BIRMINGHAM - 5

[groundhogbhx]

Fireworks

Did anyone else see the fireworks display that went with lighting up the Olympic rings?

Don't worry you didn't miss anything and the rings are in white instead of their proper colours. If any of my hard earned money has been spent on that I want my money back, it was PATHETIC!!

[Monty Gordo]

JSCL

Thank you for pointing out that you are not one of the 'little Englanders'. I agree with you entirely, there is every reason for Birmingham and its airport to celebrate the Olympic Games. Remember, Birmingham itself unsuccessfully but bravely tried to host these very same games some 20 years ago.

Birmingham is a major city with an international reputation, it is right and fitting that it should recognise what will be the biggest sporting even not only in this country but the entire world in 2012.

And for those who moan that the rings are only in white; we are in a period of austerity, white is good enough for me and I am sure most other right-minded people.

Having said all that I do hope both the US and Jamaican squads do either fly in directly to BHX or at least their presence in the city is recognised by some form of air traffic.

As to a certain 747, this would in any case be a closely guarded secret but it has been here before and could come again...

Some of you on here can't help but knock, look at the bigger picture please....

[Invicta DC4]

Re: Olympic Rings

The Olympic Rings are the exclusive property of the IOC, so displaying them in their correct colours needs authority from the IOC. This apparently, has caused problems elsewhere around the country.

[nigel osborne]

justplanecrazy.

You sure about that 747..now ??

Nigel

[OltonPete]

March Route Analysis - International

As usual the monthly passenger figures from the CAA with load factors and average pax estimated from libhomeradar (although with flybe it was haywire in March so guess work), a BHX blog and planespotters.net for configurations.

Remember some flights only started at the end of the month and inbound loads would have been light. Lyon went out with a 74% load factor, the long-haul flights recovered load factor wise although most slightly down on 2011 and TK continues to soar up 116%.

Cities up DUS +11, CDG +13, HAM +19, HAJ +18, MUC +20, STR +17, ORK +16, NOC +19, SNN +17, AMS +8, GVA +14. Some had bigger aircraft but hardly any with frequency increases.

BRUSSELS....... 9983... 43 pax. 49%
LARNACA........ 3258... 181 pax. 85%
PAPHOS..........474....119 PAX 55%
PRAGUE......... .4195.... 117pax. 78%
COPENHAGEN..7194... 71 pax. 60%
CHAMBERY....... 1106... 60 pax. 76%
GRENOBLE....... 1624... ..97 pax. 62%
LYON............... 2726... 37 pax.. 74%
MONTPELLIER....309...77 PAX 41%
NICE..............2533...115 PAX..77%
PARIS CDG...... 30428... 88 pax. 75%
DUSSELDORF....16069.. 47 pax. 55%
FRANKFURT ....21827.. 89 pax. 59%
HAMBURG........ 1827... 44 pax. 56%
HANOVER........ 4230... 50 pax. 66%
MUNICH......... 14145... 77 pax. 67%
NIEDERRHEIN.... 0
STUTTGART......3091... 35 pax. 45%
BUDAPEST.........500.....125 PAX.66%
CORK........... ....6864... 55 pax. 77%
DUBLIN......... 49038.. 123 pax. 68%
KNOCK............ 3563... 105 pax. 70%
SHANNON........ 2917... 47 pax. 65%
WATERFORD.....293....21 PAX..27%
MILAN MXP...... 2715... 48 pax. 48%
ROME FCO.......1299..108 PAX..65%
VENICE............754....94 PAX..54%
KAUNAS......... 2492... 156 pax. 82%
MALTA........... 2744 ... 152 pax. 81%
AMSTERDAM.....40531.. 98 pax. 75%
ISLAMABAD......10287...302 pax 86%
BYDGOSZCZ...... 4458... 159 pax. 84%
GDANSK......... 2808..... 153 pax. 83%
KATOWICE....... 2855... 143 pax. 76%
RZESZOW........ 2752... 152 pax. 81%
FARO........... ..8459.... 176 pax. 87%
LISBON..........217....108 PAX 73%
BRATISLAVA..... 4371...156 pax 83%
ALICANTE....... 17643.. 176pax.. 92%
ALMERIA...........585..146 PAX..68%
BARCELONA.......304...76 PAX..51%
GERONA......... ..3060.. 139 pax 74%
IBIZA...............330....55 PAX..29%
MALAGA......... 16624.. 166 pax 87%
MURCIA..........1102..110 PAX..61%
PALMA............2282..114 PAX..61%
REUS............... 484...81 PAX..42%
ARRECIFE....... 8022... 174 pax 87%
FUERTEVENTURA..4613..165 pax 83%
LAS PALMAS..... 3840... 148 pax 74%
TENERIFE....... 15156.. 180 pax 88%
GOTEBORG....... 1202.... 24 pax 53%
GENEVA......... 12787.. 125 pax 81%
ZURICH......... 12787.. 66 pax 66%
DALAMAN.........456.114 PAX.53%
ISTANBUL....... 4240... 121 pax 71%
ASHKHABAD.....5155... 152 pax 82%
DUBAI.......... ...45531.. 367 pax 87%
NEW YORK EWR..7644..141 pax 84%

