BELFAST AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL

[Cozy F]

Hey Dog, 2 immediate probs with your EI BHD theory I reckon - Halifax and modified. The only Canadian route that'll obviously work is BFS - Toronto, and it's a gift for Westjet with new fleet.

[Shamrock350]

It will be interesting to see if the chat from the EI thread comes to anything, where they are talking about a Halifax from BHD on a modified Airbus. It would be a sickener if they got a Canadian route before BFS do, even with all the good news recently, that would be a big kick in the criggs if it were to come about.....

The rumoured Halifax route is to be from Dublin, not Belfast City.

[EI-BUD]

In terms of Halifax, can't comment on that , but Mr Ambrose stated that they were in discussions a out a 'North American 'route. May indicate that they were discussing a WestJet route to St.John's and on to Toronto. With a 737-700 could be a potential runner ... Though that was earlier in the year.

BFS have had losses to BHD, I don't think we will see transfers going to BHD anytime soon, LS fixed at BFS due to freight, Canaries routes, EZY won't move and the rest need long opening hours ...

However, what about KLM all the hype about that has faded... Any potential ?

EI unlikely to move until at least end of 5 years at BHD. Besides BHD gives a point of difference to them over the competition ...

[SecondDog]

The rumoured Halifax route is to be from Dublin, not Belfast City.

SecondDog... off on a tangent again. Curse all you guys who pay close attention, rumor mongering is no fun if you nip it in the bud like that....

[BFS Dude]

I see on Belfast International Airport wiki page that someone put Budapest starting from 10th September 2014 for Wizz Air, I think it is to late for putting flights on sale that close is it not?

[BCALBOY]

Heathrow Sunday cancellations due weather ?

Notice BA have cancelled 1 rotation on a lot of short haul services tomorrow incl BHD . 1340hrs dep is can't presumably due to anticipated weather situ. The other BHD deps look like there now full as result .

ABZ ,EDI,GLA,MAN,NCL,ORY,BRU,AMS,MAD,ZRH,FRA,DUS all losing a flight as well .

[BHD2BFS]

I doubt Wizzair will start BUD at such short notice but I expect they will start it in the near future
Budapest is a base for them and Budapest airport is looking for an airline to start the route

[GAZMO]

WIZZAIR

Again congrats to management at BFS, hopefully Budapest in the future.
Flight time from BFS not great as you get in to Vilnius at 1.40 am!

[BFS101]

Not completely relevant but.....

Virgin Holidays plans to open a further 10 new retail outlets in Tesco stores by the end of November, starting with one today in Swindon.

It has already opened shops within Tesco superstores in Dover and Knocknagoney, Belfast.

Other cities earmarked for new retail premises this year include Hastings in East Sussex and Basildon, Essex.

Virgin Hoildays is aiming to have a total of 29 'Retail Lite' stores, which average 250 sq ft and have been designed to accommodate customers who have already done their research and maybe even received a quote but want the security of a face-to-face meeting before they book.

The operator said bookings at the new Belfast store were 176% above its target.

Good to see the Belfast retail store doing well. Hopefully this will translate into sustainable demand for VS flights from BFS.

[BFS BHD]

BFS July Stats

Passengers Rolling Year: 4,055,427 -1.8
Passengers This Month: 424,498 -1.3

Domestic Routes:
Gatwick........ 40,412..... +9
Luton........... 22,982..... -3
Stansted...... 25,385..... -2
Birmingham... 12,541..... -9
Bristol.......... 20,454..... 0
Edinburgh..... 19,550..... -8
Glasgow....... 19,594..... -8
Jersey.......... 2340...... -4
Liverpool....... 35,016.... -3
Manchester... 16,176.... +11
Newcastle..... 16,131.... +2

International Routes:
Dubrovnik...... 1142...... -55
Larnaca........ 2100...... -32
Bordeaux...... 1063...... --
Nice............. 4055...... +14
Paris............ 8140...... +3
Lourdes........ 3765...... +77
Corfu............ 1465...... --
Heraklion....... 3431...... +77
Rhodes.......... 1323...... -19
Genoa........... 126........ --
Pisa.............. 1137...... -54
Verona.......... 296....... 0
Malta............. 2649...... +6
Amsterdam..... 11,436.... +1
Faro.............. 15,436.... +21
Alicante.......... 14,091.... -1
Barcelona........ 5181...... -1
Ibiza............... 7614..... +44
Mahon............. 4874...... +3
Malaga............ 14,745.... +27
Murcia............. 2571...... -31
Palma.............. 28,303... -1
Reus................ 8778...... +36
Arrecife............ 5390...... -6
Las Palmas........ 1465..... -51
Tenerife............ 5693..... +35
Antalya............. 1697..... -46
Bodrum............. 2894.... -48
Dalaman............ 8999..... +4
Burgas............... 3291..... -31
Krakow.............. 4635.... +14
Sharm El Sheikh... 1653... +10
Enfidha.............. 1916.... +101
Newark.............. 9759... -1
Orlando.............. 1243... --

[GAZMO]

Thanks BFSBHD for stats

Bit of a mixed bunch. BOD only 85% LF, can it survive next year?
AGP, IBZ, FAO,TFS doing well

Question with KRK doing so well up 14% last month and with a load factor of 95.5% last year why is EZY reducing schedule in winter period?

[david1994]

Krakow passenger do not check in hold baggage nor do they spend anything onboard so no money being made.

BOD is doing very well with 85% LF EZY only needs 47.7% to break even

[GAZMO]

Interesting comment from Belfast Telegraph interview with Uel Hoey of BIA


"Our initial feedback from colleagues in Virgin Holidays is that their inception into the Northern Ireland marketplace has been extremely well received and that booking activity on next year's summer Florida programme is very buoyant, and we are also engaging with Virgin to assess other opportunities from Belfast International Airport"

Any suggestions of possible other routes?

[flying officer kite]

According to some staff across the water Virgin's soon-to-be-delivered 787-9s may soon grace the local airways on the Orlando route

[stab3.5up]

I heard from a source close to Vigin that we may see up to 16 flights next season

[ExoticSkier]

BFS & VS

Great news regarding VS.

Personally speaking I believe VS will be the Canadian breakthrough that BFS have patiently been waiting for.
They have a strong brand ideal to take over where Zoom, Fly Globespan & Air Transat left. So no hints needed to guess where I think they would fly next.

Good luck to VS, we all hope to see a lot more of you in BFS.

[AIRPORT66]

airport66

The Krakow flights seem to down till 2 flights on some dates around november but then it goes back up till 3 per week.

[GAZMO]

Yes KRK down to two in November. Think its a shame as 95% LF last year, but read david1994 comment. Malta reduced as well to weekly flight only in November
Can VS do through flights via BFS eg GLA via BFS to USA or Canada?

[NWSRG]

Can VS do through flights via BFS eg GLA via BFS to USA or Canada?

Interesting idea...but I think this approach may have had its day. Passengers like point to point now, and GLA can support MCO (at least once a week) in its own right. Maybe sharing an aircraft would be a possibility? A 787-9 based in GLA, but doing MCO on a Saturday ex-GLA and a Sunday ex-BFS or somesuch? The same aircraft could possibly do LAS on a similar basis?

Although I'm sure the VS route planners know this game better than I do!

PS. Just thinking...the GLA flights are flown by LGW based 744s...so perhaps just share an LGW frame (744 or other).

[GAZMO]

Notice two TCX flights to Reus tomorrow.....must be popular
Is this a special flight?