BRISTOL - 4
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Airside Expansion
Taking the topic slightly off CO for a bit. I travelled through the 'new' BRS terminal this weekend. First thing to say is that its great to see the airport getting (clearly needed) expansion, and although I didn't get to use the new passenger walkway, one could see how huge benefits must already being brought about by the reduced use of coaches etc.
One thing really niggled me though... Where the hell are all the seats?? I was airside for about an hour and I didn't fancy being ripped off by the many cafes/restaurants etc. The tiny seating area (next to gates 5 and 6 I think) was completely full. I wondered upstairs, sat down at Burger King and I was asked to move along, being told that the area was for paying customers only. So I had to stand around for the best part of 45 minutes.
Its not a huge deal for me personally and I realise the whole point of this is to get people into the shops/restaurants spending their cash. But I think when there's free seating for about 40 people max it slightly takes the mickey. We all know what shopping malls LHR/LGW are, but at least there's plenty of places to sit.
What happens if there's big fog delays and hundreds of passengers are airside for hours at a time? Or if Saga decide to parade a plane full of oldies (who don't know how to work Starbucks) through the terminal? I can see it turning into a bit of a nightmare.
One thing really niggled me though... Where the hell are all the seats?? I was airside for about an hour and I didn't fancy being ripped off by the many cafes/restaurants etc. The tiny seating area (next to gates 5 and 6 I think) was completely full. I wondered upstairs, sat down at Burger King and I was asked to move along, being told that the area was for paying customers only. So I had to stand around for the best part of 45 minutes.
Its not a huge deal for me personally and I realise the whole point of this is to get people into the shops/restaurants spending their cash. But I think when there's free seating for about 40 people max it slightly takes the mickey. We all know what shopping malls LHR/LGW are, but at least there's plenty of places to sit.
What happens if there's big fog delays and hundreds of passengers are airside for hours at a time? Or if Saga decide to parade a plane full of oldies (who don't know how to work Starbucks) through the terminal? I can see it turning into a bit of a nightmare.
Join Date: May 2005
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Sorry to thread hog a bit, but I've just boarded CO076, and been offered a shower on arrival at BRS! That wasn't on offer 3 weeks ago.
I have visions of being hosed down by one of the ground crew, somewhere in the vicinity of the fuel dump. Or the fire station.
Great new service - beats have to share the work shower with the cyclists, and almost makes up for the lack of sleep I'm going to get on tonight's very quick flight...
I have visions of being hosed down by one of the ground crew, somewhere in the vicinity of the fuel dump. Or the fire station.
Great new service - beats have to share the work shower with the cyclists, and almost makes up for the lack of sleep I'm going to get on tonight's very quick flight...
Brunel to Concorde
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Showers
I reckon someone's not been telling you something, B_T. According to the airport press blurbs the hosing downs have been available since last October.
Shower facilities provide a refreshing change at Bristol International - Bristol Airport
Lack of seating in departures
This has been discussed within this thread several times in the recent past with the majority opinion seeming to be that the airport has gone too far in removing public seating to provide more retail and refreshment outlets.
There is obviously a balance to be struck between the need to maximise revenue and the comfort of passengers but I believe it's currently tilted too far in favour of the former.
Western walkway and bus access
Whilst the western walkway will reduce the need for bus transfer to/from aircraft some remote stands will remain.
A poster on another forum believes the walkway obstructs bus access to international arrivals if an aircraft is parked at stand 1.
He cites a recent experience where his bus was held up because of these circumstances.
Can anyone working at the airport comment on this?
I reckon someone's not been telling you something, B_T. According to the airport press blurbs the hosing downs have been available since last October.
Shower facilities provide a refreshing change at Bristol International - Bristol Airport
Lack of seating in departures
This has been discussed within this thread several times in the recent past with the majority opinion seeming to be that the airport has gone too far in removing public seating to provide more retail and refreshment outlets.
