BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[El Bunto]

gate22 wrote:

folk from south Down, Armagh may switch to Dublin instead of a Belfast airport.

I would contend that few from that area are actually using Aldergrove anyhow; given that it is 49 miles by road from, for example, Newry to Aldergrove and 65 miles from Newry to Dublin on a quicker route!

Plus the advantage of a direct coach service to Dublin Airport.

[eastconsbrook]

Greast News!

Easyjet at the city!!
It will be good to see them from my back garden
I wish them well and hope to see a lot more
Lets hope the old BCAW dont mess it up for them with their

[BFS101]

Or what about Bmi, is the future of the LHR link for sure? If BA took bmi over would they be interested in the Belfast market after the previous losses, or would they use the slots else were and let EI feed the passengers into the LHR hub.

As far as I can remember bmi stated that Belfast (and Dublin) were their most profitable routes (certainly before mid-haul). Certainly with BHD, no other full service airline competes to London, whereas GLA and EDI also have BA. BA also stated that they wanted their own metal to return to Northern Ireland, stating that if LHR got the third runway they would reinstate Belfast (perhaps just lip-service to try to push for third runway).

BFS is one of EZYs best performing stations due to its remoteness from the mainland which means it can run plenty of domestics...

At one stage BFS was their biggest base outside London, and potentially one of their most profitable. However of late, EZY have referred to BFS as a tough market, I suppose due to increased competition on their domestics and Costas routes. However in saying that, many of their routes still seem hugely popular with Malaga at least daily, Faro at least daily, Palma, Nice and Alicante all high frequency for summer 2010. With EI's retreat from CDG and AMS must ease the pressure slightly from EZY.

that's a very interesting question re whats happening with Ryanair or are they talking about axing the city routes? The latest controversy about the extention at the very least will only delay any possible extention and will FR put up with this?

Are FR happy with their BHD services as is at the minute? Would they be prepared to stick with BHD should the runway extension be declined? Would the base be profitable without International flighst to Europe?

With the possibility of new retail units and more high-street brands at BFS, the pulling of flights and traffic decline isn't exactly a great enticement to these potential companies. Waterstones etc to open, only to close months later due to lack of demand???

[Straightahead]

This is similar to what happened a number of years ago at BFS.A then MD who plies his trade somewhere in the North West these days drove British Midland out of BFS AND down to BHD.This time the Spanish have fallen out with Easyjet,firstly at LTN with an easy reduction of 5 aircraft.Now BFS is possibly about to suffer the same fate.It is time the Spanish hierarchy stopped playing with peoples lives and livehoods and let the UK people deal with their business partners,not only in N. Ireland but on the mainland as well.

[Facelookbovvered]

Its a difficult one, both airports have their merits and Belfast can sustain both managed correctly.

I do not buy into the need for a longer runway and i suspect they may not get it, what BFS needs is a high speed rail link from the city, BHD can handle most short haul stuff with the present runway, but could not hope to handle all of NI short haul requirements even with a longer runway.

I suspect Easy need to test the water, the increase in APD will make visiting to/from NI ever more expensive as you catch it both ways if flying to/from the main land and IMHO NI flights should be exempt from APD, you can hardly catch the bloody train can you? the ferry is a non starter for a day trip to watch MAN u or Liverpool

Not sure what Ryanairs beef about the runway is all about? who cares if you can only carry 150 just jack the price up to obtain the yield its the same for bmi or Easy

[ALLMCC]

When are the BHD flights likely to be bookable? - no sign yet on the website despite EZY saying they would be available to book yesterday.

[tigger2k8]

they are bookable at the minute, have been since around 1300 yesteray although they did disappear briefly.. in the list of airports its straight above BFS

[cuthere]

They're on there already. I booked a flight about an hour ago. Check again ALLMCC

[ALLMCC]

Sorry folks I've just checked again and no BHD there. Above BFS is BCN on the booking engine. Am I doing something wrong?

