BIRMINGHAM - 4

[bazzab68]

What's going on???

Does anyone else feel Bhx is becoming an embaressment... The distinct lack of new routes is some what shocking.. All airports and I mean all airports are attracting new routes and services and yet bhx is not... The new facilities should have helped but quite clearly so far have proved a waste of money! None of the air bridges seem to fit the a/c that use the airport and are somewhat redundant.. Where and what are this new marketing team doing?? We are not expecting miracles but relying on the likes of Armavia is simply not good enough..

Barry

[wanna_be_there]

Its certainly a horrible scenario.

I think BHX was too quick to bow to RYR.

Full of empty promises about routes/pax figures. They seem to have taken away more than they have given, and I bet their presence isnt helping attracting new carriers. (only armavia to count for, and surprise surprise not a RYR destination.)

With a fantastic new pier, the merging of the terminals and a huge catchement area, its such a shame to see it go to waste.

Maybe a new marketing campaign similar to what MAN did (so near yet so far), keeping its home crowd (only 40% of locals use BHX.)

Spanair would have been so good for BHX, but its such ashame the forward bookings wernt that good.

Apart from a new advertising, What could stop the rot at BHX?

[jimmysam]

nigel osborne
There are far more Bengalis living in Birmingham than there are in Manchester.Having worked in Small Heath for many years I know the community really wanted a service from Birmingham,but forced to go to LHR, then for a while Manchester.

I agree, Manchester have less than 4000 ethnic Bengali’s where as Birmingham have 23,700. Oldham have around 11,200 ethnic Bengali’s but are more concentrated around a single area. Even in region comparison the West Midlands have more Bengali’s than the North West.

It’s not just the statistics but everything related to Bangladesh, Birmingham is always the second destination for any events such as Bangladeshi politics, Bengali cultural events, Bangladeshi awards, Bangladeshi community projects and so much more.

The ethnic Bengali population need to get together and do something similar to the Punjabi community, who have a campaign called Fly India Direct from Birmingham. They have the full backing of the Birmingham council leader, Birmingham Airport and West Midlands business community.

[OltonPete]

BHX/easyjet

wanna_be_there

easyjet's presence is not quite nil, they are actually operating now from BHX (Grenoble operated this weekend) and next weekend will see seven flights, which is as good as it gets!!!

The rumour is that BHX have been trying to get easyjet for years although under what terms I have no idea.

The understanding with Ryanair as far as I know was nothing particularly special and hence the initial expansion when fees were low and very little since.

BHX also was unlucky with BMI Baby and their re-focussing/fleet reduction, coupled with the recession (although all airports had to deal with that).

One airline that has been reliable is flybe but they are very conservative with route expansion and several destinations BHX need would need a jet and the 195 was probably deemed too big. Hopefully the 175 will be the salvation but quite a time to wait for them.

Monarch have stayed loyal but their model is quite fixed and any new routes will be measured and all sun related.

I doubt panic is setting in yet but it never looks good when all around you seem to be increasing their destination portfolio.

At the start of the recession BHX's passenger figures held up quite well and when they did drop it was less than some similar sized airports. Taking that into account I suppose we should not be too surprised the climb back to positive figures is slow going.

I think we all hoped things would have improved by now and it does seem a never-ending run of if not bad, certainly disappointing news.

Even the Ryanair FUE announcement was tempered by Ryanair immediately reducing frequencies on the Murcia and Palma next summer plus there is the loss off Weeze - one step forward and two back.

Even small things like KLM increasing frequency/capacity at ABZ, GLA, EDI
MAN, BRS but BHX......Nothing as yet and summer 2011 leaves just one KLM Amsterdam departure after 13.40. Hopefully that will change.

Pete

[wanna_be_there]

The ethnic Bengali population need to get together and do something similar to the Punjabi community, who have a campaign called Fly India Direct from Birmingham. They have the full backing of the Birmingham council leader, Birmingham Airport and West Midlands business community.

Yet there is still no link to India despite this?

It’s not just the statistics but everything related to Bangladesh, Birmingham is always the second destination for any events such as Bangladeshi politics, Bengali cultural events, Bangladeshi awards, Bangladeshi community projects and so much more.

I wonder why biman chose MAN over BHX for a transit point, stating MAN had a bigger Bangladeshi community to support the route? Then again it is Biman...

[jimmysam]

wanna_be_there
I wonder why biman chose MAN over BHX for a transit point, stating MAN had a bigger Bangladeshi community to support the route? Then again it is Biman...

The only reason why Manchester got the link was because of heavy campaigning by the Oldham Bangladeshi community. This is something which the Birmingham Bangladeshi community should have done.

Well most Bangladeshis call the airline ‘Baiman’ which means a liar and not Biman!

