BRISTOL - 4
Brunel to Concorde
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Holiday company brochures are frequently up the creek.
For example, in the early edition's of this summer's Thomson Lakes and Mountains brochure the weekly Salzburg flight from BRS was shown operating as it has done for a couple of decades or more, though timings often vary from year to year, but the brochures always print 'last year's' timings even when they turn out to be incorrect for the year subject of the brochure.
Salzburg has now been axed altogether but there is an Innsbruck flight this summer with Inghams which didn't operate last summer and didn't feature in the early Inghams brochures for this summer either.
I'm looking to book from Bristol to the Isle of Man and one brochure I found contained details of inclusive holidays from several UK airports using various airlines including Flybe.
Flybe operates from BRS to IOM but didn't appear as an option. My wife went into a travel agent's shop this week who contacted the tour company to be told that BRS-IOM with Flybe is one of their routes even though it doesn't feature in their brochure.
You can see why I have little faith in holiday brochures.
I expect the BRS-EWR ski holiday has been copied in the brochure each winter from one year to the next from the time the route did operate.
For example, in the early edition's of this summer's Thomson Lakes and Mountains brochure the weekly Salzburg flight from BRS was shown operating as it has done for a couple of decades or more, though timings often vary from year to year, but the brochures always print 'last year's' timings even when they turn out to be incorrect for the year subject of the brochure.
Salzburg has now been axed altogether but there is an Innsbruck flight this summer with Inghams which didn't operate last summer and didn't feature in the early Inghams brochures for this summer either.
I'm looking to book from Bristol to the Isle of Man and one brochure I found contained details of inclusive holidays from several UK airports using various airlines including Flybe.
Flybe operates from BRS to IOM but didn't appear as an option. My wife went into a travel agent's shop this week who contacted the tour company to be told that BRS-IOM with Flybe is one of their routes even though it doesn't feature in their brochure.
You can see why I have little faith in holiday brochures.
I expect the BRS-EWR ski holiday has been copied in the brochure each winter from one year to the next from the time the route did operate.
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Have to agree with MV, holiday brochure flight info is often wrong, as they are printed so far ahead of the actual flight programmes happening. As a matter of fact, BRS never actually left the Continental Vacations brochure, I picked one up last year from the Holiday Show at the NEC: BRS was featured alongside all other UK dep points and this was a 2011-2012 brochure! Sadly I don't think its appearance in a Thmson brochure means you are getting your EWR flight back (for now)
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So flew in on the late KLM flight yesterday, and we did something unusual:
After landing, the 'plane did a 180 degree turn on the runway and came off the runway approximately adjacent to the western walkway.
Just wondering why the top end was closed? I remember hearing that the turning circle at the 09 end was too tight (or narrow?) for a 787 so wondering if they are doing some work up there on that? Probably just something boring like resurfacing though :|
After landing, the 'plane did a 180 degree turn on the runway and came off the runway approximately adjacent to the western walkway.
Just wondering why the top end was closed? I remember hearing that the turning circle at the 09 end was too tight (or narrow?) for a 787 so wondering if they are doing some work up there on that? Probably just something boring like resurfacing though :|
Join Date: Mar 2006
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BRS Summer 2012
Works
Its been a little quiet on here lately, and with Summer 2012 just around the corner surely there must be plenty to talk about.
I'll try and get the ball rolling...
Anybody able to shed any light on when the new stands currently under construction will be finished? Are they going to be in use by this summer?
Is there any other works happening airside this year regarding the masterplan? What about the Royal Mail Facility - read somewhere that there will be a TNT 737 service starting on Sun 30th 2012, any more info on this?
Summer 2012
I believe the following will be based/overnighting in BRS for summer 12:
Easy: 10-11 based ? Anyone have any more info?
Ryanair: Schedule requires 5 aircraft, anyone able to confirm if thats the number to be based?
Thomson: B757 x2 (visiting B767 twice weekly)
Thomas Cook: A320 x2
Eastern: Saab 2000
Air France: ATR-72
Brussels Airlines: ERJ-145 (operated by BMI Regional) - is this staying all summer?
KLM: F100/F70/maybe the E190?
