BIRMINGHAM - 5
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thomas Cook
Scorchio
Very interesting information.
Is this a late change of heart as from day one the schedule has shown a very neat and fully utilised two aircraft operation with several core routes dropped?
I received an promotional email from BHX this week showing a new Thomas Cook destination for 2013 - Malta.
I carried out a dummy booking and it did not show the airline but BHX based times and clearly not the Tuesday evening Air Malta but both Thomas Cook aircraft busy.
Also back in the booking engine came Heraklion (matching the Monarch times), Arrecife (again matching the Monarch times) and FUE (matching the Monarch times).
The odd aspect about the latter is that Thomson offer FUE in summer 2013 on a Wednesday - flying on Thomas Cook but Thomas Cook themselves did not offer it all until this week.
Is the base to remain all 757?
Pete
Very interesting information.
Is this a late change of heart as from day one the schedule has shown a very neat and fully utilised two aircraft operation with several core routes dropped?
I received an promotional email from BHX this week showing a new Thomas Cook destination for 2013 - Malta.
I carried out a dummy booking and it did not show the airline but BHX based times and clearly not the Tuesday evening Air Malta but both Thomas Cook aircraft busy.
Also back in the booking engine came Heraklion (matching the Monarch times), Arrecife (again matching the Monarch times) and FUE (matching the Monarch times).
The odd aspect about the latter is that Thomson offer FUE in summer 2013 on a Wednesday - flying on Thomas Cook but Thomas Cook themselves did not offer it all until this week.
Is the base to remain all 757?
Pete
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Craggy Island
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pete , it was a major concern for TCX staff about the initial a/c plan for 2 based ships.
All I know, is that, during the first 2 weeks of August, confirmation came through that it was going to be a 3 ship operation as before (757s again)
Good news for all.
Sorry I can't be of any help, with the intricacies of routes & destinations served .
Best regards
Scorchio.
All I know, is that, during the first 2 weeks of August, confirmation came through that it was going to be a 3 ship operation as before (757s again)
Good news for all.
Sorry I can't be of any help, with the intricacies of routes & destinations served .
Best regards
Scorchio.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Monarch/Qatar
MatthewMarshall
The passengers travelling on the Air Explore and Aurela will probably be aggrieved before they even get on board if they haven't read the small-print as some would have booked on Monarch's reputation or previous experiences only to find an aircraft falling short of their expectations.
Then there will be those who have read the reports on the previous incidents and this won't help. It is unfortunate but Monarch deemed it worthy of filling the BMI Baby gap before other airlines got any ideas. This was the best they could do and for 12-16 weeks a risk they thought was worth taking.
I don't believe I saw any press reports on the latest delay which was once again Air Explore on the ill-fated Tuesday BHX-PMI-BHX which ended up nearly a day late last week although this time it was the ZB955 and not ZB959
Qatar - Nigel has covered this in earlier posts and patience will be needed if the Helsinki announcement is anything to go by. That was made late last October and although bookable by code-share via TXL, FRA LHR or MAN there is still no direct flight.
The continued delay with the 787 delivery won't help, as aircraft availability has been a problem in general on the wide-body fleet.
You would hope they would aim for a March 2013 start to get a couple of good months in before the low season starts in May and June and followed quickly by Ramadan, which certainly affects EK loads and I would imagine Qatar will be the same. If they can't start by Spring maybe August would be the better option.
Pete
The passengers travelling on the Air Explore and Aurela will probably be aggrieved before they even get on board if they haven't read the small-print as some would have booked on Monarch's reputation or previous experiences only to find an aircraft falling short of their expectations.
Then there will be those who have read the reports on the previous incidents and this won't help. It is unfortunate but Monarch deemed it worthy of filling the BMI Baby gap before other airlines got any ideas. This was the best they could do and for 12-16 weeks a risk they thought was worth taking.
I don't believe I saw any press reports on the latest delay which was once again Air Explore on the ill-fated Tuesday BHX-PMI-BHX which ended up nearly a day late last week although this time it was the ZB955 and not ZB959
Qatar - Nigel has covered this in earlier posts and patience will be needed if the Helsinki announcement is anything to go by. That was made late last October and although bookable by code-share via TXL, FRA LHR or MAN there is still no direct flight.
The continued delay with the 787 delivery won't help, as aircraft availability has been a problem in general on the wide-body fleet.
You would hope they would aim for a March 2013 start to get a couple of good months in before the low season starts in May and June and followed quickly by Ramadan, which certainly affects EK loads and I would imagine Qatar will be the same. If they can't start by Spring maybe August would be the better option.
Pete
Wardair
Just a reminder of BHX's heyday when 747's and DC10's were scheduled, here is a copy of WD's timetable.
