BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - BFS (Aldergrove)
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I guess it doesnt work quite so well with a sudden diversion, but Servisair used to ship tow bars up from other airports, at the customers expense of course. I remember playing with a massive contraption that was for a DC-8, think it came on the back of a van from Dublin or Shannon.
Ive even seen aircraft push back from stand, engines already started, tow bar disconnected, rear hold opened and the tow bar thrown inside.
On another note good to see a Jet2 in BHD again
Ive even seen aircraft push back from stand, engines already started, tow bar disconnected, rear hold opened and the tow bar thrown inside.
On another note good to see a Jet2 in BHD again
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flying officer kite, i would say servisair would have went to the hassel of getting a tow-bar brought in if they were going to handle it, but they refused as they had diversions and extra cargo flights on a Saturday night, when theres minimal staff on station... that left Menzies, who were willing to handle it and had arranged to borrow equipment from BAH.. servisair obviously wouldnt go to that hassel to help a competitor, by the time they could have got a tow bar in, there would have been nowhere for the CO 757, as the roads where terrible, a tiny bit of internal politics going on at the minute too as Menzies is stepping on their toes
a tow bar is still flown in with the AN-12s that come in from time to time, pushback is complete, towbar broken down into 2 and threw in the rear hold, however engines are not started.. pushback + start up for the AN-12s that come to BFS is 20 minutes.. so pray you aren't ready to go when ones sitting behind you.. as they are sometimes parted on the commerical apron...
a tow bar is still flown in with the AN-12s that come in from time to time, pushback is complete, towbar broken down into 2 and threw in the rear hold, however engines are not started.. pushback + start up for the AN-12s that come to BFS is 20 minutes.. so pray you aren't ready to go when ones sitting behind you.. as they are sometimes parted on the commerical apron...
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747 diversion
"refused as they had diversions and extra cargo flights "
Think you have duff info there tigger.....
More of an operational decision from the Airport Authority & BA Ops
Think you have duff info there tigger.....
More of an operational decision from the Airport Authority & BA Ops
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It all makes sense now. Reading the CWL thread for years now we can see what the future of BFS is. Basically from an observers point of view CWL airport seems to serve quite a large population and a British regional Capital city, yet all the airlines bar WW use BRS airport across the estuary. Now I know that BRS serves probably a larger population however I have always found it hard to believe that CWL cannot attract a few more carriers. There is talk on the CWL thread of the owners falling out with airlines left right and centre etc and the airport seems to be slowly dying.
BFS cannot even hold onto carriers it has dedicated at the airport. The airport itself has a long runway, no restrictions is located not that far from Belfast City Centre and situated right in the middle of the population centre of NI.
There must be some sort of major problem with their owners and their handling of both CWL and BFS. They also own LTN, the Belfast to Luton service operates out of BHD even although the NI operations of the carrier are based at BFS.
As numbers keep falling, facilities, then more carriers and thus more passengers will keep moving away.
Certainly if their are no major announcements in the very near future then it's looking very bleak-is the problem the owners?
BFS cannot even hold onto carriers it has dedicated at the airport. The airport itself has a long runway, no restrictions is located not that far from Belfast City Centre and situated right in the middle of the population centre of NI.
There must be some sort of major problem with their owners and their handling of both CWL and BFS. They also own LTN, the Belfast to Luton service operates out of BHD even although the NI operations of the carrier are based at BFS.
As numbers keep falling, facilities, then more carriers and thus more passengers will keep moving away.
Certainly if their are no major announcements in the very near future then it's looking very bleak-is the problem the owners?
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gate22; you make a lot of valid points in your post. I am seeing the parallel between us here in Belfast and the Cardiff/Bristol situation as you mention it.
However, the real question is if all things been equal ie prices frequency and all of that which airport ie BHD or BFS would attract the better numbers? It is hard to use stats to explain this as the data is skewed by things like Ryanair's operations and the sheer numbers that they were carrying.
I live close to BFS and it is my local airport, I do like BHD but I have been feeling that BFS is becoming the PIK of BFS but more recently I feel that BHD has went out on a limb to attract as much of BFS operators, and for reasons other than the attractiveness of BHD as a city airport bmibaby and Easyjet have been attracted to it.
bmibaby will regret their move. Flybe wont yield, and WW will bleed and if another operator comes to BFS MAN and BHX WW will not stick it. There is no appetite within the wider LH group for WW to lose money or invest in cut price activity to win market share. As for STN does anyone see WW carrying more than Air Berlin on the Stansted route? My prediction would be 8000/9000 pax per month. Dont see that lasting more than a year.
