BELFAST CITY AIRPORT (BHD)

[dpconlan2011]

used EI 1210 service today to LHR. Very good service, but plane less than half full. Are two airlines on this route really sustainable? Was able to use my complimentary EI gold card to access BA lounge.

[BHD2BFS]

When I flew out the other day on my Gatwick flight it was half empty, I wonder if BE is the same?

[Mlinnie]

EI

Despite all these posts abouflights full flights you all need to realise that the route(s) to London are all still new. EI only started them a week ago surely there will be light loads on the first couple of flights.

[EI-BUD]

When I flew out the other day on my Gatwick flight it was half empty

used EI 1210 service today to LHR. Very good service, but plane less than
half full

Two different persectives looking at the same think!!!!

EI got off to a sporting start, and over the first few days they had carried their fair share of passengers on LGW and the loads were good on LHR too.

Lets not forget it is heading for the slower Winter, and so long as EI can do as many ex BHD to LHR as they did from BFS they are ok.They have a good opportunity. The overall market is has about 3 flights a day more than last year, ie eqv to the capacity that EI have on LGW route, though by 319 instead of 320...Not a massive jump in overall capacity. BA 319s on all flights it would appear, whereas Bmi had 320s on some. So the capacity overall on London Belfast has not jumped incredibly!


EI have 3 x 144 seats to fill on each route each way each day. Their first LHR each day is first out and the only flight that gets to LHR before 9am.

They also have last one back...! So for the Belfast based businessman, EI has a great offering. LGW has a timetable just as good as BE with early out and late back. 319 is a lovely plane to fly on, and while most people flying wont be thinking 195 v 319, anybody who did q400 might before may be tempted to fly EI!!!

EI-BUD

[AIRPORT66]

airport66

The loads on Ezy from Bfs have been holding up really well yesterday they even had an A320 on one flight at tea time with 177 pax on it inbound and 148 back to Gatwick so they are holding there own share of the market.

[Fairdealfrank]

Quote: "EI using BA lounge
I see EI ( business and Gold Circle ) customers can use the BA ( ex bmi ) business lounge in departures. Is that not a bit odd inviting your premium customers to use the lounge of the opposition on your new LHR route ?"

Probably reciprocal, makes sense for both. BA and EI have a long history of working together. EI also feeds BA's (non-USA) longhaul flights ex-LHR.

[EI-BUD]

So the 1805 BHD LHR Now cancelled due to tech aircraft, some of the pax being transferred to 1950 LHR flight which hasnt left yet!!!

Interestingly the 1805 is bmi branded airbus, cant be many of those left!

EI-BUD

[BHD2BFS]

Does this mean there will be 2 BA aircraft night stopping tonyt?

[EI-BUD]

Hey there BHD2BFS,

The 1805 has had it pax off loaded, and the flight is now showing at LHR as due at 2342. This means that either the airbus will be repaired or another one on its way to pick up the stranded pax..

One of my collegues on the 1950 and said 30 pax transferred over it should be off by now. So not quite sure if it is 2 BAs on the ground depends on whether the tech one gets away tonight.

Busy on the ramp tonight with Airbus I would say!!

[BHD2BFS]

So there could be 7 jets on stand tonyt? Is there enough space for them

[EI-BUD]

not sure how many jets on stand tonight however at one point there had to be, 3 BA and 2 EI 319s, added to the BE 195s!

I think the BA flight that is about to depart positioned in from EDI and EDI LHR flight was cancelled... not sure though.

[EGAC is Better]

Looks like you are right about a positioning from EDI, EI-BUD.

A319 G-EUPU is about to depart as SHT1419.

Ex BMI A320 G-MIDY appears to have op'd SHT 1418
Ex BMI A319 G-DBCD SHT 1420
Ex BMI A319 G-DBCG SHT 1422 (nightstop)

CD returned as SHT1421 so it appears DY is tech at BHD?

Is G-EUPU the 1st actual original BA metal in Belfast since they took over BMI?

[BAladdy]

not sure how many jets on stand tonight however at one point there had to be, 3 BA and 2 EI 319s, added to the BE 195s!

I think the BA flight that is about to depart positioned in from EDI and EDI LHR flight was cancelled... not sure though.

The delayed BA1419 was supposed to be operated by the former BD A320 G-MIDY. Due to a technical problems this aircraft was unable to operate the service and will now nightstop at BHD. Rather than cancel the service it was decided that a aircraft would be ferried to BHD to operate the service and a A319 G-EUPU arrived as BA9254 from EDI. The flight finally left BHD after a delay of just over 5 hours at 23:12

G-EUPU had arrived in EDI as BA1456 at 20:23. The return flight BA1457, which is the last flight of the day from EDI, was cancelled so that the aircraft could operate BA1419. BA delayed BA1465 from EDI by 35 mins to accommodate those booked on BA1457.

[irishlad06]

Yes it was the first actual ba aircraft as such and not the ex bd ones into BHD

[WHBM]

I was caught up in this disorganised shambles at Belfast City last night. The inbound Aer Lingus EI037 from Heathrow arrived at 2100 and was held on the ground for 40 minutes waiting for a gate. Meanwhile a BA aircraft landed at about 2120 and was visible being held out on the live runway for quite some time before making a 180 and disappearing.

I have to say that 40 minutes actrually breaks my all-time record for "waiting for a gate". From the cabin PA being made from the front it appears the exasperated crew were being given the run-around by whoever was passing information to them. Yes, there was a BMI-livery aircraft which appeared to be stopped on stand going nowhere. Does BHD not have a single tug capable of taking such a tech aircraft off to a remote parking position ?

[BHD2BFS]

I think management have to realise that they are a small airport or start to expand and build new gates. What's going to happen when the 3rd EI ac arrives this summer?

[irishlad06]

If the aircraft was capable of being tugged over to a remote stand that would have happened but at that point it wasn't. Eventually it was tugged over to bombardier where it is probably still sitting.

[Straightahead]

This will happen again and again,what does one expect when one pays nothing!!

[tigger2k8]

I think management have to realise that they are a small airport or start to expand and build new gates. What's going to happen when the 3rd EI ac arrives this summer?

A lucky dip per day between BE and EI as to who will have an aircraft parked remotely then towed to a boarding gate for departure (or Pax on bus) is my guess. BA won't be touched as they use the air bridge..

[larry the man]

Bookings must be storming for EI at BHD - a 50% "Sale" on all routes already!

Obviously designed to up the level of awareness.

Pity that what it means in reality is a £4.95 saving on a BHD - LHR fare, which they are currently trying to flog at £9!!

Deja vu???