There is obviously a balance to be struck between the need to maximise revenue and the comfort of passengers but I believe it's currently tilted too far in favour of the former.
Western walkway and bus access
Whilst the western walkway will reduce the need for bus transfer to/from aircraft some remote stands will remain.
A poster on another forum believes the walkway obstructs bus access to international arrivals if an aircraft is parked at stand 1.
He cites a recent experience where his bus was held up because of these circumstances.
Can anyone working at the airport comment on this?
Join Date: May 2005
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Showers were very good. Three of them round the back of the AF/KL check-in desks.
It's the first time CO have offered a shower to me, and I've done EWR-BRS in BusinessFirst a number of times this year. Although, admittedly, the time before last boarding was all over the place due to a catering cart disaster.
EWR weren't very clear what to do. I had take it into my own hands to go around to the CO check-in, and someone there took me to the CO ticket desk, who let me in to the shower. Maybe I missed someone more helpful hanging around the aircraft or apron....
All the crews I've spoken to have been very sad to see BRS go - they seem to like it as a route, and surprised that it's going.
It's the first time CO have offered a shower to me, and I've done EWR-BRS in BusinessFirst a number of times this year. Although, admittedly, the time before last boarding was all over the place due to a catering cart disaster.
EWR weren't very clear what to do. I had take it into my own hands to go around to the CO check-in, and someone there took me to the CO ticket desk, who let me in to the shower. Maybe I missed someone more helpful hanging around the aircraft or apron....
All the crews I've spoken to have been very sad to see BRS go - they seem to like it as a route, and surprised that it's going.
Join Date: Apr 2007
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Its almost a shame they can't do anything seating wise in the new pier- that would at least act as a feed out of the main airside zone. However, I understand the airport had to level with the council when regarding capacity.
Interestingly when I was last flying out of Bristol, Air France/KLM/BMI were all departing from gates on the new pier. Would have been nice to see at least some seating around the boarding gates.. albeit I understand it wasn't allowed.
Interestingly when I was last flying out of Bristol, Air France/KLM/BMI were all departing from gates on the new pier. Would have been nice to see at least some seating around the boarding gates.. albeit I understand it wasn't allowed.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Western Walkway
On the topic of the new Western Walkway I discovered this on the Bristol Airport Wikipedia article. "On 28 May, an £8M project finalised with the opening of a 450 metres (1,480 ft) walkway, which connects the terminal building to eight new pre-boarding zones, each with its own jetway."
Can someone tell me if this is true, or have any photos of the new walkway as I didn't think that each boarding gate had an airbridge/jetbridge/jetway straight to the aircraft, I was led to believe that passengers would walk out to the aircraft via doors onto the apron and board using steps.
Can someone tell me if this is true, or have any photos of the new walkway as I didn't think that each boarding gate had an airbridge/jetbridge/jetway straight to the aircraft, I was led to believe that passengers would walk out to the aircraft via doors onto the apron and board using steps.
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On the topic of the new Western Walkway I discovered this on the Bristol Airport Wikipedia article. "On 28 May, an £8M project finalised with the opening of a 450 metres (1,480 ft) walkway, which connects the terminal building to eight new pre-boarding zones, each with its own jetway."
Can someone tell me if this is true, or have any photos of the new walkway as I didn't think that each boarding gate had an airbridge/jetbridge/jetway straight to the aircraft, I was led to believe that passengers would walk out to the aircraft via doors onto the apron and board using steps.
Can someone tell me if this is true, or have any photos of the new walkway as I didn't think that each boarding gate had an airbridge/jetbridge/jetway straight to the aircraft, I was led to believe that passengers would walk out to the aircraft via doors onto the apron and board using steps.
If you don't mind the hopeless plug, click here for one of my videos from last week- shows the outside of the walkway.
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Buses.
To answer the question the bus pick up road is run one way. This means inbound buses from the eastern apron have to use the road that crosses behind stands 1 2 and 3. There is no problem when the aircraft are on stand but the delay in question may have been whilst an aircraft was in the process of push back from one of these stands which would obviously close the road for a minute or two at the most. Not a huge problem unless you chose not to pay mr o'leary for the use of his toilet !
