BIRMINGHAM - 4
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OltonPete,
(rant warning here !)
this is a nice analysis, but as usual people looking from the outside Germany believe Berlin is so interesting and powerful, which it isn't, esp its economy is very poor. EZY is not expanding there anymore, low yields and strike troubles. It's the capital on paper, but that's about it. So as I said, no carrier should waste money on trying BHX-BER (again, after DUO and BA Connect). EZY from LTN, BRS and LPL and FR from EMA will do just fine, plus various options from LON, and connections on LH, SAS etc. E.g. a year-round GVA would be a much more obvious option (ok, tried by EZY and also failed, now seasonal only again).
I've been on loads (>30) of FlyBE Frankfurt flights, and they are really empty (Mostly ~25 people, 40% max ?) even on Friday evenings. If they make money on this it's only due to OneWorld codeshare people coming in from FRA, e.g. Korean Air.
I'm actually doubting myself for still using FlyBE, Friday was again a bad mess with 3.5h delay (mechanical failure), so needed to pay 60 Euros for the hotel bed, I know FRA very well, some people might have been stranded. This happened quite a few times before (inbound was 3h late, though this was FRA's snow problem). FlyMayBE all over again. People booked into the 14:00 had it even worse, they had to spend 8 hours in Terminal 2. Somebody said she was close to paying LH the 400 GBP just to get out of BHX. OK, they had the airport closure, but that was 24h earlier. Remember SAS got rid of all their Q400's, I can now really see why. So for me it's back to the long train ride to STN for FR to HHN, at least they do fly, nearly always on time and they have proper 737's with jet engines. Sure the people at FlyBE do their best, but Q400's as just rubbish.
Sorry for the rant ! You win if somebody opens BER-BHX and managed to keep it open for more than 6 months...
(rant warning here !)
this is a nice analysis, but as usual people looking from the outside Germany believe Berlin is so interesting and powerful, which it isn't, esp its economy is very poor. EZY is not expanding there anymore, low yields and strike troubles. It's the capital on paper, but that's about it. So as I said, no carrier should waste money on trying BHX-BER (again, after DUO and BA Connect). EZY from LTN, BRS and LPL and FR from EMA will do just fine, plus various options from LON, and connections on LH, SAS etc. E.g. a year-round GVA would be a much more obvious option (ok, tried by EZY and also failed, now seasonal only again).
I've been on loads (>30) of FlyBE Frankfurt flights, and they are really empty (Mostly ~25 people, 40% max ?) even on Friday evenings. If they make money on this it's only due to OneWorld codeshare people coming in from FRA, e.g. Korean Air.
I'm actually doubting myself for still using FlyBE, Friday was again a bad mess with 3.5h delay (mechanical failure), so needed to pay 60 Euros for the hotel bed, I know FRA very well, some people might have been stranded. This happened quite a few times before (inbound was 3h late, though this was FRA's snow problem). FlyMayBE all over again. People booked into the 14:00 had it even worse, they had to spend 8 hours in Terminal 2. Somebody said she was close to paying LH the 400 GBP just to get out of BHX. OK, they had the airport closure, but that was 24h earlier. Remember SAS got rid of all their Q400's, I can now really see why. So for me it's back to the long train ride to STN for FR to HHN, at least they do fly, nearly always on time and they have proper 737's with jet engines. Sure the people at FlyBE do their best, but Q400's as just rubbish.
Sorry for the rant ! You win if somebody opens BER-BHX and managed to keep it open for more than 6 months...
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Berlin
jpthomas72
I must admit my knowledge of Berlin's economy is somewhat limited and take your points but it does have a certain appeal for city break purposes and I know that does limit the chances of success if that is all it has going for it but I believe that could be enough for FR or easy to make a go it.
However there is no chance of either at present or anybody else I would have thought.
Interesting comments re Frankfurt and flybe. The pax loads you have quoted tie-up with what I have been told and even with the super economics of the Q400 it does make you wonder how it survives at
three a day (in the week).
I have only flown on the Q400 twice times and suffered delays on both (one tech & one aircraft swap in Paris) and I can concur with what you are saying to some extent re reliability. However I enjoyed both my flights although they were 60 minutes or less.
I must admit seeing Cologne in the anna aero did make me smile.
Pete
I must admit my knowledge of Berlin's economy is somewhat limited and take your points but it does have a certain appeal for city break purposes and I know that does limit the chances of success if that is all it has going for it but I believe that could be enough for FR or easy to make a go it.
However there is no chance of either at present or anybody else I would have thought.
