DURHAM AIRPORT - 2
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Near MME, England, UK
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Half the reason I'm devastated is because whereas we'll hit the 1 mil mark this year, we'll struggle to get 800,000 next year, probably a lot less.
This could also seal the fate of the Heathrow route, the amount of times today I've seen the bmibaby pulling out of MME referred to as bmi pulling out of MME is unbelieveable, it will confuse people.
I was informed earlier that the staff at MME had not been informed of bmibaby's decision until it was announced today, judging from some of the dialog in the airport press release, I would say that the management were not informed of their decision until they heard it in the press!!!
Let's be a bit grown up and realistic about this.
BMI are a business quite separate from Teesside Airport, and they are entitled to make whatever business decisions they consider to be most appropriate for themselves. Only time will tell whether pulling Baby out of MME was a good or bad decision.
MME still has the Heathrow link, and Baby's ending of the LGW service may even support that.
If Baby's brief presence at MME has demonstrated that some or all of the routes they offered were popular and viable, then someone else is eventually likely to try and operate them.
Personally, while it was better to have Baby than nobody else, they always struck me as half hearted when it came to using MME, and some of their route strategy was bizarre. If losing them in the short term means getting a more committed operator in the long term, then it may not be a bad thing (just don't expect it to happen overnight).
BMI are a business quite separate from Teesside Airport, and they are entitled to make whatever business decisions they consider to be most appropriate for themselves. Only time will tell whether pulling Baby out of MME was a good or bad decision.
MME still has the Heathrow link, and Baby's ending of the LGW service may even support that.
If Baby's brief presence at MME has demonstrated that some or all of the routes they offered were popular and viable, then someone else is eventually likely to try and operate them.
Personally, while it was better to have Baby than nobody else, they always struck me as half hearted when it came to using MME, and some of their route strategy was bizarre. If losing them in the short term means getting a more committed operator in the long term, then it may not be a bad thing (just don't expect it to happen overnight).
Fit like min?
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No offence taken Flightrider, was just curious.
I think ABZ is quite happy at the growth it's achieving currently on most of its routes.
I am sure DTV will find another airline willing to step into the void...Jet2 proclaim themselves as the airline of the N. of England, so let's see!
I think ABZ is quite happy at the growth it's achieving currently on most of its routes.
I am sure DTV will find another airline willing to step into the void...Jet2 proclaim themselves as the airline of the N. of England, so let's see!
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Andy I agree with you the only problem is that to lose bmibaby means the airport is losing 30-40% of it passenger throughput overnight. This is going to have knock on effects for all involved at the airport. We could be looking at job losses at not only bmibaby but also other areas at the airport. So the quicker a commited airline comes in to stabalize the place the better.
With regards to the LHR the prices are stupid, ok you can fly real cheap but there aren't that many tickets at the low prices. Many of the tickets and the ones the business man wants to use are £164 one way excluding taxes, bet its almost £400 return including tax, no wonder the LHR is suffering at the moment.
With regards to the LHR the prices are stupid, ok you can fly real cheap but there aren't that many tickets at the low prices. Many of the tickets and the ones the business man wants to use are £164 one way excluding taxes, bet its almost £400 return including tax, no wonder the LHR is suffering at the moment.
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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We are going to have to rely on the rumour regarding a new or old operator returning to MME.
I think Flyglobespan are the most likely to come to MME, especially after the article in the September 2006 issue of Airliner World magazine.
I think Flyglobespan are the most likely to come to MME, especially after the article in the September 2006 issue of Airliner World magazine.
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DTV's press release seems to be a reasonably fair reflection of the facts, particularly when it comes to bmibaby's questionable route decisions. Putting an aircraft twice-daily on BHX-ABZ (which is presumably where one of the two MME aircraft is going this winter) is absolute suicide.
There are plenty of local airport biased people on these forums (me included) - could it be that such bias has shown itself at the top?
You never quite know re the ABZ connection, but there certainly have been examples of that sort of thing in the past. Why do you think that british midland (as then was) started East Mids-Faro way back when? Rumours at the time suggested it was due to the location of certain directors' holiday homes, and I see it's still there - once weekly 737 on Saturdays with bmibaby. I bet that's no coincidence.
