BRISTOL - 4
Brunel to Concorde
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Virtute et Industria, et Sumorsaete Ealle
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thomson Airways Boeing 787
Standard,
I'm assuming that to begin with at least any 787 will not be permanently based (as CabinCrewe suggests) but will visit in the same way the TOM 767 currently does at weekends for Cancun and Sanford.
As you say, the 787 has long been held up by BRS management as the great hope to largely overcome the route limitations of the short runway, from the original master plan (over five years ago) to the present day, with a suggestion in the master plan of turning circles at runway end being the way to get round the taxiing problem.
The glitzy video indicates air bridges to some stands in the future together with an extended apron running eastwards and making use of the land currently occupied by the old terminal block.
Assuming the sec of state doesn't call in the local authority's major expansion approval for a public enquiry (I wouldn't bet much money on what he will do) or the SBAErs don't win a judicial review (if they can collect enough money in their public begging bowl to get a review in the first place), the idea is to expand as the need arises over the next decade and one would hope there are early plans to deal with a 787.
I'm assuming that to begin with at least any 787 will not be permanently based (as CabinCrewe suggests) but will visit in the same way the TOM 767 currently does at weekends for Cancun and Sanford.
As you say, the 787 has long been held up by BRS management as the great hope to largely overcome the route limitations of the short runway, from the original master plan (over five years ago) to the present day, with a suggestion in the master plan of turning circles at runway end being the way to get round the taxiing problem.
The glitzy video indicates air bridges to some stands in the future together with an extended apron running eastwards and making use of the land currently occupied by the old terminal block.
Assuming the sec of state doesn't call in the local authority's major expansion approval for a public enquiry (I wouldn't bet much money on what he will do) or the SBAErs don't win a judicial review (if they can collect enough money in their public begging bowl to get a review in the first place), the idea is to expand as the need arises over the next decade and one would hope there are early plans to deal with a 787.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bristol
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flybe at Bristol
According to tonights Bristol Evening Post Flybe are looking at launching up to seven new routes from Bristol in the next two years. Mr Rutter has said they are looking at Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium as well as domestic routes. Let the speculation begin.
Brunel to Concorde
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Virtute et Industria, et Sumorsaete Ealle
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Seems to be a bog standard press release to all newspapers near to airports. Similar article in the Evening Post for Leeds.
Thus far I am aware of local newspaper reports containing Flybe assertions that significant growth of routes will be seen at Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton, Leeds-Bradford as well as Bristol. There may be others.
As for Bristol, the airport is short of German destinations having only easyJet to Berlin Schoenfeld and the niche OLT route to Bremen, so there might well be scope there. I believe the airport is still hoping for a return of the LH route to Frankfurt when the recession eases.
Netherlands seems an odd one with Amsterdam well covered by KLM Cityhopper and easyJet. Perhaps Flybe is thinking of Eindhoven. When Ryanair operated this route in summer 2009 the passenger numbers were disappointing for a 189-seat aircraft with average monthly loads being: May - 88; June - 84; July - 129; August - 137; September - 101. This might encourage Flybe to believe its smaller aircraft would fit this particular bill.
Belgium is another route that one would not think of as being at the top of a list from Bristol given that bmiRegional currently operates the route 3 x daily on behalf of Brussels Airlines with seemingly appropriately-sized equipment in the ERJ145.
As bobsyeruncle points out, the obvious gaps in the Bristol network are Germany and Scandinavia.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Manchester, England
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
B787 at smaller airports
Yes, the B787 is indeed being held up as the Great White Hope for regional long-haul due to its lower seat-mile costs and runway field length requirements. A word of warning, however. The 787-8, with a wingspan of 60 metres falls into the ICAO Code E bracket for aerodrome characteristics. This means it requires taxiway strips / stands etc sized for the A330/B777 and not the B767/A300 which it will often be replacing in the UK. The 787-9, which follows it has a span of over 63 metres, into 747-400 territory. Without getting my scale ruler out I am not sure that some regional airports with long-haul aspirations will be able to meet Code E requirements across their taxiways and stands without a chunk of investment.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
Posts: 6,168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Except the same thing was said about the B767ER. Bob Crandall at American set out to destroy the B747 operators at Pan Am and TWA by flying the smaller B767 direct from the US into Europe bypassing the large US hubs.