To answer the question the bus pick up road is run one way. This means inbound buses from the eastern apron have to use the road that crosses behind stands 1 2 and 3. There is no problem when the aircraft are on stand but the delay in question may have been whilst an aircraft was in the process of push back from one of these stands which would obviously close the road for a minute or two at the most. Not a huge problem unless you chose not to pay mr o'leary for the use of his toilet !
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Cwl- New York
In light of the rumors about Delta at Brs, an interesting item has appeared on the Cwl thread stating that Delta has been in talks with Cwl for some time regarding a Cwl - New York route three times a week. It is a BBC news story and is reporting these talks have just broken down.
Could this be because that they may have their eyes on a better alternative across the channel when Continental vacate with a greater catchment area?
As i said previously, i think any future trans Atlantic New York route will be via Aer Lingus hubbing through Shannon.
Another point that was raised was that the route would attract state aid, its pretty good with two competing airports, with only one receiving direct government aid and that the unaided airport knocks spots of the the other, the proofs in the pudding- numbers talk.
Interesting though.
Could this be because that they may have their eyes on a better alternative across the channel when Continental vacate with a greater catchment area?
As i said previously, i think any future trans Atlantic New York route will be via Aer Lingus hubbing through Shannon.
Another point that was raised was that the route would attract state aid, its pretty good with two competing airports, with only one receiving direct government aid and that the unaided airport knocks spots of the the other, the proofs in the pudding- numbers talk.
Interesting though.
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As i said previously, i think any future trans Atlantic New York route will be via Aer Lingus hubbing through Shannon.
Code:
Shannon – Bristol EI3654 SNN1530 – 1655BRS AT7 x6 EI3655 BRS1720 – 1850SNN AT7 x6 Day x246 till 27JUL10
Oh, I really hope it's not DL to ATL. In so many many ways.....
Brunel to Concorde
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CheekyVisual,
Many thanks for your reply re bus routes from stands to terminal at BRS.
crackling jet,
It seems that the Welsh Assembly Government refused to agree to Delta's request for financial aid - a sum approaching £2 million per annum was talked about - for a transatlantic route from CWL and this decision has come in for criticism by some members of the business community and others in South Wales.
There is current speculation that CWL is seeking WAG support for an Emirates route from CWL to Dubai it is trying to set up.
Apart from the PSO route from Cardiff to Anglesey I'm not aware of any public money currently being used to support CWL or its routes or its infrastructure. The Welsh Route Development Fund was wound up several years ago when the EU imposed new conditions that made RDFs less attractive.
In fairness, BRS has had some public help in the past.
About six years ago the South West Regional Development Agency (a publicly-funded QUANGO) provided £1.5 million for infrastructure developments at BRS, although last year SWRDA stated it would no longer financially assist any of its airports. SWRDA even formally opposed BRS's expansion plans - talk about giving with one hand and trying to take away with the other! It might not be around itself much longer if the new Coalition Government gets its way.
The Eastern Airways Aberdeen-Bristol route that commenced in November 2004 was initially assisted by the Scottish RDF.
Many thanks for your reply re bus routes from stands to terminal at BRS.
crackling jet,
It seems that the Welsh Assembly Government refused to agree to Delta's request for financial aid - a sum approaching £2 million per annum was talked about - for a transatlantic route from CWL and this decision has come in for criticism by some members of the business community and others in South Wales.
There is current speculation that CWL is seeking WAG support for an Emirates route from CWL to Dubai it is trying to set up.
Apart from the PSO route from Cardiff to Anglesey I'm not aware of any public money currently being used to support CWL or its routes or its infrastructure. The Welsh Route Development Fund was wound up several years ago when the EU imposed new conditions that made RDFs less attractive.
In fairness, BRS has had some public help in the past.
