BELFAST (BHD) - 3
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Toronto/Belfast
Toronto Belfast was a strong market. I realise that Aer Lingus are announcing challanging results but would they see the merit in moving some Transatlantic Capacity to a Dublin/Belfast/Toronto sector say thrice a week as a start to Transatlantic service from Belfast?
What does anyone else think? The loads on the route for zoom were good.
EI-BUD
What does anyone else think? The loads on the route for zoom were good.
EI-BUD
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Yea i noticed that ALOTofthe flights 2 toronto were sold out, it did very well, suppose thats why we had 3 airlines going to the toronto area. But yea aer lingus would be great, they would get the service alright and that would mean a scheduled a330 into bfs every week lol!! Oh and sure gsm fly to vancouver from dublin so would there be a demand big enough to make belfast worthwhile?
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I think flights ex-Dublin to Canada are still obliged to touch down in Shannon. Negotiations between the EU and Canada for Open Skies did start, but I'm not aware of any agreement yet.
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840
Canada-Ireland open skies agreement was reached nearly 12 months ago. The Air Canada service now operates DUB-YYZ-DUB whilst the Air Transat Service still operates from Shannon twice weekly to facilitate SNN originating pax so there is no obligation to stop at shannon.
Canada-Ireland open skies agreement was reached nearly 12 months ago. The Air Canada service now operates DUB-YYZ-DUB whilst the Air Transat Service still operates from Shannon twice weekly to facilitate SNN originating pax so there is no obligation to stop at shannon.
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Ah right. The EU ones were certainly still ongoing in May. I didn't realise Ireland had negotiated a separate deal. Would the absence of an EU-Canada bilateral prevent an RoI based airline from operating an NI-Canada route?
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Belfast City/Rennes according to CAA Stats saw 487 passengers fly this route in July. So thats average of 244 each way.
If its a once a week frequency thats a load factor of 78%, not bad for the only current continental european service from the city airport on schedule.
If its a once a week frequency thats a load factor of 78%, not bad for the only current continental european service from the city airport on schedule.
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I sure hope, hopefully a big one like aircanada because they would certainatly have the pax for it! we had 3 airlines so there was obviously some good demand!
Last edited by 2leeet; 30th Aug 2008 at 20:55.
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There is a substantial market for Canada, it will be filled by next year. I feel that if EI don't act quickly it will be a missed opportunity. DUB-BFS-Vancouver, and BFS-TORONTO, with BFS-BOSTON/NEWYORK via SNN on other days. One BFS based A330.
Rebel PPRuNer
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doubt AC will try it - they are busy retrenching. Daily to DUB Jun-Sep isn't much of a show of confidence in the island's market as it is. Air Transat might be persuaded but again you're likely looking at summer only, albeit a slightly longer season starting 01 May and ending in October.
840 - I would say that's almost certainly yes - no openskies no EI T/A although I am not privy to the Canada-UK Air Services Agreement. Nothing stopping the UK negotiating something similar as long as it doesn't restrict EU airlines, but with PM Harper doing his best to invent a "crisis" requiring a general election in the next month, I doubt there will be scope to negotiate until Q1 09 and possibly later if there is a change of government.
840 - I would say that's almost certainly yes - no openskies no EI T/A although I am not privy to the Canada-UK Air Services Agreement. Nothing stopping the UK negotiating something similar as long as it doesn't restrict EU airlines, but with PM Harper doing his best to invent a "crisis" requiring a general election in the next month, I doubt there will be scope to negotiate until Q1 09 and possibly later if there is a change of government.
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I believe before Zoom went wallop some L10s were hired in to cover maintenance gaps so it may be that they got in a 747 for a sector or two as well?
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Yea a relative of mine was sure they were on a 747 a couple a weeks ago! Yea the EI plan would be really good but i dont think they will get in there quick enough, i have also heard that EI are in a bit of trouble financial wise themselves! Air transat may come in but then again as you said, it may be summer only, its a market with a big demand so they would need afrequent service with some big aircraft
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I think many of the smaller companies eg Air Transat may not be rushing in as alot of these companies will have there own woe's. As regards Aer Lingus' financial state I would say that Aer Lingus has released results hence we see the figures, lets wait and see how all the others are doing.
Aer Lingus has in the last few years been considered to be in great financial health, good cost base (in relative terms) and a strong balance sheet etc.
But as has been mentioned the process to make this sort of decision may be slow, however, I think an A330 was on the cards for BFS for 2009 (according to a source in EI), Transatlantic was the prize that Aer Lingus were after from the outset. Perhaps we will now see an A330 come in and do Toronto x 3 weekly and say Boston, or Orlando the others??
EI-BUD
Aer Lingus has in the last few years been considered to be in great financial health, good cost base (in relative terms) and a strong balance sheet etc.
But as has been mentioned the process to make this sort of decision may be slow, however, I think an A330 was on the cards for BFS for 2009 (according to a source in EI), Transatlantic was the prize that Aer Lingus were after from the outset. Perhaps we will now see an A330 come in and do Toronto x 3 weekly and say Boston, or Orlando the others??
EI-BUD
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To be honest zooms loads wern't that great hence the YVR operating to CWL and the YYZ to MAN on BFS sectors. Even with the extra pax from the mainland a/c they were still going half to two thirds full most of the time....doubt that was very sustainable. Skyservice's loads on the other hand are very healthy, the 757 seems to be (at present) better suited to the YYZ route load wise (GSM usually use it i think), although I'm not entirely sure if the 757 can reach YVR? I imagine SSV/GSM and possibly Transat will pick up any pieces left by zoom...but it would be nice to see a proper airline like Air Canada or Lingus start up YYZ/YVR.
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Summer 09
Does anyone have confirmation of the removal of the XL groups flight from BFS for summer 2009. Not bookable to Corfu, Rhodes or Heraklion. Only Corfu flight appears to be peak June/July bmi with Thomas Cook group and Olympic Holidays. Also XL group appear to have pulled their Larnaca flight.
Also seeking information about Thomas Cook summer 09 schedule. Appeared to be some switching of times/days from 1st edition to 2nd edition brochure, although checked today on ThomasCook.com and appears Zakynthos, Antalya, Rhodes to name a few are no longer bookable. Have these destination been pulled after 2nd edition brochure was published, and if so how does this effect their based aircraft. Could be a sizeable reduction on capacity and worse still whole destinations pulled for 2009.
Hopefully I'm wrong and BFS will hold its own during this poor economic climate.
Also seeking information about Thomas Cook summer 09 schedule. Appeared to be some switching of times/days from 1st edition to 2nd edition brochure, although checked today on ThomasCook.com and appears Zakynthos, Antalya, Rhodes to name a few are no longer bookable. Have these destination been pulled after 2nd edition brochure was published, and if so how does this effect their based aircraft. Could be a sizeable reduction on capacity and worse still whole destinations pulled for 2009.
Hopefully I'm wrong and BFS will hold its own during this poor economic climate.
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the TCX schedule can be found on the mytravel website by selecting Belfast, the destination and checking if they offer next year. Thomas Cook are reorganising their web sites so routes seem to disappear and reappear especially their ski routes
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BFS will be the last base to get based 319s. This is expected to be 2010.
LTN was originally expected to be the last but this winter the last 737s will leave the LTN Base and it will become all Airbus!
I personally will be sad to see the 737s go. Some of them look like new. I think that some must have been repainted. Flew on G-EZYZ and it was spotless!
LTN was originally expected to be the last but this winter the last 737s will leave the LTN Base and it will become all Airbus!
I personally will be sad to see the 737s go. Some of them look like new. I think that some must have been repainted. Flew on G-EZYZ and it was spotless!
