BIRMINGHAM - 4
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ssflyer - I too looked at the GF connection from LHR last summer but when I added the cost of the coach to LHR and the fact that I had to be at LHR by 7am to check in, for me it made no sense at all. I know that 0345 arrival into MCT is not nice but with those shiny new ID card entry gates and hand luggage only I can be in my bed barely an hour later......incidentally have you tried LX, great service and a daytime connection out of BHX (0840 arrives MCT 2200ish, admittedly with a non-disembarkation stop in AUH too though)?
I guess choice of route and airline depends on many factors (i'm lucky, my company pays for me) but I still think that BHX is often over looked and there is very significant and unnecessary pax leakage to LHR - I wonder how many of the general public (and indeed Travel Agents) are aware of new flights to PHL and IST this summer direct from BHX and more to the point the connections that can be made worldwide via these airports?
As for WY, BHX and a direct flight to MCT, we can but dream
- a friend just flew on their 330 but only 45 pax on board coming from LHR last Tuesday - how long can they keep that up?!
I guess choice of route and airline depends on many factors (i'm lucky, my company pays for me) but I still think that BHX is often over looked and there is very significant and unnecessary pax leakage to LHR - I wonder how many of the general public (and indeed Travel Agents) are aware of new flights to PHL and IST this summer direct from BHX and more to the point the connections that can be made worldwide via these airports?
As for WY, BHX and a direct flight to MCT, we can but dream
- a friend just flew on their 330 but only 45 pax on board coming from LHR last Tuesday - how long can they keep that up?!
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"I wonder how many of the general public (and indeed Travel Agents) are aware of new flights to PHL and IST this summer direct from BHX and more to the point the connections that can be made"
Too true, mind you I have booked for a long weekend in IST in September due to the introduction of the new flights.
Had thought of using them to MCT or BKK but the connection times are awful and my alternative EK flight arrives too late in BKK for my onward connection so it back to Thai ex LHR!
Too true, mind you I have booked for a long weekend in IST in September due to the introduction of the new flights.
Had thought of using them to MCT or BKK but the connection times are awful and my alternative EK flight arrives too late in BKK for my onward connection so it back to Thai ex LHR!
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New route eff May 27th.
Hellenic Imperial ATH-BHX, 2 x weekly with old 742.
Hellenic Imperial Airways
Hellenic Imperial ATH-BHX, 2 x weekly with old 742.
Hellenic Imperial Airways
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to be fair....he posted the "new" story about hellenic at 4 in the morning - probably had a few to many schnapps!!
PS: heard a rumour that Hellenic imperial might come to BHX - anyone else heard of it?!!!
PS: heard a rumour that Hellenic imperial might come to BHX - anyone else heard of it?!!!
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Those of you with more than a passing interest in life and times at BHX pay well want to have a look at Free forum : Beyond Bird Island
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4 out the first 5 flights out of Athens are sold out and 3 of the first 5 outbound flights back to Athens have sold out according to Hellenic's website, maybe this won't be such a fluke after all? 
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Surely the number of flights sold out or 'cancelled' would be the same for both directions? the fact theres 4 inbound and 3 outbound suggests otherwise...
Positive thoughts!!
Positive thoughts!!
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ATH
Positive thoughts, I tried honnest.
No way in million years do I think they would be sold out, non op is likely.
As for the different number of flights perhaps it either lays over or positions out for a charter.
Centre cities
No way in million years do I think they would be sold out, non op is likely.
As for the different number of flights perhaps it either lays over or positions out for a charter.
Centre cities
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Ryanait at BHX (Birmingham Post Article)
Ryanair aims to create 700 jobs in Birmingham
May 25 2009 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post
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Budget airline Ryanair plans to create 700 jobs in Birmingham in the next financial year by almost doubling passenger numbers at the city’s airport.
Sales and marketing manager Laszlo Tamas said the new roles would be created if the Irish carrier hits its target of transporting 1.65 million passengers from Birmingham International Airport next year – an 81 per cent increase on this year.
He was speaking on a visit to Birmingham to unveil its controversial system that will see passengers charged £5 to check in online and a £40 charge for replacement boarding cards.
Ryanair, which employs 900 staff in Birmingham, operates 32 routes from the city after setting up a new base last year.
Mr Tamas said: “This year we have delivered 900,000 passengers and we would like to almost double that next year. We are projecting 1.6 million.
“We are quite happy at Birmingham. We are happy with the airport charges and the performance rising, meanwhile the other airports are stagnating and decreasing.
“We aim for one person per 1,000 passengers so our aim is to get to 1.6 million passengers which would mean that we would create an additional 700 jobs in the 2009 to 2010 financial year.”
Mr Tamas said Ryanair sustains 1,500 jobs in the West Midlands and brings £150 million in tourism revenue to the Birmingham region.
It invested £356 million into the Birmingham hub in 2008 to fly to 22 airports across Europe, including Spain, France, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Denmark, but has since added ten more destinations to its list.
Mr Tamas said the company was on the look-out for even more possible destinations to fly to.
He said: “We would obviously like to increase the frequency and start to fly to new destinations from Birmingham.
“We are associating with 250 airports around Europe and we are always looking.
“We have enough destinations we are offering from Birmingham but if there is the demand we will increase.”
Ryanair has come in for criticism for charging for its new online check-in service, which was previously offered free of charge.