Interesting comments re Frankfurt and flybe. The pax loads you have quoted tie-up with what I have been told and even with the super economics of the Q400 it does make you wonder how it survives at
three a day (in the week).
I have only flown on the Q400 twice times and suffered delays on both (one tech & one aircraft swap in Paris) and I can concur with what you are saying to some extent re reliability. However I enjoyed both my flights although they were 60 minutes or less.
I must admit seeing Cologne in the anna aero did make me smile.
Pete
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'careful what you wish for' . Bagsco , you have said that on more than one occasion on the BHX thread relating to the costs incurred on building the 2nd RW at MAN now becoming a millstone round it's neck .MAN already had a perfectly adequate RW , one that BHX 'would wish for '. The plans at BHX to have a second runway together with an extension to the original one we have , i would like to believe , was a piece of reverse phsycology for the inevitable NIMBY protests if BHX had just put forward plans for the extension alone. They drop the idea of a 2nd RW (that would never have been really needed ) and low and behold , a success for the loud minority ! but in reality it was the plan for the RW extension and new ATC Tower that BHX really wanted. It's just a misfortune that they have a major trunk road at the bottom of their garden , or we wouldn't still be wishing for it , we would have had it years ago.
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The new tower is being built now because building is cheap because of the recession. Then it will be left for the interior fit at a later date. That's the plan at present anyway.
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Great theory getonitt, but I can tell you that the late (and sorely missed) Richard Heard was very keen on the second runway - even if many of his senior colleagues were not! Remember, that plan was developed when the industry was back on the up after 9/11, boom and bust was a thing of the past(!) and it was assumed that airports would continue the growth curve into the future.
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btw, anyone know what has happened to that bird island site? It was rather entertaining for a while...have those who spoke out left the party and those left had their testicles removed?
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Mahan
Been told today that the Wednesday Mahan airlines flight will cease operating from 01st April, dont know whether its due to falling passenger numbers or due to aircraft resourse issues?
JK
JK
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Mahan
Only dropping as iranian uk bilaterals only allow 7 weekly flights. Iran air reduce in winter time and hence mahan increased. Iran now want to increase there flights and mahan have to reduce! Pax figures are always full in n out hence the reason for the use of bigger a/c in the coming months.
Baz
Baz
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Summer 2010
The Ryanair schedule for summer seems finalised for the 28/03/10 onwards.
The gaps have been filled from May by the Girona based flight changing to a BHX based aircraft making a very ordinary schedule.
Turkish have moved their Tuesday flight to Saturday which eventually will see a slight capacity drop. The first two flights are showing as a 320 but then it reverts to a 737-700. Still rumours of it going daily for high summer.
High season flights also seem to be added with another Dalaman Thomas Cook on a "W" pattern for a Wednesday evening.
The best bit of schedule news won't exactly make passenger figures soar is the re-introduction of double daily Gothenberg by City Airline from mid April fitting
into their mini-hub with onward connections to Riga as well as Scandinavia.
Pete
The gaps have been filled from May by the Girona based flight changing to a BHX based aircraft making a very ordinary schedule.
Turkish have moved their Tuesday flight to Saturday which eventually will see a slight capacity drop. The first two flights are showing as a 320 but then it reverts to a 737-700. Still rumours of it going daily for high summer.
High season flights also seem to be added with another Dalaman Thomas Cook on a "W" pattern for a Wednesday evening.
The best bit of schedule news won't exactly make passenger figures soar is the re-introduction of double daily Gothenberg by City Airline from mid April fitting
into their mini-hub with onward connections to Riga as well as Scandinavia.
Pete
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Useful update OP but nothing to get really excited about. I suppose there are also the new flights to KEF (Iceland Express) and AYT (Pegasus) as well. Also good to see TK hanging on in there. However, compared to the expansion going on at other airports by FR, U2 and LS its going to be a very flat summer at BHX this year 
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Spanair to operate to bhx
Expect to see spanair operating to bhx in the summer from both BCN and MAD using a mix of a/c type from 717 to a321. Not sure wether these are scheduled flights or charters of behalf of of a tour operator. Flight numers are JK232 from BCN and JK231 to MAD..
Regards
Barry
Regards
Barry
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Summer 2010
GayFriendly
Another one I missed is the Aer Lingus increase on the Dublin to
four daily weekday flights and no response by Ryanair. Normally
they fight fire with fire but nothing this time (probably as well).
As I said on the Ryanair thread, FR route closures now over 33%
which is slightly above what Mr Crawley said about this subject
(7-10% failure rate for FR in general not BHX).
Luthansa winter is bookable and showing Dusseldorf back to four
daily but three flights are with CR2's, which are disappearing!!!!
