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Old 19th Jul 2017, 18:32
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Dalaman just replaces Prague
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 20:54
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Just seen a tweet from a reliable source reporting that an Icelandic owned airline is about to announce a BHX base with three transatlantic routes in 2018

This could be great news for the airport
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 20:57
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Icelandic owned? ...Primera?
How odd.
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Old 19th Jul 2017, 21:41
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Primera (with 2 based units) to YYZ,EWR & BOS according to twitter.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 07:22
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Flights are now bookable on the Primera Air website


New York departs BHX at 17:45

Type showing as an A321

Fares showing from £76 one way
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 07:52
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I do wonder if AA and UA could not make it work with their multitude of onward connections then what chance does an unknown Icelandic airline stands ? BHX needs links to the US, but I'd have hoped a better known brand would have given it a shot. Primera need to invest heavily in advertising and keep prices low to establish themselves or they'll not last long and BHX back to square one. Sorry to be so negative, but as posted above...it's all a little odd...that said I hope it works.

They are also showing same flights from Stansted, which is in a similar position to BHX in TA ops, but Paris CDG also, where they will face the dozens of options from all the US carriers and Air France ! Either very bold or very stupid !

Last edited by eggc; 20th Jul 2017 at 08:03.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 08:03
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Originally Posted by jon01
Flights are now bookable on the Primera Air website


New York departs BHX at 17:45

Type showing as an A321

Fares showing from £76 one way
3 x weekly BOS as well, from June. Nothing so far as I can see for Toronto.

It will be interesting to see how these routes perform, they've given themselves plenty of time to take bookings, so I would suggest BHX knew about the imminent loss of UA and were planning for it. It's just a shame Primera are such a poorly known name in the UK and USA, but I guess they will be getting some sort of deal on airport fees at the UK end, perhaps too in USA as well but to make the whole thing work they are going to need interline agreements for onward connections from EWR and BOS to make the whole thing work I think, and the late arrival time in EWR and BOS isn't going to make connecting that easy.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 09:18
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Originally Posted by eggc
I do wonder if AA and UA could not make it work with their multitude of onward connections then what chance does an unknown Icelandic airline stands ?
UA couldn't make the UK regional feeds to EWR work, in part, because they always priced them at a noticeable premium compared to LHR (and in the case of BFS, compared to DUB, even once the UK APD was factored in). Perhaps it was naïvety on UA's part; assuming UK consumers (like US?) would pay for a premium to fly direct from a local airport when many are happy to spend 3-4 hours on a train or coach to LHR/LGW and fly from there instead.

Last edited by ara01jbb; 20th Jul 2017 at 09:28.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 09:23
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Maybe the case, their service offering was not great either. Still, the many many times we've used one of the US3 ex the regions most of the passengers connect - something Primera really need to look at, but again as mentioned their arrival time into the US mean most waves are missed, limiting connection opportunities anyway - an earlier depature time would help in that respect.

Connections aside, I still think NAX would have been a far more viable option - maybe they'll arrive eventually.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 10:52
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Originally Posted by eggc
Maybe the case, their service offering was not great either. Still, the many many times we've used one of the US3 ex the regions most of the passengers connect - something Primera really need to look at, but again as mentioned their arrival time into the US mean most waves are missed, limiting connection opportunities anyway - an earlier depature time would help in that respect.

Connections aside, I still think NAX would have been a far more viable option - maybe they'll arrive eventually.
I disagree regarding NAX; they are using secondary airports, often a very good distance from the client's likely destination - NY or Boston. In that respect Primera are a better option.

I am guessing that when the YYZ route is released it will be operating 3 x weekly, on days opposing the BOS, allowing a day for maintenance and / or the cock-up factor.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 10:58
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Cheap transatlantic flights from Birmingham and Stansted to launch next summer
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 11:36
  #4792 (permalink)  
 
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UA couldn't make the UK regional feeds to EWR work, in part, because they always priced them at a noticeable premium compared to LHR
In fairness Continental did well doing just that, but remember Continental didn't have access to LHR before 2008. Once they were in the door, there is an arguement to max out profitability on expensive LHR slots and feed the BRS/BHX traffic that way. Once United took over, an airline with no history in regional UK flying outwith a short lived GLA-IAD, the decision get's easier IMHO.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 11:48
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Congratulation to BHX on grabbing the new route, it makes you wonder in UA already knew about this and hence the timing of the announcement of the pullout, especially if the route has been struggling for a while and were not willing to have margins stretched further.

I'm however cynical of all these Low Cost transatlantic routes popping up, especially this one from a relatively unheard of carriers here in the UK!

If you can find a great fare, by all means jump at the opportunity but I would pay the extra fee to book with a credit card and if things go wrong, you will at least get a refund from the card provider for the fare.
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Old 20th Jul 2017, 13:57
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NEO aircraft, Wifi, etc... looks an interesting option.
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Old 21st Jul 2017, 05:39
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Apologies for bringing Brexit into the thread but unless the UK government makes a sensible agreement with the EU over open skies the Primera operation could come to a sticky end in March 2019.

They must be fairly confident things will be OK in the end.
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Old 21st Jul 2017, 05:45
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You may find that the aircraft could be on a British AOC operated with British crews to get round this.
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Old 21st Jul 2017, 06:19
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If we don't remain part of Open Skies, wouldn't we need to have negotiated our own deal with the Americans?
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Old 21st Jul 2017, 18:19
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Originally Posted by SWBKCB
If we don't remain part of Open Skies, wouldn't we need to have negotiated our own deal with the Americans?
I would have thought so, and given The Donald's penchant for "America First" I doubt he'd be keen on giving a deal that allowed unfettered access to US markets, whether or not American carriers want to operate specific routes.
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Old 23rd Jul 2017, 08:25
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My daughter with 6 month old baby and husband landed in bhx about 12 am this morning from fue1.30 hours to clear customs, not bhx fault but getting beyond a joke.

jp

Last edited by potash; 23rd Jul 2017 at 08:49. Reason: corrected time
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Old 23rd Jul 2017, 09:31
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Originally Posted by potash
My daughter with 6 month old baby and husband landed in bhx about 12 am this morning from fue1.30 hours to clear customs, not bhx fault but getting beyond a joke.

jp
Customs (HMRC responsibility) or Immigration, commonly referred to as "passport control" (responsibility of UK Border Agency)? Neither in the gift of Birmingham Airport Plc, or the airline or handling agent. From your posting I know you understand that.

I would suggest a note to your local MP highlighting the inadequacy of UKBA, who I would suspect are the culprits, but don't expect a positive answer. Daily Mail readers (who believe they run the country) and Telegraph readers (who probably do run the country) want it that way. I know that from experience as I complained about similarly totally unwarranted delays at Eurotunnel a few years ago.
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