BIRMINGHAM - 6
Join Date: Aug 2002
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BHX needs an Easyjet base - could do wonders as far as connections are concerned.
Barbara Cassani told me it was purely down to the high price per passenger that BHX charged. Delusions of grandeur.
WWW
WWW
If that's the case then why don't BHX management offer incentives to carriers to start up, restart or develop routes. They are busy forecasting employment figures for the future at the moment, so there is a chance to 'put one's money where one's mouth is'
I'm sure EZY have looked at the route structure at BHX and I feel they would have come in earlier even before MON if there was money to be made. If BHX management aren't offerering incentives to them then maybe that's why they won't expand.
I'm sure EZY have looked at the route structure at BHX and I feel they would have come in earlier even before MON if there was money to be made. If BHX management aren't offerering incentives to them then maybe that's why they won't expand.
I was told at a meeting several years ago that BA would not tolerate low cost airlines operating at BHX or MAN and the airports were advised by BA to disincentivise low cost operations or they would be reviewing their own position at these airports.
Very political, and FR only opened bases once BA had disappeared and I would guess that Easyjet had better things to do with their fleet than going back to BHX having been politely declined in the past. Easyjet were picking up the pieces of GB Airways at Manchester but had no similar obligation to operate out of Birmingham.
My source at the meeting was the commercial director of a BHX based airline so I trusted that he knew the politics of the day.
Very political, and FR only opened bases once BA had disappeared and I would guess that Easyjet had better things to do with their fleet than going back to BHX having been politely declined in the past. Easyjet were picking up the pieces of GB Airways at Manchester but had no similar obligation to operate out of Birmingham.
My source at the meeting was the commercial director of a BHX based airline so I trusted that he knew the politics of the day.
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FR only opened bases once BA had disappeared
FR will keep a foothold in BHX and that is in support of the EMA operation, if the charging structure is modified upwards at EMA, they can play 'we will shift services to BHX'.
BHX would be a logical base for EZY, but for them moving there would mean starting practically from scratch, and little point opening new routes that overlap with FR, as FR would react. However, the opportunity is to serve new routes and particularly to airports that are not likely to be FR destinations, e.g. CDG, AMS, GVA, MXP, CPH, TLV.. they would comfortable challenge BE there but given a major deal has been done we may see a softening of the pressure mounted on BE by EZY.
EI-BUD
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assuming you mean places like MAD, PRG, HEL, LIS, WAW, ATH
One can dream!
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Crewmeal,
Re incentives for new airlines to start up;
All airlines operating new routes get hefty reductions for a number of years out of BHX, on a sliding scale.
Think you will find that most main airports such as MAN,EMA etc offer the same.
Easy Jet has always complained about low yield potential out of BHX.
However with the success of Belfast, Geneva and Grenoble out of BHX for them,lets hope they change their minds.
Nigel
Re incentives for new airlines to start up;
All airlines operating new routes get hefty reductions for a number of years out of BHX, on a sliding scale.
Think you will find that most main airports such as MAN,EMA etc offer the same.
Easy Jet has always complained about low yield potential out of BHX.
However with the success of Belfast, Geneva and Grenoble out of BHX for them,lets hope they change their minds.
Nigel
Madrid, Valencia, Lisbon, Budapest, Marseille, Prague, Cologne, Vienna, Athens, Pisa and Verona sounds like a good line up to me.
One can dream!
One can dream!
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easyjet
easyjet
I always thought it was the passenger service charge which was the sticking point although I believe that yields were modest as I monitor the booking engine and fares were low until this last winter when things seemed to have improved.
New route today for both airport and airline I believe but alas only IT.
Flybe Preveza, which if I am not mistaken is flybe's first ever regular Greek destination albeit for Cosmos etc.
Summer 2014
Thomson once again showing seven Palma flights with the third Jetairfly restored. Noticeable on charterflights that Monarch Mahon and Malaga are showing for 2014, the Mahon with ZB22 flight numbers and Malaga with its schedule flight number yet Monarch have not released their flights as yet. I suppose these are the seats Thomson have bought as part of their packages.
Crewmeal
Some of those routes did have impressive load factors (yields?) although I can say Cologne has operated in many guises and the only consistant aspect I noticed........ half empty aircraft. I think pre Christmas and high summer it did okay but beyond that?
