BIRMINGHAM - 5
787 Delivery
Absolutely no way will they be delivered by February im afraid they havent even begun to be built. Word on the grapevine has been June 2012 for ages but then there are rumours that they will not arrive till January 2013.
Thomson is expecting frames after line number 50.
Thomson is expecting frames after line number 50.
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TOM 787's - the first one is programmed from Sep 2012 (278 seats from memory), but you wont be seeing a based one at BHX as they are all going to live in MAN and LGW.
Latest update from my contact is now Jan 2013 for first delivery as suits TOM better (not a Boeing delay).
Latest update from my contact is now Jan 2013 for first delivery as suits TOM better (not a Boeing delay).
Last edited by Chidken Sangwich; 27th Oct 2011 at 09:02. Reason: extra information
787 Base
Have the bases been announced then? i do remember being told that it will be LGW MAN initially but then they would go to other bases aswell. Shows how out of the loop i am at work lol!
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I dont really think the bases are being 'announced' as such. The aircraft will just replace the MAN and LGW 767's initially as there's no 787 ground support in place (or planned to be) that TOM can use in BHX.
That's what I was told anyway.
That's what I was told anyway.
Well i have to say that is a shame, i bet more international airlines could make a BHX route work with a 787. I must say tho i will be glad to ride the shiny new 787 here at LGW 
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787
BHX & BRS have been mentioned in past press releases but I suppose with such a new airliner it is prudent to keep them near to your major engineering bases although I would imagine they won't want to keep BHX & BRS waiting too long if it will end the possibility of any tech stops.
However since the winglets have been added to the 763's I think the number of tech-stops from BHX have reduced considerably.
I see airhumberside's reply on the Doncaster thread has explained it is just information from OAG, which although is accurate at the time of input I am sure as others have pointed out things change and don't always get updated quickly.
Pete
However since the winglets have been added to the 763's I think the number of tech-stops from BHX have reduced considerably.
I see airhumberside's reply on the Doncaster thread has explained it is just information from OAG, which although is accurate at the time of input I am sure as others have pointed out things change and don't always get updated quickly.
Pete
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It's not so much the winglets as reducing capacity from 283 to 258 that cuts the tech stops. That makes a 2.5 tonne difference in the planned payload that does it.
Chinapattern, those routes are cruise destinations, the flights go to where the boat will be so can change year on year depending on the boats program.
Chinapattern, those routes are cruise destinations, the flights go to where the boat will be so can change year on year depending on the boats program.
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I thought the whole purprose of Thomson ordering the 787's was the opportunity to expand at regional bases such as BHX and BRS as well as the likes of MAN and LGW. I think it's quite understandable that the first few frames will be based at the bigger bases until any teething problems are ironed out but as more join the fleet I should imagine BHX, BRS, NCL and EMA should see a fair few 787 movements.
RE cruise destinations: I know they've operated Barbados, Aruba, Accapulco and Havana in the past but as far as I'm aware the Punta Cana and Puerto Plata flights were both weekly and part of package holiday deals which Thomson switched to EMA while La Romana, which operated fortnightly, was dropped altogether and replaced with an extra flight to Montego Bay.
RE cruise destinations: I know they've operated Barbados, Aruba, Accapulco and Havana in the past but as far as I'm aware the Punta Cana and Puerto Plata flights were both weekly and part of package holiday deals which Thomson switched to EMA while La Romana, which operated fortnightly, was dropped altogether and replaced with an extra flight to Montego Bay.
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cheers Splash&Dash
Thanks for the info, I get the whole runway length thing with BHX
You mentioned your return was 9.5 hours however our flight back on 6th Sept (TOM569 CUN-BHX) was completed in just over 8.5 hours. Bloody good going considering we were dodging weather around the Dominican.
Thanks groundhog, didn't realise they were limiting the load now but suppose it makes more sense.
Will be good to see the 787's in when they eventually get them, if they did get put on the BHX-CUN run then a week away would be worth it for a new type.
Alex.
