BOURNEMOUTH - 2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Bournemouth
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BOH Best Airport
Sorry - But I find it difficult to support such a comment - Managerially, and marketing wise, the airport is a mess, I'm not even sure MAG have a clear picture as to what's going on, and do they really care, I have my doubts.
We start getting somewhere and then the parking charges (I know its old news, but a very valid point, the excuse a poor winter and the 'airports' need to recoup some of their loses) followed closely by a badly timed and very serious hike in fee's even for home based aircraft - exactly what are/were they thinking!!!
I REALLY hate being so negative, especially when it relates to BOH. I have worked there on and off in a number of roles from the old Dan-Air/Channex days, through to today with Thomson (+ their odd long-haul stuff) and Ryanair, adding a bit of Air Berlin, Thomas Cook and Easyjet.
I am, and have been very passionate about BOH, and that is how it remains, however I can't help but get the feeling its too little, and too damn late - the improvements are great but for what, expected capacities were grossly inaccurate, and by present standards I'm having difficulty seeing any light at the end of this darkening tunnel.
The marketing arm is now in place, but it is in my view just too late, maybe they can work miracles for this winter and then on into next summer, and I hope they can, but with respect this department should have been in place (selling the airport) at the planning stage, or at the latest when the improvements began - the airport really needs to wake up and smell the coffee, unfortunately I think they are suffering from a permanent cold, and can't smell anything.
Sorry, but unless someone, from some department somewhere says 'enough is enough', and acts to get things moving, all that will remain of BOH will be its alter-ego 'doing nothing more than night freight' , and exist as a summer charter airport, and wasting all that investment. absolute madness - the airport could have been (maybe it still could be) the jewel in Dorset's Crown, and a little gold-mine.
I really hope it can.
We start getting somewhere and then the parking charges (I know its old news, but a very valid point, the excuse a poor winter and the 'airports' need to recoup some of their loses) followed closely by a badly timed and very serious hike in fee's even for home based aircraft - exactly what are/were they thinking!!!
I REALLY hate being so negative, especially when it relates to BOH. I have worked there on and off in a number of roles from the old Dan-Air/Channex days, through to today with Thomson (+ their odd long-haul stuff) and Ryanair, adding a bit of Air Berlin, Thomas Cook and Easyjet.
I am, and have been very passionate about BOH, and that is how it remains, however I can't help but get the feeling its too little, and too damn late - the improvements are great but for what, expected capacities were grossly inaccurate, and by present standards I'm having difficulty seeing any light at the end of this darkening tunnel.
The marketing arm is now in place, but it is in my view just too late, maybe they can work miracles for this winter and then on into next summer, and I hope they can, but with respect this department should have been in place (selling the airport) at the planning stage, or at the latest when the improvements began - the airport really needs to wake up and smell the coffee, unfortunately I think they are suffering from a permanent cold, and can't smell anything.
Sorry, but unless someone, from some department somewhere says 'enough is enough', and acts to get things moving, all that will remain of BOH will be its alter-ego 'doing nothing more than night freight' , and exist as a summer charter airport, and wasting all that investment. absolute madness - the airport could have been (maybe it still could be) the jewel in Dorset's Crown, and a little gold-mine.
I really hope it can.
Osprey, the MAG accounts 2010/11 have been published and are available on the group website. They paint a fairly upbeat picture across the board. The only problem for HUY and BOH is the relatively small market size, and when we are seeing consolidation it makes their job that much harder. A glimmer of hope is that they cite the low-cost airlines as major growth opportunities in the future. I find it hard to believe that BOH and HUY wouldnt benefit in some way in the future..
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Flew in as a passenger a few weeks back, joined a queue into passport control which was too long for the building to contain(i think there were just two flights disembarking) - fortunately it wasn't raining. Which genius designed that space?
Also, once passed passport control we waited for baggage on carousel number two as indicated on the screen - guess what it came through on number 1 which meant a great deal of shuffling around and many disgruntled voices heard. There was a girl on the 'desk' in there who did appear to notice the screen was wrong but obviously didn't have the ability to change it so as people kept coming in through passport control they had no idea what was going on.
Not signs of good management really?
Also, once passed passport control we waited for baggage on carousel number two as indicated on the screen - guess what it came through on number 1 which meant a great deal of shuffling around and many disgruntled voices heard. There was a girl on the 'desk' in there who did appear to notice the screen was wrong but obviously didn't have the ability to change it so as people kept coming in through passport control they had no idea what was going on.
Not signs of good management really?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The glasshouse, a stone's throw from you
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possibleconsequences,
Have you sent a letter of complaint to the management? Why wash your dirty washing on here? Does it REALLY matter whether you luggage comes on belt 1 or 2? They're not exactly miles away!