Pisa - another odd one, tried by MyTravelite and Ryanair and again outside of July and August produced some decidely average figures.
Budapest was promising until it was pulled and BMI Baby seemed okay on Lisbon and Prague I am sure will be back soon.
Pete
I always thought it was the passenger service charge which was the sticking point although I believe that yields were modest as I monitor the booking engine and fares were low until this last winter when things seemed to have improved.
New route today for both airport and airline I believe but alas only IT.
Flybe Preveza, which if I am not mistaken is flybe's first ever regular Greek destination albeit for Cosmos etc.
Summer 2014
Thomson once again showing seven Palma flights with the third Jetairfly restored. Noticeable on charterflights that Monarch Mahon and Malaga are showing for 2014, the Mahon with ZB22 flight numbers and Malaga with its schedule flight number yet Monarch have not released their flights as yet. I suppose these are the seats Thomson have bought as part of their packages.
Crewmeal
Some of those routes did have impressive load factors (yields?) although I can say Cologne has operated in many guises and the only consistant aspect I noticed........ half empty aircraft. I think pre Christmas and high summer it did okay but beyond that?
Pisa - another odd one, tried by MyTravelite and Ryanair and again outside of July and August produced some decidely average figures.
Budapest was promising until it was pulled and BMI Baby seemed okay on Lisbon and Prague I am sure will be back soon.
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 27th May 2013 at 13:33.
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Cologne
Cologne has operated in many guises and the only consistant aspect I noticed........ half empty aircraft
Given you've got Germanwings hubbed at one end, and BE at the other, if it was viable, one of them would presumably be doing it.
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It is a bit of a chicken and egg with Cologne, I fly there every year for an exhibition, Well I fly to Düsseldorf as I have a more extensive choice of flights and its 30-40 minutes on the train then to central Cologne. More often than not the flights I can use to Cologne are daily only and at poor times.
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Yep, did the CGN run both with GWI and HLX. Never saw better than 60% loads. Times were OK for me as I was a leisure traveller. The route is too thin for multiple frequencies and it won't attract enough high yield business travellers on single daily rotations. Could perhaps just work with a twice daily 50-70 seater operation Mon to Fri.
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Germanwings TXL
Confirmation by LH of the date I posted earlier this year for Germanwings to take over TXL-BHX, 27OCT. This comes with both a schedule change on that route as well as a drop in the lowest return fare to £70 on lh.com EDIT: (if booked via lh.com including luggage and drink/snack). Via germanwings.com only TXL-BHX-TXL is currently bookable, no flights bookable yet for BHX originating trips... little bug there.
Schedule 6/7 for the winter.
Schedule 6/7 for the winter.
Last edited by insuindi; 27th May 2013 at 20:15.
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Germanwings
As a fairly regular user of this route I do hope that Germanwings offer the same high standards of service that LH do, the crew and service on these flights is excellent - I shall miss the Berlin Bear chocolates in the sandwich snack bags! At least the route is continuing!!
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You won't be getting any "free" refreshments with Germanwings. All has to be paid for. I'm a regular on the DUS with Eurowings (flying for LH Regional) and enjoy their service too. I'm bracing myself for the changes when they begin ops on behalf of Germanwings next year.
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If booked via lh.com your ticket would include drink/snack & luggage. Via germanwings.com it won't, unless you book their smart fare. Now, in theory lh.com price matches the smart fare price - so no gain. But as can be seen, in the transition lh.com sometimes matches the cheapest germanwings.com rate, but incl. of mentioned services (current £70 deal is such a case, includes all). I do not suspect this irregularity to stay for long though.
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Monarch 2014
The timetable has 2014 loaded - there are a very changes but yet to give it a considered look.
The really big change is April due to the late Easter in 2014 with schedule I would say at least doubled if not more.
Highlights at first glance: -
Almeria back in April, joined by Barcelona and Bodrum.
Dalaman in April from nil to 5 weekly.
Venice, Mahon and Nice don't make April with Rome just three a week but can't have everything.
The way Kefalinia is shown in the timetable and Cosmos indicates that this might be coming on line from mid May as possibly an pseudo-IT like they sell Corfu, Chania and Zante
Pete
The really big change is April due to the late Easter in 2014 with schedule I would say at least doubled if not more.