Pete

[justplanecrazy84]

Nigel.

It wasn't that i didn't believe it, i just wanted to know what 747 and now i have an idea what 747 has anyone got anymore info??

[BHX5DME]

Birmingham Airport Negotiates Direct Air Services to Asia

27 April 2012
Claims by BAA that Heathrow Airport is the only answer to forging new air links with China have been further dismissed by Birmingham Airport following a successful visit to the Far East for talks with a number of airlines.
During a three day visit to the Chinese city of Chengdu for the Routes Asia conference, the Airport’s management team, led by its CEO, Paul Kehoe, spoke to airlines about the market potential, particularly highlighting the level of trade between this region and cities across Asia and the demand for direct flights.
There is also a great cultural link between China and this part of the UK and the city of Birmingham has a twin status with the city of Guangzhou in Southern China.
Commenting on the visit, Paul Kehoe, the Airport’s CEO, said: “We hear so much from BAA about the UK losing lucrative new routes because of the capacity constraints at Heathrow but the South East isn’t the only solution. Our runway extension will allow aircraft to fly direct from China, bringing investment to the region, and giving airlines and passengers an alternative to battling with London’s congestion problems.
“We now need the UK Government to endorse Birmingham Airport, when it releases its Aviation Policy Review later this year, as a national airport that can offer a rapid and cost effective solution to the aviation gap.”
Routes Asia 2012 is a major networking event designed to bring airlines and airports together. Birmingham Airport had the largest Airport stand at the event and demonstrated strong trading links with China by showing a film about the partnership between the Airport and MG Motors a company owned by Shanghai Automotive.
MG Motor’s MD, William Wang, recently supported a Birmingham-Shanghai route, stating there was serious need for direct flights between Birmingham and Shanghai for business passengers, the Chinese community living in the West Midlands region and the thousands of students that come to Birmingham each year from China to study.
Since 2003, after London, Birmingham has attracted more Chinese investment projects than any other UK city, receiving £76.59m in capital investment and creating 596 jobs during this period. In 2010, Birmingham received £8.68m in capital investment from China.
Paul Kehoe continued, “Birmingham Airport currently handles nine million passengers a year but can take double this number today with its current infrastructure. With the runway extension, this will progressively grow to 36m by the year 2030.
“Our runway extension is already under construction and will be complete early in 2014. The UK Government has said there will be no additional runway capacity for flights into London; it is therefore critical for airports such as Birmingham to deliver direct long haul flights and this kind of positive commercial discussion paves the way for that to happen. With more direct flights regional airports will play an important part in rebalancing the UK economy and allowing the Midlands to benefit from trade links to emerging markets like China.”

[Serenity]

Not just LHR that has links to China and the Far East, LGW has China Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and others coming soon!
BHX may like these connections and I don't deny that there may be potential, but the London area still has the focus from abroad first.

