BELFAST AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL

[SecondDog]

What total utter bull! What an ill-advised statement from management at Belfast International. Can now finally see why easyJet had a fallout with Abertis and management at BFS like that .

What is Bull about it? I think it makes a nice change from wishing them all the best as they take 5/6 hundred thousand passengers away from your airport for exactly the reasons mentioned.

I think if the City move were to fail, EI wouldn't get much sympathy from anyone. It is purely based on greed from EI and a poor approach to building for the future by BHD management.

All these types of move tend to accomplish is a couple of years worth of robbing Peter to pay Paul and at the end of it all Northern Ireland still fails to expand its aviation industry.

The management at BFS might not be pleasant for the airlines to deal with but at least they are not bending over to be spanked by them and get virtually nothing in return. How long can aviation here continue without trying to at least establish a long term strategy.

[CaptJ]

Jack1985

Explain please.
How is this complete and utter bull?

Looks pretty plausible to me. Why would they move otherwise?

What is the truth?
"We have decided to move to Belfast City Airport for the benefit of the NI travelling public. This move will cost us money but we are happy to do it"?

And what is BA going to think about a direct competitor being offered a better deal, never mind BE.

[redED]

Down at BHD Flybe are going to be very unhappy and it is unclear as to why BHD management would do anything so stupid as to bring in direct competition against their longest serving incumbent.

Ryanair
BmiBaby
AerLingus

BHD don't give two hoots about flybe they always do screw them over.

As for flybe splitting operations or heading up the road altogether dream on!

[mart901]

I would imagine the majority of new routes in european airports are based on discounted deals on charges, and if BE are unhappy about it so what? What are they going to do? Pull out and let a competitor in? They have had long enough to launch European routes and chosen not to, they cannot expect to have everything to themselves.

[stab3.5up]

What exactly are ei offering ex bhd route wise?

[Jack1985]

Explain please.
How is this complete and utter bull?

BFS Quote from Statement -

they aspire to charging higher fares and commanding stronger yields as a result of flying from the City Airport

Most probably higher yield yes (Business Pax) but I 100% disagree with the statement of higher fares. Aer Lingus most probably will be fighting Flybe hard with fares to stimulate demand for Gatwick, Heathrow has remained unchanged to the BFS fares so how exactly are Aer Lingus charging higher fares? A look at the summer flights to FAO, AGP shows they are also unchanged and cheaper then this summer again how are they charging higher fares? Fair enough they have considerably lower charges to contend with and will make money relatively more easily ex BHD but have BFS suddenly forgotten that most probably in the next 10 years EI will be back knocking at their door about T/A services? This is why I believe it is Ill-advised for a Management team to make a statement like that.

[mart901]

Well its not exactly earth shattering news and they will have to justify it to some degree for the press but it does look like there is more to come route wise.

[Aaron9890]

*Cues Ryanair to come to BFS*

I want to see them have a go at BFS, i think they could offer a wide variety of routes. The only problems are ;

1. EZY will probably not like it
2: FR will want rock bottom prices from BFS to fly from it.

If it did happen there would be some good competition between the two..

[SecondDog]

Fair enough they have considerably lower charges to contend with and will make money relatively more easily ex BHD but have BFS suddenly forgotten that most probably in the next 10 years EI will be back knocking at their door about T/A services? This is why I believe it is Ill-advised for a Management team to make a statement like that.

It's not all about an Airport operator having to be nice to an airline. Eventually someone has to realise that for any long haul service out of Northern Ireland, BFS is the only plausible option. Consequently, strong words now at least lets the airline know that they can't just do what they want, when they want, without some kind of resistance. If this doomed-to-fail experiment at the city comes back to haunt them, it is either pull out of NI completely or come knocking, cap in hand. I know what sort of stand the BFS management will be happier they took in that scenario.

[SecondDog]

I want to see them have a go at BFS, i think they could offer a wide variety of routes. The only problems are ;

1. EZY will probably not like it
2: FR will want rock bottom prices from BFS to fly from it.

If it did happen there would be some good competition between the two..

I imagine FR will only come to BFS if they accept a non-competition agreement with Easyjet. Easyjet is the cash cow don't forget, you can't afford to piss off the company that brings you almost 3.5 million passengers a year.

