BELFAST (BHD) - 3

[Husky One]

EI's june load factor on LHR was 55% up from a previous 49%. On competitive routes they still at the back of the pack but improving. The biggest improvement seems to be CDG. They are behind Easy and Jet2 on the AGP but all carriers on this route have healthy loads.

[chrism20]

Doesnt make sense. I would have thought their target would have been more pax to LHR than SNN had rather than a % of the market? Else why the move?

If I remember correctly EI self handled at SNN and it cost them fortunes as the only flights that were handled were the T/A and LHR flights.

Moving the flights from SNN to BFS probably saved a small fortune.

Even though they are carrying less pax they may well be making/saving more at the end of the day.

[vkid]

I'd agree there definitely would have been savings in that regard alright. However, if you have a look at flight prices around the last week of August from Belfast to Heathrow, the highest fare is 25 Stg. Most are either zero or 10/5 Stg.(Based on dates August 20th (out) August 29th (return).
I can guarantee you, those fares would never have been offered when the route was from SNN. Not even close and certainly not in August. There was no competition so they could charge relatively high fares and always did, and managed a decent load factor in the process.
Its a bit pointless to get into the SNN v's BFS thing(its done to death) but combine those fares from Belfast with 35k lower passenger numbers, and you can be sure the profit from those slots has to have been impacted...regardless of the savings made on handling.

[wingman863]

Yeah but does that include all the other charges that aer lingus heap on top of your fare and taxes? If I recall there are baggage charges, booking charges (you're asking me to pay to pay you?) and probably a "give us some cash for the sake of it" charge too. It's absolutely rediculous. At least BMI are upfront about how much you're going to have to shell out to fly.

[en2r]

I'd agree there definitely would have been savings in that regard alright. However, if you have a look at flight prices around the last week of August from Belfast to Heathrow, the highest fare is 25 Stg. Most are either zero or 10/5 Stg.(Based on dates August 20th (out) August 29th (return).
I can guarantee you, those fares would never have been offered when the route was from SNN. Not even close and certainly not in August. There was no competition so they could charge relatively high fares and always did, and managed a decent load factor in the process.
Its a bit pointless to get into the SNN v's BFS thing(its done to death) but combine those fares from Belfast with 35k lower passenger numbers, and you can be sure the profit from those slots has to have been impacted...regardless of the savings made on handling

To say Aer Lingus had no competition at Shannon just isn't true. Ryanair operate services to Luton, Gatwick and Stansted which were undoubtedly in competition with EI. While EI aren't carrying as many passengers from Belfast at the moment when you consider the huge cost of self handling at Shannon for a relatively low number of flights, the fact that EI were being charged full landing charges at Shannon while they're getting reduced rates at Belfast, added to the fact that flight crew at Belfast are paid less than their counterparts at Shannon and are on inferior terms, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if BFS-LHR is making more money than SNN-LHR was making.

[dantheflyboy]

aer lingus v BMI

I think Aer Lingus are doing ok, Yes it is still early days. I bet they didn't plan to have the market to themselves in the first few seasons. Business is improving and not declining which is a good thing. LHR flights being reduced to 3 to save night stopping crew in london and because of better slots for the winter. I have found Aer lingus Dublin crew to be indifferent and sometimes plain uninterested in passengers however the belfast crew are the opposite and when compared to the bmi crew there is no contest.
I like BMI as an airline and travel with them enough to be a silver card holder but have been travelling with aer lingus more and more because of the friendly crew and better time keeping even though the city airport is half the distance of the international from me. I have booked AGP and MUC as future trips. No one can predict the future but I think aer lingus are here to stay! Lastly on a personal view point the lounge staff for bmi in belfast are so self important that I now sit in the main departure lounge rather than have to suffer the lounge reception staff looking down there noses at me.

[EI-BUD]

LHR reduced to 3 to save night stop crew

LHR flights being reduced to 3 to save night stopping crew in london and because of better slots for the winter

Dantheflyboy- Aer Lingus are not reducing the frequency on the BFS LHR route for the winter to save on night stopping crew, this is a traditional pattern that was in place for years for the Shannon flights to Heathrow. Aer Lingus have additional slots in the summer,hence a fourth rotation.