About six years ago the South West Regional Development Agency (a publicly-funded QUANGO) provided £1.5 million for infrastructure developments at BRS, although last year SWRDA stated it would no longer financially assist any of its airports. SWRDA even formally opposed BRS's expansion plans - talk about giving with one hand and trying to take away with the other! It might not be around itself much longer if the new Coalition Government gets its way.
The Eastern Airways Aberdeen-Bristol route that commenced in November 2004 was initially assisted by the Scottish RDF.
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Just looking through the Ryanair Winter 10/11 offerings from BRS and I noticed that Milan Bergamo is not bookable past 3rd November. Having driven the big Orange off the Malpensa route it is somewhat surprising to see Bergamo disappear.
The handful of times I have used the service the flights have been pretty rammed but then there's the load factor vs yield chestnut, and I must admit I have never paid more than about fifty quid often nearer £25 for a winter mid week return.
I am assuming that FR have completed loading their first pass at a winter schedule ?
BH
The handful of times I have used the service the flights have been pretty rammed but then there's the load factor vs yield chestnut, and I must admit I have never paid more than about fifty quid often nearer £25 for a winter mid week return.
I am assuming that FR have completed loading their first pass at a winter schedule ?
BH
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Morning MV Appreciate what you say regards public handouts via RDA's and the fact that under this new administration they may not be with us much longer, surely that is a good thing, as it is uncompetetive isn't it ?, how many times in the past did we hear that the South West has lost out to Wales again due the WDA grant, not only aviation but other business ventures. I know it's harsh, but lets get rid of them all and have real competition, with the real go getting companies pulling off into the lead with the rest having to fall by the wayside, after all to much tax payers cash is being pumped into lame ducks that without would have long since gone under. As you mentioned Brs had £1.5m six years ago, i visit Cwl very regularly, driving around the airport you see little plaques on various locations stating this project was finnanced by WDA or EU funding. The initial idea of these Quango's was good, to assist poorer areas to improve, this they did, however when a level playing field was achieved this should have been suspended, but it was not and a false economy was born being supported by these agencies, where the original well performing areas became the new underachievers with no RDA to assist them into the future. Anyway rant over
Brunel to Concorde
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BRS and the public purse
crackling jet,
Bristol and its city region do seem to miss out on all the public gravy train money, both national and European, as the city and its region are perceived to be economically self-sufficient and don't need a helping hand from the public purse. This means that many 'deserving' areas are blessed with public handouts and finish up with better facilities than places like Bristol that have to pay for everything themselves. I've written a lot about this in other arenas but clearly this is not a forum to debate the topic at length.
The £1.5 million from SWRDA was the only amount that the airport received from this QUANGO as far as I can determine, and the RDF money was from the Scottish fund to assist Aberdeen setting up the Bristol route, so Bristol benefited indirectly.
Like you, I much prefer any business to stand on its own feet and public handouts can skew markets in sometimes unexpected directions, with aviation no different. I wasn't in favour of the £1.5 million that BRS received from the SWRDA.
It seems the Coalition will retain some RDA's, reportedly to be renamed and revamped, but only in those areas deemed to have need which doesn't apparently include the South West, albeit many rural areas struggle to keep up with the likes of the Bristol and Exeter regions. So far as the South West airports are concerned the demise of SWRDA would make little difference going forward in view of its previous decision to opt out of supporting them in future.
Ryanair Bergamo route
BleadonHell (it's not really that bad is it? I always thought it was a pleasant sort of place),
I don't know whether the Ryanair Bergamo service has been axed for the coming winter or whether the current timetable is a work in progress. The summer 10 timetable had a number of versions that began in November last year but wasn't finalised for another two or three months with routes and times/days being shuffled almost weekly at times. For example, Rimini was in version 1 before being axed in the subsequent versions only to return in the final one, and it is operating this summer.
