BELFAST AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
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It's not too far to Canada, it's a lot further to the major markets however.
I am not sure a single flight to Canada is worth fixating on, Air Transat have retrenched and Zoom have gone, the old visiting relatives market is dying off and so what's left is consolidated, in this case, at Dublin. I am not sure it's do-able anymore from BFS, even BHX only gets one a week and that's a much bigger market.
I am not sure a single flight to Canada is worth fixating on, Air Transat have retrenched and Zoom have gone, the old visiting relatives market is dying off and so what's left is consolidated, in this case, at Dublin. I am not sure it's do-able anymore from BFS, even BHX only gets one a week and that's a much bigger market.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London (Babylon-on-Thames)
Age: 42
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It appears that people from England and Dublin in particular enjoy coming in here and running down our airport.
The reality is that they know little about Northern Ireland and what our potential is.
The reality is that they know little about Northern Ireland and what our potential is.
The potential is limited by a resurgent DUB, not actually a bad thing strategically unless you get in to localism and politics, that limited potential is further undermined by splitting the exisiting local market between two cut throat rivals. The result is a good City airport that can only serve local routes and a larger airport that can't attract enough traffic to invest. Square that circle, you can have a go at Dublin, until then, it's same old.
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: dublin
Age: 56
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I wonder if the dublin debate would happen if there was no border ? DUB is good at what it does as does BHD. I reallly believe that either BFS has lost its direction and is not sure of what market to go for or it is scared of EZY. I doubt we will ever know.
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Dublin
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The 250,000 people from the North who use DUB would disagree with your point.....
Not to forget the thousands who use NOC to.
If only the N2 Dublin to Derry road had being completed before the downturn it would increase access to DUB even more.
Not to forget the thousands who use NOC to.
If only the N2 Dublin to Derry road had being completed before the downturn it would increase access to DUB even more.
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: USA
Age: 66
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BFS dead......curiously making a profit
BHD thriving.........remind me how much they are making again?
DUBLIN comparing apples with bowling balls as far as BHD/BFS are concerned.
BHD thriving.........remind me how much they are making again?
DUBLIN comparing apples with bowling balls as far as BHD/BFS are concerned.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: northern ireland
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Since when was Dublin Airport hundreds of miles away??
It takes me 45 minutes to get to Aldergrove from my North Down home, 1hr 45 to get to Dublin Airport, the road to Dublin is greatly superior to the dark lane that leads from Templepatrick onwards.
But don't upset the anoraks by daring to have a differing opinion..
It takes me 45 minutes to get to Aldergrove from my North Down home, 1hr 45 to get to Dublin Airport, the road to Dublin is greatly superior to the dark lane that leads from Templepatrick onwards.
But don't upset the anoraks by daring to have a differing opinion..
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: dublin
Age: 64
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Travel Extra reports
A whopping 521000 passengers from NI used Dublin in 2013 up 15pc on 2012
That's incredible when you consider there are 3 airports in the 6 counties , this has to make it very difficult to justify major investment in Aldergrove , shame but Once BA moved I believe the writing was on the wall.
I can recall loading Deloreans onto the EI B747 not so long ago ex BFS and the place was very busy , but BA moved I would be interested to hear what folks see as BFS future , given even Canada link seems out of reach
That's incredible when you consider there are 3 airports in the 6 counties , this has to make it very difficult to justify major investment in Aldergrove , shame but Once BA moved I believe the writing was on the wall.
I can recall loading Deloreans onto the EI B747 not so long ago ex BFS and the place was very busy , but BA moved I would be interested to hear what folks see as BFS future , given even Canada link seems out of reach
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Northern Ireland
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It's not really considering the three airports in Northern Ireland add up to about 7 million.
It would be interesting to see a map of that, I would bet that the majority of those passengers are from the South East of Northern Ireland.
They are probably basically closer to Dublin airport anyway. I can't see too many from Derry or Ballycastle travelling away down there for a flight to London now can I?