[wanna_be_there]

easyjet's presence is not quite nil, they are actually operating now from BHX (Grenoble operated this weekend) and next weekend will see seven flights, which is as good as it gets!!!

I meant more on a base level, say, 3 based units offering the likes of SSH, MUC, BCN, LIS, MAD and so on.

One airline that has been reliable is flybe but they are very conservative with route expansion and several destinations BHX need would need a jet and the 195 was probably deemed too big. Hopefully the 175 will be the salvation but quite a time to wait for them.

I agree, flybe has been good for BHX, but with recent co-ops with AF and european bases, I wonder if focus is going to be shifted away. After all, just a few french routes have been started of late.
They do well at MAN on domestic routes, especially co-operating with EY to bring pax on the MAN-AUH runs, but domestics have never really been BHX's strong point, down to location again?

Even small things like KLM increasing frequency/capacity at ABZ, GLA, EDI
MAN, BRS but BHX......Nothing as yet and summer 2011 leaves just one KLM Amsterdam departure after 13.40. Hopefully that will change.

Its all just doom and gloom really, so good to see the re-branding has paid off!!!

[jimmysam]

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday (29/09/2010) said Bangladesh Biman will resume its operation on Dhaka-New York route next year. ‘More new aircraft would be included in the Biman fleet in 2011 when you will see Bangladesh Biman in New York,’ she told expatriate Bangladeshis in USA.

Manchester will be the transit route by default unless Birmingham Bangladesh community and Birmingham airport come together and start campaigning for the route.

[wanna_be_there]

Manchester will be the transit route by default unless Birmingham Bangladesh community and Birmingham airport come together and start campaigning for the route.

Its too late for that now, they have been given DOT approval to serve DAC-MAN-EWR with no variation, its taken them nigh on a year to get that so will be more of a pain to get the authority switched to BHX.

[OltonPete]

easyjet

wanna_be_there

Three based units would be ideal but at present a few flights from other bases would do such as SXF, MAD, FCO and Lisbon (when it opens) but it seems they have identified better markets and BHX will just have to wait. At least Geneva and Grenoble have survived.

SSH by anyone schedule would be fantastic sharks or no sharks!!!

I have often booked at least one city break and one holiday for the following year by now but the choice is just so limited.

Pete

[jimmysam]

wanna_be_there
Its too late for that now, they have been given DOT approval to serve DAC-MAN-EWR with no variation, its taken them nigh on a year to get that so will be more of a pain to get the authority switched to BHX.

Well that’s a shame Birmingham Airport is not even in the radar for any Biman connections.

Let’s hope the United airways Bangladesh DAC-DXB-LGW-ZYL route does well as they have restarted their first flight on 12/12/2010. They are looking to expand at BHX.

[wanna_be_there]

Well that’s a shame Birmingham Airport is not even in the radar for any Biman connections.

Yeah, it is a shame but like I say, after taking a year to get the rights for DAC-MAN-NYC, would they really spend up to another year just to switch the transit stop 100 or so miles down the road, when its just as easy for Birmingham pax to get up to MAN?

Let’s hope the United airways Bangladesh DAC-DXB-LGW-ZYL route does well as they have restarted their first flight on 12/12/2010. They are looking to expand at BHX.

Yes, they finally have an aircraft capable of reaching the UK without stopping everywhere in between. They are also looking at MAN, so could be one to watch

[frfly]

I think any airline is nervous in starting new routes out of UK airports, I would say this is why BHX has been hit hard, mainly due to the damaging £12 tax on short haul aviation. For Ryanair, at this moment in time the money is in BHX-sun sun sun and central/eastern Europe.

BHX is the most confusing airport in the UK, it has such a massive catchment area and yet cant sustain these routes. Maybe its time to start some hard incentives to draw airlines in. Or do these exist already?

The next problem BHX may have (and I stress may) is if CVT gets it's act together and attracts a few loco flights.

[crewmeal]

What's everyone moaning about BHX for? We have a new logo and a fortune spent on rebranding!!! That will attract new routes far and wide I'm sure!!!

Seriously what's happening about the runway extension? Everything seems to work on promises. Nothing in has been set in concrete yet (excuse the pun) Maybe if and when the runway has been extended then long haul carriers will have a look at BHX. If the airport management want an A380 service then they should start planning to widen the taxiways etc and invest. EK have kept their promises about expansion but they won't go on unless there is real investment. MAN spent wisely and it paid off. I'm sure the EK lounge is a good start, but it's not the 'be all and end all'

Regarding shorthaul routes I agree EZY and Jet 2 should be approached and be offered some sort of deal. The main problem for 'business' type of routes is there isn't that kind of traffic now compared with the 90's when BA were operating some profitable routes. (I remember flying for Maersk and there were 50+ in business class regularly on CPH. MXP, STR routes) The otherside to that is Flybe use turbo props on some routes and these are not popular especially with their tech record.