The BFS management (as proven over the EI switch) will not offer the same sorts of deals as Mr Ambrose because, again, they can't afford to upset easyjet (who would surely look for parity if they did)

I actually think the BFS management have done reasonably well to get coverage for some of the lost routes through their remaining airlines.

[CaptJ]

Jack185

I see your point, but the statement does seem to be interpretable from the other angle too.

If BFS felt the need to issue that statement, they are clearly very very bitter about something.
No business relationship is one sided.

Which is why BHD seem incredibly short-sighted in angering its best customers.
By that I mean, not just Flybe, but Flybe's customers, who seem a fairly loyal bunch. Flybe have fairly decent schedules to several destinations where the competition competes only on price. Gatwick, Edinburgh for example. Aer Lingus are NEVER going to match those schedules, but they will force Flybe to ramp down their schedules. the end result will be THREE airlines flying to the SAME destinations, ALL with cr@p infrequent schedules.
Just where is the benefit?
My wife and I moved from BFS-LGW to BHD-LGW for the better schedules. Looks as if we are back up the road again!

Looks like the last desperate act of an airline that is destined for a slow slide to oblivion. Or a quick one if MOL gets his way.

[eastern wiseguy]

We have decided to move to Belfast City Airport for the benefit of the NI travelling public. This move will cost us money but we are happy to do it"

Anyone who believes that.....I have a bridge I would like to sell you

[Husky One]

A move devoid of real strategy by he looks of it. Flybe will robustly defend its own network. Aer Lingus do not bring anything to the party that Flybe don't already. The LGW will degenerate into a price war which ultimately will result in EI dumping it or both carriers reducing their schedules. Regional turning up with a couple of ATR's isn't exactly a credible threat either as Flybe are introducing more 175's across their network. Even the Q400 is a better option than an ATR.
The gap at BFS is more concerning. Easyjet really need to react to this by up scaling to A320, making the 6th aircraft permanent and launching a couple of longer routes. The pressure on airport management to capitulate to Ryanair will be intense. If they capitulate they will destroy the relationship with Easyjet which will trigger job losses and relocation of aircraft too.

[True Blue]

Well another really stupid day for NI avaition, but some don't see it that way.

Now is the time for Bfs to go to BA and Flybe and offer deals that are fantastic. Let those 2 take the offers back to BHD for them to equal/better. In no time, BHD will not be collecting any landing fees at all.

What will Mr BA do when this latest adventure fails?

[ILS25]

UP620, you are correct. My father in law had the exact same experience. Party of 4 had booked to Palma with baby from BHD and had to go with Easy in the end. I asked him today would he book anywhere from BHD again and his answer was, and I quote, "Not as long as my backside points south."

True Blue, well said ! I don't get this zero landing fee nonsense. BHD are and have been struggling in the profit department, how is this going to help.

Looks like an act of desperation from both BHD and Aer Lingus in my opinion.

Well done BFS management for not giving in to bully tactics.

[mart901]

In the end though WW would have pulled out regardless of which airport it was and loads of routes got cut out of EMA and BHX also. I can't see EI pulling the same stunt, its just not their style, if you notice nobody has been majorly affected by this move with nothing except LHR on sale over winter for some time. I think they are playing safe on known territory routes with minimal risks. EZY and LS will no doubt continue to fatten up schedules and the only major loss will be LHR, something I can't see being replaced with the slot situation as it is.

[EGAC is Better]

In these days of p.c madness it is nice to hear a public facing business stick up for themselves, instead tell it how it is and dont capitulate to totally unreasonable proposals. Pity there was no post script of "Mind the door doesn't hit your arse on the way out." That would have been fantastic sntertainment.

It is madness that will ultimately only end one way.

EZY gotta be rubbing their hands with glee, they basically now have the bucket and spade brigade all to themselves save for a small Jet2 operation.

[Straightahead]

could this be the end of Aer Lingus in NI why move from profit making to loss making? Only Paddy the Irishman can answer that question.Another strange quote came from MR BA on utv news that all airlines pay the same, me thinks they all pay NOTHING.

[sealink]

Get Ryanair in

Get Ryanair into BFS. I know people may say they don't like FR but they will fill their flights and if you plan ahead you can fly A to B for a great low price.

[SecondDog]

In no time, BHD will not be collecting any landing fees at all.

I'd be surprised if they collected any at the moment anyway. Flybe got a good deal last time round as well!