about expanding services from BRS. I thought the intention was to fly daily all year round.
Ticket sales thus far are officially described as 'very good' according to the local telly reporters, with more people so far booked on the westbound legs than the eastbound. The CO web seat selector would appear to bear this out.
The local television reporters took full opportunity of their freebie trip to the USA and asked some Americans in the streets of New York what they thought of Bristol. Only two people had heard of the place and one complained that when he visited in 1970 he couldn't find any decent food. It looks as though there is a lot of work still to be done to capture hearts and minds there and thus boost the USA to Southwest England tourist trade.