BIRMINGHAM - 6
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
BHX took 21 diverts yesterday including an Oman Air A330 and 3 others alone from LHR.
Sadly they strictly enforced the never ending runway night closures at 23.15 for continuation runway extension/resurfacing work.
This led to planes who wanted to divert to BHX having to go elsewhere.
Still well done BHX and its hard working staff for accepting so many before this time.
Due to the terrible wet weather this winter, BHX night closures now extend till the end of April, perhaps further, although the length of closures reduces.
Nigel
Sadly they strictly enforced the never ending runway night closures at 23.15 for continuation runway extension/resurfacing work.
This led to planes who wanted to divert to BHX having to go elsewhere.
Still well done BHX and its hard working staff for accepting so many before this time.
Due to the terrible wet weather this winter, BHX night closures now extend till the end of April, perhaps further, although the length of closures reduces.
Nigel
Sadly they strictly enforced the never ending runway night closures at 23.15 for continuation runway extension/resurfacing work.
Were BHX to tear up these agreements whenever they felt it was commercially a good idea to do so, they would be breaching their contracts, and if / when the project was not completed on time they would hardly have a leg to stand on were they to try and invoke any penalty clauses therein.
What's more, if as a result of BHX staying open on a laizez faire (sorry my french is rubbish!) basis, and the job was delayed, resulting in night ops not being available by the start of the May 2014 season what would people be saying here?
Perhaps airport management should be left to airport management professionals!
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Diversions and runway closures.
Quite agree with ATNotts.Contracts are contracts.
I am led to believe that TAP were not happy at having to nightstop despite asking for pushback just seconds after the agreed cut off time of 2305.
Apparantly all incoming diverted flights were told by ATC that it was the intention of the airport authority to close the runway @2305 allowing contracted works to go ahead.If they wanted to be in the air again they had to at least be pushed back and moving by a certain time.By accepting this and landing @ BHX
it is up to them to be ready for departure,if that is what they or their company want.Oman Air alledgelly were also unhappy,but at least they got away.Perhaps the powers that be could have extended the times by a few minutes but where do you draw the line.After all we have seen some exceptional weather conditions lately and all airports have suffered one way or another.
The runway resurfacing work has been affected and is now likely to go on well into April as Nigel pointed out although the hope is runway closures will reduce as the month goes on.
I find it difficult to criticise the BHX attitude when the runway extension is what many people have wanted for years.The fact that over 20 diverts were handled proved that the best of both worlds can be acheived,but as the saying goes you can't please everybody all the time.C'est la vie.
I am led to believe that TAP were not happy at having to nightstop despite asking for pushback just seconds after the agreed cut off time of 2305.
Apparantly all incoming diverted flights were told by ATC that it was the intention of the airport authority to close the runway @2305 allowing contracted works to go ahead.If they wanted to be in the air again they had to at least be pushed back and moving by a certain time.By accepting this and landing @ BHX
it is up to them to be ready for departure,if that is what they or their company want.Oman Air alledgelly were also unhappy,but at least they got away.Perhaps the powers that be could have extended the times by a few minutes but where do you draw the line.After all we have seen some exceptional weather conditions lately and all airports have suffered one way or another.
The runway resurfacing work has been affected and is now likely to go on well into April as Nigel pointed out although the hope is runway closures will reduce as the month goes on.
I find it difficult to criticise the BHX attitude when the runway extension is what many people have wanted for years.The fact that over 20 diverts were handled proved that the best of both worlds can be acheived,but as the saying goes you can't please everybody all the time.C'est la vie.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ATNotts /BHX BOD
I don't say that they shouldn't have enforced I just said it was frustrating and unlucky.
Think the last big wind event when LHR lost so many was in 1977/78 and we took about 30 plus then. Then the next time it happens many years later our runway has the longest night closure since them. So perhaps it may not happen again in my lifetime.
Andrew not sure what the policy is , but you may not be aware there have been numerous times that 23.15 has lapsed this winter and planes were allowed to land after this.
Its usually strictly enforced but suspect if they are our scheduled flights running a bit late they make an exception.
There have also been times where contractors have handed the runway back nearly an hour later than was scheduled. This on 1 occasion leading to our United flight getting diverted away as the runway was still closed.
On this occasion the TAP was pushed back and then stopped. As it was the contractors handed back the runway well before their allotted time, the next morning so the TAP could have gone.
Obviously that could not have been known at the time of closure so no ones fault.
The 2 projects strangely are not progressing at the same pace.
The now 24hr runway extension / taxiway project is still on schedule which is a remarkable achievement bearing in mind the weather this winter.
However the night resurfacing project is now a month behind schedule.
Anyway we have waited years for this project so I can wait an extra month
.
I don't say that they shouldn't have enforced I just said it was frustrating and unlucky.
