BIRMINGHAM - 4

[OltonPete]

AI/FR

GayFriendly

I agree if AI are going to want to fly to SFO, LAX or YVR to tap into the
expat market then BHX is a non-starter until the runway is extended.

Manchester can't offer as much VFR traffic in the UK but pax might travel up from the West Mids, Leicester and Warwickshire but that is a gamble. However in the UK there is little alternative and as I said on the Manchester thread I am sure they will knocking on AI's door.

Also VFR traffic can be low yielding and it might not be a consideration but surely it all helps? However Jet use Brussels as their hub but I am unsure how successful that is although it is mainly A330's now compared to several 777's originally (I have now idea if there is much of a local ex-pat community).

FR

I compared some November loads between EDI & BHX using the CAA
punctuality stats and both were as bad as each other although there is no information on yields and average spend on board which would also be needed to get a better picture.

As I have said before I believe the routes dropped by FR were in the main
understandable, it was the original choice which was questionable.

Pete