BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - BFS (Aldergrove)

[BFS101]

Look here.........

Cheers eastern, will certainly add a bit of colour with that livery!!!

[gate 22]

So EZY have put on an extra return for Fridays from JAN-MAR 2011 BFS/STN, then it's back to four for the summer.

[tigger2k8]

Told you's EI had something up their sleeves

gate 22, nothing more is been done about STN until they make a decision on whats happening with LTN, if LTN returns then STN will stay at its current frequency, if LTN stays at BHD they are supposed to increase it

[gate 22]

if LTN stays at BHD they are supposed to increase it

Then surely that would mean basing an aircraft there to take full advantage of the market. (early morning out and all that). Would it not be a more cost effective measure to base an aircraft up the road which could cover Luton and possible another leg somewhere else. Unless EZY have signed a deal with BHD along the lines that they can only operate Luton from belfast from BHD for the next 10 years!

[tigger2k8]

sorry gate 22, i didn't word that the best, what i meant was if LTN stays at BHD then STN at BFS is supposed to get increased frequency, that was the plan about a month ago anyway, but it all depends on how long it takes EZY to decide on what to do

[True Blue]

So if the rumours on the BHD thread are true, that WW are off to Bhd, who, if any, will take up the routes from Bfs? Will Jet2 or Easy have the courage to do it? Would Jet2 have the courage to take these routes plus Ltn and suddenly have some critical mass at Bfs? In the end, WW could be squeezed completely out with this move.

[aidoair]

Depending on the routes baby will/may offer from BHD, this could be a bad move. Like you say it brings LS and EZY in to takeover the routes. The most prominent one being MAN.

[tigger2k8]

While it appears it could be true about WW, I want to send my wishes to those who work for servisair, that's 9 flights a day lost mon-fri, and the couple over the weekend, no doubt there will be job losses..as they already had a couple planned after new year

As for who will pick up the demand, it would be a perfect opportunity for EZY to jump in there, if the demand is there EZY will hopefully make a move on it, after all there's a reason most picked bmibaby from BFS than BE at BHD, LS seems more focused on mainland operations than expanding at BFS, although this annoucement could make them change their mind.

[BELHold]

"Like you say it brings LS and EZY in to takeover the routes."

Don't forget EI, they already operate into BHX and Man.

Can't see BEE just lying down on this one though, direct competition, I would think they will seek an urgent meeting with BA .

[mysecretsmile]

Confirmed news on BMI Baby

bmibaby launch new services from Belfast City Airport
Services commence on 10 January 2011

bmibaby will commence flying from George Best Belfast City Airport to Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and East Midlands Airport from 10 January 2011.

bmibaby will move its operation from Belfast International Airport to Belfast City Airport, in a move to offer more convenient services to passengers wishing to travel into Belfast.

The new bmibaby services will add to the bmi Groups current flights between Belfast City Airport and London Heathrow, meaning the bmi Group will become one of the largest operators from Belfast City Airport.

The low cost airline will operate up to 48 flights a week from Belfast to its regional airports, with fares starting from just £9.99 one way including taxes.

[gate 22]

I can see no advantage to BHD or WW in this move. All routes are already operated out of BHD. Maybe they will start other services. The loss to BFS is quite large, however a carrot is there and EZY should look at it with relation to MAN & BHX. LS should also look at MAN & EMA. Judging by past experiences at BFS I wouldn't be confident of these routes being covered any time soon. However if they do particularly MAN & BHX with EZY, then WW will not push out BEE and EZY will grow what has become a low earning set of routes for BFS in past years. There is a large market for MAN and BHX out of BFS (WW did not take full advantage of it).
Time will tell, maybe EZY will put everything back at BFS and add BHX and MAN.
I wonder how BEE feel about adding EMA to their network late last month to then have the BHD management throw this at them.

[INKJET]

Gate 22

Its a dog eat dog world out there, for a long time now bmi & especially baby have been far to cautious about taking on the competition, this lack of balls no doubt led to Flybe thinking there would be no reaction to moving in on EMA, i would guess that BHD would not have given the OK if it was just a EMA-BHD spat between Flybe & baby, but when offered all four bases, plus what is to come next year or risk the loss of LHR? what would you do?

Baby have shown that they can live with Ryanair on most routes, BFS was always an odd ball, in a clean sheet approach baby would have been at BHD & Ryanair at BFS where a longer runway means they can use their aircraft's range unrestricted.

I predict that BFS will have to talk to Ryanair now, in the past it was said that EZY,LS,WW had told BFS that if Ryanair came to BFS they would clear off, well the dynamic of that has now changed! would/could LS & EZY go anywhere? i doubt it? i see only two winners here BHD & WW

[MontyP]

I see in the press release announcing the Iceland Express route that BFS has a "Business Development Director" This would indicate that there is also a business development department. Who would have known!

[gate 22]

So total WW traffic in 2009 approx 395,000 pax quite alot lost. However I suppose some will transfer across to LPL, but from Liverpool to London (middle England) with no flights from BFS is bad.
I suppose if EZY brought back Ltn at 246,000 in 2009, it would go some way to balance it all out. I wonder what the real chances of EZY introducing MAN and BHX. Do you think if BFS hinted at FR entering the market they might be persuaded?

[tigger2k8]

As far as im aware BFS is still not wanting FR in.. nor is EZY and EI, who are the main airlines, why risk losing/upsetting them by inviting FR in, who will land you further away from your destination ... FR also stated they would only operate from BFS if there was a subsidy, and well, we all know BFS doesnt like handing money out

[gate 22]

As far as im aware BFS is still not wanting FR in.. nor is EZY and EI,

So to take this forward, why don't BFS suggest ''listen guy's we want MAN, BHX and LTN, if you can't deliver then we will be seeking any airline that would take them up"", I mean they are viable routes and BFS just can't sit around and keep on losing routes and thus passengers who park cars and buy from shops.

[BFS101]

why risk losing/upsetting them by inviting FR in, who will land you further away from your destination ...

Totally agree!!!

With LS bases at both MAN and EMA, and having experience on the domestic market with BFS - LBA flights for years I wonder would they consider this.

Read somewhere recently (possibly about WW at Cardiff) that a domestic route is very efficient in terms of crewing, as the cabin crew could do a European return and a domestic return per shift, but 4 European sectors is pushing the limits, so resulting in cabin crew only doing 2 sectors per shift. Don't know the detail obviously, but if true, crew costs for MAN or EMA based frames to operate BFS could be an achievable business decision.

BHX does not seem to immediately lend itself to any replacement carrier, but then again who'd have thought BE would launch BHD - EMA post FR.

[tigger2k8]

So to take this forward, why don't BFS suggest ''listen guy's we want MAN, BHX and LTN, if you can't deliver then we will be seeking any airline that would take them up"", I mean they are viable routes and BFS just can't sit around and keep on losing routes and thus passengers who park cars and buy from shops.

to be completely honest i think even the management at BFS know that they need to do something, after all thats 2 airlines (while 1 was manx2, basically peanuts, but it still counts) in the last 6 months that have moved... all we can do is sit and wait, i for one am booked on a flight to MAN in Feb 2011, this will probably change to LPL now unless a replacement is brought in

[Aaron9890]

Too be honest i see what Bmibaby are doing here, when you look at the statistics there are more people that travel to and from BHX,MAN,EMA and CDF from BHD than BFS. You never know flybe could move to BFS? Suppose they wouldnt becasue EZY are there

[clareview]

EI Regional pick up the slack? After all if ww numbers were low then 78 seater might just be the job