BIRMINGHAM - 3
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BMIBaby New Routes
Rome is FCO better for business travellers and daily at 0640
Lisbon is Mon,Wed,Fri and Sat at a mid day departure
Marseille is Mon,Wed,Fri,Sun again mid day departure
Barcelona is daily evening departure with some real bargain fares!!
Also GLA is now 3 per day from May and EDI is now 4 per day from May a big increase for BMI.
Daza
Lisbon is Mon,Wed,Fri and Sat at a mid day departure
Marseille is Mon,Wed,Fri,Sun again mid day departure
Barcelona is daily evening departure with some real bargain fares!!
Also GLA is now 3 per day from May and EDI is now 4 per day from May a big increase for BMI.
Daza
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The Baby grows at last
Thank goodness for that, some good news at last
I hope these routes go well and heres to some more (or am I being greedy?). Realistically although there are still gaps, I think CDG and increases on EDI/GLA are likely. Mind you if that fourth a/c arrives who knows...........
I hope these routes go well and heres to some more (or am I being greedy?). Realistically although there are still gaps, I think CDG and increases on EDI/GLA are likely. Mind you if that fourth a/c arrives who knows...........
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Baby at BHX
CheekyVisual
BHX has 5 based now, will get the two Durham aircraft at the end of
March, which are apparently covering heavy maintenance on the
existing fleet during the winter and then aircraft number 8 arrives
at the end of May.
This leaves one remaining unit to be allocated (out of the two "newly
sourced" aircraft), which some on the Cardiff thread thought they would get and some on the NEMA thread thought they would get
Now with the BACON/Flybe news I would have thought MAN or BHX
would have been the main contenders but you never know.
I might be wrong but I bet BHX were not getting 4 x EDI and 3 x GLA a day before the BACON announcement which might have lost BHX two new destinations.
They know really that BHX needs baby aircraft number 9
Pete
BHX has 5 based now, will get the two Durham aircraft at the end of
March, which are apparently covering heavy maintenance on the
existing fleet during the winter and then aircraft number 8 arrives
at the end of May.
This leaves one remaining unit to be allocated (out of the two "newly
sourced" aircraft), which some on the Cardiff thread thought they would get and some on the NEMA thread thought they would get
Now with the BACON/Flybe news I would have thought MAN or BHX
would have been the main contenders but you never know.
I might be wrong but I bet BHX were not getting 4 x EDI and 3 x GLA a day before the BACON announcement which might have lost BHX two new destinations.
They know really that BHX needs baby aircraft number 9
Pete
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Olton Pete - the "original" plan was apparently to send the fourth aircraft to Cardiff; but being baby, things can (and do) change at the last minute! As you mention, if not Cardiff, then my money's on EMA!
These new routes are a bit of a change (although I can see GLA being swamped by WW and BE), but I am not convinced by MRS. If you are already flying to NCE (the main hub on the Riviera) what's the point of also going 130km up the road? Also, we (at Maersk Air
) tried MRS for a few months back in 2000, and stopped it when the bums on seats rarely exceeded 40-45 
That wouldn't be enough to turn out a profit, even with a low-cost base. Incidentally, ABZ is not doing too well, except on week-ends, which begs the question: why not operate it with a bmi Regional ABZ-based ERJ-145 instead?
The other routes will probably do well, but like many, I regret the lack of Central/Northern European routes (like Budapest, Bratislava, Krakow or Riga).
Cheers
These new routes are a bit of a change (although I can see GLA being swamped by WW and BE), but I am not convinced by MRS. If you are already flying to NCE (the main hub on the Riviera) what's the point of also going 130km up the road? Also, we (at Maersk Air
) tried MRS for a few months back in 2000, and stopped it when the bums on seats rarely exceeded 40-45 That wouldn't be enough to turn out a profit, even with a low-cost base. Incidentally, ABZ is not doing too well, except on week-ends, which begs the question: why not operate it with a bmi Regional ABZ-based ERJ-145 instead?The other routes will probably do well, but like many, I regret the lack of Central/Northern European routes (like Budapest, Bratislava, Krakow or Riga).
Cheers
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Flybe update
Flybe have also announced today up to 10 times Edinburgh & Glasgow in a "shuttle style" service. A reduction on combinded existing Flybe & Bacon, but I guess to be expected. I wonder if this has been rushed out in response to the Baby news ?
