BELFAST (BHD) - 3
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This arguement about Ryanair service (good or bad) as based on wide ranging opinions is debated almost daily on the Ryanair thread.
There is absolute pros and cons for using Ryanair and they have a reliable track record, the big issue as I see it is that they have developed a reputation many markets eg BHX for coming in challenging the competition often removing the competition and then cutting back.
Any time I have used Ryanair it has been a shiny new 737, on time, a low fair, carried on my travel bag and all went smoothly.
They have the lowest fares in the market that it true, but they also have some of the highest fares based on when you book, ie to fly today it can be cheaper to use bmi/Aer Lingus. So depends what way you look at it.
There was an interesting look at Ryanair on Watchdog the other night and to be fair Ann Robinson gave a balanced view of Ryanair. She had a I like Ryanair group and a I hate Ryanair group.
It seemed clear that the passengers who are in the know about the charges and conditions had a good trip, the less well informed ones were less then impressed. However, it also seemed clear that Families felt that a Ryanair flight was pricy owning to carrying additional luggage, buggies and car seats etc.
There is absolute pros and cons for using Ryanair and they have a reliable track record, the big issue as I see it is that they have developed a reputation many markets eg BHX for coming in challenging the competition often removing the competition and then cutting back.
Any time I have used Ryanair it has been a shiny new 737, on time, a low fair, carried on my travel bag and all went smoothly.
They have the lowest fares in the market that it true, but they also have some of the highest fares based on when you book, ie to fly today it can be cheaper to use bmi/Aer Lingus. So depends what way you look at it.
There was an interesting look at Ryanair on Watchdog the other night and to be fair Ann Robinson gave a balanced view of Ryanair. She had a I like Ryanair group and a I hate Ryanair group.
It seemed clear that the passengers who are in the know about the charges and conditions had a good trip, the less well informed ones were less then impressed. However, it also seemed clear that Families felt that a Ryanair flight was pricy owning to carrying additional luggage, buggies and car seats etc.
Join Date: May 2007
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NWSRG, totally agree with your points, especially -
And destinations in competition with each other. If you fancy a city break, but not that fussed on where, you'll tend to go with the destination that offers a good value fare. So EZY services to Paris, may be in competition with EZY to Barcelona, and to Krakow, and to London etc. Only a certain number of NI holidaymakers, and spread too thinly over destinations and airlines and the routes, destinations will get pulled.
The fear!!!!
Certainly BHD is a very important componant in the Northern Ireland infrastructure, however I do feel thats its core business and growth should be focused to more business orientated routes and maintaining domestic UK services. Business cities in near Europe also, Brussels, maybe in Germany also.
On another note, was on jet2.com Saturday morning flight to Leeds from BFS. Initially flight time was 35 minutes. Due to strong winds, aborted landing at LBA, circled for roughly 30 minutes and then divrted to Doncaster. Total flight time of 90 minutes. Never been so glad to get off a plane in my life. Many green faces!!
Is it really necessary? What will NI plc gain by having this extension? Competition maybe...but we have that already (witness EI and EZY chasing the same passengers on certain routes, then pulling off those same routes!). And it will only be mid-haul routes...BHD can cope with UK routes as is!
Most mid-haul routes from NI cannot suppoort more than one operator (see 2 above). So if FR get their extension, we may see price wars that ultimately drive one operator off any given route...probably with FR surviving...and then what happens? We pay for check-in etc...competition doesn't really benefit.
Certainly BHD is a very important componant in the Northern Ireland infrastructure, however I do feel thats its core business and growth should be focused to more business orientated routes and maintaining domestic UK services. Business cities in near Europe also, Brussels, maybe in Germany also.
On another note, was on jet2.com Saturday morning flight to Leeds from BFS. Initially flight time was 35 minutes. Due to strong winds, aborted landing at LBA, circled for roughly 30 minutes and then divrted to Doncaster. Total flight time of 90 minutes. Never been so glad to get off a plane in my life. Many green faces!!
Last edited by BFS101; 5th Oct 2009 at 17:48.
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VBS has been discussed in the crew room at BFS; most knew for a while that it was coming but nobody knew exactly when.
It's not on Staff Travel yet either so maybe it is going to be a charter!!
That's a first for Easyjet??
It's not on Staff Travel yet either so maybe it is going to be a charter!!
That's a first for Easyjet??
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That's a first for Easyjet??
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So if the route is running as a charter .... will tickets be on sale on the Easyjet website or what company .... becasue at the minute no route of that is on the Easyjet website 
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with charters no... will usually be a holiday company (havn't heard who) that buys up all the seats on the plane and sells it as packages etc etc... the fact that they didnt annouce the route when they put the spring seats on sale and the fact other routes have been announced for other stations, it leads me to believe that it wont be put on their site... but i could be wrong... i wonder what the odds are of this becoming an all year round charter? as far as im aware Verona is a tourist destination during summer too... (but then EZY will need their planes for the summer schedule)
is a good idea, also means that we wont see as many EZY's parked up at BFS from 1000-1400, as during winter theres usually 2 that sit... the route may also be on an Airbus as the base conversion begins in soon
is a good idea, also means that we wont see as many EZY's parked up at BFS from 1000-1400, as during winter theres usually 2 that sit... the route may also be on an Airbus as the base conversion begins in soon
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For winter 09 Thomas Cook / Neilson operated to Brescia with TCX, and Ski Direct / McNeill with LS.