Twenty years later, most of those routes are gone and AA is entrenching at Heathrow with ATI. The rise of the Alliances puts to bed a lot of point to point travel as it's cheaper to fly through a hub than is is to fly direct.
Given that the hub airlines will have loads of 787s as well, I don't really see it being a game changer as you hope.
Twenty years later, most of those routes are gone and AA is entrenching at Heathrow with ATI. The rise of the Alliances puts to bed a lot of point to point travel as it's cheaper to fly through a hub than is is to fly direct.
Given that the hub airlines will have loads of 787s as well, I don't really see it being a game changer as you hope.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Manchester, England
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Skippy,
Yes, you may well be right, I have thought so too. Nevertheless, Pan Am and TWA never flew into MAN. AA have since 1986 and still do, although smaller UK regional airports didn't work out for them. Conti have the 787 on order but if they didn't make a 757 work at BRS a much larger 787 won't either.
Yes, you may well be right, I have thought so too. Nevertheless, Pan Am and TWA never flew into MAN. AA have since 1986 and still do, although smaller UK regional airports didn't work out for them. Conti have the 787 on order but if they didn't make a 757 work at BRS a much larger 787 won't either.
Brunel to Concorde
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Virtute et Industria, et Sumorsaete Ealle
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think anyone, including the airport, believes that Bristol will become a hub for long haul scheduled travel. They say as much in their master plan that looks forward over the next twenty years where they suggest that only about four scheduled long haul routes, mainly to the USA, might be viable.
Where the 787 will change things at Lulsgate is in its ability to reach non-stop without load penalty charter destinations such as Florida (the 767 just about manages this), Cancun (for which the 767 needs en route refuelling) and resorts further afield.
As for infrastructure changes necessary to accommodate a 787, the airport's £150 million expansion plans have now been passed by the local authority but there is still a question as to whether the sec of state will call the whole thing in for a public enquiry.
The plans include, inter alia, stands for larger aircraft and airbridges to some stands as well as a bigger apron, accomplished by demolishing the old terminal.
The full length parallel taxiway is too narrow for a 787 (wings would overhang the boundary fence) but they anticipate dealing with that by turning circles and backtracking.
No-one that I know thinks the 787 will push BRS into a higher division (in football parlance) but it will enable more flexibility from the airport on long haul, mainly charter routes.
Where the 787 will change things at Lulsgate is in its ability to reach non-stop without load penalty charter destinations such as Florida (the 767 just about manages this), Cancun (for which the 767 needs en route refuelling) and resorts further afield.
As for infrastructure changes necessary to accommodate a 787, the airport's £150 million expansion plans have now been passed by the local authority but there is still a question as to whether the sec of state will call the whole thing in for a public enquiry.
The plans include, inter alia, stands for larger aircraft and airbridges to some stands as well as a bigger apron, accomplished by demolishing the old terminal.
The full length parallel taxiway is too narrow for a 787 (wings would overhang the boundary fence) but they anticipate dealing with that by turning circles and backtracking.
No-one that I know thinks the 787 will push BRS into a higher division (in football parlance) but it will enable more flexibility from the airport on long haul, mainly charter routes.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bowerhill
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Continental
Flight CO77 to Newark
Both Friday and today CO77 has been fully booked in Business First and Economy!
I estimate that for the route in July 2010 the total pax could hit 9,000.
I have been monitoring the pax figures over the last two months and I would to say there is a case for someone else to fill the gap should Continental carry out their withdrawl.
Both Friday and today CO77 has been fully booked in Business First and Economy!
I estimate that for the route in July 2010 the total pax could hit 9,000.
I have been monitoring the pax figures over the last two months and I would to say there is a case for someone else to fill the gap should Continental carry out their withdrawl.