It will be interesting to see whether there is a knock-on effect to the local perception of bmi in TeesSide. Reports like "bmi pulls out of TeesSide" are bound not to do them any favours re continuity of the Heathrow service in the short to medium term, particularly if people get the wrong end of the stick and assume that it's one of the routes affected by the withdrawal of bmibaby. It is one of the occupational hazards of cross-selling between the bmi and bmibaby networks, in that many customers may not know the difference between a bmi and a bmibaby route.
It will be interesting to see whether there is a knock-on effect to the local perception of bmi in TeesSide. Reports like "bmi pulls out of TeesSide" are bound not to do them any favours re continuity of the Heathrow service in the short to medium term, particularly if people get the wrong end of the stick and assume that it's one of the routes affected by the withdrawal of bmibaby. It is one of the occupational hazards of cross-selling between the bmi and bmibaby networks, in that many customers may not know the difference between a bmi and a bmibaby route.
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Ww Bhx - Abz
Flightrider
quote: -
"which is presumably where one of the two MME aircraft is going this winter"
I can answer that one and it is no. The Aberdeen has been fitted in by
cancelling the 2nd Knock on Monday & Friday which was due to run
until the Geneva starts in the third week of December.
A couple of other flights have been moved and there was already a
spare slot 16.30 - 23.00 which has now been filled. Fairly tight
winter programme for the two aircraft with 8 sectors.
It has been rumoured (only rumoured) BHX have been making offers to Baby partly due to the disastrous summer BHX has had. Most airports have suffered but BHX has been appalling 6% down or thereabouts the last three months.
As for Durham, I just hope (even as a BHX local) that someone like
Flybe jump in or Jet2 or any half decent airline!
BHX lost My Travellite and slowly each route has been taken on by
Monarch and of course it could happen again if the BACON shrinks
(or should that be when?) and hopefully Durham will get their routes
replaced.
Pete
quote: -
"which is presumably where one of the two MME aircraft is going this winter"
I can answer that one and it is no. The Aberdeen has been fitted in by
cancelling the 2nd Knock on Monday & Friday which was due to run
until the Geneva starts in the third week of December.
A couple of other flights have been moved and there was already a
spare slot 16.30 - 23.00 which has now been filled. Fairly tight
winter programme for the two aircraft with 8 sectors.
It has been rumoured (only rumoured) BHX have been making offers to Baby partly due to the disastrous summer BHX has had. Most airports have suffered but BHX has been appalling 6% down or thereabouts the last three months.
As for Durham, I just hope (even as a BHX local) that someone like
Flybe jump in or Jet2 or any half decent airline!
BHX lost My Travellite and slowly each route has been taken on by
Monarch and of course it could happen again if the BACON shrinks
(or should that be when?) and hopefully Durham will get their routes
replaced.
Pete
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Well this is very bad news, but one that has been coming for a while I think 
Baby must have another reason to pull out other than low pax numbers because that is not true, just look at the numbers on the Spanish routes that I posted 2 pages back! 
I'm sure another airline will jump in and fill the gap, hopefully an airline that will behave properly and not just 'toy' with the routes (pun intended), I'm sure we deserve better than to just be dumped out in the open!
Not too sure the Heathrow route will be around for much longer, you only have to look at the NCL-LHR pax numbers (around 40k a month) and compare with MME-LHR (around 9k a month) to figure out that bmi obviously don't have a clue!
6 scheduled destinations wef 6th November is indeed correct, unfortunately. Though I'm sure there will be more coming soon
On the bright side this could be a great piece of news if another airline decides to come, just look at Jet2 at LBA, 26 routes now, maybe we could manage 10?
mmeteesside
Baby must have another reason to pull out other than low pax numbers because that is not true, just look at the numbers on the Spanish routes that I posted 2 pages back! I'm sure another airline will jump in and fill the gap, hopefully an airline that will behave properly and not just 'toy' with the routes (pun intended), I'm sure we deserve better than to just be dumped out in the open!
Not too sure the Heathrow route will be around for much longer, you only have to look at the NCL-LHR pax numbers (around 40k a month) and compare with MME-LHR (around 9k a month) to figure out that bmi obviously don't have a clue!
6 scheduled destinations wef 6th November is indeed correct, unfortunately. Though I'm sure there will be more coming soon
On the bright side this could be a great piece of news if another airline decides to come, just look at Jet2 at LBA, 26 routes now, maybe we could manage 10?
mmeteesside
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Very sad day for the North East as a whole what with routes being dropped from Newcastle recently. I used MME Teesside frequently as their timings to Malaga were better than the 04:00 checkin on EZY to AGP. Plus with Easyjet you lose a whole day travelling back at midday whereas the evening departures fwith BMI Baby meant you could have a full day in Malaga, return home by midnight for work in the morning. There must be loads of pax with second homes in Spain who will be lost without this service. Come on Jet 2 or Globespan!!
Could yields have been a problem? The sun routes are undoubtably sucessful but maybe the others, CDG for instance, are the yields good for that route with a low cost airline or would it suit a high frequency FLYBe type operation with smaler a/c?
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Who will fill the void?
It will be a carrier who, firstly carries on with the core routes to Alicante, Palma and Malaga (rules out Ryanair). Secondly gets the sideline routes sorted correctly (destinations, frequencies and times). From the point of view of EasyJet and Jet2 it will be overkill, can't see it being them. FlyBEs fleet in my opinion isnt suitable, not sure of the capabilities of the 195's but i think they have got plans for them anyway. Leaves FlyGlobespan, don't think it looks to good.
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Who will fill the void?
Surely flybe dash 8's would be just right for several routes: -
LGW (2 a day)
CDG (2 a day)
NQY (1 a day summer)
BHD (2 a day)
ORK (1 a day)
Also Knock, Southampton, Galway, plus the summer French routes etc.
I agree I do not think there is much chance of the 195 for the Spanish
routes yet, possibly as others have said GSM or JET2.
Lets hope somebody acts fast.
Pete
LGW (2 a day)
CDG (2 a day)
NQY (1 a day summer)
BHD (2 a day)
ORK (1 a day)
Also Knock, Southampton, Galway, plus the summer French routes etc.
I agree I do not think there is much chance of the 195 for the Spanish
routes yet, possibly as others have said GSM or JET2.
Lets hope somebody acts fast.
Pete
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CentreFix25
If Ryanair were to base one aircraft at MME I'm sure they could make the following work:
Malaga, Stansted, Girona 1-3-5-7
Krakow, Stansted, Murcia -2-4-6-
Wishful thinking though
If Ryanair were to base one aircraft at MME I'm sure they could make the following work:
Malaga, Stansted, Girona 1-3-5-7
Krakow, Stansted, Murcia -2-4-6-
Wishful thinking though
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Centrefix why wont ryanair do flights to spain? Ok they only fly to Malaga out of those lost but Alicante can be covered by Girona or Reus, so why not?
Secondly Flybe can cover the routes quite well I think with there fleet with a mixed base of Dash 8 and emb 195s. Although the 195s are probably earmarked for elsewhere. With regards to easy or jet2 I don't think they would be interested but again they are well suited for the routes as long as they actually operate them correctly.
Centrefix do I sense a little bias towards Newcastle and a little bit of fun poking? Just imagine if Newcastle lost 30-40% of their pax overnight. Just think of the joblosses, not so funny is it.
Hugh Lang did say that he hopes to have 50% of the services restored within 6 months and that it has put the airport behind a year.
Notice Ryanair are making 1 airframe available at short notice for a new base, a slight glimmer of light i hope at the end of the tunnel? Would be brilliant if it happened but would think it unlikely. Heres to hoping anyway.
Secondly Flybe can cover the routes quite well I think with there fleet with a mixed base of Dash 8 and emb 195s. Although the 195s are probably earmarked for elsewhere. With regards to easy or jet2 I don't think they would be interested but again they are well suited for the routes as long as they actually operate them correctly.
Centrefix do I sense a little bias towards Newcastle and a little bit of fun poking? Just imagine if Newcastle lost 30-40% of their pax overnight. Just think of the joblosses, not so funny is it.
Hugh Lang did say that he hopes to have 50% of the services restored within 6 months and that it has put the airport behind a year.
Notice Ryanair are making 1 airframe available at short notice for a new base, a slight glimmer of light i hope at the end of the tunnel? Would be brilliant if it happened but would think it unlikely. Heres to hoping anyway.
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can anyone shed any light on routes from MME to Jersey currently run by bmibaby?
Will they be killed off when baby departs, or will the mainline bmi pick them back up again? just curious, no mention of that particualr route in the press release..
Will they be killed off when baby departs, or will the mainline bmi pick them back up again? just curious, no mention of that particualr route in the press release..
