That is the problem with those on this forum that say BHX should abandon its
long haul hopes and just stick to short hall targets.There are only a small
number of short hauls left not served from BHX that airlines would say are
viable for them
Fair point and yes I agree with you - year round MAD is the only one that springs out, possibly WAW although there are a few leisure and seasonal routes that am sure could do well but then you have the problem of aircraft sitting about doing nothing in winter (altho this does not seem to be a problem for FR!) and maximising yield as of course not many of us are flush with cash to spend on a random leisure jetaway weekend anymore.
I don't for a moment think that BHX should not have ambition in long haul development and have never said that. I think that the runway extension is a very valuable investment and asset for the airport too (should have been done decades ago but that's another story!). However, I worry that this too is a limited market and I can only think of a handful of scheduled destinations that realistically could work right now.
I can see why PK is focusing on the current and future shortcomings of LHR in terms of capacity (especially with the well documented leakage of pax to that airport from the West Midlands) but am concerned that BHX is basing future growth and success on a perceived overspill from another airport, the volume of which no one knows. However times, government policies and the aviation industry change very quickly so who knows, to expand and add frequencies perhaps airlines at LHR will have no choice in the future but to look elsewhere in which case BHX will be well placed (but then so is STN): At present though I just do not see long haul at BHX following the runway extension as the major driver of growth in airlines, destinations or pax that PK is hanging his hat on - that's not to say though that they should not be going for it and I wish them every success. If Virgin, American, Air China, Cathay, Thai or any other major long haul player pitches up in BHX in 2014 once the extension is finished then I will eat a very big slice of humble pie
