BIRMINGHAM - 6

[hammerb32]

I spent 12 months commuting from Brum to Manchester, as long as there were no accidents then it was a fairly smooth 75 minutes from front door to desk, any accident encountered though would push this time up , even now I commute from J10 to J4 and back each day, last Saturday it took me 2 hours to travel the 25 miles due to 2 pretty minor accidents on the M6.

A lot about luck it's fair to say and probably says more about our reliance on creaking infrastructure to get around where the slightest issues snowballs very quickly. The M6 toll by the way is a dream, if I'm aware of an issue prior to leaving work or home then taking the toll is the definite answer.

[hammerb32]

BBC news are reporting the VC10 is doing a flypast at BHX today, anyone got an idea of what time?

[Evanelpus]

BHX has stolen a march on MAN with Air India coming in initially X4 each week; and now with Air Blue coming in within days could it be that MAN wants more of a slice of this cake - at the expense of BHX?

They have done it before and I'm sure they'll do it again but if Manchester 'wants' that AI 787 service, they will get it in the future, as sure as eggs is eggs. Not Mourihino eggs, I might add!

[LAX_LHR]

I spent 12 months commuting from Brum to Manchester, as long as there were no accidents then it was a fairly smooth 75 minutes from front door to desk, any accident encountered though would push this time up , even now I commute from J10 to J4 and back each day, last Saturday it took me 2 hours to travel the 25 miles due to 2 pretty minor accidents on the M6

No I agree that accidents certainly cause chaos on the M6, I often hear the odd traffic report and thank the stars I am not on the stretch of motorway.

However, my question was more aimed at Nigels very unfortunate journeys. When I consider my luck at only having 2 'bad' journeys out of 21, to have 6 out of 8 awful journeys, just wanted to know his journey pattern so I am not travelling the same times as him, as he seems to get some pretty bad luck!

[LAX_LHR]

While MAN clearly has Emirates sown up perhaps the 'battleground' here is the Asian market as it affects India and Pakistan. BHX has stolen a march on MAN with Air India coming in initially X4 each week; and now with Air Blue coming in within days could it be that MAN wants more of a slice of this cake - at the expense of BHX?

Well it depends if MAN were ever in with a shot with Air India. for BHX to steal any march. I know MAN have been very busy trying to woo Jet Airways over Air India, and I do wonder if AI have every really wanted to serve MAN? After all, it was never in with a shot of this long rumoured 'hub' idea a few years ago (it was just BHX/DUB/CPH/BCN), and the noises made by AI before BHX was announced made it seem they had very clear and defined ideas of which airports they wanted to serve. Not once did I hear 'we will launch either BHX or MAN'.

As for Air Blue, both BHX and MAN will be eating their cake as seen as MAN-ISB has been served by Air Blue for over 8 years now, not much to steal really.......

[bhx bod]

RAF VC10

hammerb32,the fly past happened a little after 1330.
Using call sign TARTAN52,ZA147 did a low approach and overshoot on runway 33 before turning left towards Brize Norton on its farewell tour.
I believe ZA150 was also doing something similar at other airfields.
Although the main reason for VC10s visiting BHX in the past will always be surrounded in controversy,I will actually miss them.As I understand it the L1011s are also being phased out over the next year or so to be replaced by the new A330 fleet.I hope 1 or 2 'STARS' do a fly past as well on their farewell tours.

[mart901]

NOC will be operated 4 weekly by flybe from November on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun.

BHX-NOC M,W,F dep 1100 arr 1225, S dep 1225 arr 1350
NOC-BHX M,W,F dep 1250 arr 1415, S dep 1415 arr 1540.

[OltonPete]

August Pax figures by route

Passenger figures: CAA
Average per flight: BHX Blog & Libhomeradar
Load factor: estimates

One route stands out and believe it or not it isn't the Air India which of course was good but flybe Waterford - where did that come from? Lets hope they can do the same for Knock.

Food for thought for Monarch with a couple of routes not even making 80% load factor, which for August is a surprise. At least all the BMI Regional routes made it to at least 50% which for a business airline in August is not too bad.

I certainly never expected to see 10000 pax in one month from one daily 757

Good to see EK back on track, little impact from Air India and if you had to be harsh you could say Turkish was average for August.

BRUSSELS........7257 (6691)...... 47 pax......56%

Dubrovnik.........3058 (3095).......153 pax....92%

Split................3830 (nil)........147 pax....85%

LARNACA..........8326 (8631)..... 189 pax...96%

PAPHOS...........4939 (4982).....190 pax...96%

Billund.............1031 (nil)........ 26 pax.....53%...