The EMB190 returns on the first inbound Frankfurt and the Munich
reverts back to RJ85's as it is this winter but changes to CR9's
later in the month.
Still no official confimation of the Emirates HD 77W from 1/9/2010
on EK37 but they turn up anyway quite often during the month.
Pete
Another one I missed is the Aer Lingus increase on the Dublin to
four daily weekday flights and no response by Ryanair. Normally
they fight fire with fire but nothing this time (probably as well).
As I said on the Ryanair thread, FR route closures now over 33%
which is slightly above what Mr Crawley said about this subject
(7-10% failure rate for FR in general not BHX).
Luthansa winter is bookable and showing Dusseldorf back to four
daily but three flights are with CR2's, which are disappearing!!!!
The EMB190 returns on the first inbound Frankfurt and the Munich
reverts back to RJ85's as it is this winter but changes to CR9's
later in the month.
Still no official confimation of the Emirates HD 77W from 1/9/2010
on EK37 but they turn up anyway quite often during the month.
Pete
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Summer 2010
More changes and rumours.
BMI Baby EDI ends on 26/3/2010 - no surprise there then other than the short-notice.
However with the information posted earlier there could be good news re Spanair.
Pete
BMI Baby EDI ends on 26/3/2010 - no surprise there then other than the short-notice.
However with the information posted earlier there could be good news re Spanair.
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 9th Mar 2010 at 23:02. Reason: added text
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Spanair
Nothing on Spanair website as of yet regarding BHX, however looking at the destinations they currently serve BHX is the right 'fit'. Leaving it late for a summer start though?? Anyway, keeping all crossed that these are indeed the scheduled services so badly needed and not just a series of charters. Someone mentioned they might be student flights.........
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Cologne is back ! 6th Try and counting...
See the East Midlands and BmiBaby threads. Cologne is back, not only from EMA, but even from our very own BHX ! As it's really useful for me, I shouldn't moan too much that this is the 6th try to get CGN-BHX up. Starting 31st Oct, 6x weekly. This is probably the first expansion by WW in BHX for the past two years. Clearly an indication of LH's influence. I wish them the best of luck. It's a bit odd to have CGN now from MAN, EMA and BHX, but then the more choice the merrier. Note of course that CGN is 4U's main hub where they sell connection tickets, so this could also be serving the BHX-BER market as 4U and WW are now cousins.
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BMI Baby winter
The website does say more to come thank goodness.
Currently two aircraft based AMS & BFS Morning and evening with just
Knock in between on Mo, We, Fr, Su.
Only one BFS on Sunday but three Thursday & Friday
and no ALC, AGP, FAO, NCE or PMI.
However with the CGN timings as they are I suspect that the
gaps with be filled.
Geneva is the same as now 2 x Sat and 1 x Sun plus the peak
Mon & Fri services (New Year & Half Term).
The strangest is Prague, ends in early April to reappear for the
October half-term and that is it!!!
Pete
Currently two aircraft based AMS & BFS Morning and evening with just
Knock in between on Mo, We, Fr, Su.
Only one BFS on Sunday but three Thursday & Friday
and no ALC, AGP, FAO, NCE or PMI.
However with the CGN timings as they are I suspect that the
gaps with be filled.
Geneva is the same as now 2 x Sat and 1 x Sun plus the peak
Mon & Fri services (New Year & Half Term).
The strangest is Prague, ends in early April to reappear for the
October half-term and that is it!!!
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 11th Mar 2010 at 18:42. Reason: added text
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February pax down 6.3%
CAA figures
Fbruary 2010: 548346 -6.3% rolling year 9014372 -5.4%
ATM's 6173 - 9.8%
EDI has overtaken BHX on an annual basis with their rolling figure
9022434.
EDI will probably catch Luton although up in February their
rolling figure was 9078235.
The star of the show at BHX in February.........just one guess.
Emirates record high in the shortest month a staggering 42011 + 22%
Only 3500 behind MAN!
Pakistan International pax were up 29% to 8945 but not a record
and they added the 4th weekly flight back earlier this year I think.
Pete
Fbruary 2010: 548346 -6.3% rolling year 9014372 -5.4%
ATM's 6173 - 9.8%
EDI has overtaken BHX on an annual basis with their rolling figure
9022434.
EDI will probably catch Luton although up in February their
rolling figure was 9078235.
The star of the show at BHX in February.........just one guess.
Emirates record high in the shortest month a staggering 42011 + 22%
Only 3500 behind MAN!
Pakistan International pax were up 29% to 8945 but not a record
and they added the 4th weekly flight back earlier this year I think.
Pete