Think the last big wind event when LHR lost so many was in 1977/78 and we took about 30 plus then. Then the next time it happens many years later our runway has the longest night closure since them. So perhaps it may not happen again in my lifetime.
Andrew not sure what the policy is , but you may not be aware there have been numerous times that 23.15 has lapsed this winter and planes were allowed to land after this.
Its usually strictly enforced but suspect if they are our scheduled flights running a bit late they make an exception.
There have also been times where contractors have handed the runway back nearly an hour later than was scheduled. This on 1 occasion leading to our United flight getting diverted away as the runway was still closed.
On this occasion the TAP was pushed back and then stopped. As it was the contractors handed back the runway well before their allotted time, the next morning so the TAP could have gone.
Obviously that could not have been known at the time of closure so no ones fault.
The 2 projects strangely are not progressing at the same pace.
The now 24hr runway extension / taxiway project is still on schedule which is a remarkable achievement bearing in mind the weather this winter.
However the night resurfacing project is now a month behind schedule.
Anyway we have waited years for this project so I can wait an extra month
.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Biman?
Any news on the Biman DAC-BHX-JFK service? It's all gone very quiet. I see they have announced DAC-FRA for end of March via FCO. BHX does appear on their route map and in a press release about their latest 777 delivery but nothing else. Perhaps there are still issues with flying to/from the U.S and without permission to go on to JFK, BHX is seen as a no go as a stand alone flight?
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gayfriendly.
Biman have put their BHX-JFK flights back to June and are supposed to be using 2 leased Egyptair 772s.
However I looked this morning and its still not bookable.
The DC-10 jollies start this Sat, 3 a day, and thats repeated Sunday and Monday
Nigel
Biman have put their BHX-JFK flights back to June and are supposed to be using 2 leased Egyptair 772s.
However I looked this morning and its still not bookable.
The DC-10 jollies start this Sat, 3 a day, and thats repeated Sunday and Monday
Nigel
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
January International route figures
Sources: -
Monthly passenger figures: CAA
Average per flight: Local SBS reports documenting movements
Load factor: estimates based on various seat-maps.
A couple of routes such as HAJ and FUE have mixed IT and schedule in the same figure. with the monthly figure up over 10% I sort of expected better individual figures and although there were some good ones, overall pretty usual for January.
airport ...................2014.......pax........ %........2013
BRUSSELS...............9077........41.........50%......7920
LARNACA................3170.......176.........82%......2635
COPENHAGEN..........6246.........71.........74%......5059
SHARM EL SHEIKH ....4890.......188.........88%......3489
LYON.....................2988........48.........55%......... ..0
PARIS (CDG)..........29351........93..........75%....25517
BERLIN (TXL)...........2532........74..........54%......3954
DUSSELDORF..........13623........55 ........60%....10528
FRANKFURT............19038......102..........68%....17187
HAMBURG............... 2097.......40...........45%.....2165
HANOVER N/K N/K ...........................??......4707
MUNICH.................13919.......81.......... 67%....14045
STUTTGART.............2638.......44.......... 56%......1275
GIBRALTAR...............2394.......92......... 53%...........0
AMRITSAR/Delhi....3866/3433...215......... 84%......... 0
CORK......................5512........43........ 59%......5147
DUBLIN..................44590........97........ 59%.....35647
KNOCK......................963........32......... 41%......1333
SHANNON.................1923........31....... 65%......1765
WATERFORD...............679.......49.........62%.......298
BERGAMO.................3222......129.........68%......2948
MILAN (MXP)............2049........54......... 61%......1179
ROME (FCO)..............420.......134......... 78%......2648
MALTA.....................2905......161.........85%......230 0
AMSTERDAM............33624.......80......... 72%.....32237
ISLAMABAD...............7922.....264..........75%......7345
BYDGOSZCZ..............4718......169........ 89%......4635
KATOWICE................2611......163.........86%......2903
KRAKOW...................3127......156.........83%......2565
RZESZOW.................2707......159.........84%......4144
FARO.......................5586......127.........62%......51 35
FUNCHAL..................2729......152.........71%......1289
BRATISLAVA..............3022......151........ 80%......3217
ALICANTE................10183......159........ 84%.....10579
BARCELONA ...............4520......151........80%......4389
MALAGA....................8586......143........72%......9753
PALMA....................... 0...........0.....................2328
ARRECIFE (global figure).............................
