BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - BFS (Aldergrove)

[tigger2k8]

Though doesnt EI at BFS trade under Aer Lingus UK? thus meaning the staff are on UK contracts and not entitled to the same terms as DUB based crew. Also was there not something a while back about EI having acquired a UK operating AOC

Something was done last year or the year before.. as it was Astraeus staff who flew flights from BFS for a couple of months using EI a/c.. as far as i can remember anyway

[Shamrock350]

That was all part of the big expansion plans at LGW under Dermot Mannion and Enda Corneille but was quickly put a stop to when Mueller took over. Aer Lingus still doesn't have any rights for Turkey or Egypt from BFS.

[airhumberside]

The EU and Turkey have signed a deal which removes nationality restrictions in individual bilaterals. So assuming there are frequencies under the UK-Turkey bilateral (and I guess there are) Aer Lingus could use them
EUROPA - Press Releases - EU and Turkey initial civil aviation agreement

[NWSRG]

777F

Any update on our newly resident 777F? Is it going to be staying with us, or is the plan just for the one month as originally suggested?

[True Blue]

Ei to Lhr

I see in July Ei carried about 3k less pax to Lhr than Bd from Bhd. Could Ei in time become the largest carrier to Lhr from Belfast?

True Blue

[EI-BUD]

I see in July Ei carried about 3k less pax to Lhr than Bd from Bhd. Could Ei in time become the largest carrier to Lhr from Belfast?

Hey True Blue, I noticed this too. While they had a good share of LHR passengers to Belfast the figure is down on same month last year, it seems the BD had a huge drop (15%) in numbers. Alot to do with more flights on smaller aircraft. Though with Ryanair now departed from City, Luton back at BFS and WW not doing overly great it surprised me that BD didnt at least manage to keep figures close to last year.

• BE had another strong month, continuously growing the route even when FR were in town. Probably down to increase in connectivity at LGW with BA, VS
• WW had slight growth over last month
• EI had a respectable 30k of pax despite a strong performance by EZY on STN & LGW and the return of LTN which I expected would hit EI service (if you consider the section of London NW between LHR and LTN)
• LTN I expected would be much strong than last year given that it was 3 daily this year v 2 daily from BHD last year.
• There was a good swing in share of London traffic back to BFS to approx 60% v 40% at BHD, last year with FR in town, a stronger BD and LTN at BHD it was more like 50/50!

Elsewhere, interesting to see that EMA numbers for combined BE & WW within striking distance of FR x 3 daily last year!!
Birmingham BHD this month surpassed total Belfast Birmingham figures for last year same month
Manchester overall market saw a decline.

EI-BUD

[j636]

Looks like Jet2 are to drop BFS - Leeds. All flights for summer 2012 have being removed form the website. Anybody have info on it? Had seats booked for end of March next year. Waiting for e-mail from Jet 2.

[BHD2BFS]

another route from bfs or from leeds?

[david1994]

another route from bfs or from leeds?

She said BFS as the first LBA a day is operated by a BFS based aircraft

[BHD2BFS]

sounds good, but im sure it will be the same old routes in competition with easy and lingus
hope im wrong

will another airline take up the route from bfs? or is it being dropped due to decreasing numbers?

[NWSRG]

Portrush air show and Aldergrove

Guys,

Any word of any interesting visitors passing through BFS this weekend? Particularly the Vulcan? Any of our ATC colleagues have any info on what we might see from Killead?

[clareview]

End of BFS-LBA route

Presumable limited numbers, littel chance to really grow the route plus competion from the BHD-LBA route. No doubt a lot of thought went into this as it was a good opportunity to rotate aircraft between the main base at LBA and an out station and also to increase the number of aircraft available at BFS at times

[jonnyc]

As far as I know the F-16s are going into Derry. The Reds would have probably stayed at BFS as usual but they won't make it sadly.

It would be nice to see the Tornado role demo stop over - I'd imagine that is fairly likely but only a guess.

Two Pumas arrived in last night and are here for the week.

[tigger2k8]

Presumable limited numbers, littel chance to really grow the route plus competion from the BHD-LBA route. No doubt a lot of thought went into this as it was a good opportunity to rotate aircraft between the main base at LBA and an out station and also to increase the number of aircraft available at BFS at times

The main question is, will it return for winter 2012? As far as i can remember last winter the BFS-LBA flight was Jet2's only proper scheduled flight that ran the duration of the winter schedule, apart from the GVA flight, this year its only GVA and LBA running

edit - someone is claiming the route is not on sale yet, and not cancelled..

[JonnyBfs]

Toulouse Summer 2012? as far as I know it operates this summer, but will it return for next year? - Not yet bookable.

[Jamie2k9]

Yesterday Aer Lingus said about BFS base:

Aer Lingus added that it remains committed to its Belfast operation but said there were no plans to start an American route should Continental pull out of its Belfast International to Newark service.

"We don't really comment on the profitability of how our particular bases perform but the Belfast base is efficient, it's got a good base and although the demand conditions are very challenging at the moment, we are actually very pleased with how it is going," Andrew Macfarlane from Aer Lingus said.

[BHD2BFS]

does anybody know if any progress has been made about the ADP?

also is there going to be a route to replace Gran Canaria next summer?

[tigger2k8]

Any update on our newly resident 777F? Is it going to be staying with us, or is the plan just for the one month as originally suggested?

Think Friday was the last day of the 777F, TF-ELF now sitting in cargo

[AIRPORT66]

airport66

Its away to Saudia Arabia.

[BHD2BFS]

Just thought I'd bring the forum back up to the top and was wondering if anyone has heard anything about new routes for next summer as easy and jet2 etc have been starting announcements for next year, also is there any movement on any new airlines coming? I know a while back are lingus regional was mentioned but nothing has came from it. I say this because I see someone complained recently on the bfs Facebook page about why have they spent so much money on the departure lounge with no real expansions plans by airlines ( apart from Southend and Manchester by easy )