BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[ara01jbb]

From Teletext, with my emphasis.

Plans to extend the runway at Belfast City Airport are about to be given the green light, an SDLP MP has claimed.

South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell said the plans will be passed with the support of minister Edwin Poots.

Planning officials insisted a final decision has yet to be made, but Dr McDonnell predicted it will would go ahead without a public inquiry.

[gate 22]

No smoke without fire it will be granted, the headline will read runway extension granted. However like a house, there will be conditions. What has been talked about is the runway can be built, however conditions may include 1. the cap will remain, 2. the noise level contours will be revised which will control aircraft size. So although the extension will be approved, read the small print the airport will not get it all it's way. This application will be used by the authorities as a way of dotting the 'I's' and stroking the 'T's. This is what I have been told from a reliable source.

[david1994]

Good news ...... wonder when Ryanair will announce there routes to Europe ???

[ILS25]

Good news ...... wonder when Ryanair will announce there routes to Europe ???

They Wont.

[speedbirdATC]

With the exception of allowing aircraft to operate full loads are there any other advantages to BHD with this extension? I don't think there is. For example, a lot of people are questioning whether EZY will move 100% into BHD and leave BFS. This will never happen as BHD is far too small. Terminal is not big enough, and nowhere near enough stands on the apron for them to base aircraft along with Flybe and Ryanair. Could we maybe hear news of an extended apron soon or even a new apron on the north side of the runway? Is there room for that? Probably not. I foresee extensive backlash from the local residents to this news. Im sure MOL is rubbing his hands with glee. Euro routes will most certainly be announced AFTER the extension. Remember RYR launched LDY - ALC after LDY had extended the runway and that route is doing exceptionally well 86 - 90% load factor.

speedbirdATC

[gate 22]

I

foresee extensive backlash from the local residents to this news.

90% of MLA's wanted a public inquiry, Peter Robinson has recently supported the residents, Belfast City Council called for a public inquiry. If Poots announce's planning approval it will be subject to conditions which will favour the politics of the situation. Legal teams with various interested parties have been meeting Poots recently and aviation experts are all on board hammering out a new planning agreement to replace the existing. This will come in place if they decide to build the runway. The question will be, will BHD actually build the runway, as it may not financially be viable.

[tigger2k8]

Will the Aviance staff transfer to Servisair be under a TUPE agreement or are they just being thrown to the wolves?

think they have to take 75% of staff? managers will be most at risk though


cant see anything on the bbc yet about BHD runway, will be a bad move for NI Aviation..

dont need 2 airports within 12 miles of each other serving European/Sun destinations... domestic routes, yes..

[speedbirdATC]

How much would it cost BHD to build this extension?

[gate 22]

cant see anything on the bbc yet about BHD runway, will be a bad move for NI Aviation..

Its probably been approved by the planners, and is sitting on Poots desk, could be tomorrow could be next week, could be after Christmas.

will be a bad move for NI Aviation..

Not necessarily, maybe a new water tight planning agreement in place, or no Euro FR/EZY routes.

[True Blue]

Maybe they are planning an announcement at 4pm Xmas eve, hoping that many will miss the news and a lot of the anger will have reduced by the time government is back after xmas. Isn't that the way they usually handle this type of news. By the way, I think Ards and enniskillen should also have major runway extensions and run international flights. Ards to singapore would be nice. Wonder if I could get an international airport built at Ballymena?

True Blue

[FRBHD]

excellent news.

Weekly flyer at BHD & this (in my opinion) is an excellent step forward if true.

I take my hat off to the management team at BHD, with the opening of the new lounge last week & further reconfiguration works to be complete including a new security set up, these guys have shown great vision to bring about an excellent product to NI PLC.

Can wait to see some extra tarmac going down & some new routes, exciting times head at BHD.

you cant see the point of two airports? me too, lets close the one that is furtherest away from "BELFAST", yeah the one with no adequate road /rail links....

[speedbirdATC]

Ballymena Intl. Has a good ring to it. Mr Paisley would have a thing or two to say about though (never, never, never) Im sure BHD will hold a conference or something in the next few days. Surprised the beeb hasn't got anything up on their site?

[super737]

ILS25, would you care to elaborate on your statement?

Tigger, this isn't bad for commercial aviation. Is it fair to restrict certain operators to one airport whom provide a service that isn't exactley top dog? If the airport in antrim was providing a fair, competitive and reliable service they wouldn't need to worry.

Or is it the fact that as there is a possiblity EZ will move more routes and rotations down to the city that menzies will start to suffer?

[BFS101]

Tigger, this isn't bad for commercial aviation.

Northern Ireland is a small market. You only need to look at the routes that have been tried and failed. Demand outside the bucket and spade routes is limited. Even Paris and Amsterdam couldn't survive with two operators.

All well and good if Ryanair grow the market to allow sustained longterm compeition with the current offerings, or offer somewhere new. However I doubt that. What I'm apprehensive about is Ryanair will very agressively market destinations and take the loss short term. With such a small market, EZY or LS or whoever will pull routes, and then when I want my weekend in Paris, I'm having to fly to Beauvais, or to Girona rather than El Prat. This will suit the very price sensitive, those would are flexible for a £2 return to the continent, but what of those who are willing to pay that little bit more for convenience.

