Hello Pandy.
May 2008 saw 8425 on the BRS-EWR (average load 136, load factor nudging 78%), 200 fewer pax than in May 2007.
The route has been building up steadily with 84,000 in 2006 and 93,000 in 2007. So far nearly 35,000 have travelled in 2008, about 800 down on the same period last year. However, April and May figures are still provisional.
For the first year or so it was reported locally, and the airport never denied it, that the route was not attracting US-based passengers in hoped-for-numbers, but now the airport says the position has reversed with more passengers originating in the USA than in the UK.
As a comparison, the CO BFS-EWR that started at the same time as the BRS-EWR (May 2005) carried 102,000 and 103,000 passengers in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
My own feeling, for what it is worth, is that too many locals are still using LHR for their transatlantic travel, given they have an option on their doorstep. I accept that many US destinations from BRS require a transfer at EWR and that LHR invariably provides a non-stop route, but I still believe that West Country people could support the service a bit more strongly. I've put several people onto it who were unaware of its existence (despite good local advertising) and most have since used the route more than once. Perhaps I should operate on commission.
As for the airport passenger figures generally, domestic scheduled numbers have been on the decline for a year or more, mainly through the BACon pull-out. Until this year charter numbers have held up well but last month (the first of the main summer charter season) several charter routes saw a reduced number of flights with others axed altogether compared with summer 2007 (mainly because of the TOM pull-out and the XL Group reducing to one based aircraft) which then, unsurprisingly, gave a significant reduction in total charter passenger numbers.
What seem to rise inexorably are the scheduled international passenger figures with the FR base that opened last November being the major catalyst for the large monthly and annual percentage increases this year.
Of course, raw passenger numbers are not the definitive guide to route or base profitability but consistently high numbers must help.
Some of the BRS punters must be seen as having a few spare quid because a company has just opened a caviar and oyster bar in departures.