Copenhagen.....5756 (5058)..... 78 pax.....73%

Avignon.......... 699 (1776).......70 pax...90%

Bergerac......... 1843 (1965)......51 pax....62%

Bordeaux..........3299 (nil)........127 pax... 73%

Brest..............1663 (1319)......59 pax.....76%

La Rochelle......1172 (1351).......65 pax...77%

Lyon...............4616 (o)......... 59 pax.....79%

MONTPELIER ...2795 (2870)....155 pax....82%

NICE..............8682 (13170)....140 pax...78%

PARIS (CDG)...29458 (29315)....103 pax....88%

Perpignan.......4702 (1194).........124 pax...77%

Toulouse........1094 (nil)............25 pax....51%

BERLIN (TEGEL).4311 (6575).... 94 pax...66%

DUSSELDORF....13287 (13778)..56 pax....64%

FRANKFURT .... 27827 (24514)...112 pax....74%

Hamburg......... 3062 (5748)....... 59 pax....66%

HANOVER....... 4261 (5302)........69 pax.....85%

Munich...........14486 (14628)... . 87 pax..71%

STUTTGART.... 4145 (2667)..... 46 pax.....58%

GIBRALTAR.......3825 (nil)........ 137 pax... 79%

Heraklion..........3251 (3159)... 181 pax.... 94%

BUDAPEST.............0(3120)...........nil pax....nil

Cork................7470 (7934) ........62 pax.... 86% (2 cancellations listed?)

DUBLIN.......... 52960 (47657)......109 pax....74%
...
KNOCK............3204 (3793)..... ..53 pax.....82% (1 Cancellation?)

SHANNON...........3140 (2940).... 52 pax..... 81%

WATERFORD......2452 (1429)........ 72 pax....92%

BERGAMO...........4837 (nil) ........173 pax.. .91%

MILANÂ MXP).... 4534 (8679).... 73pax.. 64% - ZB & BE in 2012

ROME Â (FCO).....10276 (14446) .166 pax..93%

TRIESTE ............3011 (2783) .....167 pax...89%

VENICE............ 5376 (5112)... 149 pax..86%

KAUNAS.......... .2829 (3074)..... 177 pax....94%

MALTA...............3198 (3237).. 178 pax...94% -

AMSTERDAM....39660 (33135)..... 85 pax....78%

ISLAMABAD..... 7914 (6791) .......247 pax...72%

BYDGOSZCZ.......5040 (4458).......180 pax...95%

GDANSK..........3238 (2823).... ...180 pax....95%

KATOWICE........4643 (4906)........178 pax..94%

KRAKOW,..........2855 (nil) .........178 pax. .94%

RZESZOW.........2909 (3192).....182 pax....96%

FARO............. 21474 (26756)....182 pax...92%

FUNCHAL.........2866 ((nil) ........159 pax...92%

BRATISLAVA.... 5090 (4568)......182 pax...96%

ALICANTE....... 30123 (33535)....173 pax..91%

ALMERIA..........3482 (3703)......193 pax....90%

BARCELONA... 18708 (10391)......164 pax..86%

GIRONA.......... ...2853(6229).......159 pax...84%

IBIZA................14082 (14360).....176 pax...89%

MAHON............. 6802 (7596).......189 pax...93%

MALAGA............34954 (45017) ...179 pax...92%

MURCIA Â ...... ,.6085 (10589)......169 pax...89%

PALMA...............27441 (34650).....166 pax..89%

REUS................ 4379 (4794).... 168 pax...89%

ARRECIFE...........12493 (11597)..185 pax...94%

FUERTEVENTURA..6565 (6868).....182 pax...91%

LASPALMAS..........7962 (8163).....190 pax..96%

TENERIFEÂ (TFS)...17765 (17883) .181pax..94%

GOTEBORG...........1198 (nil)...... ..27 pax....56%

Stockholm........... 1171 (nil)...........73 pax...60%

ZURICH............... 9229 (13374)......75 pax...76%

Bodrum............ ..4080 (4545).........157pax....90%

DALAMAN.........11070 (11576)........ .179 pax.93 %

ISTANBUL........10262 (8147)...... .117 pax..75%

Ashkhabad........3976 5597)........... 117 pax...62%

DUBAI............. 46565 (40335....... 376 pax.....91%

Amritsar (Delhi) 7391 (nil)...............205 pax....80%

Toronto.............2676 ()........... 335 pax...95%

NEW YORK (EWR)..10002 (9567)......161 pax..95%..