I am travelling out of there for the very first time this summer with United. I priced the flights from Belfast and it was an extra £500.
As it had US pre-clearance we just decided to have a compromise, I haven't been to Dublin in about 10 years so it will be interesting.
It would be interesting to see a map of that, I would bet that the majority of those passengers are from the South East of Northern Ireland.
They are probably basically closer to Dublin airport anyway. I can't see too many from Derry or Ballycastle travelling away down there for a flight to London now can I?
I am travelling out of there for the very first time this summer with United. I priced the flights from Belfast and it was an extra £500.
As it had US pre-clearance we just decided to have a compromise, I haven't been to Dublin in about 10 years so it will be interesting.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ballymena
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Sorry to say, S1E has it right. Too many on this forum have obviously never studied economics. We are seeing the inpact of 3 airports for a very small country. You can argue all you like about competition, but sometimes competition is not so good in the long run. You see, in a capitalist ecenomy, profit is king. No profit, then why invest at all? But of course, you are not allowed to say 3 airports is complete stupidity, so I better not mention it.
TB
TB
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: dublin
Age: 64
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NI
Well I don't see many on the LON route but your right it's a huge number as you say given half of the province is too far from Dublin, I would say its catastrophic for the future of BFS that so many of its customer base travel so far south , makes it's difficult to see why any need to invest in BFS , unless it's was bought
Back by the assembly , even then you would need BA back , but they just built a lounge in BHD , so it's a tough one
Back by the assembly , even then you would need BA back , but they just built a lounge in BHD , so it's a tough one
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
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Whether NI customers to this extent or not is a highly misleading indicator. All of those who live in south Down, Armagh, Fermanagh will find Dublin equidistant to Belfast so naturally they have a choice equally, a large amount of people from Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal and Leitrim will use Belfast, again they have a choice. Certainly NI customers flying to London from Dublin cannot be motivated by price, Belfast in my experience tends to be better priced.
And Hangar 'you don't see many on the London route', and prey do tell how you would recognise them! What do they look like?😄
And Hangar 'you don't see many on the London route', and prey do tell how you would recognise them! What do they look like?😄
People are not going to bother driving down to Dublin for a London flight, and probably not for the bucket and spade trip to the Canaries or wherever, so they are safe. Long haul is hard to justify perhaps. I assume Air Transat, Air Canada, Delta, US Air, AA, United, Emirates, Etihad and Turkish all look at where their customers ex DUB are coming from (they do have addresses from bookings after all) and decide whether to launch an extra service out of BFS,ORK,SNN or wherever based on that. If there is a particularly large portion of those pax coming from Ulster for example, it doesn't necessarily mean they would launch a new service to that part of the Island, as instead of having one profitable route they may end up with 2 unprofitable ones after losing those pax from the original service. Then tie in things like cargo demands, pre-clearance for the US and things get complicated.
Both airports in Belfast are making money, sure there aren't the shiny widebodies for now, but people's jobs at those airports are safe, that's something to be very thankful for indeed
Both airports in Belfast are making money, sure there aren't the shiny widebodies for now, but people's jobs at those airports are safe, that's something to be very thankful for indeed
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: dublin
Age: 56
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BA and EI im sure dobt give a rats if a passenger uses BHD or DUB they are still getting that passengers money and the same goes with the BE code shares im sure. I think Joe Public is probably in a no win situation here. I think the issue is that norn iron folks just dont like change or anything different hence why the same old routes are plied from BFS/BHD. We did not support the 'odd' destinations that where offered to us. We are creatures of comfort. Would flights to the Gambia/Kenya/Goa etc work from Dublin let alone Belfast. I doubt it yet Man etc can support them. Our history has shown we cant tollerate change in this wee Island
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: N.Ireland
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With a new park and ride coming to Templepatrick, would anybody envisage passengers leaving their cars here for free and catching the bus to the airport?
BBC News - Ballymartin park and ride scheme gets the go-ahead
BBC News - Ballymartin park and ride scheme gets the go-ahead