[OltonPete]

flybe winter 2012/3

Released today with very little news although Chambery is not mentioned from BHX.

Most frequencies on domestics are maintained such as four daily Aberdeen, seven daily Belfast City and 6/7 EDI & GLA.

The usual reduction in Hanover with the morning service just Wed & Thu and Hamburg five a week but of course on the 175 along with double daily STR.

One usual winter reduction that is not happening is the Milan, it stays daily in November (nothing to do with ZB?). Also Monday - Saturday it is the 175 and this aircraft comes from the afternoon DUS which surprisingly is now showing as the 195!

GLA in the week is all jet with 175 visiting some days at lunchtime (195 Mon/Fri with the newly based GLA 175 coming in on Tue-Thu).

EDI also get at least one E175 based in the winter but operating SOU.

The BHX base seems to remain as 3 x 195's, 2 x 175's and 4/5 x Q400.

Waterford is four weekly in the winter - M/W/F/Su.

Pete

[justplanecrazy84]

Asia flights

If /when Bhx does start serving direct flights to asia, what airline would it most likely be covering those flights?

[Daza]

Flybe@BHX

In light of Flybe planning services from EMA does anyone believe that Flybe may expand their route network from Birmingham? WW routes to BCN, LIS, NCE, GVA, NOC could work with smaller BE aircraft with increased frequency. Flybe seem to have little interest in expansion at Birmingham only adding one new route for many years.

[scott737]

Flybe

Daza

My view is that it's all about risk. I should imagine Flybe think there is little chance of Baby continuing at EMA and so are effectively staking a claim at some of their 'preferred' routes, which appeal to both business and leisure traffic, with no direct competition (assuming Baby folds). BHX is, of course, entirely different. Baby routes at BHX for which there is no competition (those you mention, excluding GVA) offer greater risk, with the exception perhaps of NOC (and even that has Ryanair at EMA). I can't see Flybe desiring to take on the likes of LIS and BCN which I think would be new destinations for them when there's easier pickings at a nearby airport instead.

I'd have thought that BCN certainly would have been a natural addition to ZB and perhaps LIS too.

As with you, I sincerely hope a buyer for Baby will be found so all of this remains simply talk.

Scott

[ATNotts]

Daza

Flybe has waded in to the EMA market and will surely be offering a proper daily business service on the routes between EMA and Scotland, Amsterdam and Paris.

The routes you have mentioned are all essentially leisure routes, currently operated on a less than daily basis (I suppose that BCN could be deemed a business route but given the state of the Spanish economy at the moment whether a daily service could make money is open to discussion). Flybe's business model these days is more scheduled business and leisure based.

It would be great if Flybe did take on some or all of these routes, but I doubt they will consider it until the fate of BMI Baby is resolved.

[getonittt]

WW routes to BCN, LIS, NCE, GVA, NOC could work with smaller BE aircraft

They might do , but if they plan to cherry pick the best 2 routes WW have (AMS & NCE) as well as BCN and work it into their plans for W12/S13 don't you think they will be overtrumped by another player?

[GayFriendly]

Canny old EMA, well done to them for striking a deal with BE and finding a replacement routes that could be lost if WW shuts down. Like AT Notts, I would doubt that BE will take on any WW routes from BHX, concentrating instead on much easier business pickings at EMA, an airport where there is a gap in the market for the kind of high frequency business/hub routes they specialise in. BHX already has these services, operated in the main by legacy carriers. The routes that would be vacated by WW are in the main low frequency leisure which for reasons I cannot fathom never seem to do well at BHX.

So, in the (sadly) ever increasingly likely scenario that WW is shut down in October, i'm afraid as it stands I don't see any obvious candidates for their routes - LIS, NCE, BCN, PRG and NOC I think are the only ones WW operate exclusively from BHX and will therefore more than likely be lost - but being positive, BE do fly to NCE from SOU and NOC from EDI and LBA. NCE also seems to do well on load factors from BHX. And BE did step onto WAT pretty quickly when that went vacant. ZB who have been in expansion mood at BHX maybe for BCN and LIS? Of course it would be so very nice if EZY stepped ito the breach but IMO I think that is unlikely.