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BRISTOL
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CO full today as well, I believe 2 pax off loaded due to over booking, same situation last couple of days, re booking and $700 offered i was told, not sure how accurate that is.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bowerhill
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Continental
1 month out of 12 doesnt make economic mathematics. Look at the figures for mid winter particularly in biz class. No one will fill this route in a hurry
If you discount the months of airport closures due to Snow at beginning of the year and then the Volcanic Ash Cloud, pax figures have been increasing ahead of last year, and so much so there is the real prospect of beating August 2009 of 9,622 pax, the highest ever monthly figure since the route began.
So as AirLCY has said, at the very least there are grounds for a seasonal service.
If you discount the months of airport closures due to Snow at beginning of the year and then the Volcanic Ash Cloud, pax figures have been increasing ahead of last year, and so much so there is the real prospect of beating August 2009 of 9,622 pax, the highest ever monthly figure since the route began.
So as AirLCY has said, at the very least there are grounds for a seasonal service.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes guys - Cym is right. The prospects of a TA route from BRS is not dead, but it is the jewel in the crown of an affluent regional airport that is going through a recession - therefore, now may not be the time, but it will be back! Mark my words! we still have so much to be positive about - we are the fastest growing airport currently in the UK and there isn't an airport in this region that can match the routes and airlines offered here! Big pat on the back! 
Brunel to Concorde
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Virtute et Industria, et Sumorsaete Ealle
Posts: 2,283
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CO to EWR
It's a shame for those people who regularly used the route and for the reputation of the airport in the eyes of those people who don't usually take a close interest in aviation matters but who see the loss of the route as a telling blow to the viability of the airport as a whole - in the letters column of the local paper for example.
With the recession and Continental's increasing presence at Heathrow just along the M4 (they had no access at all when the BRS-EWR route was started) it was always going to be a monumental task to retain the Bristol route.
Someone may pick it up or something like it in the future - no-one can accurately forecast the fortunes of civil aviation over the next two years let along the next ten - but I believe the important thing is for Bristol to have a portfolio of routes that can be realistically operated. Might be stating the obvious but it is something that should never be marginalised. Long haul can still be accomplished via Amsterdam or Paris with Brussels chipping in as well. I hope that Frankfurt returns with LH as, from a personal point of view, that hub offers me more than the others.
Bristol area people are also fortunate in having the country's major airport relatively close with numerous long haul destinations (though I realise that this proximity can sometimes work against the aspirations of BRS) and don't forget BHX just along the M5 still has a CO EWR route and a twice-daily Emirates connection to Dubai and all the onward destinations that provides.
I think we are luckier than most with all this choice and birdscarer is right when he says there is much to be optimistic about in the current fortunes of the airport.
Hotel
The local Weston paper reports the airport have submitted plans to the local authority for permission to build an onsite 251-room hotel. Needless to say SBAE is calling for the application to be withdrawn.
I believe BRS is the largest UK airport without an onsite hotel.
With the recession and Continental's increasing presence at Heathrow just along the M4 (they had no access at all when the BRS-EWR route was started) it was always going to be a monumental task to retain the Bristol route.
Someone may pick it up or something like it in the future - no-one can accurately forecast the fortunes of civil aviation over the next two years let along the next ten - but I believe the important thing is for Bristol to have a portfolio of routes that can be realistically operated. Might be stating the obvious but it is something that should never be marginalised. Long haul can still be accomplished via Amsterdam or Paris with Brussels chipping in as well. I hope that Frankfurt returns with LH as, from a personal point of view, that hub offers me more than the others.
Bristol area people are also fortunate in having the country's major airport relatively close with numerous long haul destinations (though I realise that this proximity can sometimes work against the aspirations of BRS) and don't forget BHX just along the M5 still has a CO EWR route and a twice-daily Emirates connection to Dubai and all the onward destinations that provides.
I think we are luckier than most with all this choice and birdscarer is right when he says there is much to be optimistic about in the current fortunes of the airport.
Hotel
The local Weston paper reports the airport have submitted plans to the local authority for permission to build an onsite 251-room hotel. Needless to say SBAE is calling for the application to be withdrawn.
I believe BRS is the largest UK airport without an onsite hotel.