The city airport is an excellent facility, as a regional airport, with FlyBE, bmi and Aer Arann doing an excellent job. However do I personally want to have CDG replaced with BVA to save a tenner on the flight, or FlyBE gradually pushed out with their niche UK flights to allow capacity for FR?? Not a chance.

Its a real debate with BFS v BHD. Like I said BHD is a great facility, and works well as a regional airport. I would love Northern Ireland to have an airport to be proud of, to reach that magical critical mass often talked about, that has a range of international airlines and a wide choice of destinations, to try and rival Dublin. A terminal with excellent facilities. So if BHD can take the late night A300's of TNT and DHL, the charters in the wee hours and the widebodies to North America and the Caribbean cruise flights, then yes, close BFS.

NI will end up with an airport with an excellent albeit, small terminal that is restricted operationally, or an airport with no operational restrictions, but stuck in the 1970's.

[belfastmark]

I think it is a great thing the runway extension and Ryanair offer more flights. I really don't know. would they really try Beauvais or Girona, I think they may try other routes maybe like Riga, Brussels, Porto?

There is still room in the market for the Ryanair and the other L.C.C up in BFS. Ryanair to likes of above and Easy etc perhaps Turkey, Egypt etc, I think the airlines really just need to think outside the box abit. Alot more people want to go somewhere else apart from Costa Del Sol and Paris. It would be good if the City said to them not to introduce routes already served from BFS and really offer a different choice to passengers they would attract alot more passengers and ensure flights are full as they have to fly from there as opposed to because it is cheap.

[danielmellor]

Hey

Just 2 Questions Here
1. How did The First Few bmibaby Prague Flights Go?
2. Where Do They Get The Plane from That Service From

Thanks
DanielMellor

[ILS25]

ILS25, would you care to elaborate on your statement?

[ALLMCC]

When the runway extension at BHD was first mooted, I seem to recall MOL saying FR would most likely look at routes to other bases in Europe. That could mean Brussels, Dusseldorf even Milan. What about giving NI its first ever direct links to Scandinavia e.g Oslo or Stockholm or both? The go ahead for the extension is good news but will be of limited value unless accompanied by later opening hours and/or an increased passenger cap.

[BFS101]

Full press release regarding the runway extension Dr. Alasdair McDonnell M.P. Social Democratic and Labour Party MP for Belfast South

“The key driver in all of this controversy would appear to be commercial profit for Michael O’Leary and Ryanair in their competitive war with the Aer Lingus operation at the International Airport.

“My information is that the Minster will make a public announcement by the end of the month in relation to the Airport runway. His decision will fly directly in the face of all logical arguments against such a move put forward by a wide cross section of the general public and by politicians from all sides of the community, including his party leader, Peter Robinson.

The outspoken Ryanair Chief Executive has warned however that unless the extension is added to the runway it will have serious implications for Ryanair’s continued commitment to usage of the City Airport.
Dr. McDonnell however said that no decision to back the runway extension could have “any credibility” until a proper regional Aviation Strategy was developed and agreed for Northern Ireland.

Belfastmark

Alot more people want to go somewhere else apart from Costa Del Sol and Paris.

Dropped routes in the recent past - Budapest, Berlin, Gdansk, Warsaw, Katowice, Naples, Zante, Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, Milan, Naples, Bergamo, Geneva summer service, Innsbruck summer service, Prague as of summer, Munich as of summer, Rome frequency reduced.
Yet more and more capacity over the past few years onto Alicante, Malaga, the Canaries and Balearics.

It would be good if the City said to them not to introduce routes already served from BFS and really offer a different choice to passengers

So don't see that happening I'm afraid.

[tigger2k8]

Tigger, this isn't bad for commercial aviation.

im afraid it is, as we all know if there are no restrictions on destinations for BHD then Ryanair will jump on the bandwagon for the Spanish/Sun routes (how quick they do this is another question) but splitting certain routes over 2 airports so close to each other could be harmful, its ok for domestic routes as our isolation from the mainland works in our favour with so many having relatives living in Scotland, England and Wales, along with Students and business travel.. unless ofcourse people who have never travelled abroad before start flying..

anyway, it should be interesting to see what happens if/when it is built.. could lead to overcapacity for certain destinations... i would say the likes of AGP and FAO will be pushing the limit as EZY will have 2 flights to each on certain days along with other charters/seasonal airlines

Or is it the fact that as there is a possiblity EZ will move more routes and rotations down to the city that menzies will start to suffer?

we know their reason for moving LTN to BHD, despite what they said in the press release... if EZY moved more routes and didn't replace them.. its not just menzies that will suffer, job losses would probably be across all employers at BFS

i dont know what it is about the Northern Ireland poplation, but all they want to do is go to Spain .. SXF and VCE where places i always wanted to nip away to for a quick break, sadly theres no direct option from N.I now (that im aware of)..

ofcourse.... i may be wrong it could end up being a good thing..

i would welcome FR for new routes from BHD if they would be creative and try something new.. not flying to the same destinations, or fly into a cheaper airport in the same country