What worries me is that PK and his team seem so utterly focused on the runway extension and getting a long haul route to China that the bread and butter of short haul will yet again take a hit at BHX with the loss of another carrier (not BHX's fault I know) and no one in the wings to take over lost routes and pax - unlike EMA who already seem already well prepared for the sadly seemingly inevitable.

[andy mach 1]

BE picked up MAN-NOC after WW pulled out, possibly look at ex BHX?

[OltonPete]

May

Quite a week

Lufthansa started Hamburg today double daily.

Aer Lingus increased Cork to three daily today (Mo/Wed/Fr) and yesterday
they started their first BHX - DUB adding to the three daily mainline service

Air Transat returned albeit the A310 for 3 weeks before the A330 takes over

Yesterday saw the first ever scheduled service to BHX - Heraklion, which was operated by Monarch and they also started their two a week Dubrovnik. Bodrum started today earlier than last year and increased from two to three a week.

Thomson sprung a surprise of sorts with the 4th aircraft arriving Tuesday and it was the 757 and not the 738. The latter is due June making it the 5th short-haul based aircraft.

flybe start Almeria Sunday week on behalf of Airtours which was one addition that slipped past me.

Charter flights will still be down due to the lack of Skywings and the Olympic Holidays schedule all on Thomson or Monarch until the 30th May.

BMI Baby

Very sad if this is indeed the end and if it is, Amsterdam is one route I expect to be filled quickly. Remember Aer Lingus Regional had flight numbers for Knock this summer before switching the aircraft to the above mentioned Dublin.

My thoughts are with the Baby employees and passengers and hope that IAG do the decent thing for all concerned and at least maintain the schedule (if possible) to the end of September.

Pete

[GayFriendly]

Marrakech

TOM have flights bookable BHX-RAK next summer weekly on Thursdays starting 2/5/13, 1755 out, arrive back 0215 TOM262/263. I know this route was canned after being on sale for a short time this year but they must think there is demand to have it bookable again for next year. Lets hope it lasts this time! Catania still in drop down list but no flights listed or bookable. It would also seem that there are no flights to the Dom Rep from BHX, surely this must be the first time in quite a few years that this destination is not available from BHX?

On a slight tangent, I remember Havana being advertised as a TOM destination from BHX maybe in 2010 or 2011? Did these flights ever operate I never remember seeing anything more about them apart from an advert? There is no mention of Havana from any UK airport in the current TOM timetable. I think Cuba (Varadero) could be a destination on the cards from BHX once the runway extension is finished.

[Cazza_fly]

My thoughts are with the Baby employees and passengers and hope that IAG do the decent thing for all concerned and at least maintain the schedule (if possible) to the end of September.

All bmibaby (and bmi for that matter) flights will operate the full summer 2012 schedule. This brings into it all flights until the 31st October 2012. After this, things are still ofcourse unplanned...

[OltonPete]

Thomson 2013

GF

I seemed to have forgot to post the Thomson 2013 summer schedule!

Yes RAK is back and should operate.

There are some other slight changes, Pula goes twice weekly and seems to have taken the Verona slot on Saturday. FUE is added on Saturday afternoon but making all five aircraft out to late evening yet Girona goes early evening so I expect some changes.

Sunday sees NBE on Thomson metal which means Malaga is displaced and is shown as operated by Monarch.

Hurghada operates next summer on a Monday and a Dalaman is added Tuesday evening

Long-haul - MBJ, CUN and SFB which is the same as now.

I agree Cuba could or should be one for the future.

I think there have been some winter changes with some days just two aircraft operating. Monday SSH has become Hurghada but SSH does operate Thu, Fri and Sat. Luxor I am sure was bookable and is still in the drop-down but I suppose one can understand that one not coming back just yet!



Pete