[Hangar6]

DUBLIN

Growing route , number one as usual, good numbers over for the final this evening, if Mayo win then Noc route will pick up

[splash&dash]

Thanks OP for your stats. V interesting.
Why the significant drop in virtually all Spanish routes? Strange that other airports haven't been affected. Any theories?
Ashkhabad down too. Turkish or AI effect maybe?

[OltonPete]

Spain

splash&dash

Quite straightforward in one sense, last August BMI Baby had four based aircraft of which two were at full pelt on the Med routes and the other two as well but a bit more leisurely after BHD, AMS and NOC had been cut.

However Monarch reacted to the September closedown by adding two extra aircraft in August mainly on Med routes and this was on top off two extra units from the previous year.

This August Monarch only added one aircraft to make nine but four (two very busy) BMI Baby units were lost. Therefore 2013 9 Monarch aircraft compared to 2012 8 Monarch ples 4 BMI Baby.

I was amazed that BHX was 2% up even if you take into account the ZB aircraft are bigger than the baby ones and ZB did add some more night flights this year.

I think the only disappointing aspect was that on PMI, FAO, ALC and AGP EMA carried significantly more passengers.

Faro - EMA 34K +30%
ALC - EMA 43K +16%
AGP - EMA 38K -6%
PMI - EMA 43K +25%

Remarkable and well done EMA but the indications are there were some displaced pax across the Midlands on 3 of the 4 routes

flybe

The Knock information states BHX-NOC will be on sale tomorrow! No problem finding an aircraft most of the winter as the flybe schedules for post New Year holiday have been amended and they are terrible. Some happen year in year out but Glasgow just four flights on a Monday and Wednesday and capacity reduced with 2 of them 175's. Last EDI on a Monday from BHX 16.45 what is that all about?

Lyon seems to be the only route untouched as yet, even Paris with the mega load factors gets reduced Tue-Thu in January with the midday chopped.

flybe's plan to compete with easyjet on BHD is..........well first make most flights DH8D's from 195's and the first outbound/ second inbound gets chopped Tuesday to Friday in January. Therefore inbound to BHX Tue-Fri first thing it will be a DH8D from BHD and an easy 319 from BFS. easyjet have increased BHX on a Thursday and Friday with a third flight which will help but fares will rocket some mornings but I suppose flybe will argue that they need to in order to make money.

It is traditionally a lean period no doubt but some of these cut-backs are eye-opening and some contunue through trade shows and half-term.

[Monty Gordo]

Newark (EWR)

OP, this is a very sold figure indeed. However, in practical terms what does it mean? If the average is 95% does it mean that on some days some passengers will have to be offloaded?

[getonittt]

bhx bod :

Although the main reason for VC10s visiting BHX in the past will always be surrounded in controversy,I will actually miss them

You and everyone else. Incredible longevity for an airliner that should been on the scrapheap by the early 80's. The VC10 will not be the only rear engined airliner to disappear as there is only 1 more SAS MD80 flight planned before they are phased out next month and can't really see another visiting in the future by another airline.

hangar 6 :

Growing route , number one as usual, good numbers over for the final this evening, if Mayo win then Noc route will pick up

Wut?

[OltonPete]

Newark

Monty Gordo

I can't answer that one but I am sure someone on here can. Also I didn't keep an eye on the fares in August but overall when I have checked economy they seem to have been slightly cheaper than in previous years but not much.

On another forum it was reported that the Birmingham Evening Mail had a brief article mentioning a new service to New York but it was very vague - any clues?

Hangar6

The Dublin figures are good but the schedules are almost back to normal for winter with only a couple of Regional flights in the week on Dublin. Although the night-stopper is back next summer by the look of it.

[nigel osborne]

Olton Pete,

Re New York the article is a nothing item. This is the exact header and article in the paper ;

" BIG APPLE FLIGHTS "

"Birmingham Airport have announced its non stop flight to New York.

American firm United Airlines also boasts speedier transfer times that get passengers to Manhatten in less than 30 minutes by train "


What on earth does that mean .. As it goes on to promote United connections ,Im assuming the first bit is about United as well, as it doesn't hint anywhere a new airline is starting ?

[OltonPete]

flybe Knock

Confirmation of the Knock times as per the Knock thread.

As good as their word flybe Knock is bookable Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday

The weekday is 11.00 ex BHX returning 14.15

Sunday 12.25 ex BHX returning 15.40

There is no reduction in January and February as yet

flybe do have a spare Q400 at this time only because BHX-BHD BE400/3 has been downgraded from a 195 (the 195 used to park-up until 15.00 in winter).

