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Old 29th Aug 2010, 09:51
  #1541 (permalink)  
 
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nef, it's got nothing to do with redressing a balance. The airlines will go to the airports that are in their best commercial interests to serve, end of. Airlines aren't charities and are not under any obligation to take their business to certain locations.

I would love to see ABZ and GLA grow their scheduled European flights profiles. The fact that EDI has been able to do this in the last couple of years is not as a result of alleged monopoly abuse by BAA, nor is the growth there some underhand conspiracy against ABZ and GLA. Such suggestions are tedious and wide of the mark. GLA has historically dominated the market to Florida and various other leisure destinations, and in the same way it's hardly likely to be an accurate reflection of the geographical spread of demand in Scotland for those destinations either, but it's just the commericial reality the airlines are dealing with.
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Old 29th Aug 2010, 20:24
  #1542 (permalink)  
 
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Aberdeen to Donegal what are loads like since this route was launch?
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Old 29th Aug 2010, 20:50
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I believe the Aberdeen Donegal flights are regular private charters for an oil related customer, so loads are irrelevant.
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Old 29th Aug 2010, 21:24
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Thats right they private charters
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Old 30th Aug 2010, 12:31
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Power Cut

The Donegal charters (usually T3) are for the summer oil programme in the Irish Sea. Have operated for a number of years now.

I see departures being affected by a power cut in area which takes in the airport. Is this still the case or are things returning to normal?
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Old 30th Aug 2010, 16:00
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Donegal flights are M,W,Th,F only and a damn fine service it is too! It is a refreshing change for us oilrig types, who usually go through Broomfield House to Scatsta or the Bristow/CHC terminals, to go to a lovely little airport where the welcome is as wide as the nearby sandy beach - they are genuinely delighted to see us there, unlike the sometimes surly reception we get through the usual channels.

I've often thought it would make a nice little scheduled route, but there would have to be a massive advertising campaign to get people even aware that such a place exists....
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Old 4th Sep 2010, 16:32
  #1547 (permalink)  
 
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If you are having problems in Aberdeen you need to complain to your oil company air logistics managers.
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Old 5th Sep 2010, 09:51
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1. eastern down to operate the MAN route for bmi R with a SB20. Not sure how long this arrangement is for (starts tomorrow), apparently an embraer is required at Heathrow hence the arrangement.

2. sas introducing more CRJ900s on CPH. Some have already been turning up (in last week) but the winter timetable shows the longer version as well. Not sure though if that still means 2 daily flights M-F with the higher capacity. Does anyone know?
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Old 5th Sep 2010, 14:58
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Try 3 months, RT
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 08:04
  #1550 (permalink)  
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Route Development Fund

Fit like all.

I notice there was talk about the possible return of the RDF next year, with eurocrats launching a consultation later this year.

ABZ certainly needs all the help it can get just now to arrest the seemingly never-ending downturn in passenger numbers on fixed wing flights!

Mind you, eurocrats will probably take about 5yrs to come to a decision, like all good politicians!

But should the ne of Scotland have to rely on such funding to attract more services? If it can't attract more services on its own merits...
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Old 15th Sep 2010, 19:48
  #1551 (permalink)  
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Jet2

Well done to Glasgow for becoming Jet2's latest base. No "firm plans" to look further north, but they are "in regular contact/talks" with other airports about expansion. I'll bet ABZ is one of them, Jet2 being one of the - what was it, 20+?? - airlines ABZ management say they are talking to.

But that's always how it seems. Airlines "looking at/in constant dialogue/discussions" with ABZ over new routes, while ABZ say they are "looking at/in constant dialogue/discussions" with airlines...over new routes. Then it never quite seems to happen...bit like that runway extension. I sense a bit of a pattern - or am I being too harsh?

Why can't a deal be struck? Are the airlines not getting the deal they want from BAA? Runway still an issue? Is ne Scotland just not attractive or lucrative enough to start routes, never mind set up a base. Remember GSM couldn't establish a year-round base at ABZ or make proposed winter routes viable. Is it all of the above, or something else? Catchment area is a definite issue, I agree - we'll never have the frequency or variety of routes compared to the Central Belt I guess, but it's still rather frustrating that other airports seem to get on with successfully adding routes, even in these uncertain times, yet we seem to get nowhere!

Old ground of course, & I may or may not know the answers already, but I feel the need to vent some frustration!!

everything seems to take forever up in ABZ!!
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Old 15th Sep 2010, 20:04
  #1552 (permalink)  
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To be fair, route announcements from GLA have been very limited over the last few years. This Jet2 announcement only brings in 1 route that isn't currently served (NCE) and really just replaces some of the lost GSM routes/capacity. Even at that, by the time these routes start, it'll have taken them over a year to get a replacement in!
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Old 20th Sep 2010, 11:50
  #1553 (permalink)  
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This morning... in ABZ!

