BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[gate 22]

Gate 22; is this news or suggestion of a 4th daily rotation for real? Or could we see the use of a 321 instead?

Reading between the lines I would say that the downside to the EI operation is the frequency of the flights compared to BD. So whether they are obliged as part of the deal, or EI want to provide more flights to improve the service to ensure renewal in 2 years who knows?

[eastern wiseguy]

It would appear that later ,more convenient timings ,as well as a more competitive price structure have all contrived to prove that BFS is indeed the airport of choice,and that AER LINGUS have made a sensible move northwards.

[gate 22]

So EI are to have 3 based aircraft next summer with Tenerife and Lanzarote continuing through the summer from the winter timetable.

[BFS101]

A report in the Belfast Telegraph:

Aer Lingus wins Civil Service deal - Local & National, News - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

The airline launches its 2010 summer schedule next week and Mr Corneille said they were working towards introducing a fourth daily return service on the Heathrow route.
"We are not there yet - we haven't got timings - but it is our intention."

[BFS101]

More EI news from the Belfast Tele:

Aer Lingus to announce extra slot to Heathrow - Business News, Business - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Aer Lingus is to increase the frequency of its Belfast to Heathrow route to four flights a day.


The new slot will be addition to its existing three flights which depart Belfast International Airport at 7.40am, 12.50pm and 5.25pm.

Aer Lingus, which employs 100 people in Northern Ireland, is also planning to increase the frequency of other routes including Malaga in Spain and Faro in Portugal. It will also extend its Canary Islands (Tenerife and Lanzarote) service to all-year round.
“We are increasing our frequency to Malaga from six to seven flights a week and Faro from five to seven,” said Mr Corneille.

With this announcement and keeping the BFS base to three aircraft, will all cancelled routes from summer 09 return namely Milan and Rome?? Sad that the demand is for the typical uninspiring med destinations, yet more capacity to Faro and Malaga!!! If only we could be a tad more original.

[BELHold]

AWACS doing circuits this afternoon, definitely a break from the norm, think the last time I saw a 707 at BFS it was in Aer Lingus colours

EZY getting it pretty tight today, couple of AOG...its going to be a late one!!

[tigger2k8]

so EI is keeping the 3rd a/c now?

yeah, bad day for EZY... tech aircraft, desintation swaps (ALC went near 1100, NCE went around 1400, FAO went late which has delayed the PMI flight with a new estimated departure time of 2020, puttng it back in BFS at around 0240).. brief round-up from what i noticed

A319 on stand 11, tech from last night (reg ending in BA)
737 on 17, engine no.2 problems
737 on 12, boarding via back-steps only

also the canaidian first choice aircraft (DH?) apparently went tech with a 737 from thomson coming in to take pax out..

EI had a slight tech problem which resulted in the 0710 BFS-FAO leaving 30mins late

and yesterday Jet2 had tech problems delaying their jersey flight by 2hrs

[Rinty]

Seems to be quite a bit of spin going on. I'm not sure of the details but my understanding is that EI have simply been added to a list with the Civil service have the option to choose from - not quite the same as them all being sent to Aldergrove. I'm sure that BD will still survive on the majority of civil servants either working or living in the greater Belfast area.
Also the fact that EI are considering reinstating a 4th rotation that was previsouly dropped for the summer schedule isnt quite the same as a new extra rotation as purported.

[cougafer]

my understanding is that EI have simply been added to a list with the Civil service have the option to choose from - not quite the same as them all being sent to Aldergrove

As per the report on BBC News website, Aer Lingus will be the "sole carrier" for the civil service between Belfast and London, so perhaps it is more than them being added to a list of options...


(ref: BBC News)

[gate 22]

I'm sure that BD will still survive on the majority of civil servants either working or living in the greater Belfast area.

I thought the reason they flew from BHD was BD operated there and BD offer a full business class service. As the tax payer was funding this they were quite happy to take advantage. Isn't there also a points system with free flights once you have clocked up a certain amount of business returns.

[tigger2k8]

my understanding was that their flights were paid for them via BHD using BMI... so unless they want to shell out and pay for their own flights, i can see alot of them appearing at BFS to fly with EI

[eastern wiseguy]

AWACS doing circuits this afternoon,

That was fun.....

[gate 22]

BBC NEWS | Business | Civil service announces air deals

So EI was talking a load of nonsense! how come one day you read something as news then the next it's irrelevent.

[Rinty]

Wouldn't like to say 'I told you so' but ----------

[True Blue]

I see during the winter period, the first EI to Lhr now departs at the earlier time of 7.20am. They seem to be slowly getting this flight earlier and earlier, getting it right for business pax who want to get to London early.

True Blue

[tigger2k8]

ah that BFS-LHR at 07:20 has changed, can remember a month or 2 ago that it was still sitting at 07:40 during winter

[super737]

Still not early enough. The BD rotation has you in LHR for 0815L meanwhile the EI rotation has you in for 09:10L. Isn't exactley business orientated. The first BD would have you in central london for before 0900 and for a days worth of work, meanwhile with EI I would reckon about 0940.

[danielmellor]

Could we ever see are flights to Shannon Back

is so with which airline? maybe Be,Re,Ei, Or Fr, Maybe ever WW

[gate 22]

July 08 - July 09 stats out.
BHD is growing at a massive rate on London routes in July (only ones available with latest stats for BHD). LGW has saw EZY slide by 13% and BE grow by 27%. EI talk some nonsense they are sliding by 10% while BD growing at 9%. STN FR fell by only 2% while EZY fell by 10%. BHD is now just 6000 passengers behind BFS on the London market (according to my calculations). BFS is now carrying just under 4.8million July-July 14% fall. BHD and operators seem to be doing everything right, BFS is not doing well at all. In actual fact there is no real growth anywhere worth talking about apart from Jersey and Lanzarote!!!!. BE and BD are weathering the recession quite well at Belfast!!!

[anna_list]

Ei Lhr-bfs

Hi,

Note that EI have reduced LHR-BFS from 4 flights per day to 3, meaning that their flown load factor has increased from 73% to 84% (comparing this July to last July). Since April, their loads on the route have looked pretty solid: 80%, 73%, 78%, 84%. As usual, this doesn't mean much without the yields.

FR's capacity on STN-BHD was down by over 10% compared to last July, while EZY had about 16% fewer movements on STN-BFS, so both carriers are achieving higher loads.