BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[PPRuNe Pop]

Gate22 is now not allowed to use this thread for 5 days. The reasons are obvious. Any further stuff like his again and he will be gone.

[sarcon]

Not tacky. You decide I know beauty is in the eye... but...

[elle may clampit]

Looks like BCA management are doing their bit to facilitate 'diversity' in East Belfast!

[Belboy]

Yea, not least diversity from taste and decency.

[BFS101]

They do say that money doesn't buy you style or class. Do management not realise that Ryanair has left BHD, lol. Emmmm tasteful...

[sealink]

baby to europe

Think bmibaby will eventually announce a route from BHD to europe. Maybe somewhere like Palma? Baby manager and bmi ceo meeting with BCA today!!??

[Cazza_fly]

Think bmibaby will eventually announce a route from BHD to europe. Maybe somewhere like Palma? Baby manager and bmi ceo meeting with BCA today!!??

Sounds interesting. If this is the case then wouldn't they need another based aircraft? I know the likes of AMS and GVA have been rumoured in the past, but somewhere like PMI could work well with a tour operator too... Please excuse my ignorance though, would BHDs runway length enable bmibabys 733s to operate a route such as far as PMI with a full load of PAX and bags?

[flying officer kite]

Baby shouldnt have any weight restrictions for a short European route like that, but are they not a bit short of aircraft lately? And their history of European routes from Belfast isnt the best

[Cazza_fly]

Baby shouldnt have any weight restrictions for a short European route like that, but are they not a bit short of aircraft lately? And their history of European routes from Belfast isnt the best

Thanks and yes, that is what I was thinking. If the rumour does turn out to be something the I expect either they are finally getting some more aircraft or another base is going to get further chopped, most likely being CWL.

Though I suppose just because the bmi and bmibaby management are having a meeting in Belfast today, it could mean entirely the opposite or something totally not concerning new routes and just business on the ground.

[True Blue]

Caa stats

Se the Feb stats have been updated with the WW figures for Feb 11. They show little growth on the Man/Bhx routes against Feb 10. The pax that used Bfs before are now using Bhd as they have no choice. So if the approx 8k pax pm defect back to Bfs when routes from there start again, what happens to the Flybe/WW position? Will somebody have to give way at Bhd?

TB

[OltonPete]

February 2011

The CAA stats have now been updated to include BMI Baby figures for
February 2011.

Birmingham

BHD-BFS 23210 in 2011 compared to 14720 in 2010

BFS -BHX nil in 2011 compared to 8877 in 2010

Totals for the Belfast area in 2011 23210 compared to 23597 in 2010

flybe 2011 BHX 12720 pax at 56 per flight at 56% load factor approx

flybe 2010 BHX 14720 pax at 58 per flight

BMI Baby 2011 10510 pax at 94 per flight and 63% load factor (733)

BMI Baby 2010 BFS pax 8877 at 85 per flight or 61% (mix 733/735)

Manchester

BHD - MAN 2011 24330 compared to 16376 in 2010

BFS - MAN 2011 nil compared to 8414 in 2010

Totals for the Belfast area in 2011 24330 compared to 2010 24790

flybe MAN pax 2011 16100 - load factors not known

flybe MAN pax 2010 16376 average per flight 63.

BMI Baby pax 2011 8230 average per flight 94 based on 96 services - estim'

BMI Baby pax 2010 BFS 8414 average per flight 90 or 60% load factor

East Midlands

BHD-EMA 2011 pax 13887 compared to 2010 15777

BFS-EMA 2011 NIL pax compared to 5586 in 2010

Totals for the Belfast area 13887 in 2011 compared to 21363 in 2010

flybe 2011 pax 3057 at 32 per flight and 41% load factor - estimated

BMI baby 2011 pax 10330 at ???? 80 ish (three a day some days)

BMI baby 2010 pax BFS 5586 - rotations not known but very low.

The only thing I find surprising with the EMA figures is tha the baby figure
is lower than BHX with nearly a third more flights than BHX.

Usual disclaimer - no yield, mail or freight information/figures known.

2010 rotations for BHX & MAN are actual from the CAA punctuality
stats but all 2011 rotations are estimates based on libhomeradar or timetables.

Pete

[planenut321]

Do you have figures for CWL?

[OltonPete]

Cardiff

planenut321

Cardiff BHD 2011 4084 compared to 2150 in 2010

CWL-BFS 2011 NIL 2010 545.

I am not sure what frequencies were operating between BHD & CWL.

However I assume Baby operated at least 6 weekly to BHD in Feb2011
and hence the sharp increase in passenger figures compared to 2010?

Pete

[True Blue]

so hardly a ringing endorsement of the move and that pax figures have seen a large increase.

tb

[Rinty]

3 of 4 routes are up, 1 down very slightly - all in a decreasing market - not bad - in my opinion!

3 airlines flying from NI to Manchester and Birmingham is probably unsustainable long term - guess we'll just have to wait and see who blinks first.

[mutleyshriek]

No tangible benefits springs to mind.Just desperation on BHD,s ever more underhanded tactics....

[NorthernCounties]

guess we'll just have to wait and see who blinks first.

*cough* Baby *cough, cough*

[BFS101]

Just desperation on BHD,s ever more underhanded tactics....

I don't think they're being underhanded. BHD is a business, needing and wanting to attract new carriers, and trying to take market share from BFS. If baby thought that the BHD move would benefit them, good on them for taking the risk, however it could end up being a costly one.

What this tells me though, is that the "we're closer to Belfast, therefore better and more appealing" agrument is not particularly strong, if at all existant; and for the average passenger, yes the city airport may be handier, but people are still more than prepared to travel to BFS should the times, price or airline choice offer an overall better option.

No tangible benefits, really seems to sum up the situation nicely... Both airports have their advantages and disadvantages.

[ara01jbb]

Three airlines may be too many, but as the Belfast / Glasgow market shows, two can be just fine. In that instance Easyjet use GLA-based aircraft and crew, FlyBe use a BHD-based aircraft and crew. Each airline has the crucial first flight out in the morning from their respective city.

Similarly BMIBaby and FlyBe may be competing airport to airport, but they are at least operating from opposite ends of the route. Adding Easyjet into the mix may upset things, however.

[Facelookbovvered]

Some interesting figures, i think we will have to wait until there are BHD v BFS routes going head to head to see where people prefer to travel from/to, as True Blue said pax have little choice at present at least in terms of airport.

I guess Easy will be using a BFS based unit? if so an early flight from MAN with baby might suit some NI inbound traffic, personally i think 3 carriers is to many and yes i think baby will blink first, they are they weakest link and MAN is of no great importance to WW unlike EMA where they had to slug it out with Ryanair on the BFS route.

Any news on how baby are doing on STN?