So thats 23-24 aircraft in total. Anybody able to confirm this or have I missed any off? I make the TCX A320 the only extra based aircraft arriving for the summer. All others on the list have already been based for the Winter - RYR have parked 5 aircraft for most of the winter already, although only needing 3 for the winter schedule. This total of course doesn't take into account if Easy decide to base another aircraft or two for the height of summer.
Anything else going on? Rumors?
Its been a little quiet on here lately, and with Summer 2012 just around the corner surely there must be plenty to talk about.
I'll try and get the ball rolling...
Anybody able to shed any light on when the new stands currently under construction will be finished? Are they going to be in use by this summer?
Is there any other works happening airside this year regarding the masterplan? What about the Royal Mail Facility - read somewhere that there will be a TNT 737 service starting on Sun 30th 2012, any more info on this?
Summer 2012
I believe the following will be based/overnighting in BRS for summer 12:
Easy: 10-11 based ? Anyone have any more info?
Ryanair: Schedule requires 5 aircraft, anyone able to confirm if thats the number to be based?
Thomson: B757 x2 (visiting B767 twice weekly)
Thomas Cook: A320 x2
Eastern: Saab 2000
Air France: ATR-72
Brussels Airlines: ERJ-145 (operated by BMI Regional) - is this staying all summer?
KLM: F100/F70/maybe the E190?
So thats 23-24 aircraft in total. Anybody able to confirm this or have I missed any off? I make the TCX A320 the only extra based aircraft arriving for the summer. All others on the list have already been based for the Winter - RYR have parked 5 aircraft for most of the winter already, although only needing 3 for the winter schedule. This total of course doesn't take into account if Easy decide to base another aircraft or two for the height of summer.
Anything else going on? Rumors?
Last edited by Severn; 24th Mar 2012 at 00:14. Reason: added TNT query
Brunel to Concorde
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Hello James
At the last consultative committee meeting in January the CEO, Robert Sinclair, told members that the three stands under construction would be completed in April.
He also said that work on extending the passenger security search area was proceeding and it was proposed to develop a new immigration channel to provide additional capacity.
Since then it has been announced a contractor has been appointed as civil and structural designer for the extension of the terminal which will eventually be doubled in size. This contract relates to the western extension.
Unless there has been a hitch previous announcements have indicated that we might expect to see work starting on the airport hotel sometime this year.
So far as based/overnighting aircraft are concerned I think you've pretty well got the list correct - it's basically the same as last summer except for the Eastern Saab which replaces the Dash 8-300.
Ryanair's timetable for the summer requires five based aircraft, though there are one or two gaps where aircraft appear to be 'resting' as there were last summer. I'm assuming that easyJet will be as last summer too, 9 A319s and one A320 (that's what it's been during the winter, though not all were used all of the time, and what Mayfly is showing for next week, the first week of the summer scheduled timetable) with an additional A320 for part of the summer.
TOM ( two 757s and a visiting 767) and TCX (two 320s) are as last summer in terms of based aircraft, as are the overnighters.
I haven't heard anything about TNT.
The CEO told the consultative committee that he anticipated there would be passenger growth of 2-3% in 2012. This would build on the small increases in both 2010 and 2011.
That's about it as far as I'm aware - steady as she goes really.
At the last consultative committee meeting in January the CEO, Robert Sinclair, told members that the three stands under construction would be completed in April.
He also said that work on extending the passenger security search area was proceeding and it was proposed to develop a new immigration channel to provide additional capacity.
Since then it has been announced a contractor has been appointed as civil and structural designer for the extension of the terminal which will eventually be doubled in size. This contract relates to the western extension.
Unless there has been a hitch previous announcements have indicated that we might expect to see work starting on the airport hotel sometime this year.
So far as based/overnighting aircraft are concerned I think you've pretty well got the list correct - it's basically the same as last summer except for the Eastern Saab which replaces the Dash 8-300.
Ryanair's timetable for the summer requires five based aircraft, though there are one or two gaps where aircraft appear to be 'resting' as there were last summer. I'm assuming that easyJet will be as last summer too, 9 A319s and one A320 (that's what it's been during the winter, though not all were used all of the time, and what Mayfly is showing for next week, the first week of the summer scheduled timetable) with an additional A320 for part of the summer.