[wanna_be_there]

BHX is the most confusing airport in the UK, it has such a massive catchment area and yet cant sustain these routes

The problem is, that it in close proximity (2 hours and under) to a lot of other airports that already do the job BHX wants to do.

LTN- serves eastern Europe very well, as well as some other loco routes
LHR- long haul mega hub, will be very very very hard to attract new long haul routes. Look at India, a huge huge potential yet none of the big 3 Indian carriers are looking into it.
EMA- seems to be sucking away a lot of loco routes, and with jet2holidays, now sucking away charter traffic too
MAN- does the same as LHR just on a smaller scale, but with a mix of charter/loco and long haul

The problem is, LTN/EMA/MAN/LHR can attract pax from 'out of region' due to the routes they offer, but BHX cant do that.

For example, emirates fares from BHX are fairly similar to MAN, but MAN has the A380, F class and more business seats. Unless the flight is full, why would anyone want to travel down to BHX when they can jump on the same carrier, at similar prices, similar timings to the same destination from MAN?
Even if the fare is say, £50-100 cheaper from BHX, you negate that with extra travelling time and extra ground transport costs.

Like I say, maybe if BHX operated an advertising campaign similar to MAN's 'so near yet so far' one, stop the 60% of travellers from the midlands using other airports. Exploit the potential and the 'one stop connections' to Oz and asia etc.

Then, some serious subsidies to get long haulers in. They were willing to bow to FR, so why should it be different to say, AI or 9W etc.

The thing with BHX, is that its fantasising too much on this runway extention. Realistically, when it cant even keep its bread and butter airlines like Air Malta and Cyprus airlines, as well as keeping expansion going with FR/WW etc, then what hope in hells chance has it got of getting these destinations to 'china, west coast America' and so on?

due to the damaging £12 tax on short haul aviation.

Im afraid this cant be used as an excuse. The tax will apply to any route, even those with connecting flights on the continent, for example, if someone wants to fly BHX-DXB, the tax will be the same if they go direct or via AMS/FRA etc.
Also, if the tax is that damaging, why has MAN just gained TAP to Lisbon, BE to ABZ and also has Jet Airways seriously sniffing around. Why has EMA just gained a new Jet2 base as well as WW/FR expansion?

Enough of the rebrand, enough of these 'image/marketing directors' or whatever they are, and time to have some serious, frank talks internally to see where the airport is going, and then get the airlines in.

[crewmeal]

Recently Paul Kehoe said the new HS2 rail route would be good news for BHX. How?

[wanna_be_there]

Recently Paul Kehoe said the new HS2 rail route would be good news for BHX. How?

He reckons it will make BHX 'LHR's 3rd runway', but then you have this scenario again:

For example, emirates fares from BHX are fairly similar to MAN, but MAN has the A380, F class and more business seats. Unless the flight is full, why would anyone want to travel down to BHX when they can jump on the same carrier, at similar prices, similar timings to the same destination from MAN?
Even if the fare is say, £50-100 cheaper from BHX, you negate that with extra travelling time and extra ground transport costs.

Swap MAN for LHR and you have the same issue.
Fares are already quite low at LHR due to competition, so why he thinks people will travel from London to Birmingham for a flight is beyond me? Add to that they have huge loco airports such as LTN/STN/LGW, I dont know who he thinks he's kidding.

I suppose its a case of 'tell yourself something false so much, and you will start to believe it'

Just seems like the whole plan for BHX is very fundamentally flawed, I mean, building a new pier with A380 gates, but not widening the taxiways to get it from the runway to terminal efficiently, !

[jpthomas72]

NRN gone - official

See article on airliners.de (in German). It's within a wave of FR cuts in Germany, blaming it on the new tax. Competitors will be happy (esp BE and LH at DUS), and many people in Germany really don't buy FR's arguments and believe these routes were anyway never profitable.

[Skipness One Echo]

Just seems like the whole plan for BHX is very fundamentally flawed, I mean, building a new pier with A380 gates, but not widening the taxiways to get it from the runway to terminal efficiently, !

Compare the capital investment required versus the likely return on said investment. Quantify the number of likely daily A380 movements. Unless BHX are swimming in spare money, that's a harsh criticism. Be fair, the A380 "facilities" at MAN involve a tag on to a pier that needs knocking down. To be clear, I'm not criticising them, just saying that with the time and money available, that was the outcome.

[hammerb32]

The only reason why Manchester got the link was because of heavy campaigning by the Oldham Bangladeshi community. This is something which the Birmingham Bangladeshi community should have done.

Well most Bangladeshis call the airline ‘Baiman’ which means a liar and not Biman!

Jimmysam,

The real reason Biman will look to MAN is that there are large Bangali communitues in the North West, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the West Midlands, MAN is slap bang in the centre of these areas hence why they will offer the service from there.