YouTube - I'm having trouble with the radar, sir
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Old 21st Sep 2010, 18:11
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So what route (singular) are Flybe definitely/maybe/possibly ready to announce by the end of the year? Does it qualify for a **MRA**?

The last **MRA** was the return of Malaga with...Jet2? Flybe? Ryanair? No - with Barrhead Travel. Not even an airline. No disrespect intended to Barrhead Travel, but ABZ couldn't even get an establishd carrier to take on a popular bucket 'n' spade route.

Just like a few years back when they had some chancer agree to restart STN under the guise of Air Omega!! And they still to this day haven't got an established carrier to fly the route after Air UK vacated it!!
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Old 21st Sep 2010, 18:36
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BHX-ABZ

Still no response by flybe to BMI Regional pulling off the ABZ-BHX.

Monday & Friday this winter just has two flights each way - a bit grim.

Maybe time for flybe to at least get a third flight in on Mo/Fr.

I believe pre BMIR it was four daily some days.

Pete
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Old 23rd Sep 2010, 18:33
  #1556 (permalink)  
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new MD

Mentioned the runway ext as "No.1 priority" & pencilled in Summer 2012. Not sure if he meant to start by then or to be completed by then! However still seems to be reliant on the OK from "shareholders" as he put it. Might be wrong but I took that to mean the people at Ferrovial. I actually got the impression that there is a bit of a struggle to get the clearance to construct the ext (even half of it!) from those higher up.

Meanwhile Thomas Cook to "double" capacity in S11 to Dalaman, so fair play to them!
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Old 25th Sep 2010, 07:10
  #1557 (permalink)  
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Airport talking urgently with bmiR in an effort to have the airline redeploy the spare capacity that will be created when they vacate the BHX route at the end of next month. My own thoughts are that, given the continuing downward spiral of pax nos. on most of the routes up here, the capacity will go elsewhere rather than stay in ABZ, but obviously hope I'm wrong. But I've never been as pessimstic about future growth at Dyce that I am right now. At least on the scheduled front. Perhaps working in town & seeing our derelict-looking main street & a de-facto bankrupt Council doesn't help my mood!!

Airport also denying allegations that have surfaced about an easyjet withdrawal from the airport.

Re Olton Pete's post, Flybe's W10/11 winter schedule out of ABZ is slim pickings, but it was that last year as well. They make great capital saying they are a major player at Inverness, Glasgow & edinburgh. Which they are of course. But look at the list of destinations at ABZ...there ain't that many. They dabbled with Southampton & Newcastle, & more recently via loganair at Cardiff. But none on a business freq - they were all off-peak. And none lasted. I want Flybe to expand here, but I increasingly find a Flybe press release as funny as Jim French finds an O'leary press conference!

edit:
Pete, local press saying that Flybe intend adding 4 flights a week to/from BHX in light of the bmiR announcement. bmiR say the route "was not performing to expectations". In other words, not enough bums on seats. Or high yielding bums, at any rate.

bmiR adding extra rotation on MAN as a result.

Last edited by Richard Taylor; 25th Sep 2010 at 08:58. Reason: additional info
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Old 25th Sep 2010, 10:04
  #1558 (permalink)  
 
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BHX-ABZ

Richard

Thank you for the information good to know that flybe are to add frequencies.

Once the BMIR service was re-timed making a days business impossible from the BHX it was always going to be up against it.

As I posted on the BHX thread train travel from Birmingham to Edinburgh had increased by 40% in the last 18 months although no figures were quoted for Aberdeen it was quite a luxury to have two operators on the route. For the consumer, flybe seem to have kept prices around the same on BHX-EDI and GLA after the BMI Baby's withdrawal so hopefully ABZ will be the same.

Pete

Last edited by OltonPete; 25th Sep 2010 at 10:31. Reason: Seen the press release!
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Old 28th Sep 2010, 06:59
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Flybe Aberdeen Manchester

Apologies if this has been covered previously but Flybe are to launch an 18 weekly service between Manchester and Aberdeen. It's been a long time coming I guess but would think this will be a bit of a blow for bmiR as it must be a good route financially for them. Route launches 6/12.
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Old 28th Sep 2010, 18:58
  #1560 (permalink)  
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Will be interesting to see whether bmiR put up a fight on MAN, their main route out of ABZ. They must have been dreading the day when competition returned on the route, having had it all to itself for quite a while now. Would like to think that the route is important & big enough to support both operators, but my experience is that the majority of routes domestically out of ABZ cannot support any more than one operator on the route. Perhaps only Heathrow of the domestics can support more than one operator & even then I sometimes wonder when e145s are used on some rotations!

Flybe were touted for the Manchester route for a while now. Was always surprised T3 never thought about trying it.
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