TOM ( two 757s and a visiting 767) and TCX (two 320s) are as last summer in terms of based aircraft, as are the overnighters.
I haven't heard anything about TNT.
The CEO told the consultative committee that he anticipated there would be passenger growth of 2-3% in 2012. This would build on the small increases in both 2010 and 2011.
That's about it as far as I'm aware - steady as she goes really.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Very clever and well thought approach by Robert Sinclair, intresting reading.......
BBC News - Bristol 'opportunity not threat' to Cardiff Airport
BBC News - Bristol 'opportunity not threat' to Cardiff Airport
Brunel to Concorde
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Hello W.
The BRS CEO was asked some questions for a radio broadcast on BBC Wales that explored the current predicament of CWL.
Clearly, he took the opportunity to try to give his airport a leg up - and why not? - though I doubt that his suggestions will find much favour within the corridors of the Senedd.
The BRS CEO was asked some questions for a radio broadcast on BBC Wales that explored the current predicament of CWL.
Clearly, he took the opportunity to try to give his airport a leg up - and why not? - though I doubt that his suggestions will find much favour within the corridors of the Senedd.
Join Date: Aug 2008
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With BMI going to BA and the probable scrapping of BD regional, I wonder what will happen to SN services from BRS? as they are serviced by a wet-lease BD E145.
Will SN put an Avro back on? or I wonder if they will just lease from someone else? (any ideas who?)
It would be good if they used it as an opportunity to put a slightly bigger aircraft on the route, as it's usually pretty much full every time I use it.
Will SN put an Avro back on? or I wonder if they will just lease from someone else? (any ideas who?)
It would be good if they used it as an opportunity to put a slightly bigger aircraft on the route, as it's usually pretty much full every time I use it.
Brunel to Concorde
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StopBristol AirportExpansion Group (SBAE)
There is a post from SBAE on the website of the village of Wrington, in whose parish BRS stands, saying that the organisation is 'closing its doors'. In fact, its website has already closed down but has been archived with Bristol Friends of the Earth.
There is no doubt that in its seven years of existence SBAE was a significant obstruction to the airport's desire to expand. The Guardian once described SBAE as one of the best organised of its type in the country.
The SBAE post on the Wrington website takes some parting shots at the airport.
It believes the airport will never reach its target of 10 mppa and cites the capricious (my adjective not SBAE's) DfT document issued last year that forecast little growth for BRS and many regional airports until 2020 followed by substantial growth in the ensuing decades.
As usual SBAE is selective in what it believes as it accepts the little growth until 2020 part but doubts the forecast growth after that.
SBAE thinks that what growth BRS has had is due in part to 'stealing passengers from Cardiff and Exeter airports'.
This is in line with past assertions that Heathrow is perfectly well able to cater for much of the Bristol area's needs and once more shows that SBAE doesn't really worry if people fly so long as it's not from BRS.
I've tried to point out to them that if Bristol had no airport people would still fly from somewhere and LHR aircraft or CWL aircraft or EXT aircraft would cause the emissions they say, taking the moral high ground, is one of the reasons for their fight.
They've also long questioned whether the expanion is necessary in terms of the numbers of passengers the airport is ever likely handle. I've suggested to them that if they really believe this there is no need for their organisation as the airport won't reach the size they apparently fear and the owners will have spent a huge sum of money in vain.
I've found it's impossible to argue sensibly with them as they are led by groups such as FoE and the Protection of Rural England people who trot out stereotypical dogma when challenged.
In its final press release last October, in response to Mr Justice Collins's rejection of the judicial review attempt, SBA said it 'will continue our vigilance to ensure that every one of the 70 conditions attached to the airport’s planning permission from North Somerset Council is properly fulfilled. We have always said we will fight to the end of the road to support local residents and the environment'.
It seems the end of the road popped up much sooner than they expected.
There are some locals who are members of SBAE or who support its aims. Many use the airport nonetheless and the best (or worst) example is the thriving twinning of Wrington with Villeneuve-les-Beziers that was started about three years ago purely on the basis that Ryanair operated and still operates a service between Bristol and Beziers that enables easy personal contact between both British and French members.