This winter Thomas Cook / Neilson have dropped their Italian flights from BFS it would seem, only offering Andorra. However Ski Direct still operating on Saturdays BFS 14.00 - VBS - BFS 20.05, perhaps using EZY this winter??
Would also seem that Thomson Holidays / Falcon are taking allocation of seats on the TCX Sharm El Sheikh flights from BFS this winter. Currently not on sale through the Falcon website, but you can on the Thomson Cruises site. Big advert in this months NI Travel News stating Falcon operating direct to Egypt for the winter. Shame this route is stopping come the summer season, with most other UK airports operating year round Egypt programmes.
Free bags at BHD, shame the International wouldn't follow...
Free bags at Belfast City Airport : Belfast Airport News Stories
This winter Thomas Cook / Neilson have dropped their Italian flights from BFS it would seem, only offering Andorra. However Ski Direct still operating on Saturdays BFS 14.00 - VBS - BFS 20.05, perhaps using EZY this winter??
Would also seem that Thomson Holidays / Falcon are taking allocation of seats on the TCX Sharm El Sheikh flights from BFS this winter. Currently not on sale through the Falcon website, but you can on the Thomson Cruises site. Big advert in this months NI Travel News stating Falcon operating direct to Egypt for the winter. Shame this route is stopping come the summer season, with most other UK airports operating year round Egypt programmes.
Free bags at BHD, shame the International wouldn't follow...
Free bags at Belfast City Airport : Belfast Airport News Stories
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Directski dot com are offering Easyjet EZ0683/4
26 Dec untill 27 March
saturday
Depart Belfast 14:00 - Arrive Brescia 17:45
Depart Brescia 18:20 - Arrive Belfast 20:05
26 Dec untill 27 March
saturday
Depart Belfast 14:00 - Arrive Brescia 17:45
Depart Brescia 18:20 - Arrive Belfast 20:05
Last edited by br8fmr; 7th Oct 2009 at 21:37. Reason: add info
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However Ski Direct still operating on Saturdays BFS 14.00 - VBS - BFS 20.05, perhaps using EZY this winter??
and Saturdays are quiet in winter, with all EZY turnarounds finished by 1810 (unless theres a BFS-STN route, which is being talked about, departing around 2000) and all nightstoppers in by 2200br8fmr, EZ0683 is an Evergreen flight.. been awhile since an Evergreen flight was in BFS, couple of months anyway, and before that i cant remember the last one..
all EZY flights which have destinations outside of the UK have flight numbers of EZY6*** *edit* nevermind i just realised as its a charter it probably wont have an EZY flight number *edit*
Last edited by tigger2k8; 7th Oct 2009 at 22:06.
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copied from directski website
Easyjet EZ0683
Depart Belfast (BFS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 14:00
Arrive Brescia (VBS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 17:45
Uncatered
Easyjet EZ0684
Depart Brescia (VBS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 18:20
Arrive Belfast (BFS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 20:05
Uncatered
Ski Holidays | Skiing Resorts, Trips & Ski Breaks - Directski.com
contact them if it is incorect
Easyjet EZ0683
Depart Belfast (BFS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 14:00
Arrive Brescia (VBS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 17:45
Uncatered
Easyjet EZ0684
Depart Brescia (VBS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 18:20
Arrive Belfast (BFS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 20:05
Uncatered
Ski Holidays | Skiing Resorts, Trips & Ski Breaks - Directski.com
contact them if it is incorect
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copied from directski website
Easyjet EZ0683
Depart Belfast (BFS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 14:00
Arrive Brescia (VBS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 17:45
Uncatered
Easyjet EZ0684
Depart Brescia (VBS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 18:20
Arrive Belfast (BFS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 20:05
Uncatered
Easyjet EZ0683
Depart Belfast (BFS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 14:00
Arrive Brescia (VBS), Sat 20th Mar 2010, 17:45
Uncatered
Easyjet EZ0684
Depart Brescia (VBS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 18:20
Arrive Belfast (BFS), Sat 27th Mar 2010, 20:05
Uncatered
Looks like TCX are doing Toulouse again as TCX931K/L
Thomas Cook TCX931K
Depart Belfast (BFS), Sun 07th Mar 2010, 06:00
Arrive Toulouse (TLS), Sun 07th Mar 2010, 09:15
Thomas Cook TCX931L
Depart Toulouse (TLS), Sun 14th Mar 2010, 10:15
Arrive Belfast (BFS), Sun 14th Mar 2010, 11:40
Seems strange why they havent got the flight number as - U20683 or EZY683
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tis not my job to contact them lol... although i just realised! since its a charter flight i guess it wont be using an EZY flight number (duh me...) they are probably running the flights on behalf of Evergreen... silly me 
lol... although i just realised! since its a charter flight i guess it wont be using an EZY flight number (duh me...) they are probably running the flights on behalf of Evergreen... silly me
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BHD bucking the trend, passenger numbers up
City Airport sees number of passengers rise by 8.3% - Business News, Business - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk
City Airport sees number of passengers rise by 8.3% - Business News, Business - Belfasttelegraph.co.uk
Belfast City carried 240,834 passengers during August, up 8.3% compared with the same month a year ago.
That compared with a 15.3% decrease in passenger numbers at Belfast International and a 15.5% dip reported by City of Derry Airport for the same period
That compared with a 15.3% decrease in passenger numbers at Belfast International and a 15.5% dip reported by City of Derry Airport for the same period
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I see EI has now put the rest of S10 on sale. Paris and Munich are not on sale, Rome 2 per week. Does this mean that Milan, Munich and Paris have gone, or is there more tinkering to come?
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