If Bergamo is being chopped Milan will have gone from 2 x daily year round until a year or so ago (easyJet 7 x weekly to Malpensa and Ryanair 7 x weekly to Bergamo) to nothing.
crackling jet,
Bristol and its city region do seem to miss out on all the public gravy train money, both national and European, as the city and its region are perceived to be economically self-sufficient and don't need a helping hand from the public purse. This means that many 'deserving' areas are blessed with public handouts and finish up with better facilities than places like Bristol that have to pay for everything themselves. I've written a lot about this in other arenas but clearly this is not a forum to debate the topic at length.
The £1.5 million from SWRDA was the only amount that the airport received from this QUANGO as far as I can determine, and the RDF money was from the Scottish fund to assist Aberdeen setting up the Bristol route, so Bristol benefited indirectly.
Like you, I much prefer any business to stand on its own feet and public handouts can skew markets in sometimes unexpected directions, with aviation no different. I wasn't in favour of the £1.5 million that BRS received from the SWRDA.
It seems the Coalition will retain some RDA's, reportedly to be renamed and revamped, but only in those areas deemed to have need which doesn't apparently include the South West, albeit many rural areas struggle to keep up with the likes of the Bristol and Exeter regions. So far as the South West airports are concerned the demise of SWRDA would make little difference going forward in view of its previous decision to opt out of supporting them in future.
Ryanair Bergamo route
BleadonHell (it's not really that bad is it? I always thought it was a pleasant sort of place),
I don't know whether the Ryanair Bergamo service has been axed for the coming winter or whether the current timetable is a work in progress. The summer 10 timetable had a number of versions that began in November last year but wasn't finalised for another two or three months with routes and times/days being shuffled almost weekly at times. For example, Rimini was in version 1 before being axed in the subsequent versions only to return in the final one, and it is operating this summer.
If Bergamo is being chopped Milan will have gone from 2 x daily year round until a year or so ago (easyJet 7 x weekly to Malpensa and Ryanair 7 x weekly to Bergamo) to nothing.
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BBC News - Daily New York City flight talks 'end'
Intresting reading, could the BRS team succeed where the CWL team have failed?
Especially when you read the part about 3 x weekly!! Theres no reason that this could not work from BRS with DL in my opinion, CO 's loads haven't been too bad, it's just the business section they struggled with, a 3 or 4 weekly service may make it easier to fill a business cabin, it's a real shame CO won't consider a similar system for the BRS connection than dropping it completely.
Intresting reading, could the BRS team succeed where the CWL team have failed?
Especially when you read the part about 3 x weekly!! Theres no reason that this could not work from BRS with DL in my opinion, CO 's loads haven't been too bad, it's just the business section they struggled with, a 3 or 4 weekly service may make it easier to fill a business cabin, it's a real shame CO won't consider a similar system for the BRS connection than dropping it completely.
Last edited by WATABENCH; 16th Jun 2010 at 04:30.
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it's just the business section they struggled with, a 3 or 4 weekly service may make it easier to fill a business cabin,
I had to *call* CO and tell them that I was able to book outbound BRS-BRU-EWR (SN to BRU, connecting to CO61), because their website wouldn't handle it. I was also prepared to support BRS by getting an ERJ-145 to BRU at 6.15 in the morning followed by a sweaty 45 minute dash across the entire airport (lousy airport for connecting) to get onto the CO flight. Less committed people would have just driven to London and got CO29 at 11:00, which gets in about the same time. And if you're going to do that, chances are, you're going to fly back to London, because so few people understand, let alone book, open-jaw tickets.
So I'd be sceptical that a 3/4 weekly DL flight would benefit from a better business cabin yield - it might be the opposite. 3/4 weekly to me (1356?) sounds like a holidaymakers' flight.
Brunel to Concorde
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Cape Verde
BRS announcement today that The Gambia Experience will operate to the island of Boa Vista in Cape Verde in winter 10/11.
The Friday flight to Banjul will continue to Cape Verde between December and March.
The Friday flight to Banjul will continue to Cape Verde between December and March.