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FougaMagister - I agree east Europe is an area that BHX does need to develop, i'm sure that WAW, BUD would do well, maybe Riga at a lower frequency for the weekend away market. I also feel there is still much potential from Italy, Rome is a very welcome new route but I bet Venice, Pisa and even Turin could work at right timings and prices. And how about reintroducing Vienna, I heard this route did quite well? There is a phase three of expansion planned by Baby according to BIA press release (although this could be just additional frequency on existing routes as no mention of new routes). Also BE mentioned expansion into East Europe on their regional BHX press release about BACON - but i'm sure they have more pressing issues to deal with at the mo. And anyway I don't believe all I read..........
As for ABZ on a 145 have you seen the prices that BMI Regional charge? From Norwich where I live at the mo its a whopping £100 single to get to ABZ!!!!! Which begs the question if Baby can't fill it at low fares then why did they bother starting, i'm all in favour of competition but only where justified, three flights a day is enough I think on this route. Likewise with EDI/GLA I just can't understand the obsession with such high frequencies, true road and rail links aren't great and can take a while but I just don't see that the demand is there, surely they can't make money, I travelled a lot in 2005 on both routes and they were rarely full except maybe Fri evening and at weekends.
As for ABZ on a 145 have you seen the prices that BMI Regional charge? From Norwich where I live at the mo its a whopping £100 single to get to ABZ!!!!! Which begs the question if Baby can't fill it at low fares then why did they bother starting, i'm all in favour of competition but only where justified, three flights a day is enough I think on this route. Likewise with EDI/GLA I just can't understand the obsession with such high frequencies, true road and rail links aren't great and can take a while but I just don't see that the demand is there, surely they can't make money, I travelled a lot in 2005 on both routes and they were rarely full except maybe Fri evening and at weekends.
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Bhx-mrs
My brother is a ground services manager for BAR(for now!!!!) at BHX and rememders MRS well. We all travelled on it several times that summer. It was daily with a 735 too frequent, too expensive BMIBabys fares start at £15 one way! All those Maersk routes that Summer VCE, TLS, ATH, MRS,TRN all had potential but were under marketed with a BA that is dis-intersed in anywhere north of Watford.
That part of Provence is lovely as is the City of Marseille great historic port area, some excellent shopping and great Middle Easteren and North African food. ( I should work for their tourism board!!?)
Daza
That part of Provence is lovely as is the City of Marseille great historic port area, some excellent shopping and great Middle Easteren and North African food. ( I should work for their tourism board!!?)
Daza
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I agree that Marseille is interesting as a destination, but I'm not sure there will be enough PAX. As for the EDI/GLA/ABZ, could the increased frequencies have anything to do with the baby CEO being Scottish? 
The plan within baby is to eventually have 10 based a/c at BHX. No telling when though.
Cheers
The plan within baby is to eventually have 10 based a/c at BHX. No telling when though.
Cheers
Fit like min?
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AND he's from Aberdeen.
Seriously though surprised about the poor start for bmi B on BHZ-ABZ if true. I thought the airline said they had been "overwhelmed" by advance bookings before the route started. Airline spin? Maybe they meant UNDERwhelmed!
Seems, for now, pax prefer BACon, but given that Flybe are about seemingly to swallow BACon, how much longer. And what will Flybe do with the route, as they were themselves going to introduce their own BHX-ABZ service in Spring07. Will those plans change - and at what frequency?
Perhaps 3 a day M-F is indeed the optimum freq on the route.
Seriously though surprised about the poor start for bmi B on BHZ-ABZ if true. I thought the airline said they had been "overwhelmed" by advance bookings before the route started. Airline spin? Maybe they meant UNDERwhelmed!
Seems, for now, pax prefer BACon, but given that Flybe are about seemingly to swallow BACon, how much longer. And what will Flybe do with the route, as they were themselves going to introduce their own BHX-ABZ service in Spring07. Will those plans change - and at what frequency?
Perhaps 3 a day M-F is indeed the optimum freq on the route.
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Baby ABZ
The provisional CAA stats for October show an increase of a 1000 pax
on October 2005, which included 3 days of the new Baby service.
Most of the previous months had been up slightly so some could be
attributed to the "new" Bacon concept but overall not too bad of a
start for five flights (1 x 29th, 2 x 30th & 2 x 31st).
