BELFAST CITY AIRPORT (BHD)
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
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Even if they are going to the Harbour, I think it really just emphasizes how crappy the aviation industry is in Northern Ireland. It really is just smoke and mirrors from Mr Ambrose, saying 'look I've generated business for City' but he is generating next to no income because he is cutting his own business' throat to put out a bit of positive publicity.
Then you have the international who are riding the easy cash cow and milking it for all it is worth and don't seem able/interested to compete with the big bro down south for any profitable long haul routes.
For all the Ambrose spin and the International stonewall, there seems to be very little in the way of new airline/route development here in N.I. anyone who works in the airport industry here, you are in for a crappy few more years it seems.
Then you have the international who are riding the easy cash cow and milking it for all it is worth and don't seem able/interested to compete with the big bro down south for any profitable long haul routes.
For all the Ambrose spin and the International stonewall, there seems to be very little in the way of new airline/route development here in N.I. anyone who works in the airport industry here, you are in for a crappy few more years it seems.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
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The STN yield has always lagged behind other London routes. That's why Flybe
dropped it. Air Berlin dropped it too. EI would be bonkers to switch airports
and concentrate on UK domestics already well served
dropped it. Air Berlin dropped it too. EI would be bonkers to switch airports
and concentrate on UK domestics already well served
When they arrived in BFS they tried to duplicate the EZY network and failed.
Routes including Budapest, Munich, Milan, and Rome were tried and didnt work. Not duplicates of the EZY network but failed. The market wasnt there and the timing was awful. Lauching a host of new routes in one of our hardest winters. At a time when FR arrived at BHD. The offering of routes resembled what would be fitting for a bygone era when the celtic tiger was alive and well in Dublin. (when planned).
Of the competing routes like Paris and Amsterdam, the loads were abismal, but the loads on easyJet at that time were not super either. When Paris started Flybe also entered the market. It was a tough year and there were no winners.
The airline has weathered the storm and 5 years on it well established and the BFS base is making a return, the winter is challening but overall the base is good. Room for improvement I would say yes, but the base is now paying its way. Most of its routes compete with Easyjet and Aer Lingus command a fair share of the passengers on the competiting markets.
In my view Aer Lingus certainly have not failed, they have stood strong against the competition and maintained a core network of routes and they are committed to the market and purchase of 319s to adapt to market demand is an example of the committment they have to survive and maintain the operation.
However, my feeling is that outside of a LHR route and maybe some of the Euro routes the move will be a negative one. Not necessarily that BHD is not the right airport but more so because their position will be diluted, the investment and development of BFS as a base will be wasted and EZY will step up frequency and reduce fares to ensure that EI and BHD do not create a shift in customer behaviour away from BFS.
I doubt Flybe will roll over and let them pull the same stunt on their patch.
They could create a niche though if they put a bit of thought into it.
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Antrim
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a lot I'm sure will depend on whats offered to them charges wise as to how cost competitive they are and how long they can weather a fares war for. I think its fair to say though EI's brand is a lot bigger and better marketed than WW. I notice BE have some 7 rotations a day each way on the MAN and BHX routes, surely there is room for a third operator there, I have often avoided them as they can be very expensive, in a market thats so cost sensitive. EI moving to BHD may not be the most ground breaking of ventures but much better than loosing them altogether and I think one thing WW at BHD has proven is there is a market for sunshine routes at least.
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Belfast, UK
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BA boosts UK regional services following bmi deal...
http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/ne...wing-bmi-deal/
Good to see the extra capacity. Now is this going from 6 daily bmi flights to 7 daily BA, OR possibly 4 daily BA flights and 3 EI flights moving doen from BFS, or suitable combination???? Can we really see 10 daily flights from BHD if these are in addition to EI??
http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/ne...wing-bmi-deal/
The airline has already taken over bmi’s six daily flights to Belfast, and will be launching a new timetable of seven flights a day between London and the Northern Irish capital on October 28th.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
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Hey BHD2BFS, the most I ever remember was 8 a day - I think one season might have had 9 (DUB got 9 a few seasons also). Loads were better then and often bigger size machine, ie 321 sometimes.
Interestingly as I recall when they were at BFS when they had 8 a day v BA shuttle (6 daily), Manx Airlines was brought in for the first ever regular BHD LHR route by BAe 146 (early 90s as I recall). In terms of the frequency the combined offering between Belfast and London was 12 a day, when british midland said they were committed to providing an hourly service from Belfast to London and this included Manx Airlines which was also part of the Airlines of Britain Group!
The BHD LHR route by JE didnt last long as british midland took the slots to launch 4 daily LHR ORY (Paris Orly) route which was a big focus by all airlines on the London Paris route. I think the JE thing was also a test to see what sort of demand/yield and overall response was to a BHD service.
EI-BUD
Interestingly as I recall when they were at BFS when they had 8 a day v BA shuttle (6 daily), Manx Airlines was brought in for the first ever regular BHD LHR route by BAe 146 (early 90s as I recall). In terms of the frequency the combined offering between Belfast and London was 12 a day, when british midland said they were committed to providing an hourly service from Belfast to London and this included Manx Airlines which was also part of the Airlines of Britain Group!
The BHD LHR route by JE didnt last long as british midland took the slots to launch 4 daily LHR ORY (Paris Orly) route which was a big focus by all airlines on the London Paris route. I think the JE thing was also a test to see what sort of demand/yield and overall response was to a BHD service.
EI-BUD
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Antrim
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Looking on BA's website it seems the service is actually being reduced from 7 to 6 per day and where currently there is some A320's on the route they are all A319's from Oct 28th, a cut in capacity and frequency, not a rise. Also yet to see anywhere an increase on LON routes by EZY.
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I suppose 14 a day back in the day when there wasn't as many flights to ltn std and lgw and most tourist and business pax to London went through lhr was sustainable, a bit more hard now a days
Join Date: May 2011
Location: London
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First BA metal
Yep you're right just me not reading the info properly.
On another note, does anyone know when the first BA metal and crew is due to touch down at Bhd? I know that for Dublin it's on Saturday...
On another note, does anyone know when the first BA metal and crew is due to touch down at Bhd? I know that for Dublin it's on Saturday...
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Computer Says No!
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From what I gather it'll be flight 8070 on Friday morning due in 8.15 and 3 flights of the 7 that day will be in BA livery. If you go onto try and book a flight on ba.com and click on the flight number it tells you the operating carrier. Same if you go into the timetables and click on the plane symbols in the days columns. The route won't be totally BA aircraft and crew until around September/October but as bmi aircraft get painted it looks to be a gradual shift.
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Yea this is the case, 3 of them will be operated by ba aircraft until the 20th of August and then all flights will hopefully change over, not sure on the exact date that the 3 flights start but it will be during July. The aircraft operating into BHD and dub since yesterday now operate under the ba AOC, this is the reason for the increase in the amount of A320 flights as there is only so many A319 on the AOC with a few in painting and some in Sofia for maintenance.
Anyone have any idea on who will handle them?
Anyone have any idea on who will handle them?