They would retain the 4 daily if they were allowed in the winter too. THe summer will be a early LHR departure and in Winter the first flight on the route will be from Belfast. However they have managed I believe to bring back the departure time by a few mins to 0730.

[dantheflyboy]

ok

I said it was based on not night stopping following a conversation with an aer lingus crew mwmber. I stand corrected! as usual.

[gate 22]

The last BD LHR/BHD flight was diverted to BFS last night landing at I think 21.30 (not really a curfew breach). However did the last FR flight from STN/BHD arrive in last night as I noticed it was delayed until 22.45. This mornings 06.30 departure isn't due to take-off until 12.10 so either there is a problem with the aircraft or the last flight in was cancelled. If it was cancelled, why would they not divert to BFS, and if the flight was cancelled altogether will FR put you on the next available flight free of charge.

[BFS101]

Last night the BD92 diverted to BFS, as did a BE Gatwick, a FR that was STN-LDY and the FR STN-BHD. A BE Doncaster was holding at BHD alongside the FR, for a time, and luckily the Doncaster landed at the city, whereas the FR diverted...
I took it that it was weather issues at BHD, poor visibility due to rain and mist??? LDY must've had issues too to divert to BFS.

[vkid]

@ en2r "To say Aer Lingus had no competition at Shannon just isn't true."

My point was there was no competition on the LHR route from Shannon, and there is/was plenty established competition in Belfast on the LHR route. FR's Luton route was also only launched after EI announced they were pulling the route to LHR.

[ards_boy]

Any word on new bridges/piers etc?

[NWSRG]

Flew to LPL and back today with EZY...was on an A319 out and a 737 back. I thought LPL/BFS was all Boeing...do we get an LPL 'bus on the first rotation now?

As an aside, when we got off the outbound at LPL, one Carlos Quieroz was waiting in the queue to board. From the EZY website, it looks like our 'bus was going onwards towards Lisbon, with the Manchester United coach as a passenger! Anyone confirm if that sounds right?

[EI-BUD]

Bfs Lpl

Hi NWSRG

I have flown over and back to LPL in the last few months a number of times. On every occassion it has been 319. I actually think that the its almost completely 319 service, I may stand corrected but LPL is a 319 base now with no 737s left, and the 737s are busy covering Europe doing almost all of the Belfast flights to Mainland Europe now. However, I do be hoping for a 737, they wont be around for alot longer with Easyjet! Sad really.

EI BUD

[eastern wiseguy]

Re : Queiroz...he used to be an ATCO before he got involved with MUFC......not a lotta people know that

[BHDflyer]

Sadly Carlos left United a couple of days ago. He's now the Portugal national team coach. I just hope I don't see Ronaldo on a plane to Madrid!

[Ametyst1]

easyJet operate 39 return flights between Liverpool and Belfast a week, 9 are operated by Belfast-based 737s and the remainder are operated by a Liverpool-based A319.

There is a strange rotation on a Saturday morning where the Liverpool-based A319 operates Liverpool - Belfast - Nice - Liverpool and the Belfast-
based 737 operates Belfast - Liverpool - Nice - Belfast.

[MeNelty]

I think easy have a few rotations like that? I know of A319 BRS-BFS-AGP-BRS and 737 BFS-BRS-AGP-BFS, any others?

[NWSRG]

Interesting stuff guys...so could my flight (0815 ex BFS - LPL) have been operated by an aircraft continuing onto Lisbon?

As for old Carlos...from ATCO to Man U coach...that's what I call a career going downhill!

[Ametyst1]

The 08:15 flight from Belfast is a Liverpool-based Airbus A319. It starts off from Liverpool at 07:00 arriving Belfast 07:50, 08:15 back to Liverpool on arrival at Liverpool the aircraft operates a return rotation to Lisbon departing at 09:30 on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday