BRISTOL - 4
Join Date: May 2007
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Robert sinclair the bristol ceo. He was on the radio saying he had had a letter from the 2 local north somerset mp,s. The letter was asking that in this climate if the expansion plans were being looked at for down sizing. His reply was no because the plans were a long term thing. So i think lots of arguments coming about this.Having said that i can see a few tweeks with the plans here and there.
Brunel to Concorde
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Bristol Airport To Be Sold?
A TimesOnLine report this weekend suggests that Macquarie is trying to offload major assets "in a desperate attempt to raise cash and pay down debts."
The report says the value of Macquarie shares has plummeted in recent months.
Amongst the major assets mentioned are Thames Water, the M6 toll road and Bristol Airport.
The airport is owned in a slightly complex way (see next paragraph which is copied from the BRS website) and the Times report doesn’t specify a particular Macquarie fund, although it may be referring to all Macquarie funds.
Bristol International Airport is 100% owned by South West Airports Limited (SWAL), a joint venture holding company owned by Bristol Airport (Bermuda) Limited (BABL) and Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund (MEIF). Both BABL and MEIF are managed by Macquarie Capital Funds (Europe) Limited (MCFEL), a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited.
Aussie funds to ditch UK assets - Times Online
The report says the value of Macquarie shares has plummeted in recent months.
Amongst the major assets mentioned are Thames Water, the M6 toll road and Bristol Airport.
The airport is owned in a slightly complex way (see next paragraph which is copied from the BRS website) and the Times report doesn’t specify a particular Macquarie fund, although it may be referring to all Macquarie funds.
Bristol International Airport is 100% owned by South West Airports Limited (SWAL), a joint venture holding company owned by Bristol Airport (Bermuda) Limited (BABL) and Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund (MEIF). Both BABL and MEIF are managed by Macquarie Capital Funds (Europe) Limited (MCFEL), a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited.
Aussie funds to ditch UK assets - Times Online
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bristol
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I'm reminded of a posting I made back in August which seems strangely relevant now. Honestly, sometimes you'd think I knew what was going on.
I would assume that the cash that BRS is throwing off is not enough to service the underlying debts that Macquarie have racked up in various places, and they need to try realise the value of the airport and get the cash in to offset debt (some of which might be "toxic").
That might not be an altogether bad thing, depending on who buys the airport and how they finance it. I'm must admit, I'm a bit "off" private equity at the moment, and it might be a better idea (sharp in take of breath pending) if one of the UK transport groups took it on. Whether or not they would retain the commitment to upgrading and extending the facilities remains to be seen, as that means finding real cash right now, and that's extremely tough in this environment.
In the short term, I would guess that passenger volumes are keeping the BRS business profitable, which makes it attractive. But, just as I said back in August last year, it's a buyer's market.
I would assume that the cash that BRS is throwing off is not enough to service the underlying debts that Macquarie have racked up in various places, and they need to try realise the value of the airport and get the cash in to offset debt (some of which might be "toxic").
That might not be an altogether bad thing, depending on who buys the airport and how they finance it. I'm must admit, I'm a bit "off" private equity at the moment, and it might be a better idea (sharp in take of breath pending) if one of the UK transport groups took it on. Whether or not they would retain the commitment to upgrading and extending the facilities remains to be seen, as that means finding real cash right now, and that's extremely tough in this environment.
In the short term, I would guess that passenger volumes are keeping the BRS business profitable, which makes it attractive. But, just as I said back in August last year, it's a buyer's market.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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No BRS posts for 2 weeks, blimey must be very quiet out there, may be this that i nicked from the BHX thread may get us chatting again......
"Now the CAA stats are out it's possible to see just how well BHX did compared with other airports, particularly its nearest rivals.
Birmingham down 6.8%
Luton down 23.8%
East Midlands down 24.7%
Bristol down 25.9%
Manchester down 16.8%
Interestingly, BHX carried 40,253 more passengers than Luton last month.
Perhaps Paul Kehoe will reconsider his redundancy targets in the light of these results?"
"Now the CAA stats are out it's possible to see just how well BHX did compared with other airports, particularly its nearest rivals.
Birmingham down 6.8%
Luton down 23.8%
East Midlands down 24.7%
Bristol down 25.9%
Manchester down 16.8%
Interestingly, BHX carried 40,253 more passengers than Luton last month.
Perhaps Paul Kehoe will reconsider his redundancy targets in the light of these results?"
Join Date: May 2005
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*speechless* 
25% down... comparing what to what?
If it's year on year, that's breathtaking. Whilst it's good to see that Bristol isn't getting hit any harder than other similar airports, it's an amazing statistic. (If it's comparing month on month, then the numbers are probably more volatile, so I'd be more cautious about making assumptions based on those).
I'm still travelling, albeit it on a reduced basis. I'm still trying to use Bristol, but it's hard work sometimes. I've had a couple of long-hauls recently - I've got one to SYD coming up, and nothing ex-BRS (on LH, KL or AF) gets close on price to what SQ and QF are offering out of LHR. For example, cheapest BRS-SYD I can find is well over £1,300 (in economy), compared to £700 on SQ (in A380s) ex-LHR. I can usually justify flying BRS on a variety of reasons, but spanning a 90% price difference is almost impossible to do.
25% down... comparing what to what?
If it's year on year, that's breathtaking. Whilst it's good to see that Bristol isn't getting hit any harder than other similar airports, it's an amazing statistic. (If it's comparing month on month, then the numbers are probably more volatile, so I'd be more cautious about making assumptions based on those).
I'm still travelling, albeit it on a reduced basis. I'm still trying to use Bristol, but it's hard work sometimes. I've had a couple of long-hauls recently - I've got one to SYD coming up, and nothing ex-BRS (on LH, KL or AF) gets close on price to what SQ and QF are offering out of LHR. For example, cheapest BRS-SYD I can find is well over £1,300 (in economy), compared to £700 on SQ (in A380s) ex-LHR. I can usually justify flying BRS on a variety of reasons, but spanning a 90% price difference is almost impossible to do.
Join Date: May 2005
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CO77 takes a breather at BHX
According to BBC News, CO77 to EWR had to have a little rest at BHX, 25 minutes after leaving BRS, due to reported engine problems.
BBC NEWS | England | Flight to US in unscheduled stop
Edit -156 pax on board. That doesn't seem too bad for an outbound on a Saturday morning in March.
BBC NEWS | England | Flight to US in unscheduled stop
Edit -156 pax on board. That doesn't seem too bad for an outbound on a Saturday morning in March.
Last edited by Bristol_Traveller; 28th Mar 2009 at 21:18. Reason: Comment on Pax numbers
Brunel to Concorde
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Passenger numbers
The 25.9% drop in passenger figures were indeed those for February 2009 compared with February 2008.
As has been said, the main contributors were charter flights (down 37%) and sched (ie mainly easyJet who reduced many frequencies this winter).
Overall, atms were down just under 21% for the month.
The figures are clearly poor but not a huge surprise in the present economic situation.
There are also some 'extenuating circumstances', viz one less day in Feb 2009 than in Feb 2008 (which of course applies to all airports) and the snow and ice that closed BRS for nearly a whole day in Feb and for parts of other days in that month.
Putting matters into context, of the twenty largest UK airports measured by passenger numbers only four are in positive territory for the rolling 12-month period ending 28 Feb 09 - BHD up 11.6%, LCY up 6.4%, BHX up 3.6% and BRS up 1.3%.
The slump in passenger numbers came later at BRS than at many UK airports with monthly passenger increases occurring into early autumn 2008.
The year 2008 as a whole saw over 6.2 million passengers handled, up nearly 6% on 2007. Only five other 'top twenty' UK airports saw more passengers in 2008 than in 2007.
It's only since the winter programme commenced that the downturn has set in.
It might be hoped by 'supporters' that that this will mean the airport will be amongst the first to benefit when the economic recovery sets in.
As has been said, the main contributors were charter flights (down 37%) and sched (ie mainly easyJet who reduced many frequencies this winter).
Overall, atms were down just under 21% for the month.
The figures are clearly poor but not a huge surprise in the present economic situation.
There are also some 'extenuating circumstances', viz one less day in Feb 2009 than in Feb 2008 (which of course applies to all airports) and the snow and ice that closed BRS for nearly a whole day in Feb and for parts of other days in that month.
Putting matters into context, of the twenty largest UK airports measured by passenger numbers only four are in positive territory for the rolling 12-month period ending 28 Feb 09 - BHD up 11.6%, LCY up 6.4%, BHX up 3.6% and BRS up 1.3%.
The slump in passenger numbers came later at BRS than at many UK airports with monthly passenger increases occurring into early autumn 2008.
The year 2008 as a whole saw over 6.2 million passengers handled, up nearly 6% on 2007. Only five other 'top twenty' UK airports saw more passengers in 2008 than in 2007.
It's only since the winter programme commenced that the downturn has set in.
It might be hoped by 'supporters' that that this will mean the airport will be amongst the first to benefit when the economic recovery sets in.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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The following is a concerning quote from LH's Head of Sales in the UK and Ireland, taken from the travel trade gazette
Sammann said Manchester and Birmingham continue to bring success to the airline, but admitted she was concerned about Bristol ... “Bristol is maybe too close to Heathrow. We will have to closely monitor the situation.”
Join Date: May 2005
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I'm not sure that being too close to Heathrow is the problem - it doesn't seem to unnecessarily trouble KLM, SN Brussels, Air France or Easyjet.
However, trying to grow a route like BRS-FRA in very bad economic conditions, with airfares out of Heathrow getting very competitive, is going to be difficult. The gap between ex-BRS and ex-LHR fares is growing, because the ex-LHR fares are going down (and LH's YQ isn't - hint hint).
There's traffic there to be had, but it needs time to migrate or grow - whether or not that can be sustained when everyone is bleeding ink remains to be seen. Look at what BD's had to do with LBA, MME, JER, AMS, BRU, LAS, ORD on well established routes.
However, trying to grow a route like BRS-FRA in very bad economic conditions, with airfares out of Heathrow getting very competitive, is going to be difficult. The gap between ex-BRS and ex-LHR fares is growing, because the ex-LHR fares are going down (and LH's YQ isn't - hint hint).
There's traffic there to be had, but it needs time to migrate or grow - whether or not that can be sustained when everyone is bleeding ink remains to be seen. Look at what BD's had to do with LBA, MME, JER, AMS, BRU, LAS, ORD on well established routes.
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By road Bristol Airport to Heathrow 113 miles, Birmingham Airport to Heathrow 107 miles so much for Bristol being too close to Heathrow, perhaps LH can come up with another reason.
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Bump...
Just checked the LH website, and sure enough, no direct flights BRS-FRA from 1st May. <sigh>. (Helpfully it's offering an LH codeshare with SN Brussels through BRU).
That's really disappointing. I can understand why - a toxic combination of a recession and not-exactly-discount prices (YQ YQ YQ YQ). My business travel is down between 50% and 70% at the moment, and justifying the fare differentials between LH and other airlines was getting quite challenging. (That's not just LH from Bristol - it's LH from any UK airport. As an example, UK to SYD on LH, £1,500 - same on SQ in A380, £950....).
I hope the route trends were going in the right direction to see this as a pause, rather than a complete disappearance. I believe there is a viable business case for a Star Airline to provide a link into a Star hub, it's just that it might not be LH, and it clearly isn't now.
Meantime, I guess I'm back off down the M4, or over to SkyTeam (oh FFS..). And tomorrow I can look forward to rebooking people on the LH flight in May.
(And let's hope it's not another 17 years until *A come back!).
Just checked the LH website, and sure enough, no direct flights BRS-FRA from 1st May. <sigh>. (Helpfully it's offering an LH codeshare with SN Brussels through BRU).
That's really disappointing. I can understand why - a toxic combination of a recession and not-exactly-discount prices (YQ YQ YQ YQ). My business travel is down between 50% and 70% at the moment, and justifying the fare differentials between LH and other airlines was getting quite challenging. (That's not just LH from Bristol - it's LH from any UK airport. As an example, UK to SYD on LH, £1,500 - same on SQ in A380, £950....).
I hope the route trends were going in the right direction to see this as a pause, rather than a complete disappearance. I believe there is a viable business case for a Star Airline to provide a link into a Star hub, it's just that it might not be LH, and it clearly isn't now.
Meantime, I guess I'm back off down the M4, or over to SkyTeam (oh FFS..). And tomorrow I can look forward to rebooking people on the LH flight in May.
(And let's hope it's not another 17 years until *A come back!).
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I'm guessing that the *fare* for BRS-FRA-JNB was probably about the same as the *fare* for BRS-AMS-JNB. What's a growing problem for LH though is the size of their fuel surcharges (YQ), which are now apparently out of proportion with the market.
It's certainly been the killer for me on some bookings. I can span a couple of hundred quid difference, justifying it on my SEN/*G status perks, and the possibilities to uses miles to u/grade and so on. But when the difference is getting in the order of £300+ (largely out of YQ), I just can't credibly sign it off (particularly in the current environment). And C class travel is completely off-limits.
I sense something is up more generally, and the BRS suspension is only a symptom of that. There's been activity in Japan to get LH's YQs down, and now YQ for journeys originating in Japan is half that of those originating in Europe. If there's going to be a significant reduction in YQ, then great, but obviously that hits the cashflow, and probably doesn't make the BRS route look very good financially.
Sadly it leaves BRS disconnected from the largest airline alliance network (until CO join in November). SkyTeam are, IMHO, a straggly bunch of airlines around AF/KL. And of course, we've no OW since BA became London Heathrow Airlines.
It's certainly been the killer for me on some bookings. I can span a couple of hundred quid difference, justifying it on my SEN/*G status perks, and the possibilities to uses miles to u/grade and so on. But when the difference is getting in the order of £300+ (largely out of YQ), I just can't credibly sign it off (particularly in the current environment). And C class travel is completely off-limits.
I sense something is up more generally, and the BRS suspension is only a symptom of that. There's been activity in Japan to get LH's YQs down, and now YQ for journeys originating in Japan is half that of those originating in Europe. If there's going to be a significant reduction in YQ, then great, but obviously that hits the cashflow, and probably doesn't make the BRS route look very good financially.
Sadly it leaves BRS disconnected from the largest airline alliance network (until CO join in November). SkyTeam are, IMHO, a straggly bunch of airlines around AF/KL. And of course, we've no OW since BA became London Heathrow Airlines.
Brunel to Concorde
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LH to FRA
By road Bristol Airport to Heathrow 113 miles, Birmingham Airport to Heathrow 107 miles so much for Bristol being too close to Heathrow, perhaps LH can come up with another reason.
The Bristol catchment, especially the business segment, is nowhere near as big as that that of Birmingham/West Midlands so any syphoning off of passengers to LHR will have a greater effect.
Furthermore, many Bristol area business people have become used to using LHR over the years; fares can be higher from BRS using LH as has already been pointed out; multinationals particularly often book their employees via LHR rather than use BRS via a European hub for onward travel.
My son, when working for a major US company, was routinely booked from LHR for US travel until I asked him why he didn't use the CO route to EWR from BRS. He wasn't aware of it and his company's booking agents either weren't or, if they were, ignored it.
He was in a reasonably senior position and was able to have his US journeys switched to the BRS-EWR route after that, but he had to be aware of its existence and to ask. Many business people would not be in that position.
I am concerned about the EWR route. Last year the previous BRS CEO publicly called on business people to use it or lose it. Passenger numbers are down by 20% for the first two months of this year although of course it's not possible for outsiders to determine how many business people still use it, or how many do so in the front cabin.
KLM seem to have reduced daily AMS rotations to three this summer when four has been the norm in previous summers.
Back to the LH route to FRA, I was surprised when the airline commenced this route with 100-seater aircraft, three times daily. Presumably they must have considered a switch to smaller aircraft, say their 50-seat CRJs, in the current climate and decided such a move would have been of no benefit.
It seems that LH have no real plans to come back to BRS, at least in the forseeable future. The local paper quotes their spokeswoman, "I will be very surprised if we see a change in demand for Bristol services in 2010."
After nearly two decades of near non-stop stellar progress this year will be, arguably, the most testing in the airport's history. How it comes out of the world economic downturn will be a significant pointer to its progress in the next ten years.
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Teleticket seat operation
After the demise of Excel last year and the news that Teleticket are selling seats to fill the void left at Brs, who will be operating these flights. On another thread it says that Jet 2 will be doing it, anyone any idea who is doing Bristols
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Furthermore, many Bristol area business people have become used to using LHR over the years;
[snip]
My son, when working for a major US company, was routinely booked from LHR for US travel until I asked him why he didn't use the CO route to EWR from BRS. He wasn't aware of it and his company's booking agents either weren't or, if they were, ignored it.
[snip]
My son, when working for a major US company, was routinely booked from LHR for US travel until I asked him why he didn't use the CO route to EWR from BRS. He wasn't aware of it and his company's booking agents either weren't or, if they were, ignored it.
These problems are surmountable, but only with a prolonged commitment. Interestingly, I can't think of another UK airport with the same mix of traffic as BRS. Think LHR (Business), LGW (Leisure), STN (LCC), MAN (no LCC), BHX (little LCC), EDI (no LCC). It will take work to get people to understand BRS = Business + Leisure + LCC.
If you're already a committed KL/AF flyer ex-BRS, you probably have FB status, which adds inertia to changing to *A. More time needed to change people over.
If LH had been able to hang in for 3 years, I think they would have a winner on their hands. I can't believe that BRS can't sustain a gateway route into the world's largest airline alliance, particularly as it seems unlikely that OW would ever be a credible option from BRS (BRS-MAD??? BRS-LHR??? BRS-JFK??? BRS-HEL???)