Route Profile: Wardair Canada Summer 1988 Operation | Airline Route – Worldwide Airline Route Updates
Other regional airports also had a good share in transatlantic traffic
Route Profile: Wardair Canada Summer 1988 Operation | Airline Route – Worldwide Airline Route Updates
Other regional airports also had a good share in transatlantic traffic
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: herefordshire
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re runway work
Maybe it is just a matter of interpretation, but I passed by today and thought there was considerable activity on the runway extension site. While I did not stop I got the impression that there was probably in excess of a dozen large construction units at work; JCB's, rollers etc. It certainly looked like the proverbial 'hive of activity'. I hope the contract is on schedule.
It might seem trivial, but it coud be a talking point in the future: When the runway extension is finally complete will the 'piano keys' be directly above what was the existing main road???
It might seem trivial, but it coud be a talking point in the future: When the runway extension is finally complete will the 'piano keys' be directly above what was the existing main road???
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Montygordo;
Re runway work.There was 2 bulldozers 4 diggers and 5 dumper trucks and a roller working today.This afternoon a huge earth scraper was delivered and sounded like a Tiger tank as it moved onto the fields!
They are raising the ground slightly near the sports ground..however further towards where the runway end will be, they appear to be digging the new road down about 20 feet.
Think it will be lowered into a culvert here so that they can add a bridge in the future .
If Im right there will be no view of the runway from the new A45 close to its end.
They also seem to be adding noise bunds between the new road and where the runway will be. There is still time for them to redistribute this earth, but the plans seem to show a raised area.If that is all true then there will be no view of the runway extension at all from the diverted A45
On the current A45 end of runway they were winding up underground cables and cutting them up onto a lorry.Also more trees being felled by the Clock.
Winding the work up now for sure.May 2014 for full completion and in service still on course
Nigel
Re runway work.There was 2 bulldozers 4 diggers and 5 dumper trucks and a roller working today.This afternoon a huge earth scraper was delivered and sounded like a Tiger tank as it moved onto the fields!
They are raising the ground slightly near the sports ground..however further towards where the runway end will be, they appear to be digging the new road down about 20 feet.
Think it will be lowered into a culvert here so that they can add a bridge in the future .
If Im right there will be no view of the runway from the new A45 close to its end.
They also seem to be adding noise bunds between the new road and where the runway will be. There is still time for them to redistribute this earth, but the plans seem to show a raised area.If that is all true then there will be no view of the runway extension at all from the diverted A45
On the current A45 end of runway they were winding up underground cables and cutting them up onto a lorry.Also more trees being felled by the Clock.
Winding the work up now for sure.May 2014 for full completion and in service still on course
Nigel
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Coventry
Age: 63
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air Explore from ALC to BHX 09/09
The 737-400 we came in on last night was in very poor nick (decor wise) the cabin crew were very grumpy and as I had paid for Monarch standards just a little disappointing. Drinks service didn't start until one hour into the flight which was not the usual for Monarch
The plane was totally full and load / unload was not up to the usual standard as there just wasn't the handluggage space that there seems to be on a A321 lots of people had to have hand luggage transferred to the hold.
Not sure if there was really bad weather difficulties for the landing - which was of course safe- but was a real lengthy affair with lots of attitude and altitude adjustments on finals and one of the firmest "thumps" l can remember for years !
The plane was totally full and load / unload was not up to the usual standard as there just wasn't the handluggage space that there seems to be on a A321 lots of people had to have hand luggage transferred to the hold.
Not sure if there was really bad weather difficulties for the landing - which was of course safe- but was a real lengthy affair with lots of attitude and altitude adjustments on finals and one of the firmest "thumps" l can remember for years !
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
flybe/Thomas Cook
As rumoured the BHX-ABZ has changed to an Aberdeen based E175 four daily in the week with the Q400 operating at the weekend.
No other noticeable changes but the Q400's are not exactly worked hard with at times one could operate just two sectors.
Thomas Cook
Scorchio does the easyjet link-up have any impact on the BHX base such as more co-operation with Monarch? I know what you were told but it is approaching mid September and the summer 2013 schedule is still only showing two based.
I hope nothing has changed but if you were told mid August and four weeks later nothing has changed in the schedule other than Malta added is it a time to be concerned or just patient?
As for the schedulers, someone needs to get their act together, you have Thomas Cook selling Fuerteventura on a Saturday at the same time as the Monarch schedule flight and Thomson are selling it on a Wednesday on a Thomas Cook aircraft, which appears not to be in their schedule.
Pete
No other noticeable changes but the Q400's are not exactly worked hard with at times one could operate just two sectors.
Thomas Cook
Scorchio does the easyjet link-up have any impact on the BHX base such as more co-operation with Monarch? I know what you were told but it is approaching mid September and the summer 2013 schedule is still only showing two based.
I hope nothing has changed but if you were told mid August and four weeks later nothing has changed in the schedule other than Malta added is it a time to be concerned or just patient?
As for the schedulers, someone needs to get their act together, you have Thomas Cook selling Fuerteventura on a Saturday at the same time as the Monarch schedule flight and Thomson are selling it on a Wednesday on a Thomas Cook aircraft, which appears not to be in their schedule.