Highlights at first glance: -
Almeria back in April, joined by Barcelona and Bodrum.
Dalaman in April from nil to 5 weekly.
Venice, Mahon and Nice don't make April with Rome just three a week but can't have everything.
The way Kefalinia is shown in the timetable and Cosmos indicates that this might be coming on line from mid May as possibly an pseudo-IT like they sell Corfu, Chania and Zante
Pete
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Monarch winter flights
Can anybody tell me if Monarch are operating the Barcelona flights this winter? Tried booking flights, but Monarch's site is not showing any flights after November 2nd.
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BCN
Invicta DC4
It didn't operate last winter so there is a good chance it won't this year but it is starting earlier in April.
However if you click on the Ski section on the Monarch site Barcelona, Grenoble and Venice are offered along with the transfer times.
The flaw in this though is Barcelona stops from2/11/13 until April, Venice is even worse as the route re-commences in May 2014.
Not sure but the ski slopes of Venice might lack a bit of snow in May
, okay it is not Venice itself but still pre November and post April it will matter little where you are south of BHX in Europe you would have to be very optimistic for snow in these areas 
.
Hopefully some changes will occur when the schedules are formally released for summer 2014 although IO am hoping for some winter changes as well.
Ryanair
They have now released Barcelona for winter at 4 a week, three operated from the BHX base and one from the BCN base.
BTS - 2 a week as per last year
BZG - nil yet but 3 a week last year
DUB - 3 daily Mo-Sa with the morning Dublin based, 2 on Sunday
FAO - 2 a week from the Faro base
FUE - 1 a week
GDN - nil as last winter
LPA - 1 from the LPA base same as last winter
KTW - 2 as per last winter
KUN - nil as last winter
KRK - 2 as per last winter
MLA - 2 as per last winter
BGY - 3 as per last winter all BHX based
PMI - nil - two down
RZE - nil at present compared to 3 last winter
TFS - 2 - as per last winter
Dublin is up as Tue-Thu in Dec, Jan and early Feb was twice daily
Already released
ALC - 3 per week same as last November
AGP - 3 per week same as all last winter
ACE - 2 per week same as all last winter
LDY - 3 per week - one down on last winter
Knock
Still not showing for winter 2013/4 or EI Regional Dublin flights and now just a couple of days away from the summer increases on Dublin.
Pete
It didn't operate last winter so there is a good chance it won't this year but it is starting earlier in April.
However if you click on the Ski section on the Monarch site Barcelona, Grenoble and Venice are offered along with the transfer times.
The flaw in this though is Barcelona stops from2/11/13 until April, Venice is even worse as the route re-commences in May 2014.
Not sure but the ski slopes of Venice might lack a bit of snow in May
, okay it is not Venice itself but still pre November and post April it will matter little where you are south of BHX in Europe you would have to be very optimistic for snow in these areas .Hopefully some changes will occur when the schedules are formally released for summer 2014 although IO am hoping for some winter changes as well.
Ryanair
They have now released Barcelona for winter at 4 a week, three operated from the BHX base and one from the BCN base.
BTS - 2 a week as per last year
BZG - nil yet but 3 a week last year
DUB - 3 daily Mo-Sa with the morning Dublin based, 2 on Sunday
FAO - 2 a week from the Faro base
FUE - 1 a week
GDN - nil as last winter
LPA - 1 from the LPA base same as last winter
KTW - 2 as per last winter
KUN - nil as last winter
KRK - 2 as per last winter
MLA - 2 as per last winter
BGY - 3 as per last winter all BHX based
PMI - nil - two down
RZE - nil at present compared to 3 last winter
TFS - 2 - as per last winter
Dublin is up as Tue-Thu in Dec, Jan and early Feb was twice daily
Already released
ALC - 3 per week same as last November
AGP - 3 per week same as all last winter
ACE - 2 per week same as all last winter
LDY - 3 per week - one down on last winter
Knock
Still not showing for winter 2013/4 or EI Regional Dublin flights and now just a couple of days away from the summer increases on Dublin.
Pete
Last edited by OltonPete; 30th May 2013 at 19:04. Reason: correction