I posted on here last week that I thought that too many local people were still using LHR for transatlantic travel instead of the CO from BRS to EWR.
Well, by coincidence, in today's Bristol Evening Post web edition there is a story headlined 'Bristol Airport Could Axe New York Flight' (surely the airline would do the axing not the airport, but that's the press for you I suppose) in which BRS MD, Paul Kehoe, expresses his concern that not enough local business passengers are supporting the service and instead are using LHR. He calls on them "to use or lose" the New York route.
Mr Kehoe blames 'inertia' and is quoted in the newspaper report, "Whether it is because of corporate deals done at a national or international level, or individual decisions based on building up air miles with Heathrow-based airlines, the end result is the same - unnecessary road or rail journeys to the South East, causing congestion, generating emissions and taking money out of the region. The New York route is thriving, but it would be prudent to look ahead and make sure it stays that way."
Bob Schumacher, senior UK director for Continental Airlines, said: "We're very happy with the number of people using the New York service................and the message is simply for people to keep using it for it to remain successful."
It's not the first time I have expressed concern at the number of people, especially business passengers, still using LHR when they could fly locally, and the MD's remarks about air miles and corporate deals are certainly valid.
However, I have no doubt that there is still some ignorance in the Bristol region about the CO route's existence.
My son is in a fairly senior position with a US giant and his flights are normally arranged by a specialist company on behalf of his employer. He was flying regularly across The Pond from LHR and was getting fed up with it, especially the return road journey to the West Country after an overnight eastbound.
Two and a half years ago he asked me about connecting via AMS which was something he knew I had done from BRS down the years. I said, "Why don't you use the non-stop Continental flight to Newark and fly on from there?" He was unware of the CO flight then and the 'specialist' flight company had never suggested it.
He told them he wanted to use the CO and since then has used it on a number of occasions (he's lucky enough to ride in the front passenger cabin), so much so that he had enough air miles to take his family to the US on a leisure break on the flight in business first.
I know both the airport and airline have publicised the route pretty well but it seems that more needs to be done because I am sure there are others like my son who would use it if they knew about it.
I may be being too pessimistic but I take the MD's remarks as a clear warning that the future of the route is in some jeopardy unless businesses support it in greater numbers than hitherto.
link to full report:
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