ABERDEEN

[CabinCrewe]

. . . yawn

[NorthSouth]

HH wrote:

all those who work in Aberdeen and live in a decent spot crowd the airport desperate to get home - often looks like a scene from Gordon of Khartoum as the Mad Mullah is about to arrive...... every man for himself

Just like the A90 at Bridge of Dee, Fridays @ 1600. I remember it well. Once you're up and over that hill it's downhill all the way!
NS

[ANYWHERE BUT ABZ]

whats happened to bmi regional, been checking load factors, 2 people on a 49 seat embraer 145 cant be sustainable.

[ANYWHERE BUT ABZ]

considering how popular and how high the load factors are on the charter flights operated by both tcx and thompson you would hope that maybe one or both airlines would start increasing flights both throughout summer and winter. just a shame the runway is a paltry 1900 odd metres or we could have some proper aircraft operating out of aberdeen instead of js41 and saab 340's. be good to get the pax numbers rising quickly so more development can happen, want aberdeen to finally turn into a much larger airport with some much more busier scheduled and charter traffic.

[CaptainDoony]

ABA

Not being able to make a booking probably doesn't help. What route was it anyway EBJ or GRQ?

I wouldn't say the length of runway is an issue - Pegasus/Thomson can get a full 738 to DLM/TFS with no problems. It's the catchment area and airlines have always got bigger fish to fry. Vueling are launching a ton of new routes next year from BCN so maybe ABZ could be one of them.

[Richard Taylor]

bmiR

BBC News - BMI Regional launches as independent operator

Best of luck to them.

[EGPD]

BMIRegional

last week we tried to book tickets for 5 of our staff to travel on the direct Aberdeeen - Esbjerg flight with the new BMI Regional, Our company travel agent was unable to make the bookings telling us that they are no longer able to make bookings with BMI regional and all future bookings have to be made direct on the BMIR website. This is against company policy so our staff are now travelling KLM to BLL via AMS, fare for all 5 roughly £ 500 cheaper on KLM as well.

[SWBKCB]

Seems like an odd approach for an airline aiming at the business market - not so streamlined for business, then?

[Data Dad]

@ EGPD

From the bmi regional website:

New bookings for travel on flights operating from October 28th 2012 onwards should be made through the bmi regional customer contact centre, on our website or via your travel agent..

So your company Travel Agent needs to explain further. Personally, I have always found these 'Company Travel Agents' to be an expensive waste of time. My own employer uses one - they always seem to find the most expensive flights, charge a premium for doing so and are hopeless when things go wrong! They are supposed to be 'be there' when travel plans go wrong/'emergency' changes required but my own personal experience shows they disappear - last time I sorted out all the rebookings myself. It would be cheaper in the long run to employ a couple of people to do all this contracted out task internally.

Rant over

DD

[CabinCrewe]

Why does a TCX 757 ABZ-TFS need to make a fuel stop at GLA with the new runway extension? I was sure even a 737 could do it on occasion without a stop (although some did)

[CaptainDoony]

TCX go from ABZ-TFS without any restrictions direct. TOM takes their 738's direct as well with minor/no restrictions as well I believe.

I doubt it would be for fuel - possibly picking up passengers in GLA?

[TRY2FLY]

And while they are picking up pax they will probably uplift fuel aswell as it is cheaper in GLA (the last time I looked anyhow)

[Heathrow Harry]

"Personally, I have always found these 'Company Travel Agents' to be an expensive waste of time."

Absolutely - and you find that their staff get kick-backs - sorry "inducements" such as nice flights to warm places for the business they place

[BAladdy]

BACF S13 Charters

S13 will see BACF operate 2 charter flights a week next summer on behalf of Thomas Cook holidays and 2 on behalf of Barrhead Travel. Below are the flights that are to be operated on behalf of TCX

MAHON

BA4505C ABZ 15:30 MAH 19:40 6 E90 01JUN-28SEP
BA4506C MAH 20:40 ABZ 22:50 6 E90 01JUN-28SEP

REUS

BA4507C ABZ 06:00 REU 09:55 5 E90 31MAY-27SEP
BA4508C REU 10:45 ABZ 12:35 5 E90 31MAY-27SEP

BACF will operate to AGP on a Saturday morning and to BCN on a Sunday morning on behalf of Barrhead Travel. Exact flight timings are yet to be released. All flights will be operate by a 98 seater E190SR.

From 31st May to 28 September BACF will operate the following schedule on it's LCY service:

BA3291 ABZ 06:50 LCY 08:20 E70 x567
BA3295 ABZ 12:00 LCY 13:30 E70 x567
BA3295 ABZ 13:25 LCY 14:55 E90 5
BA3297 ABZ 17:30 LCY 19:00 E70 123
BA3297 ABZ 17:30 LCY 19:00 E90 457

BA3292 LCY 08:50 ABZ 10:20 E70 x567
BA3296 LCY 15:25 ABZ 16:55 E70 123
BA3296 LCY 15:25 ABZ 16:55 E90 45
BA3298 LCY 19:30 ABZ 21:00 E70 x456
BA3298 LCY 19:30 ABZ 21:00 E90 45

[c2lass]

LH

Does anyone know why the 6am LH flight to FRA has been cancelled on 1st June 2013?

I was booked on this flight and got an email today saying the flight has been canx and we are now on the 12.10 which means we do not arrive in FRA until 15.15 Not happy as this now means we do not get to our destination until very late.

Anyway, I phoned LH and was told that all the 6am flights from 26/5 until 1/6 have been cancelled and the girl I spoke to did not know why.

Just checked the LH website and the 6am flights are still showing for 26/5 through to 31/5 however not showing for Sat 1st June?

[SWBKCB]

Half term week in Scotland? LH quite often pull flights in holiday periods on what are business orientated flights as loads are often light.

[c2lass]

Thanks. Not sure if that is half term however it is a Sat morning so cannot imagine not too many business people would be using.

I assume this will have an impact on anyone who had connecting flights through FRA as the 6am flight is usually very busy for connecting flights?

[Richard Taylor]

October 'surge'

BBC News - Aberdeen Airport reports surge in passenger traffic

Not bad at all, albeit some routes will be stronger than others within those overall figures.

I suspect Nov may be impacted by what is happening offshore due to the current restrictions pertaining to the EC225s. Might mean a return to a greater variety of heli types operating out of ABZ going forward. A shame for the 225, I think it's an impressive aircraft.

Plus the likes of Flybe axing their LGW route.

[CaptainDoony]

Very nice to see the busiest month in 5 years - quite surprising considering July is usually the busiest month.

I think November should still post some growth, maybe 4% with LCY hopefully gaining traction and offsetting the loss of BE, more people using FRA and the slowly improving economy. Another minor point, looks like EZY are getting very impressive loads on LGW now - I wonder if they have any plans for the route(s) in the near future?

Wonder if the heli operators will ditch the 225 in favour of more S92's? Maybe your dream of variation will not meet with reality Richard!

[Richard Taylor]

Wonder if the heli operators will ditch the 225 in favour of more S92's? Maybe your dream of variation will not meet with reality Richard!


I remember the 80s fondly Captain.

S61/76, AS330/2, Bell 212/4, SA365, BO105, BV234...multiple weekday crew change flights each day, especially M-F. All the heli aprons & terminals chocka (4 operators in those days).

The morning rush outbound 1st thing was quite something to listen to ('legally' of course!!)

Fixed wing 1-11, Trident 2/3, Caravelle, DC-9, HP Herald, Viscount 700/800...occasional TriStar...

nae variety these days...

(It also dates ME...)