BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[BFS101]

EI down to 2

Well we all thought it over the last few weeks. To be honest its probably a very smart move, if it brings up average load factor, improved yields and provides routes that are sure winners over the winter (Munich seems to be the only risky route, but very glad its staying, Christmas markets in Dec fantastic). Seems that the third aircraft is due to return for summer 10, and hopefully the return of Rome!!! Hopefully this decision will work to EI's benefit at BFS.

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Aer Lingus makes Belfast cutbacks

Aer Lingus suspends flights on five Belfast routes - Business News, Business - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Mr Corneille insisted it was not all doom and gloom and the load factor on Belfast routes was 81% in April, the highest yet.

[gate 22]

Well we all thought it over the last few weeks. To be honest its probably a very smart move, if it brings up average load factor, improved yields and provides routes that are sure winners over the winter (Munich seems to be the only risky route, but very glad its staying, Christmas markets in Dec fantastic). Seems that the third aircraft is due to return for summer 10, and hopefully the return of Rome!!! Hopefully this decision will work to EI's benefit at BFS.

What a joke, shows how bad EI are at marketing. Paris, Amsterdam (without codeshare), Barcelona (2 other operators at start), all routes that seemed stupid at the start of their operations. EI are slow and naive, if it don't operate out of Dublin it ain't going to work anywhere else out of Ireland. Toronto is just sitting there, but they will mess around-it doesn't operate out of Dublin with EI so lets no be tempted. I hope LGW doesn't go the same way for them. EZY have nothing to fear at LGW given their experience with EI at BFS.
Is Brussels not an option from Belfast? I suppose with the credit crunch any new route next winter would be a risk!

[BFS101]

Granted EI had a very poor start at BFS, especially with Amsterdam, Paris, Geneva, Nice and Budapest. I don't think it really showed poor marketing in these cases, regardless how well the routes were advertised, if there are only enough passengers for one carrier, and with EZY already established then they had the advantage on many of these routes. Had EZY pulled and EI continued the route, the same argument could have been said regarding EZY marketing. As for Budapest, if the unadventurous NI folk (and business links) can't support Berlin, Venice, Warsaw, etc then it was going to be a surprise had it survived.

Toronto is just sitting there, but they will mess around-it doesn't operate out of Dublin with EI so lets no be tempted.

Think EI are having issues with their long-haul at the minute, what routes they are changing, keeping out of DUB and SNN, so probably long-haul from BFS will take a back seat until that is sorted and EI are pretty certain the routes will be sustainable.

There seems to be loads of folks out there, and unfortunately on here, that are just waiting from EI to fail on another route, so they can finger wag and think they knew better. In this current climate I think it'd be better to stay on the safe side of caution, if that means pulling an aircraft over the winter, rather than keep on risky marginal routes, then so be it. EI need to find their niche, hopefully also something new and sustainable from BFS, and then settle in and work away.

Is Brussels not an option from Belfast?

You would think this route should be served from Belfast, however maybe A320's may be a little large. Bmi regional from BHD would be a better in my opinion, with a SN codeshare.

[johnrizzo2000]

I dont think YYZ is just sitting there. GSM are flying to YHM. Long-haul travel in general is struggling with all airlines, so they arent going to jump on YYZ. BFS isnt a big market, and EI cutting back is a clear sign of this. The base is approachingt 2 years old, so i'm sure any subsidies etc they got for opening the base are gone or running out, so this could be another reason for cutbacks. I wouldnt be surprised to see the base closed, and just see LHR and sun routes operated on W patterns by other bases

[BFS101]

I wouldnt be surprised to see the base closed, and just see LHR and sun routes operated on W patterns by other bases

Aer Lingus invested heavily in BFS and it was recently stated that the base should start making profit this year. So why pull out now, when EI are just about to start seeing a return on their investment?? Pull out now and that initial capital expenditure is money down the drain.

Who knows the exact figures and profits from BFS, but aside for all those 'experts' that are so quick to say what a disaster BFS has been, we have from Aer Lingus:

Mr Corneille said they are “happy” with Belfast.

The base is performing very well

Bookings are up 17% on last year. We remain very committed to the market place

We remain very encouraged by the performance from Belfast

Now while I am not completely gullible, there must be some truth behind these statements Enda is spouting surely, no??

[ards_boy]

I'm sorry but if you think that EI having to pull one a/c out for a single season is a sign of EI being marketing etc being poor then you are being naive yourself, perhaps you didn't notice but we are in the middle of a global recession right now! Everyone is making cuts and no one is safe at all! What EI are doing is probably going to work out in their favour in the long run, cut costs now, only serving 'safe' flights until the time comes that it is actually visable to run somthing that isn't just bucket and spades!
EI managed to give EZY a good run for their money and between EI and EZY, LS has had to lose a hell of alot more, but they haven't/aren't planning any permenant job cuts?
Granted maybe more could be done with codeshare to hubs etc... but given how creative Norn Iron people are with their holidays, even at the best of times there's only so much you can do!
No-way long haul with EI will happen ex-BFS until after the reccession and the current DUB long haul problems are sorted.