Without a thriving airport, no Ryanair and certainly no twinning on this model. Whilst I never wish to see any route cease I would certainly find myself with a wry smile if the BRS-BZR was axed.
There is no doubt that in its seven years of existence SBAE was a significant obstruction to the airport's desire to expand. The Guardian once described SBAE as one of the best organised of its type in the country.
The SBAE post on the Wrington website takes some parting shots at the airport.
It believes the airport will never reach its target of 10 mppa and cites the capricious (my adjective not SBAE's) DfT document issued last year that forecast little growth for BRS and many regional airports until 2020 followed by substantial growth in the ensuing decades.
As usual SBAE is selective in what it believes as it accepts the little growth until 2020 part but doubts the forecast growth after that.
SBAE thinks that what growth BRS has had is due in part to 'stealing passengers from Cardiff and Exeter airports'.
This is in line with past assertions that Heathrow is perfectly well able to cater for much of the Bristol area's needs and once more shows that SBAE doesn't really worry if people fly so long as it's not from BRS.
I've tried to point out to them that if Bristol had no airport people would still fly from somewhere and LHR aircraft or CWL aircraft or EXT aircraft would cause the emissions they say, taking the moral high ground, is one of the reasons for their fight.
They've also long questioned whether the expanion is necessary in terms of the numbers of passengers the airport is ever likely handle. I've suggested to them that if they really believe this there is no need for their organisation as the airport won't reach the size they apparently fear and the owners will have spent a huge sum of money in vain.
I've found it's impossible to argue sensibly with them as they are led by groups such as FoE and the Protection of Rural England people who trot out stereotypical dogma when challenged.
In its final press release last October, in response to Mr Justice Collins's rejection of the judicial review attempt, SBA said it 'will continue our vigilance to ensure that every one of the 70 conditions attached to the airport’s planning permission from North Somerset Council is properly fulfilled. We have always said we will fight to the end of the road to support local residents and the environment'.
It seems the end of the road popped up much sooner than they expected.
There are some locals who are members of SBAE or who support its aims. Many use the airport nonetheless and the best (or worst) example is the thriving twinning of Wrington with Villeneuve-les-Beziers that was started about three years ago purely on the basis that Ryanair operated and still operates a service between Bristol and Beziers that enables easy personal contact between both British and French members.
Without a thriving airport, no Ryanair and certainly no twinning on this model. Whilst I never wish to see any route cease I would certainly find myself with a wry smile if the BRS-BZR was axed.
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stop airport expantion now(SAEN)
the essex branch were active in trying to stop the expantion of southend,they gave up when they saw that they had no way of stopping the expantion,they lied about noise/take off/landing/night flights etc etc
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With BMI going to BA and the probable scrapping of BD regional, I wonder what will happen to SN services from BRS? as they are serviced by a wet-lease BD E145.
Will SN put an Avro back on? or I wonder if they will just lease from someone else? (any ideas who?)
It would be good if they used it as an opportunity to put a slightly bigger aircraft on the route, as it's usually pretty much full every time I use it.
Will SN put an Avro back on? or I wonder if they will just lease from someone else? (any ideas who?)
It would be good if they used it as an opportunity to put a slightly bigger aircraft on the route, as it's usually pretty much full every time I use it.
I don't think you will see the E145 being replaced by a RJ. I did recently hear that SN was in talks with BE to increase the number of of DH4 aircraft that they have on lease from 2 to 4.
Brunel to Concorde
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New York Service
No return for New York flight - News - Weston Mercury
According to the above newspaper report BRS has ruled out re-introducing a NYC link.
It's been in contact with the Wales Assembly Government regarding more passengers from the Principality using BRS but has issued a statement saying:
In 2007 the Continental service between Bristol and Newark was performing in line with expectations and was profitable, carrying approximately 80,000 passengers a year.
“However, the service ceased in 2010 in the face of mounting losses as a result of rising oil prices, a fall in the value of the pound against the dollar, increases in air passenger duty and the worldwide economic recession.
“There is little prospect of the Bristol Airport catchment area supporting a return of a New York service in the immediate future and any such proposal for Cardiff Airport would require a massive tax payer subsidy.