Okay, I am sure miles from profitability on the fares baby charged.
Another factor which can make a difference of some routes is the school holidays but I doubt these made little difference to these figures.
Pete
on October 2005, which included 3 days of the new Baby service.
Most of the previous months had been up slightly so some could be
attributed to the "new" Bacon concept but overall not too bad of a
start for five flights (1 x 29th, 2 x 30th & 2 x 31st).
Okay, I am sure miles from profitability on the fares baby charged.
Another factor which can make a difference of some routes is the school holidays but I doubt these made little difference to these figures.
Pete
Fit like min?
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Centre Cities:
If you're planning to come in Spring, I'd still take yer winter woollies!!!
It's been known to snow here in Mar/Apr - heaviest snowfall on a Mar for 50yrs here last year (over a foot - OK it's not Canada/US proportions but it was still a lot!!)
As with RYR & LPL-ABZ, I wonder whether it would have been better for Baby to launch the route in Spring, for the summer weather.
Touched 30 degrees here in July, so we can get perfectly nice summery weather here as well.
If you're planning to come in Spring, I'd still take yer winter woollies!!!
It's been known to snow here in Mar/Apr - heaviest snowfall on a Mar for 50yrs here last year (over a foot - OK it's not Canada/US proportions but it was still a lot!!)
As with RYR & LPL-ABZ, I wonder whether it would have been better for Baby to launch the route in Spring, for the summer weather.
Touched 30 degrees here in July, so we can get perfectly nice summery weather here as well.
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I flew Edinburgh-Birmingham and return with Flybe on Wednesday. O910 out,24 pax in a Q400 and about 75% full in the Embraer going back. Nice flights but I paid £36 for the return, good for me but they cannot be making very much at these prices and loads.
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Flew Flybe BHX - EDI last Saturday on the 0845 Q400 and it was full. Coming back on the Tuesday 12.30 EDI - BHX load was about 60%.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Having spoken to various travel agents recently, there are no Hajj flights to be operated from Birmingham this year.
There is apparently a large reduction in capacity from the UK this year for the Hajj pilgrimage with Manchester only having a handful this year
Fried Chicken
There is apparently a large reduction in capacity from the UK this year for the Hajj pilgrimage with Manchester only having a handful this year
Fried Chicken
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Bhx -edi/gla
Sorry to keep harping on to the CAA stats but I monitor the BHX ones
monthly for another forum (sad I know) and EDI averages 60-65% load
factor virtually every month and Glasgow 55-60%.
No great shakes but I assume yield must be okay (with WW & BE)
otherwise I am sure the number of flights would have reduced.
BACON have helped slowly reducing from the RJ100 on most flights
to just two a day on each route most days.
The proposal of 10 a day by flybe on EDI and GLA is not that bad.
Assuming the EDI is all DH4 and WW 733 (they do use 735's) it
will mean a reduction in seats available most days compared to now.
Not quite the same for Glasgow which with Baby starting it will
see a healthy increase.
Booked EDI three months ago at £36 return for a day trip in
December. It was only this much because I chose to fly out
on BE and back on WW (BE are £13 more on base fare).
Pete
monthly for another forum (sad I know) and EDI averages 60-65% load
factor virtually every month and Glasgow 55-60%.
No great shakes but I assume yield must be okay (with WW & BE)
otherwise I am sure the number of flights would have reduced.
BACON have helped slowly reducing from the RJ100 on most flights
to just two a day on each route most days.
The proposal of 10 a day by flybe on EDI and GLA is not that bad.
Assuming the EDI is all DH4 and WW 733 (they do use 735's) it
will mean a reduction in seats available most days compared to now.
Not quite the same for Glasgow which with Baby starting it will
see a healthy increase.
Booked EDI three months ago at £36 return for a day trip in
December. It was only this much because I chose to fly out
on BE and back on WW (BE are £13 more on base fare).
Pete
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).Cheers
Last edited by FougaMagister; 25th Nov 2006 at 21:01.
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Pete.
Interested in the data source for the loading stats. Is it possble to drill through the figures to get to individual carriers performance ?
(or their routes) eg BHX to ALC by MON, BE, WW
Interested in the data source for the loading stats. Is it possble to drill through the figures to get to individual carriers performance ?
(or their routes) eg BHX to ALC by MON, BE, WW