Have you sent a letter of complaint to the management? Why wash your dirty washing on here? Does it REALLY matter whether you luggage comes on belt 1 or 2? They're not exactly miles away!
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Progress
Does anyone know if the Marketing Team are talking to would be clients,ordo they just sit in an office waiting for the phone to ring from a Tour Operator or Airline to move in to Bmth Airport. I wonder if they draw a salary or are paid on results? if its the latter they must be destitute by now
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Pottwiddler.
My post was just meant to be an indication of possible bad management. Yes it does matter about the baggage, the point was that as everyone came through passport control they queued for the belt that the screen indicated so an oder formed. When the other belt started there was a big groan and the queue obviously disintegrated as people shuffled across. Now it's not a major problem but it left many passengers agitated at the end of their airport experience - that's not good. Nobody amended the screen info.
No i didn't write in so maybe this isn't the best place but was just responding to the posts on here that say management is a mess - little things like baggage are important and management nee to get them right
My post was just meant to be an indication of possible bad management. Yes it does matter about the baggage, the point was that as everyone came through passport control they queued for the belt that the screen indicated so an oder formed. When the other belt started there was a big groan and the queue obviously disintegrated as people shuffled across. Now it's not a major problem but it left many passengers agitated at the end of their airport experience - that's not good. Nobody amended the screen info.
No i didn't write in so maybe this isn't the best place but was just responding to the posts on here that say management is a mess - little things like baggage are important and management nee to get them right
the point was that as everyone came through passport control they queued for the belt
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Groundloop,
A fair point, perhaps queueing was the wrong word. It's a small and crowded hall where the belts are and everyone suddenly changing from one to the other created some annoyance amongst passengers - those who were first beside the first belt were subsequently furthest from the second etc. As i said it's not the end of the world but it did irritate some passengers, which is not good for customer relations - especially when you are battling for a share of a shrunken market.
A fair point, perhaps queueing was the wrong word. It's a small and crowded hall where the belts are and everyone suddenly changing from one to the other created some annoyance amongst passengers - those who were first beside the first belt were subsequently furthest from the second etc. As i said it's not the end of the world but it did irritate some passengers, which is not good for customer relations - especially when you are battling for a share of a shrunken market.
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Time for change !
Questions for anyone who still follows the Bournemouth thread,
Who is operating this winter, assuming Ryanair will exit at the end of Oct ?
How many flights per week ?
If it is practically desserted in the summer months, will it improve next year with the Olympics ?
I read that the Management had been given a certain time to make BOH work, assuming that they haven't, surely it is time for MAG to change the team, if it was football they would have been dispatched long ago.
Is there any hope ?
Who is operating this winter, assuming Ryanair will exit at the end of Oct ?
How many flights per week ?
If it is practically desserted in the summer months, will it improve next year with the Olympics ?
I read that the Management had been given a certain time to make BOH work, assuming that they haven't, surely it is time for MAG to change the team, if it was football they would have been dispatched long ago.
Is there any hope ?
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
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Well Ryanair have pulled out for 3 months again ( Nov-Jan). So this winter will be very quiet again with only Easyjets daily Geneva service and Thomsons winter schedule plus a couple of Caribbean charters.
Next summer pretty much as this but without the Thomas Cook Turkish routes, so even less than now.
I think the Olympics have made zero impact.
There was a rumour that Olympic Holidays may try and reinstate Heraklion and Cyprus as these were successful but did not run this summer due to the demise of Euro Cypriana.
So yes perhaps a change is needed at MAG but many on here have been saying that for a couple of years.
Next summer pretty much as this but without the Thomas Cook Turkish routes, so even less than now.
I think the Olympics have made zero impact.
There was a rumour that Olympic Holidays may try and reinstate Heraklion and Cyprus as these were successful but did not run this summer due to the demise of Euro Cypriana.
So yes perhaps a change is needed at MAG but many on here have been saying that for a couple of years.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Earth
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No Thomas Cook and no Aegean Flights so next year's planned Turkey program down from 7 weekly flights to 3 (no TOM to BJV either). This winter will be without the weekly Innsbruck flights (first winter since 1985 without Inghams ski flights), and there are far fewer Caribbean cruise charters.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Regrettably far from 50°N
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Blue Islands announce a direct Jersey - Bournemouth route, starting 1st November. Prices from £59 each way inc. taxes and charges.
Seems perhaps a little suicidal considering that they already operate from both Guernsey and Jersey to Southampton, in competition with Flybe.
Flights to Bournemouth from Jersey or Guernsey
Seems perhaps a little suicidal considering that they already operate from both Guernsey and Jersey to Southampton, in competition with Flybe.
