BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[gate 22]

cuthere

As you hop off to Londonderry, relax don't have too many sleepless nights over posters with bad grammar or people who voice an opinion different from yours. Are you not enjoying the sunshine.

[elle may clampit]

I hear that Ryanair's car hire partner Hertz has 'left the building' at BHD. Airline to follow??

[tigger2k8]

sitting here reading this now and beginning to think some people are taking the whole BHD/BFS thing a bit too serious.....

[BFS101]

I (perhaps a utopian view) would like to see all three prosper (might encourage BFS, most used in NI, to get its act together). However.....

As would I, however while Northern Ireland may be able to sustain BFS as the main hub, and then BHD and LDY as regionals; I think two "major" (in Northern Ireland terms) airports in NI would dilute resources, almost like the reverse of economies of scale, and in the end the traveller would lose out.

Almost 35% of NI's population lives in the greater Belfast area.....making BHD a very useful resource it could be argued........

BHD has an important role to play, but I stick to my point that it should remain focused as a more business orientated regional airport. Since FlyBE got its act together after a disasterous summer last year, with cancellations and delays galore, it serves the BHD markets excellently as does bmi.

I do continue to despise Ryanair, feel they have brought nothing to the NI market except dilute service, that was pretty adequate to begin with, (and for the record, do not want them anywhere near BFS). I feel they do not fit well with BHD, pushing for a runway extension that no current airline at BHD seems to want, and listed potential destinations in Europe that are already well served. And then the general Ryanair issues of poor customer service, stealth charging, the arrogant mouth-piece that is MOL, and the whole tacky nature of the business model. Cheap, cheap, cheap (or is it?).

BHD is a valuble resource but as BFS will always be the "main" NI airport due to its location, I think more investment should go on better roads, transport and infrastructure to serve ALL Northern Ireland residents and parts of the ROI. An airport that could reach a critical mass to allow better shopping, catering, ground transport, new routes etc. And don't think I'm part of the BFS fan-club, much needs to be done there, regarding terminal inprovements, and the airlines operating at BFS are far from issue free. I'm just of the opinion that a damn good International airport with two regionals is the best way forward, and the shareholders or stakeholders of BHD and LDY should not dilute the optimum arrangement in NI whatever that may be.

LDY I have no real opinion on. I hope it too prospers as a regional airport, and so long as it adds to the whole NI air transport picture, rather than diluting or reducing services, then all good.

[gate 22]

WARNING WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ INVOLVES DEPARTURE BOARDS AND BFS.
(I apologize to some members who cannot handle this kind of post, even although I think it may be something to do with local aviation. I strongly advise them to look away now, and not to read any further)

EZ 107 Billund 08:30




Departure tomorrow from BFS, EZ is for a US freight carrier called Evergreen International, according to their website they only operate 747's. If so I wonder where it arrives in from?

Or is it all a mix-up with EZY flights, even although they do not operate to Billund

[BFS/BHD]

No Evergreen 747 im afraid. A nice sporty sun air of scandinavia dornier 328 .

[johnref]

Is it taking Linfield to their match on Thursday in Denmark?

[Straightahead]

Football Charters

Yes the Linfield football team departed on this flight this morning operated by Euroair ona Dornier 328 reg OYNCN.
Georgian Airways this afternoon from TBS with another football team B737 reg 4LTGR i think playing Glentoran.

[gate 22]

No Evergreen 747 im afraid. A nice sporty sun air of scandinavia dornier 328

I must have been given wrong info on EZ as being Evergreen, as it was on the flight board as EZ at Billund airport.

[virginblue]

ICAO Codes:

EV = Evergreen International Airlines
EZ = Sun Air Of Scandinavia

[BFS101]

"Passengers forced off holiday plane by glitch"

Any more information on the LS flight yesterday from BFS as reported by the Telegraph. News must be pretty sparse to be reporting this surely, or more serious than just a standard tech issue?

Passengers forced off holiday plane by glitch - Local & National, News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

It is understood the technical problems led to an emergency being declared for a short period of time.

[gate 22]

ICAO Codes:

EV = Evergreen International Airlines
EZ = Sun Air Of Scandinavia

Just to clear this up. I looked up a site on the internet through google and it listed EZ as Evergreen. FlightStats - (EZ) Evergreen International Information

Now I do apologize, for being incorrect. I never intended to be dogmatic about it in any way. I suppose I should have checked several websites and then double checked again. I am sure there are very few of use who know all airport codes/airline codes. However we tend to google ie use the computer to find out the information. On this occasion I either read the site wrongly or was given the wrong information, and for this I am truly sorry.

[flying officer kite]

cant go into details but the problem is now fixed

[Skipness One Echo]

EZ was indeed Evergreen for a great many years.

[dantheflyboy]

Delays tonight

HI ! Does anyone know why so many flight delays at both belfast airports tonight? Did I miss something earlier?

[tigger2k8]

probably the usual start of the summer chaos (understaffed at various airports in the aircrafts rotations, tech problems, offloads, missed slots into busy airports, crew problems..)

the incident at EDI which closed it for a few hours no doubt had a knock on effect on aircraft that had EDI in their rotation (hence the BFS-EDI cancellation) and the delay on the BFS-GLA

last night an EI aircraft was getting some work done on engine 1, and an EZY 737 on engine 2, dont know if they finished the work in time for their departures in the morning.. also a couple of WW flights arrived in very late(after 2200)

WW,LS,EZY and EI all had delays today, ranging from 40 mins to 6 hours (BFS-BRS didnt depart until nearly 1500, instead of around 0840)

[gate 22]

An advert from 1972, bottom left hand corner. I did read once about a VC10 service via Prestwick in the late 60's early 70's. It didn't last long, well it was the height of the troubles, but also EI started a New York service at the same time via Shannon. Over competition on routes out of Belfast, somethings don't change. Shows you that there has always been a market for across the atlantic from Belfast even at a time when flying was for the select few.

[tigger2k8]

Just a quick update on the EZY schedule for this winter.

Only change i can find is:

BFS-LPL = 34x Week, Instead of 36 = 0700 depature has been removed i think, which was a based 737)

Does anyone know what way the airbus conversion will work? Will a BFS crew fly a 737 to LTN and pick up a 319 on the way back? Or will there be a "big" press conference for the first one?

[BFS101]

While we're on the topic of schedules, I've had a quick look at the summer 2010 brochures and flight schedules on-line and it's not good news!!!! Understand that its still very early days and these details could well change as subsequent editions are printed.

From the Thomas Cook group: Still 1 based unit 2010
- No Corfu, down from peak season flights 09
- No Faro, from season long 09
- No Gerona, from season long 09
- No Paphos, from season long 09
- No Las Palmas, from season long 09, shared with tui
- No Fuerteventura, from peak season flights 09
- Sanford from season long 09, to peak only, currently only 4 dates
- Sharm El Sheikh not being continued into summer season
- Apparently question mark over peak Cancun and Puerto Plata 2010

On the plus side
- New Antalya season long, from peak only 09
- New Rhodes season long, new destination from 09
- Added capacity to Dalaman and Bodrum

From the TUI group: Still 1 based unit 2010
- No Naples, from season long 09
- No Reus, from season long 09
- All flights are TOM operated, except Saturday Alicante (TCX)

The loco's must be taking a huge share of traditional tour operators business especially mainalnd Spain, the Canaries and Portugal.

[tigger2k8]

if that schedule stays the way it is thats 1 hell of a reduction... servisair will be sweating if theres no change.. on a side note does anyone know when the Thomas Cook handling contract is due for renewal?

- Sharm El Sheikh not being continued into summer season

i can see that changing.... bound to be a popular route