FUERTEVENTURA (global figure).........................8225
LAS PALMAS..............2550......159........ 79%......3105
TENERIFE................14745......180........ 86%.....11941
GOTEBORG..................962.......22.........45%.......... 0
STOCKHOLM................0...........0...................... 1197
GENEVA..................11364......130.........82%.....(9468 )
ZURICH....................8013.......74..........72%......87 93
ISTANBUL.................8867.....108..........64%......6413
ASHKHABAD ..............4979.....138..........73%......4085
DUBAI....................44194......356......... 85%.....39224
NEW YORK (EWR).......6471.....124..........74%......6319
Pete
Monthly passenger figures: CAA
Average per flight: Local SBS reports documenting movements
Load factor: estimates based on various seat-maps.
A couple of routes such as HAJ and FUE have mixed IT and schedule in the same figure. with the monthly figure up over 10% I sort of expected better individual figures and although there were some good ones, overall pretty usual for January.
airport ...................2014.......pax........ %........2013
BRUSSELS...............9077........41.........50%......7920
LARNACA................3170.......176.........82%......2635
COPENHAGEN..........6246.........71.........74%......5059
SHARM EL SHEIKH ....4890.......188.........88%......3489
LYON.....................2988........48.........55%......... ..0
PARIS (CDG)..........29351........93..........75%....25517
BERLIN (TXL)...........2532........74..........54%......3954
DUSSELDORF..........13623........55 ........60%....10528
FRANKFURT............19038......102..........68%....17187
HAMBURG............... 2097.......40...........45%.....2165
HANOVER N/K N/K ...........................??......4707
MUNICH.................13919.......81.......... 67%....14045
STUTTGART.............2638.......44.......... 56%......1275
GIBRALTAR...............2394.......92......... 53%...........0
AMRITSAR/Delhi....3866/3433...215......... 84%......... 0
CORK......................5512........43........ 59%......5147
DUBLIN..................44590........97........ 59%.....35647
KNOCK......................963........32......... 41%......1333
SHANNON.................1923........31....... 65%......1765
WATERFORD...............679.......49.........62%.......298
BERGAMO.................3222......129.........68%......2948
MILAN (MXP)............2049........54......... 61%......1179
ROME (FCO)..............420.......134......... 78%......2648
MALTA.....................2905......161.........85%......230 0
AMSTERDAM............33624.......80......... 72%.....32237
ISLAMABAD...............7922.....264..........75%......7345
BYDGOSZCZ..............4718......169........ 89%......4635
KATOWICE................2611......163.........86%......2903
KRAKOW...................3127......156.........83%......2565
RZESZOW.................2707......159.........84%......4144
FARO.......................5586......127.........62%......51 35
FUNCHAL..................2729......152.........71%......1289
BRATISLAVA..............3022......151........ 80%......3217
ALICANTE................10183......159........ 84%.....10579
BARCELONA ...............4520......151........80%......4389
MALAGA....................8586......143........72%......9753
PALMA....................... 0...........0.....................2328
ARRECIFE (global figure).............................
FUERTEVENTURA (global figure).........................8225
LAS PALMAS..............2550......159........ 79%......3105
TENERIFE................14745......180........ 86%.....11941
GOTEBORG..................962.......22.........45%.......... 0
STOCKHOLM................0...........0...................... 1197
GENEVA..................11364......130.........82%.....(9468 )
ZURICH....................8013.......74..........72%......87 93
ISTANBUL.................8867.....108..........64%......6413
ASHKHABAD ..............4979.....138..........73%......4085
DUBAI....................44194......356......... 85%.....39224
NEW YORK (EWR).......6471.....124..........74%......6319
Pete
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Solihull
Age: 60
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
January domestic route figures
Credits: CAA for the passenger figures & a local SBS log for aircraft movements enabling be to have a stab at load factors.
Aberdeen.......6677 (5022)....47 pax....56% load factor
Belfast City..15039 (16096)...64 pax....74%
Belfast Int...15314 (9995)...116 pax....74%
L'Derry........2344 (3230)....90 pax....48%
Edinburgh.....19068 (17685)...63 pax....67%
Glasgow.,,....15324 (13818)...59 pax....65%
Inverness......1917 (1899)....46 pax....51%
Isle of Man....2662 (2338)....34 pax....43%
Guernsey.......2019 (1810)..
Jersey.........1915 (2020)....39 pax....50%
Newcastle.......557 (583).....08 pax....28%
easyjet over took flybe on Belfast but both returned respectable load factors. flybe I would imagine will probably be pleased to have only lost 1000 pax from a 4000 reduction in seats and 35 fewer rotations, which is amazing.
easyjet BHX-BFS also carried more than BFS-Manchester, Newcastle (by a 1000) and Bristol all of which are fairly mature routes and all of which should have had more frequencies although only just in January.
The BHX EDI figure was quite low but the records show 25 more flights this year than 2013 probably to take account of the reduction in 195 flights - just 4 in the last 11 days of January.
Derry operated with fewer frequencies but still did not improve the load factor by much.