Thanks for the info, I get the whole runway length thing with BHX
You mentioned your return was 9.5 hours however our flight back on 6th Sept (TOM569 CUN-BHX) was completed in just over 8.5 hours. Bloody good going considering we were dodging weather around the Dominican.
Thanks groundhog, didn't realise they were limiting the load now but suppose it makes more sense.
Will be good to see the 787's in when they eventually get them, if they did get put on the BHX-CUN run then a week away would be worth it for a new type.
Alex.
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Birmingham delegation in Chicago (Birminghams Twin City)
BHX-Chicago + Mahan
Very laudible that the City Council and business leaders should go to Chicago and have a meeting with United. From recent press reports is seems that they are in far better shape to reintroduce ORD-BHX than AA would be, so they are probably backing the right horse, especially given United existing presence in BHX.
What is always so infuriating is that the same business leaders that rightly push for services such as this don't in reality use them, instead preferring LHR for the number of daily services available from there, giving them real flexibility with open tickets.
Still, fingers crossed for a good outcome
MAHAN
Would I trust Wikipeadia to provide reliable information...well, no, I'd rather see something on Mahan's website.
What is always so infuriating is that the same business leaders that rightly push for services such as this don't in reality use them, instead preferring LHR for the number of daily services available from there, giving them real flexibility with open tickets.
Still, fingers crossed for a good outcome
MAHAN
Would I trust Wikipeadia to provide reliable information...well, no, I'd rather see something on Mahan's website.
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RE Mahan, its probably due to this:
Schedule from 22DEC11:
W5010 IKA0930 – 1230BHX 313 4
W5009 BHX1430 – 0005+1IKA 313 4
Mahan Air Suspends Birmingham UK Service until late-Dec 2011 | Airline Route
Schedule from 22DEC11:
W5010 IKA0930 – 1230BHX 313 4
W5009 BHX1430 – 0005+1IKA 313 4
Mahan Air Suspends Birmingham UK Service until late-Dec 2011 | Airline Route
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Bit of carry on tonight at Birmingham
Passengers refuse to leave plane at Birmingham Airport
About 100 passengers are refusing to leave a plane at Birmingham Airport, according to a woman on the aircraft.
The Viking Hellas flight was originally scheduled to leave from Manchester for Athens at 13:00 BST, but passengers were then taken by bus to Birmingham.
There they had been allowed to board a plane due to leave at 17:00, but were then told they would not be taking off and their luggage was removed.
etc
BBC News - Passengers refuse to leave plane at Birmingham Airport
Passengers refuse to leave plane at Birmingham Airport
About 100 passengers are refusing to leave a plane at Birmingham Airport, according to a woman on the aircraft.
The Viking Hellas flight was originally scheduled to leave from Manchester for Athens at 13:00 BST, but passengers were then taken by bus to Birmingham.
There they had been allowed to board a plane due to leave at 17:00, but were then told they would not be taking off and their luggage was removed.
etc
BBC News - Passengers refuse to leave plane at Birmingham Airport
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Viking Hellas
Reflected (un)glory..... That's just the sort of publicity BHX don't want to be mired into. The flight was not due to leave from BHX yet the impression is left that there has been 'a passenger dispute' at the aiport.
Yet there is nothing on the MAN thread, where the problem originated and ended. A funny old world isn't it....
Yet there is nothing on the MAN thread, where the problem originated and ended. A funny old world isn't it....
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Mahan
Am I right in thinking that Mahan survived mostly because of transit pax to/from ATQ? If so then they must be having second thoughts about reintroducing the route from BHX as Comtel Air are now settled in. Having said that their ticket desk is still in situ at BHX so who knows.....
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Winter 2011/12
Schedule flights see little change to last year but a quick overview and of course all subject to change.
Lufthansa
FRA - Four daily every day with the only LH operated service moving slight earlier and scheduled to be a B733 most times. The three BMI A320's add significant weekend capacity compared to last winter.
MUC - Same frequency as last winter with three daily in the week and two at weekends. However a reasonable capacity increase last winter as the first and last inbound to BHX are 116 seat EMB195's compared to CRJ900's last year.
