BELFAST AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL

[Mlinnie]

So any news on scheduled routes for 2013 ??

[EI-BUD]

Iceland is a one off trip, package. Not frequent or scheduled, I understand.

[BFS BHD]

Using SATA instead of MON

[GAZMO]

New routes.....probably need someone who is close to the mgt of BFS to answer that one. Cannot help and do not want to spread rumours

Iceland a one off, however I can see it being just as popular as Funchal, so maybe travel solutions will introduce more especially if the one off fills up quickly

[EI-BUD]

Iceland a one off, however I can see it being just as popular as Funchal, so
maybe travel solutions will introduce more especially if the one off fills up
quickly

I cannot see Iceland being a big hit, or a long term arrangement. Iceland Express were not happy enough with forward bookings last year when they put it on the schedule, which was linked to the Edinburgh flight, yet EDI was kept started at that time by them. So many other routes to sunny climates and didnt last including Rome and other and many seasonal year round routes by various airlines including Berlin, Gdansk, Warsaw, Budapest, Venice, Toulouse, Munich, Milan and so on.

What about Orlando, Toronto...

Funchal has potential if it is marketed to the summer holiday market correctly, would be a draw from the usual front runners including Majorca, Canaries, Faro and Malaga.


EI-BUD

[GAZMO]

Agree EI BUD that Iceland express maybe had poor forward bookings, but like Funchal five or six flights during the summer could prove popular with good returns

[EI-BUD]

You are probably right GAZMO, but again this is the challenge, asking an airline to take a risk on a very seasonal route, not tried or tested, in the peak season contrasted to a strong holiday route/market such as Sun spots is a hard sell.

You will probably agree that we need some all year round routes and with some luck BFS will be able to get Toronto reinstated next summer, though the clock is now ticking.

Some feeling that FR were in talks, well that was certainly hinted by people close to the airport recently but that seems to be dead in the water, so I dont expect anything new for next summer. Nothing much going to happen. Jet2, easyJet and United will be the fixed scheduled operators. The rot has stopped i.e. loss of carriers with EI's departure, though will we see some BE services come over, unlikely?

The only think I would be watching is will easyJet want to mark it LGW territory with a LGW BHD link to supplement its BFS link, if the numbers prove challenging, I wouldnt rule it out.

As for new carriers, possibly a few charter operators I would imagine, Aegean again? Sata coming, possibly more? What about flights to Turkey, Onur air? Cyprus?

[GAZMO]

Certainly would agree about Toronto. Not that long ago it was Zoom, Flyglobespan and Air transit. Toronto twice weekly in peak summer and once weekly in winter!!
Would like to see some more major European destinations, and if launched soon the airline would have a relatively long lead in time
Bucket and spade routes are good for leisure in summer months but as jet2 recent comment it is more difficult in the winter time, limited ski routes

[frequentflyer2]

Lisbon has the potential to be as successful as Barcelona. It's a year round city break destination and is also the airport for the summer sun resorts of Cascais and Estoril. Passenger numbers would also be bolstered by people making pilgrimages to the shrine at Fatima.

[GAZMO]

LIS, MAD, FCO, BER.....yes city breaks important but if assembly wants incoming tourists, improved business links, these are the destinations with large populations.

I am NOT suggesting daily flights but thrice weekly, except FCO twice

[BHD2BFS]

Looking at tomorrow's arrivals there is no flights for 5 hours from 10:20-15:10 how can the management not be worried about this and trying desperately to get a new airline in. I would love to be a fly on the wall at one of the management meetings

[GAZMO]

Yes disappointing and as I have expressed would love to see more European destinations, but we have to realise its midweek and mid November, a quiet time for flying
Fingers crossed for summer 13

[GAZMO]

Notice BHX figures on caa web site. Although just launched and only had 13 flights in October LF looks like 71% I think EZY should be relatively happy with the start

[Mlinnie]

Great to hear about BHX ! It will probably do well !
But the thing is I don't know how EZY can expand on the domestic market out of BFS much further... Maybe increase some of the London bound flights and Birmingham and Manchester.
Now they should be looking at longer destinations particularly European cities (The Canaries, Berlin, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Milan and the Eastern Mediterranean)
And another point, look at Cork, there seems to be strong rumors of Cork getting a Frankfurt route. How come we can't get one ? Or even a German route for that matter ! Even Knock can !

[EI-BUD]

Now they should be looking at longer destinations particularly European cities (The Canaries, Berlin, Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, Milan and the Eastern Mediterranean)

easyJet have just seen AerLingus off the Belfast scene for the winter in terms of Europe, they have not increased frequency to make up for EI capacity cut.any at all as the demand is not there, and certainly demand with yield is not. There objective is to drive yield on the small number of routes that they have. Makes sense in terms of sustainability.

Belfast in terms of longer flights is quite seasonal.

Jet2 not doing much winter work in recent years reinforces this. They have now moved to fill well developed aer lingus gaps at lower frequency to ensure demand exceeds supply and hence yield satisfactory.

EI-BUD

[AIRPORT66]

airport66

The high landing charges have to play a major part of the airport not been able to attract an airline to fly a route to europe domestic flights are different they need less people to justify the average pax number to sustain a european flight is 100 / 110.

[BFS BHD]

G8 Summit

With the G8 Summit due to take place in NI next summer will we see Air Force One B747 at BFS and other big Aircrafts!

[KNT544]

How about landing AF1 into St Angelo

[BFS BHD]

Would love to see that

[NWSRG]

G8

Would love to see some heavyweights at BFS, but DUB and SNN will also be options...I wonder will St Angelo see any government bizjets?

I suspect AF1 will be a likely for BFS, as the Secret Service have worked closely with PSNI on a number of occasions now, and the military side of the field can accomodate the supporting fleet.

Potentially...AF1 (and the spare), C17s, 744s (Japan / China), IL96 (Vlad the impaler), A3something (France / Germany), Fiat 126 (Italy)...