Easyjet will in the fullness of time will move LTN back and BHD is not the ideal airport for EZY ops long terms given curfew and runway etc.
Prior to FRs arrival at BHD their figures were in decline, and BFS was growing slightly.
Now since FR came in BHD has had a real confidence that they have the upper hand and lets face it BFS have most to loose as traditionally they had the bigger operation.
BFS need to have a sense of confidence about the attracting new operators. They should at this time be giving an airline the deal of the century on the lost routes, ie MAN CWL BHX EMA a deal on these routes only to bring this business back and hurt BHD. Jet2 given the right deal I believe would stimulate demand and restore the level of Jet2 operations from BFS.
However, the real question is if all things been equal ie prices frequency and all of that which airport ie BHD or BFS would attract the better numbers? It is hard to use stats to explain this as the data is skewed by things like Ryanair's operations and the sheer numbers that they were carrying.
I live close to BFS and it is my local airport, I do like BHD but I have been feeling that BFS is becoming the PIK of BFS but more recently I feel that BHD has went out on a limb to attract as much of BFS operators, and for reasons other than the attractiveness of BHD as a city airport bmibaby and Easyjet have been attracted to it.
bmibaby will regret their move. Flybe wont yield, and WW will bleed and if another operator comes to BFS MAN and BHX WW will not stick it. There is no appetite within the wider LH group for WW to lose money or invest in cut price activity to win market share. As for STN does anyone see WW carrying more than Air Berlin on the Stansted route? My prediction would be 8000/9000 pax per month. Dont see that lasting more than a year.
Easyjet will in the fullness of time will move LTN back and BHD is not the ideal airport for EZY ops long terms given curfew and runway etc.
Prior to FRs arrival at BHD their figures were in decline, and BFS was growing slightly.
Now since FR came in BHD has had a real confidence that they have the upper hand and lets face it BFS have most to loose as traditionally they had the bigger operation.
BFS need to have a sense of confidence about the attracting new operators. They should at this time be giving an airline the deal of the century on the lost routes, ie MAN CWL BHX EMA a deal on these routes only to bring this business back and hurt BHD. Jet2 given the right deal I believe would stimulate demand and restore the level of Jet2 operations from BFS.
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"refused as they had diversions and extra cargo flights "
duff information? i think not
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Saw an article in the Sunday Times last Sunday re a possible bid for the owners of Bfs, Ltn etc. Things do not seem right, now their attention may be on trying to fend off a takeover bid. The fact is Jet 2 seem happy to run a service to Lba with about 7k pax per month. I have no doubt that there is a market from these large cities to Bfs, not all wants to use Bhd. Could Jet 2 not get similiar numbers to Man, Bhx and Ema? So what is the problem? Also, is Bfs talking to smaller airlines like Air Southwest about possible new services?
TB
TB
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BFS need to have a sense of confidence about the attracting new operators.
It would appear, as a previous poster had mentioned, that the problem lies with the Spanish management, and so parallels could be drawn between BFS and Cardiff, unfortunately.
Some years ago the Belfast Telegragh carried the headline, "Now is the time to compete with Dublin" and months after "Emirates on their way". Both of these seemed full of confidence, perhaps unrealistically so, but the ambition seems to have been totally sapped from BFS, and now we are simply swapping passengers between BFS and BHD, infighting, rather than looking at the bigger Northern Ireland picture. A Northern Ireland aviation policy really needs to be drawn up to protect and promote air access and help stimulate the economy. Then and only then, will Northern Ireland ever be in with a chance of competing with DUB on key routes.
Many travellers may use BHD preferentially to BFS, but it is in nobodys interest to see Aldergrove go to the dogs, as regardless of BHD expansion, the charters, long-haul and late night flights will always use BFS.
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Could Jet 2 not get similiar numbers to Man, Bhx and Ema? So what is the problem? Also, is Bfs talking to smaller airlines like Air Southwest about possible new services?
I agree that for whatever reason there seems to be a lack of commitment or confidence in BFS at the moment to offer airlines deals. What will it take to waken them up?