As far as I can work out the Hanover 13.00 Dash is still the first flight of the day

Dash schedule will be similar to below

DUS-BHX-JER-BHX-AMS-BHX-STR-BHX
BHX-BHD-BHX-WAT-BHX-BHD-BHX-AMS-BHX
BHX-AMS-BHX-INV-BHX-EDI-BHX-BHD-BHX
BHX-ABZ-BHX-NOC-BHX-ABZ-BHX-ABZ
BHX-IOM-BHX-STR-BHX-JER-BHX-DUS
XXX-XXX-BHX-HAJ-BHX-IOM-BHX

175's

BHX-EDI-BHX-ABZ-BHX-DUS-BHX-DUS
BHX-GLA-BHX-LYS-BHX-GLA-BHX-GLA
BHX-DUS-BHX-MAXP-BHX-EDI

195

BHX-CDG-BHX-CDG-BHX-CDG-BHX

All that seems excellent aircraft utilisation but remember the last inbound EDI, GLA, ABZ do not operate on a Monday neither do they on the first outbound Friday then ABZ further reduces in December and the well after New Year.

Nigel

Although I have not seen the article first-hand it does seem something of nothing but 10 weekly Newark in high-season is still a hope. Alas I want to use it just outside (April/May) and fares are high but they have to make money. Mind you some dates are still cheaper than flying via Dublin.

[Guest 112233]

Those service cut backs

As usual OP's Stats are very interesting:

Flybe's [planned] cuts in December obviously reflect management analysis of both this years forward bookings and previous usage patterns.

But more ominously; the reduction in use of the Embraer 190 obviously results in a loss of available seats to Paris (CDG) & Belfast (BHD) - I bet "short term book at the last minute business bookings" will suffer and the utility value of BHX to the business community catchment will be reduced. If only for a time.

MAG and their Bill Board campaign obviously had wind of the changes.

Is MAN similarly affected with ref to Flybe route cutbacks ?

The fixation of general passenger usage only tells part of the story.

[nigel osborne]

CAT 111

It may well be that if Fly Be reduce capacity to CDG then Air France will pick up the slack and simply put more A319s on 318 services.

So hopefully BHX wouldn't loose too much capacity on the route.

Read a business article last week which claimed Fly Be costs are 4 times higher that Ryan Airs, and unless they also reduced fares and cut wage bills their future was not secure.

[OltonPete]

flybe

CATIII-NDB

The frequency cuts in general are across the network it is not that different to previous years when you actually compare, although my records are from complete. The major factor is the seat reduction due to fewer 195's in service.

The post New Year holiday reductions are across the board as well not just BHX, such as GLA - MAN just one flight on a Friday, one less DUS just like BHX and MXP is not daily either. I can't be sure if this is normal at other airports but I would say that at BHX it is the loss of seats is the main difference although the odd frequency has gone compared with last January such as GLA four daily on a Monday does seem rather light.

Just to clarify Paris is exactly the same as last winter 3 x 195's in the week and 1 x 175's at the weekend. The cut is the Tuesday, Wednesdy and Thursday lunch outbound in January, which happened last year and it is interesting to note that the 14.35 AF departure is now shown as an A320 for this period. Also Air France Monday - Friday are all 319's and Sunday sees two of three flights as 320's.

The Belfast City cutback is from day one of the winter schedule but as we know flybe will have all the yield data they need from last winter to have come to their decision and of course easyjet will have three extra flights a week compared to last winter on BFS.

The difficulty with flybe, which they have admitted themselves is that they have a high proportion of late bookings, which could be worrying in one sense if there could still be more New Year cuts.

[Guest 112233]

Thanks OP

Thank you OltonPete

I'm no expert here and I had wondered if the frequency reductions were especially severe this coming Dec & Jan, not just for Flybe.

From memory at least one of the LH Frankfurt flights takes a break in winter too.

Just from a service perspective, I wonder if the [commercially necessary breaks in service] on routes do eventually damage demand for a service especially if a destination is lost for a month or two. I'm not just thinking about Brum here, but it can apply to any regional airport.

The yield statistics would be facinating to analyse: but me, as a passenger would never see the data.

What nags me as a user (of services from BHX in the past) was the lingering uncertainty as to weather a service would run - Think of the old AA23/24 to ORD as an example.

In the case of BHD or CDG especially CDG for interlining - Good news if the A320 joins the schedule regularly though. Its the flexibility of a well populated schedule that attracts those Business travellers ( I used to make bookings for my Boss).

CAT III