[Charlie Roy]

I just can't get over the fact the we all knew and know that Aer Lingus were crazy going almost exclusively on routes with heavy competition, but somehow the guys in charge were/are oblivious to this.

[tigger2k8]

i love all the posts of predictions of EI at BFS closing down lol... EI has seen improved loads (look at April....) the routes they are operating are definately going to be popular...

the ONLY quiet time for EI over winter 08 was actually November (same with EZY, Jet2 and bmibaby.. so it wasnt just one airline...), where flights went out to LHR with 12 pax, and returned from MXP with 11 odd passengers some nights, but apart from that they did very well especially on ACE and about 75% of their FCO flights and an additional charter for FCO one night (came in from FCO and then went empty to DUB)

can we put an end to the doom and gloom posts please? it aint happening....

its gud to hear that jobs are safe though with EI, hopefully Menzies will avoid redundancies for the sake of 4 months (not forgetting their EZY operations will increase in December with Christmas, so technically 3 months)

agree with BFS101... MUC is the only risky route.. will prob suffer low loads until halfway through December when people start going ski-ing

[gate 22]

I

dont think YYZ is just sitting there. GSM are flying to YHM. Long-haul travel in general is struggling with all airlines, so they arent going to jump on YYZ. BFS isnt a big market,

Belfast is nearly as big a market with regard to passenger numbers as GLA, BHX, EDI, its just that's its split between 2 airports. Belfast is a growing market and hopefully will continue. BFS/TORONTO is outside MAN/GLA/LONDON one of the biggest if not the biggest.

[garethm872]

hello, does anyone know which aircraft TCX are using for the BFS-SFB flights this summer. I'm flying on 19th June and was wondering whether its a A330 or B767. Thanks

[tigger2k8]

has been a A330 the last few times its been in

[BFS101]

Thomson Airways operate BFS-PMI-BFS-LAS-BFS on Saturdays for summer 09, Palma flight for Falcon/JWT, and the Las Palmas by Falcon/JWT and Thomson Holidays.

Spanair meanwhile was to operate REU-BFS-PMI-BFS-REU, solely for Thomson Holidays.

FlyBE are now operating BHD-REU for Thomson Holidays for summer 09. Is this in addition to the Spanair flights, or have these been pulled, with PMI capacity from Thomson Holidays going on the TOM flights and BE doing the REU???

Really think the TUI group should consolidate their operation similar to what Thomas Cook have done at BFS. Basically all the tour operating brands offering the same destinations and offering the same flights. At the minute Falcon and Thomson Holidays are operating on different flights, some Thomson Holidays, some Falcon only, even though now they're both TUI.

[ards_boy]

Would BD move back to BFS if they were going to make any changes? Seems more likely that they would stick with BHD through thick n thin these days?

[cuthere]

I see BD's numbers on the BHD-LHR route are up in April for the first time in a while.

[gate 22]

I see BD's numbers on the BHD-LHR route are up in April for the first time in a while.

EI's from memory rose 29% on LHR compared to last year, however do remember that its a false result this month as easter was in March last year, so the figures show an increase for April this year as easter ocurred.

[cuthere]

Yeah, good point. London routes in general were up in April from BFS/BHD.

[True Blue]

Aer Lingus reach 1m at bfs

Rte are reporting that EI have taken 1m booking at Bfs in the 17 months since starting. Also very good figures for Lhr in April. Link here

RTÉ News: Aer Lingus takes 1m bookings in Belfast

True Blue

[tigger2k8]

EI has definately started to pull in more passengers since the start of the year.... no doubt this will upset the anti EI BFS groups lol..

was a tornado jet at BFS tonight, missed the take off but the sound of it was amazing, the whole place shook , also a hercules is due in tonight (might have arrived already)

[gate 22]

Also very good figures for Lhr in April.

EI have improved carrying 35% of the market, with 27% of flight returns, (not necessarily seat numbers - not sure what equipment BD use to calculate.) Now is the time for EI to increase their rotations to LHR.

[gate 22]

It is the second biggest carrier operating from the Northern Ireland airport behind low-cost airline Easyjet.
Ryanair, which operates from George Best Belfast City Airport, claimed its services attracted 50% more passengers than Aer Lingus over the past 17 months.
Ryanair said it did so while using one Belfast-based aircraft, compared to the three planes located at Aldergrove by Aer Lingus.
The establishment of the Aer Lingus base in Belfast caused controversy as it involved switching Heathrow connections from Shannon.

BBC article

Who is telling the truth, 50% more would make FR the 2nd carrier and not EI. Also FR use one Belfast based aircraft but at least 2 of their flights are operated by an aircraft from another base. Also there are more rotations per day with FR as the journey's are shorter.