The charge was brought in to help the firm cope with the cost of operating its website and is part of plans to abolish airport check-in desks by October 1.
Under the new service, passengers will have to check in online and print their boarding pass at home. Those without home printers, the airline has warned, should ask a friend or relative to print their boarding pass, or visit an internet cafe or the library, in order to avoid the £40 fee.
Mr Tamas admitted that he had some trepidation about the new service but sees online check-ins as the future for the aviation industry.
He said: “We are a bit worried but we have said basically people can book their flight online and after a while they will get used to it and we will be able to remind them by email.
“It will take a while for sure but after a while people are so online-driven nowadays they will come to get used to it.”
May 25 2009 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post
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Budget airline Ryanair plans to create 700 jobs in Birmingham in the next financial year by almost doubling passenger numbers at the city’s airport.
Sales and marketing manager Laszlo Tamas said the new roles would be created if the Irish carrier hits its target of transporting 1.65 million passengers from Birmingham International Airport next year – an 81 per cent increase on this year.
He was speaking on a visit to Birmingham to unveil its controversial system that will see passengers charged £5 to check in online and a £40 charge for replacement boarding cards.
Ryanair, which employs 900 staff in Birmingham, operates 32 routes from the city after setting up a new base last year.
Mr Tamas said: “This year we have delivered 900,000 passengers and we would like to almost double that next year. We are projecting 1.6 million.
“We are quite happy at Birmingham. We are happy with the airport charges and the performance rising, meanwhile the other airports are stagnating and decreasing.
“We aim for one person per 1,000 passengers so our aim is to get to 1.6 million passengers which would mean that we would create an additional 700 jobs in the 2009 to 2010 financial year.”
Mr Tamas said Ryanair sustains 1,500 jobs in the West Midlands and brings £150 million in tourism revenue to the Birmingham region.
It invested £356 million into the Birmingham hub in 2008 to fly to 22 airports across Europe, including Spain, France, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and Denmark, but has since added ten more destinations to its list.
Mr Tamas said the company was on the look-out for even more possible destinations to fly to.
He said: “We would obviously like to increase the frequency and start to fly to new destinations from Birmingham.
“We are associating with 250 airports around Europe and we are always looking.
“We have enough destinations we are offering from Birmingham but if there is the demand we will increase.”
Ryanair has come in for criticism for charging for its new online check-in service, which was previously offered free of charge.
The charge was brought in to help the firm cope with the cost of operating its website and is part of plans to abolish airport check-in desks by October 1.
Under the new service, passengers will have to check in online and print their boarding pass at home. Those without home printers, the airline has warned, should ask a friend or relative to print their boarding pass, or visit an internet cafe or the library, in order to avoid the £40 fee.
Mr Tamas admitted that he had some trepidation about the new service but sees online check-ins as the future for the aviation industry.
He said: “We are a bit worried but we have said basically people can book their flight online and after a while they will get used to it and we will be able to remind them by email.
“It will take a while for sure but after a while people are so online-driven nowadays they will come to get used to it.”
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Ryanair, which employs 900 staff in Birmingham
Sure they employ the crew. But even the number of staff that are employed by others (GHA etc) will be nowhere near that number.
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“This year we have delivered 900,000 passengers and we would like to almost double that next year. We are projecting 1.6 million."
“We have enough destinations we are offering from Birmingham but if there is the demand we will increase.”
As for 900 staff?? Where were they when I had to queue for nearly an hour to check in for an FR flight last summer!!
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Ryanair
GayFriendly
In respect of "900000 this year" and "aim for 1.65 next year" it
appears that that it is the financial year which seems a reasonable
target in view of the number of flights.
anna list would probably provide a better analysis but I believe 1.65
is about 65-70% load factor based on the number of flights.
Average movements per day in summer - 36 ish and winter - 32?
This is assuming that the 4th aircraft is given flights to do on
Tuesdays, Thursday & Sunday. I make that an average of 133 per
flight or 70 odd per cent load factor.
If these figures are anywhere near accurate it is difficult to see
an extra based aircraft otherwise the load factor would drop but
maybe 60-70% load factor might be acceptable to FR in the 2nd
year of based ops.
I am sure anna list can provide something a bit more understandable
than my "back of a fag packet" ramblings.
Pete
In respect of "900000 this year" and "aim for 1.65 next year" it
appears that that it is the financial year which seems a reasonable
target in view of the number of flights.
anna list would probably provide a better analysis but I believe 1.65
is about 65-70% load factor based on the number of flights.
Average movements per day in summer - 36 ish and winter - 32?
This is assuming that the 4th aircraft is given flights to do on
Tuesdays, Thursday & Sunday. I make that an average of 133 per
flight or 70 odd per cent load factor.
If these figures are anywhere near accurate it is difficult to see
an extra based aircraft otherwise the load factor would drop but
maybe 60-70% load factor might be acceptable to FR in the 2nd
year of based ops.
I am sure anna list can provide something a bit more understandable
than my "back of a fag packet" ramblings.
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 26th May 2009 at 10:44. Reason: additional information received re financial year
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Don't know if this is the right forum for this question but has anybody got any feedback on USairways BHX-PHL service yet. They are doing pretty amazing fares to LA via PHL. Any info on transiting at PHL as the timings are pretty tight. many thanks