DUS - No Contactair F100 this winter but capacity is difficult to judge due to the adhoc use of the 737. The Thursday evening seems to have the 733 scheduled. flybe of course will also increase once the elusive 175 turns up.
SAS - The morning service appears to be increased with the weekday a MD80 scheduled and a new Saturday service (or re-instated).
Air France - The most significant increase of the winter schedule (but not previous ones) with the introduction of mainline on all three services with the A318 on the afternoon and evening run replacing the RJ85's - yippee
KLM Again the most significant aspect is the removal of the F70 with the EMB190 taking over making 2 of the 5 services with this equipment. As for the other three services these change from a mix of 737-700's and 738's. The usual is 2 x 700 and 1 x 800 but sometimes it is 3 x 700's.
Aer Arann - Finish on the Waterford mid month but via Aer Lingus Regional double daily Cork and single Shannon both increases on 2010/11 due to the Saturday operation.
PIA - Currently like last winter starts as 3 x 77W's but their timetable shows it soon back to four a week from 18/12 with the 772.
Aer Lingus Thursday as well as Friday sees four daily Dublin and Sunday is three daily as with Monday-Thursday (Sat is two).
easyjet - Restart 10th December on GVA & GNB weekend only but GVA
by the 15th is daily (double daily Saturday and Sunday). At times Saturday operates at three daily but Tuesday doesn't always see a flight. Both routes end 15/04/2011.
BMI Baby - Three based but mainly two in service and Malaga stops half through November as planned. Alicante breaks in the New Year again until February half-term. Prague is the boost with it four weekly and five for a couple of weeks in December.
Ryanair - 61 flights I think I counted which is up on last November I believe with Kaunas re-instated and Alicante increased yes increased to four a week. Malta did not start until December 2010 so that is also an increase along with an extra Arrecife rotation. Three out of the four based operate with KRK and NRN lost from last winter. I think the three Dublin on a Saturday is an increase and of course the twice weekly Faro and FUE.
Monarch - Some cuts from last winter no doubt due to the FR FUE and increase on ACE but possibly also due to what is looking like an all A321 operation compared to a based A320 operating every day last winter. FUE does operate off and on, with frequency reductions on TFS, ACE, LPA, LCA
and AGP (Nov only as it was reduced in the New Year).
Little or no change on the rest, TK is 5 a week (738/A320), SN have cut the Saturday morning (was BMIR 145), CO is the same as last winter other than Wednesday appears cut until May rather than March and Swiss plus City Airline is no change.
Charter/IT
Thomson start on the back foot with a 738 operating alongside two 757's and the occasional 763. Friday is a disaster with one Med flight to TFS after the HUG and Marsa Alam were pulled. HUG does operate Friday with Thomas Cook.
Boa Vista is added as new route for Thomson on Tuesday but the long-running all year round Saturday Alicante is now November, Feb onwards.
Taba and Luxor have been lost due to the obvious reason.
Long-haul is also not looking good with Cancun on a Thursday and Montego Bay on a Sunday in November and early December before it changes to Bridgetown in late Dec. There are some cruise flights.
Thomas Cook is two based 757's and they operate every day in November with the usual December reductions. Banjul is still going on Tuesdays.
Ski I will touch upon in more detail another day but it looks similar with the Austrian INN still bookable for Saturdays and so is the new flybe ILD. Flybe are quite busy ski wise.
Pete
Lufthansa
FRA - Four daily every day with the only LH operated service moving slight earlier and scheduled to be a B733 most times. The three BMI A320's add significant weekend capacity compared to last winter.
MUC - Same frequency as last winter with three daily in the week and two at weekends. However a reasonable capacity increase last winter as the first and last inbound to BHX are 116 seat EMB195's compared to CRJ900's last year.
DUS - No Contactair F100 this winter but capacity is difficult to judge due to the adhoc use of the 737. The Thursday evening seems to have the 733 scheduled. flybe of course will also increase once the elusive 175 turns up.
SAS - The morning service appears to be increased with the weekday a MD80 scheduled and a new Saturday service (or re-instated).
