BIRMINGHAM - 5
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
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Winter 2012/3
Cheers TartinTon, pretty much as expected and fingers crossed for a decent winter although I would have liked them to have picked up Malta on the A320, as Ryanair seem to be wavering.
There is a long long history for this route in one way or another and the year-round FR passengers figures suggests that there is a market. Maybe not enough ancilliary income for Ryanair's liking.
Pete
There is a long long history for this route in one way or another and the year-round FR passengers figures suggests that there is a market. Maybe not enough ancilliary income for Ryanair's liking.
Pete
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Ryanair 2012/3
FlyboyUK
BHX based aircraft are shown below requiring three units. The Dublin in the morning is operated daily by a Dublin based aircraft. Arrecife on a Monday and Friday is operated from the Arrecife base and the weekly Las Palmas on a Sunday is operated from the LPA base.
There are gaps, some I would imagine were in case FUE/TFS/LPA/ACE were to be increased (fees dispute) and there was a rumour of Vilnius in place of Kaunas, which operated last winter. The big omission thus far is Malta although Gdansk has also operated year-round as well and is not bookable as yet.
Monday
1) FAO DUB LDY
2) ??? BCN
3) ??? DUB
Tuesday
1) BTS DUB RZE
2) AGP KTW DUB
3) BGY BZG
Wednesday
1) ALC DUB LDY
2) BUD BCN
3) KRK ???DUB
Thursday
1) TFS BZG
2) BGY PMI DUB
3) AGP DUB RZE
Friday
1) ALC DUB BCN
2) FAO LDY DUB
3) FUE
Saturday
1) BTS BGY BZG
2) AGP KTW DUB
3) BUD DUB ???
Sunday
1) ALC PMI DUB
2) KRK LDY RZE
3) TFS BCN
Pete
BHX based aircraft are shown below requiring three units. The Dublin in the morning is operated daily by a Dublin based aircraft. Arrecife on a Monday and Friday is operated from the Arrecife base and the weekly Las Palmas on a Sunday is operated from the LPA base.
There are gaps, some I would imagine were in case FUE/TFS/LPA/ACE were to be increased (fees dispute) and there was a rumour of Vilnius in place of Kaunas, which operated last winter. The big omission thus far is Malta although Gdansk has also operated year-round as well and is not bookable as yet.
Monday
1) FAO DUB LDY
2) ??? BCN
3) ??? DUB
Tuesday
1) BTS DUB RZE
2) AGP KTW DUB
3) BGY BZG
Wednesday
1) ALC DUB LDY
2) BUD BCN
3) KRK ???DUB
Thursday
1) TFS BZG
2) BGY PMI DUB
3) AGP DUB RZE
Friday
1) ALC DUB BCN
2) FAO LDY DUB
3) FUE
Saturday
1) BTS BGY BZG
2) AGP KTW DUB
3) BUD DUB ???
Sunday
1) ALC PMI DUB
2) KRK LDY RZE
3) TFS BCN
Pete
Join Date: Sep 2006
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If BHX truly has aspirations of growing and expanding their capacity, they need to have a look at how they deal with a number of flights arriving at the same time (not an uncommon occurrence I would think). Came back this lunch time to queues for immigration snaking down the corridor above arrivals, with the arrivals hall stuffed to the gills. Looked out the window to see pax off a flight queuing on the tarmac as they couldn't even get upstairs! There were half a dozen police downstairs keeping the peace which is rather telling...
Got into baggage reclaim to see every belt going, full of baggage which wasn't getting picked up as everyone was trapped in immigration! On my belt there were four flights worth of bags, so many in fact that they ended up blocking the belt in a massive heap!
Not a glowing endorsement for expansion...
Got into baggage reclaim to see every belt going, full of baggage which wasn't getting picked up as everyone was trapped in immigration! On my belt there were four flights worth of bags, so many in fact that they ended up blocking the belt in a massive heap!
Not a glowing endorsement for expansion...
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
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Immigration
I also arrived back on a Sunday lunch-time at around 13.15 and we were arrival number 10 or 11 of 20 plus in just over one hour including Emirates.
It was an amazing sight to see and although far from perfect the airport on this occasion coped well.
They did block off the escalators and held pax in the pier but all immigration stations were manned and the e-gates were all operational.
I had about 10-15 minute wait in the queue (two children in tow) but on the upside despite arriving at the carosel to see it shared with three other Monarch flights the bags arrived within 5 minutes.
From touchdown (13.07 I think) to meeting our pick-up it was about 35-40 minutes, which I thought was fantastic considering.
If you look at the BHX movements over a week the Sunday lunch period is just one of those freak periods when most of the based aircraft get back (plus EK, KL, LX, AF) at around the same time.
As I walked out of arrivals having already viewed the 50 and 60 stands and now seeing the 40's and old T2 packed with aircraft, I felt amazed that my old little airport which barely had a couple flights an hour in high summer in the past had reached these levels.
There will always be a down-side and if you think arrivals are bad how will the new security area cope with any further in flux of early departures.