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Seems to be a lot of diversons to belfast today,
Dublin airport was hit hard last night with heavy snow
RYR69RF Riga 13:26 13:26 DIVERTED FROM
BEE046D Manchester 13:28 13:28 DIVERTED FROM
BEE2NG London Gatwick 13:31 13:31 DIVERTED FROM
RYR92BV Manchester 13:31 13:31 DIVERTED FROM
EI 397 Vilnius 14:15 14:15
Dublin airport was hit hard last night with heavy snow
RYR69RF Riga 13:26 13:26 DIVERTED FROM
BEE046D Manchester 13:28 13:28 DIVERTED FROM
BEE2NG London Gatwick 13:31 13:31 DIVERTED FROM
RYR92BV Manchester 13:31 13:31 DIVERTED FROM
EI 397 Vilnius 14:15 14:15
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Gate 22
I think you have it wrong on the BHD V BFS debate, for the majority of passengers it will make little difference whether they land at BFS or BHD, however for a size-able number of business passengers (who tend to book at short notice) then BHD will in most cases be a better option.
Both airports have advantages and disadvantages, BFS has more fog problems but has Cat3 on 25 but only a VOR/DME on 07, whilst BHD is a much shorter runway and cat1 plus LOC/DME on 04, both have had SNOCLO days this past week, but most years BFS tends to get more snow problems because of its rural location.
STN will be an interesting test, baby are not known in the STN area, so growing STN out bound traffic will be a challenge, this will not be a problem at the BHD end with 10-12 WW flights in and out every day.
Ryanairs volume at BHD was driven by give away prices, which in turn led to a fall in volume at BFS for WW and others. WW load factor at BHD will be higher than FR by virtue of a smaller aircraft.
I suspect that if WW start to grow again in 2012 which is the plan then further routes may follow from BHD, ramp space will cause problems when 4 WW 737 turn up at the same time.
In my view the chance of another Jet operator doing MAN-BFS is remote,
Gate 22 one final question for you, how would you feel if Ryanair came to BFS? with say 5 aircraft, which they could do from tomorrow? what do you think would happen to Jet2 & Easyjet at BFS, were that to happen then i think you are looking at a PIK type airport, if this were to pass then i think WW move to BHD would look timely!
Merry Xmas
Both airports have advantages and disadvantages, BFS has more fog problems but has Cat3 on 25 but only a VOR/DME on 07, whilst BHD is a much shorter runway and cat1 plus LOC/DME on 04, both have had SNOCLO days this past week, but most years BFS tends to get more snow problems because of its rural location.
STN will be an interesting test, baby are not known in the STN area, so growing STN out bound traffic will be a challenge, this will not be a problem at the BHD end with 10-12 WW flights in and out every day.
Ryanairs volume at BHD was driven by give away prices, which in turn led to a fall in volume at BFS for WW and others. WW load factor at BHD will be higher than FR by virtue of a smaller aircraft.
I suspect that if WW start to grow again in 2012 which is the plan then further routes may follow from BHD, ramp space will cause problems when 4 WW 737 turn up at the same time.
In my view the chance of another Jet operator doing MAN-BFS is remote,
Gate 22 one final question for you, how would you feel if Ryanair came to BFS? with say 5 aircraft, which they could do from tomorrow? what do you think would happen to Jet2 & Easyjet at BFS, were that to happen then i think you are looking at a PIK type airport, if this were to pass then i think WW move to BHD would look timely!
Merry Xmas
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Are the major delays today just fog related?
*Crew hours
*Crew unable to get to work
*Aircraft out of position
*Weather at depature airport or destination (Freezing Fog will lead to ice on engine fan blades, which requires an engineer to attend and remove the ice in most cases, normally adds 15-20mins to the turnaround)
*De-icing queues
*Tech aircraft (theres always one..)
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No doubt a mixture of
*Crew hours
*Crew unable to get to work
*Aircraft out of position
*Weather at depature airport or destination (Freezing Fog will lead to ice on engine fan blades, which requires an engineer to attend and remove the ice in most cases, normally adds 15-20mins to the turnaround)
*De-icing queues
*Tech aircraft (theres always one..)
*Crew hours
*Crew unable to get to work
*Aircraft out of position
*Weather at depature airport or destination (Freezing Fog will lead to ice on engine fan blades, which requires an engineer to attend and remove the ice in most cases, normally adds 15-20mins to the turnaround)
*De-icing queues
*Tech aircraft (theres always one..)
Fingers crossed the delay isn't too great!
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I hope things start to get back on track, as I'm flying on the evening Gatwick -> Belfast flight on Thursday. Fog and temperatures of -10 expected...