Air France - The most significant increase of the winter schedule (but not previous ones) with the introduction of mainline on all three services with the A318 on the afternoon and evening run replacing the RJ85's - yippee
KLM Again the most significant aspect is the removal of the F70 with the EMB190 taking over making 2 of the 5 services with this equipment. As for the other three services these change from a mix of 737-700's and 738's. The usual is 2 x 700 and 1 x 800 but sometimes it is 3 x 700's.
Aer Arann - Finish on the Waterford mid month but via Aer Lingus Regional double daily Cork and single Shannon both increases on 2010/11 due to the Saturday operation.
PIA - Currently like last winter starts as 3 x 77W's but their timetable shows it soon back to four a week from 18/12 with the 772.
Aer Lingus Thursday as well as Friday sees four daily Dublin and Sunday is three daily as with Monday-Thursday (Sat is two).
easyjet - Restart 10th December on GVA & GNB weekend only but GVA
by the 15th is daily (double daily Saturday and Sunday). At times Saturday operates at three daily but Tuesday doesn't always see a flight. Both routes end 15/04/2011.
BMI Baby - Three based but mainly two in service and Malaga stops half through November as planned. Alicante breaks in the New Year again until February half-term. Prague is the boost with it four weekly and five for a couple of weeks in December.
Ryanair - 61 flights I think I counted which is up on last November I believe with Kaunas re-instated and Alicante increased yes increased to four a week. Malta did not start until December 2010 so that is also an increase along with an extra Arrecife rotation. Three out of the four based operate with KRK and NRN lost from last winter. I think the three Dublin on a Saturday is an increase and of course the twice weekly Faro and FUE.
Monarch - Some cuts from last winter no doubt due to the FR FUE and increase on ACE but possibly also due to what is looking like an all A321 operation compared to a based A320 operating every day last winter. FUE does operate off and on, with frequency reductions on TFS, ACE, LPA, LCA
and AGP (Nov only as it was reduced in the New Year).
Little or no change on the rest, TK is 5 a week (738/A320), SN have cut the Saturday morning (was BMIR 145), CO is the same as last winter other than Wednesday appears cut until May rather than March and Swiss plus City Airline is no change.
Charter/IT
Thomson start on the back foot with a 738 operating alongside two 757's and the occasional 763. Friday is a disaster with one Med flight to TFS after the HUG and Marsa Alam were pulled. HUG does operate Friday with Thomas Cook.
Boa Vista is added as new route for Thomson on Tuesday but the long-running all year round Saturday Alicante is now November, Feb onwards.
Taba and Luxor have been lost due to the obvious reason.
Long-haul is also not looking good with Cancun on a Thursday and Montego Bay on a Sunday in November and early December before it changes to Bridgetown in late Dec. There are some cruise flights.
Thomas Cook is two based 757's and they operate every day in November with the usual December reductions. Banjul is still going on Tuesdays.
Ski I will touch upon in more detail another day but it looks similar with the Austrian INN still bookable for Saturdays and so is the new flybe ILD. Flybe are quite busy ski wise.
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 29th Oct 2011 at 10:52. Reason: spelling
Xanda
Just to expand on the 767 issue a little.
767 can make Cancun without undue difficulty especially with winglets and reduced capacity in the cabin to make way for premium class. On a bad day however, wet, low pressure, 90 degree crosswind ( standard BHX ! ) then things can get a little tight depending upon the fuel requirement for a given sector on a given day. FCA used to push their longhaul up to EMA which had a longer runway in the correct direction ( prevailing winds) - the much trumpeted runway extension will make life easier if it ever materialises and maybe just maybe the economic situation in the Midlands will have improved and load factors will rise.
Just to expand on the 767 issue a little.
767 can make Cancun without undue difficulty especially with winglets and reduced capacity in the cabin to make way for premium class. On a bad day however, wet, low pressure, 90 degree crosswind ( standard BHX ! ) then things can get a little tight depending upon the fuel requirement for a given sector on a given day. FCA used to push their longhaul up to EMA which had a longer runway in the correct direction ( prevailing winds) - the much trumpeted runway extension will make life easier if it ever materialises and maybe just maybe the economic situation in the Midlands will have improved and load factors will rise.