This is surely a sensible grasp of reality. In its master plan that was published about seven years ago the airport management said then that it believed that only four long-haul scheduled routes would be viable from BRS: New York (which had just started in the form of Newark), Dubai and two other US destinations - from memory I think Washington and Atlanta.
Clearly the changing world circumstances have modified this view.
Wales in the form of the Assembly potentially has a huge amount of public money that it could lavish on a New York route - provided it could find a legal way of applying the cash - but would it ever be sustainable when the support ran out?
CWL has a smaller and generally less affluent catchment than BRS, and its business sector is not as large so the amount of cash involved would be considerable.
In recent months various sums have been thrown around from the £580,000 per year (for three years) suggested by the York study in 2007 to more recent speculation in excess of £1 million per year in regard to a Delta service to NYC.
It seems that BRS is giving Wales the green light that if it wants to splash the cash it won't find any opposition on the English side of the Severn estuary.
According to the above newspaper report BRS has ruled out re-introducing a NYC link.
It's been in contact with the Wales Assembly Government regarding more passengers from the Principality using BRS but has issued a statement saying:
In 2007 the Continental service between Bristol and Newark was performing in line with expectations and was profitable, carrying approximately 80,000 passengers a year.
“However, the service ceased in 2010 in the face of mounting losses as a result of rising oil prices, a fall in the value of the pound against the dollar, increases in air passenger duty and the worldwide economic recession.
“There is little prospect of the Bristol Airport catchment area supporting a return of a New York service in the immediate future and any such proposal for Cardiff Airport would require a massive tax payer subsidy.
This is surely a sensible grasp of reality. In its master plan that was published about seven years ago the airport management said then that it believed that only four long-haul scheduled routes would be viable from BRS: New York (which had just started in the form of Newark), Dubai and two other US destinations - from memory I think Washington and Atlanta.
Clearly the changing world circumstances have modified this view.
Wales in the form of the Assembly potentially has a huge amount of public money that it could lavish on a New York route - provided it could find a legal way of applying the cash - but would it ever be sustainable when the support ran out?
CWL has a smaller and generally less affluent catchment than BRS, and its business sector is not as large so the amount of cash involved would be considerable.
In recent months various sums have been thrown around from the £580,000 per year (for three years) suggested by the York study in 2007 to more recent speculation in excess of £1 million per year in regard to a Delta service to NYC.
It seems that BRS is giving Wales the green light that if it wants to splash the cash it won't find any opposition on the English side of the Severn estuary.
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Anyone else here the sonic boom at about 1800 over Bath, Radstock, Frome area? Typhoon jets scrambled to a helicopter emitting an emergency signal by all accounts, wandered what the hell it was!
BBC News - Typhoon sonic boom behind mysterious bang reports - MoD
BBC News - Typhoon sonic boom behind mysterious bang reports - MoD
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It is odd that two typhoons were launched to aid a civil helicopter. I can't imagine they would be much use if it was in distress....."Look Biggles there it is down there"..."Where?"..."Sh*t you missed it and now we're 80 miles away".
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Seems BA made an unscheduled arrival at BRS on the 13th as due to fog at LHR the OSL-LHR service operated by A319 G-EUPB diverted to BRS before heading off to LHR once the fog cleared !
cs
cs
Brunel to Concorde
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Ryanair
New route to Warsaw Modlin from 30 October 2012, 3 x weekly.
Thomson Boeing 787
BRS not among the airports announced today by Thomson that feature the B787 from May 2013 to Florida and Cancun.
The B787 will operate to these destinations from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow and East Midlands.
In July 2010 Chris Brown, Thomson MD, announced that the B787 would operate from these airports when it came into service with the company (then expected to be in early 2012), as well as from Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol - some reports at that time also included Newcastle.
New route to Warsaw Modlin from 30 October 2012, 3 x weekly.
Thomson Boeing 787
BRS not among the airports announced today by Thomson that feature the B787 from May 2013 to Florida and Cancun.
The B787 will operate to these destinations from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow and East Midlands.
In July 2010 Chris Brown, Thomson MD, announced that the B787 would operate from these airports when it came into service with the company (then expected to be in early 2012), as well as from Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol - some reports at that time also included Newcastle.