[Falcon666]

Must be,
they are there trust me
£21.99 each direction from Jan 2010

[tigger2k8]

more than likely it will be your internet browser ALLMCC .. if you know how to delete cookies and history, then reload the EZY site and they should appear

[ALLMCC]

Tigger, thanks for that - did what you suggested and seems to be OK now,

[ards_boy]

Surely if in the unlikely event EZY do pull out of BFS altogether Aer Lingus and Jet2 would be only to happy to take on the ex-EZY routes of interest to them, Jet2 have opened a base in EMA when EZY closed theres, surely it would be an opportunity for Jet2 to regain it's former position in BFS?

[SKY's4ME]

Unlikely Easyjet will pull services from BFS. If any services are cut by Easyjet it is i am sure for a good commercial reason. Therefore if an Airline like Easyjet are unable to make profit on a particular route no other operator could expect to do so.

[Husky One]

you need to make a differentiation between 'pulling out' and closing a base. DTM closed as a base yet still operates Easyjet routes. Easyjet will absolutely not stop operating from BFS but it's future as a base for aircraft and crews is less certain. I wouldn't think anything would happen in the very short term but their eye is very much on redeployment of assets to Europe where the believe the yield is better.

[BFS101]

Can't see the base closing, with STN and LGW among others pretty much requiring very early morning departures to suit business traffic, and the operation to destinations that are currently not bases in Europe.

W flights could be done, but with the current volume of EZY traffic through BFS, I think it more thans justifies the status of a base

[tigger2k8]

EZY is staying at BFS as a base for the foreseeable future, trust me, Abertis will not let their £10m investment go to waste, as 20 retail units will not survive without the estimated 3M passengers that EZY attract per year out of BFS...

it wouldnt surprise me if LTN flights reappear from BFS by the end of the year, as EZY carried around 180,000.. on the route last year (as far as im aware)... with that sort of demand, reducing frequencey to 2 daily flights means they r going to be losing out on a large amount of potential revenue..

just noticed on Sundays the earliest flight you can get to LTN is 17:05... timings are awful in my opinion

[gate 22]

EZY is staying at BFS as a base for the foreseeable future, trust me, Abertis will not let their £10m investment go to waste, as 20 retail units will not survive without the estimated 3M passengers that EZY attract per year out of BFS...

If say FR left BHD tomorrow GLA/EDI/NCL/BRS could operate into BHD quite easily and 'legally' without the need of basing an aircraft there.

it wouldnt surprise me if LTN flights reappear from BFS by the end of the year, as EZY carried around 180,000.. on the route last year (as far as im aware)... with that sort of demand, reducing frequencey to 2 daily flights means they r going to be losing out on a large amount of potential revenue..

With a crap frequency of flights and timetable from EZY, would this not be the time for LS to operate BFS/LTN, say three flights per day, first one out at 06.45 say and one in at 22.30. Giving a full working day in London (the longest avail). Does LS not have a few idle 737's sitting around. Judging by the 'low' figures LS get on LBA with 2 returns per day, he could give it a go in time for the Christmas rush.

[gate 22]

EZY is staying at BFS as a base for the foreseeable future, trust me, Abertis will not let their £10m investment go to waste, as 20 retail units will not survive without the estimated 3M passengers that EZY attract per year out of BFS

...

Surely this is BFS's problem, if EZY want to go they won't care how much Abertis have spent on facilities.

[BFS101]

Judging by the 'low' figures LS get on LBA with 2 returns per day, he could give it a go in time for the Christmas rush.

Think it was mentioned on the Jet2 thread a while back, that while Jet2 are increasingly going for more bucket and spade routes especially with jet2holidays, the BFS LBA and BFS BLK do make profit. As the sector lengths are so short, can also fit around the timetable of the sun flights and keep aircraft utilisation high.

BFS LBA flights are operated by a LBA based aircraft, though if you suggest LTN route this would need to be BFS based to get the early departure.