Pete
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Midlands
Age: 67
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air Explore
Having never flown with Monarch, this year I have finally got the opportunity to do so when booking my holiday I specifically chose them for our flight to Palma on 18th September. To my dismay I now know that we will be flying the infamous Air Explore 737. Thanks CVTDog for your thoughts 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: IOM
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying with Monarch this Friday, made the booking on the strength of how I remember Monarch 10 years ago. Probably a mistake to do that 
A300, PE with brekky, hopefully won't be left with a sour taste. Transferred the flight booked from Brummy back up to MAN despite the extra cost, don't fancy "some random eastern european carrier".
A300, PE with brekky, hopefully won't be left with a sour taste. Transferred the flight booked from Brummy back up to MAN despite the extra cost, don't fancy "some random eastern european carrier".
Last edited by JSCL; 11th Sep 2012 at 09:08.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hanover
insuindi
Correct, that does free a Q400 making two out (ABZ/HAJ) and one in AMS.
The Hanover changes to 10.50 departure 15.25 arrival Monday - Friday and the only evening service is Sunday. It is a gamble though as the load factor with it operating in evening has been good even in the winter.
This is a rough idea of the revised and could be final based weekday schedule.
195 - 0700BHD1005 1500GLA1805 1845BHD2140
195 - 0700EDI1020 1445EDI1755 1835EDI2150
195 - 0630CDG1015 1210CDG1555 1715CDG2115
175 - 0700DUS1050 1355DUS1720 1750DUS2120
175 - 0650GLA1000 1305MXP1810 1840GLA2135
Q400 - 0650STR1145 1420AMS1735* 1800IOM2015
Q400 - 0705AMS1025 1050HAJ1525 1700 STR2200 (prime for a 175)
Q400 - 071510M0930 1010WAT1310* 1425BHD1710 1735AMS2050
Q400 - N/S DUS 0750 0815JER1150 1520JER1850 1925DUS N/S
*The afternoon Amsterdam is Mon, Thu, Fri & Waterford Mo, Wed, Fri.
Away based
BHD 4 x 195
EDI 4 x 195
GLA 4 x 195 (175 sometimes at Lunchtime?)
ABZ 4 x 175 (actually 3 x 175 and 1 x Q400 (midday)
INV 1 X Q400
DND 2 X SF34
Between 43 and 46 flights a day in the week and less at weekends.
I would have thought the AMS-HAJ-STR schedule would be BHX's next 175 but it appears IOM and even East Mids could come before.
Pete
Correct, that does free a Q400 making two out (ABZ/HAJ) and one in AMS.
The Hanover changes to 10.50 departure 15.25 arrival Monday - Friday and the only evening service is Sunday. It is a gamble though as the load factor with it operating in evening has been good even in the winter.
This is a rough idea of the revised and could be final based weekday schedule.
195 - 0700BHD1005 1500GLA1805 1845BHD2140
195 - 0700EDI1020 1445EDI1755 1835EDI2150
195 - 0630CDG1015 1210CDG1555 1715CDG2115
175 - 0700DUS1050 1355DUS1720 1750DUS2120
175 - 0650GLA1000 1305MXP1810 1840GLA2135
Q400 - 0650STR1145 1420AMS1735* 1800IOM2015
Q400 - 0705AMS1025 1050HAJ1525 1700 STR2200 (prime for a 175)
Q400 - 071510M0930 1010WAT1310* 1425BHD1710 1735AMS2050
Q400 - N/S DUS 0750 0815JER1150 1520JER1850 1925DUS N/S
*The afternoon Amsterdam is Mon, Thu, Fri & Waterford Mo, Wed, Fri.
Away based
BHD 4 x 195
EDI 4 x 195
GLA 4 x 195 (175 sometimes at Lunchtime?)
ABZ 4 x 175 (actually 3 x 175 and 1 x Q400 (midday)
INV 1 X Q400
DND 2 X SF34
Between 43 and 46 flights a day in the week and less at weekends.
I would have thought the AMS-HAJ-STR schedule would be BHX's next 175 but it appears IOM and even East Mids could come before.
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 13th Sep 2012 at 17:17. Reason: ABZ is 3 x 175 and 1 x Q400
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Birmingham
Age: 41
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air Explore
I flew back on Monday into BHX from FCO on Air Explore.
Naturally surprised that it wasn't a Monarch flight.
The aircraft is in a tired condition. I found the aircrew polite and efficient and kudos to Monarch to having a senior steward who was available to answer any questions.
Also sat next to Air Italy crew who are being transferred to Monarch duties.
All in all, had better but also had worse.
Naturally surprised that it wasn't a Monarch flight.
The aircraft is in a tired condition. I found the aircrew polite and efficient and kudos to Monarch to having a senior steward who was available to answer any questions.
Also sat next to Air Italy crew who are being transferred to Monarch duties.
All in all, had better but also had worse.