Glasgow load factor is usually around 55% to 65% maximum so the reduction in seats has worked without too much pain by the look of it.
Jesey/Guernsey is the same aircraft so added together, Inverness had around the same number of seats but Isle of Man I think was less seats this winter (4 more flights in 2013) and again pax added. Newcatle 10 less rotations.
Pete
Aberdeen.......6677 (5022)....47 pax....56% load factor
Belfast City..15039 (16096)...64 pax....74%
Belfast Int...15314 (9995)...116 pax....74%
L'Derry........2344 (3230)....90 pax....48%
Edinburgh.....19068 (17685)...63 pax....67%
Glasgow.,,....15324 (13818)...59 pax....65%
Inverness......1917 (1899)....46 pax....51%
Isle of Man....2662 (2338)....34 pax....43%
Guernsey.......2019 (1810)..
Jersey.........1915 (2020)....39 pax....50%
Newcastle.......557 (583).....08 pax....28%
easyjet over took flybe on Belfast but both returned respectable load factors. flybe I would imagine will probably be pleased to have only lost 1000 pax from a 4000 reduction in seats and 35 fewer rotations, which is amazing.
easyjet BHX-BFS also carried more than BFS-Manchester, Newcastle (by a 1000) and Bristol all of which are fairly mature routes and all of which should have had more frequencies although only just in January.
The BHX EDI figure was quite low but the records show 25 more flights this year than 2013 probably to take account of the reduction in 195 flights - just 4 in the last 11 days of January.
Derry operated with fewer frequencies but still did not improve the load factor by much.
Glasgow load factor is usually around 55% to 65% maximum so the reduction in seats has worked without too much pain by the look of it.
Jesey/Guernsey is the same aircraft so added together, Inverness had around the same number of seats but Isle of Man I think was less seats this winter (4 more flights in 2013) and again pax added. Newcatle 10 less rotations.
Pete
Uh oh, BHX-NCL seems to be doing... Ermm... Well
With APD being what it is, today's hassles that make flying less efficient than it was in the "old days" and alleged improvements in the rail network, you have to question the long term viability of routes such as this.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 170
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: herefordshire
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dreamliner milestone
Was it just 12 months ago that some even doubted this route would begin??
So what can we now hope for, an increase from a four-days-a-week schedule??
So what can we now hope for, an increase from a four-days-a-week schedule??
The 2 projects strangely are not progressing at the same pace.
The now 24hr runway extension / taxiway project is still on schedule which is a remarkable achievement bearing in mind the weather this winter.
The now 24hr runway extension / taxiway project is still on schedule which is a remarkable achievement bearing in mind the weather this winter.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Doors to Automatic,
Im assuming it might not open till the rest of the runway is resurfaced, as they are putting LED lights along current runway and extension.
It was supposed to open 6th April from memory.
It therefore depends whether they can use it with work still to do on the resurfacing, or have to/want to wait until its all completely finished and shiny.
If its the latter then some night work is still planned up to end of April.Still an amazing achievement with the flooding we have had this winter on the site.
Nigel
Im assuming it might not open till the rest of the runway is resurfaced, as they are putting LED lights along current runway and extension.
It was supposed to open 6th April from memory.
It therefore depends whether they can use it with work still to do on the resurfacing, or have to/want to wait until its all completely finished and shiny.
If its the latter then some night work is still planned up to end of April.Still an amazing achievement with the flooding we have had this winter on the site.
Nigel
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: solihull West Midlands
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Monty Gordo,
Air India Yes looks like an incredible success over 80% load factor.
Air India did say that if it went well then they would increase it to daily and perhaps look at another destination from BHX.
Suppose it depends on the yield but seen nothing to suggest that is poor, from those handling it.
Its an ideal route and seating config and plane type for BHX.
Whether another route would work as well, might be being too optimistic but you never know.
Nigel
Air India Yes looks like an incredible success over 80% load factor.
Air India did say that if it went well then they would increase it to daily and perhaps look at another destination from BHX.
Suppose it depends on the yield but seen nothing to suggest that is poor, from those handling it.
Its an ideal route and seating config and plane type for BHX.
Whether another route would work as well, might be being too optimistic but you never know.
Nigel
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AI/Biman
Congratulations indeed to AI for launching the DEL/ATQ route so quickly and so far so successfully, amazing load factors indeed. However in all the fanfare don't forget Turkmenistan who, after an initial hit have recovered their loads in recent months. There appears to be demand for both on the ATQ route as AI are seeing a lot of pax de-plane at DEL. Perhaps Mumbai could work from BHX too?
Anyone know how many pax flew in on the Biman today, as a one off (and one way!) scheduled service I can't imagine that many?
Anyone know how many pax flew in on the Biman today, as a one off (and one way!) scheduled service I can't imagine that many?