PK insists BHX can double capacity with what it has now and I assume that there is a plan, as I doubt the current terminal could cope with the current peaks and troughs. Evened out of 12 months then there would be little problem but that is unlikely ever to happen at BHX.
Pete
It was an amazing sight to see and although far from perfect the airport on this occasion coped well.
They did block off the escalators and held pax in the pier but all immigration stations were manned and the e-gates were all operational.
I had about 10-15 minute wait in the queue (two children in tow) but on the upside despite arriving at the carosel to see it shared with three other Monarch flights the bags arrived within 5 minutes.
From touchdown (13.07 I think) to meeting our pick-up it was about 35-40 minutes, which I thought was fantastic considering.
If you look at the BHX movements over a week the Sunday lunch period is just one of those freak periods when most of the based aircraft get back (plus EK, KL, LX, AF) at around the same time.
As I walked out of arrivals having already viewed the 50 and 60 stands and now seeing the 40's and old T2 packed with aircraft, I felt amazed that my old little airport which barely had a couple flights an hour in high summer in the past had reached these levels.
There will always be a down-side and if you think arrivals are bad how will the new security area cope with any further in flux of early departures.
PK insists BHX can double capacity with what it has now and I assume that there is a plan, as I doubt the current terminal could cope with the current peaks and troughs. Evened out of 12 months then there would be little problem but that is unlikely ever to happen at BHX.
Pete
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Birmingham, UK
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Immigration
OP - you were lucky that the e-gates were working. I come back into BHX most Sundays, but usually later in the afternoon. The e-gates are only switched on about 20% of the time. In fact, they usually wait for a queue to build up in the holding area before they switch the gates on. There seems to be a willful disregard by the UKBA staff at BHX for any new technology which would help the travelling public. They seem to go out of their way not to use the e-gates and IRIS before that.
Join Date: Aug 2006
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E Gates were working tonight! Like any airport there are good days and bad days. I have been off a flight at T5 and on the tube in less than 30mins at LHR yet have landed and been waiting for bags at INV for more than half an hour, two very different airports just my experiences on the day! I think on the whole BHX does well with its sizeable peaks and troughs and there are always staff there directing the flow of pax. I agree with others that it is Border Control that calls the shots in Immigration which will affect how things run on the day. My recent experiences of BHX have been very good. Tonight is very typical: we landed from TXL at 18.32, parked up on Gate 57 and I made the 19.14 train from Intl to Leamington, including picking up a bag from the carousel on the way.....
Changing tack, I am just back from my third return trip BHX-TXL with LH in two months, the good news: all flights at a rough guess have been about 80% full (tonight 100%!!), the not so good news, I have yet to see anyone travelling Business Class, indeed on Sundays it is not even offered, the A319 is all economy seating. I just hope yield holds up on this route as for me personally it is a god send not having to trek up to EMA or LHR.
Changing tack, I am just back from my third return trip BHX-TXL with LH in two months, the good news: all flights at a rough guess have been about 80% full (tonight 100%!!), the not so good news, I have yet to see anyone travelling Business Class, indeed on Sundays it is not even offered, the A319 is all economy seating. I just hope yield holds up on this route as for me personally it is a god send not having to trek up to EMA or LHR.
GF
Berlin has always been low on Business Class figures. When I used to fly for Maersk many moons ago the curtain divider on a 737 was usually around row 3. That route has always done well for for economy passengers.
Berlin has always been low on Business Class figures. When I used to fly for Maersk many moons ago the curtain divider on a 737 was usually around row 3. That route has always done well for for economy passengers.
Berlin has always been low on Business Class figures
It'll take a long time to convince German business HQs to head east - a bit like getting UK executives to realise there's intelligent life north of the M25!!
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Middlesex (under the flightpath)
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Quote: "It'll take a long time to convince German business HQs to head east - a bit like getting UK executives to realise there's intelligent life north of the M25!!"
It will never happen it's extra unnecessary expenditure! Nor will UK businesses be persuaded to cluster around a Thames estuary airport (if it is ever built) in the same way as they do around Heathrow.
As for "north of the M25", it's regretable: some deconcentration and decentralisation would be beneficial to the UK!
It will never happen it's extra unnecessary expenditure! Nor will UK businesses be persuaded to cluster around a Thames estuary airport (if it is ever built) in the same way as they do around Heathrow.
As for "north of the M25", it's regretable: some deconcentration and decentralisation would be beneficial to the UK!
Last edited by Fairdealfrank; 23rd Aug 2012 at 01:22.
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BMI Baby
Groundbased
They all fly everyday until the last day of operations I believe.
Sometimes one or two aircraft only operate two sectors and this is the reason that they are often seen sitting around.
I think they are all usually airborne or down-route by 10.30-11am UK time most days.
Pete
They all fly everyday until the last day of operations I believe.
Sometimes one or two aircraft only operate two sectors and this is the reason that they are often seen sitting around.
I think they are all usually airborne or down-route by 10.30-11am UK time most days.
Pete
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Does anyone know how much longer bmi will operate for LH? At BHX yesterday lunchtime, very busy, saw bmi A320 in Star c/s op for LH. I'm flying from FRA to BHX 16th Sep booking says op by bmi....will this still be so?