Flights to Bournemouth from Jersey or Guernsey
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Baggage charges
A little misleading??
On press release;
In Bournemouth you can swap the beach for shops in minutes and flying with Blue Islands means that you can engage in some serious retail therapy and not have to worry about any excess baggage charges on your way home.
On FAQ's
Each passenger occupying a seat is permitted a free 20kg allowance including hand baggage.
We reserve the right to apply a charge to items in excess of this allowance, and carriage is subject to space on the aircraft.
So are they treating this flight differently?
On press release;
In Bournemouth you can swap the beach for shops in minutes and flying with Blue Islands means that you can engage in some serious retail therapy and not have to worry about any excess baggage charges on your way home.
On FAQ's
Each passenger occupying a seat is permitted a free 20kg allowance including hand baggage.
We reserve the right to apply a charge to items in excess of this allowance, and carriage is subject to space on the aircraft.
So are they treating this flight differently?
Join Date: Jul 2009
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I believe they reserve that right but they don't usually exercise it... ie.: luggage is put on your flight for free or on the next available one which has space - they don't usually charge but like to set a 'limit' for everyone to meet so the aircraft can get off the ground/people don't have their luggage left behind.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Southampton, U.K
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Well lets hope they do better than 'baby did! The aircraft size and higher frequency (I presume )daily?)) should be better suited to the route. Also its good to finally see some good news for BOH after some very tough times. To put this into perspective assuming the new flight is daily it would mean a 100% increase on the number of daily passenger flights (if not passengers!) on some days in November before GVA starts!!
Join Date: May 2009
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I suppose November is a relatively quiet time for the channel islands so I'd imagine an extra 1-2 flights per week will be added for the summer season or at least for the June-September months.
Join Date: Nov 2010
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Optimism Is Key
How about rather than cursing all the time, lets back Bournemouth to succeed from time to time. Ok, specualation on management is always rife and you can always compare PAX numbers to neighbouring Southampton, But wheres that really gonna get Bournemouth..........
I say great news about Blue Islands return and lets all get behind the new route and sell, sell, sell!! As for the return of Olympic Holidays trying to get Heraklion and Larnaca back to Bournemouth, I hope this could be arranged as PAX loads were always high and the demand is huge.
New facilitys are not as bad as everyone makes out either, OK arrivals building could of done with a few more square meters and a few more facilities, a coffee shop for example wouldn't have gone a miss. However would locals really be bothered or prefer the 2 hour hike back from a London airport after the hour and a half it takes to get through arrivals anyway. I'd suggest the answer would be NO.
Catchment area?? 50% water.... Southend have seemed to pick up routes (Easy) ly enough (sorry couldnt resist) Despite what people say, There is alot of money down here, people can afford a holiday.
So to conclude, If your a Bournemouth Airport supporter that wants the airport to succeed, try not knocking it down all the time. Let's all hope that the new routes to and from the channel islands are just the start of what will become a thriving and successful airport....
I say great news about Blue Islands return and lets all get behind the new route and sell, sell, sell!! As for the return of Olympic Holidays trying to get Heraklion and Larnaca back to Bournemouth, I hope this could be arranged as PAX loads were always high and the demand is huge.
New facilitys are not as bad as everyone makes out either, OK arrivals building could of done with a few more square meters and a few more facilities, a coffee shop for example wouldn't have gone a miss. However would locals really be bothered or prefer the 2 hour hike back from a London airport after the hour and a half it takes to get through arrivals anyway. I'd suggest the answer would be NO.
Catchment area?? 50% water.... Southend have seemed to pick up routes (Easy) ly enough (sorry couldnt resist) Despite what people say, There is alot of money down here, people can afford a holiday.
So to conclude, If your a Bournemouth Airport supporter that wants the airport to succeed, try not knocking it down all the time. Let's all hope that the new routes to and from the channel islands are just the start of what will become a thriving and successful airport....
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Regrettably far from 50°N
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Porkypine, the reason Southend got the routes was because Stobart Air has in effect offered to pay the price if easyJet makes a loss off the operation (as well as knock-down fees and other financial incentives). Southend has also got a direct link to London Liverpool Street from its own station - so clearly the effects of having a large water body nearby are not as profound as at Bournemouth.
By the way, Blue Islands is not launching two but one route from Bournemouth, with all flights to Guernsey via Jersey.
That's the boring stuff out of the way - here's to a better winter than 10/11 and a great 2012 for Bournemouth
By the way, Blue Islands is not launching two but one route from Bournemouth, with all flights to Guernsey via Jersey.
That's the boring stuff out of the way - here's to a better winter than 10/11 and a great 2012 for Bournemouth