Flybe - 7

[GCILover]

The 757 never has an issue going full every Friday. Only used to take up just over half the runway for take off. Used to love watching that thing go.

[GCILover]

Flybe dropping the sun routes is going to be a huge loss. Shame the 175's are so under powered for SOU

[adfly]

If HAH hurry up with the runway extension/starter strip they mentioned recently (~150m extra) then that may not be too much of an issue.

[GCILover]

SOU is still the only UK base with no timetable past January?????

[Torquelink]

Yes SOU has the railway and the motorway, but that also means it's quicker to get to other airports too. Even so, I bet that the majority of outbound SOU pax originate either in Southampton or to the west and Southwest of the city. In other words people that are further away from LHR and LGW both of which offer a range of destinations, costs and frequencies that neither SOU nor BOH can ever dream to match.

So any story that has Flybe operating from BOH has merit, it offers Flybe more flexibility and a catchment similar to SOU, but with less risk from competition. Even so, the story is also likely to be the stick that is used by Flybe to negotiate better charges from SOU.

I live 30 mins northeast of SOU and, depending on the time of day, 30 mins southwest of LHR. All things being equal I would never go to LHR as an alternative to SOU - its not just the time to get to the airport, its the comparative hassle when you get there - always need to allow an extra hour at LHR regardless of terminal.

However I, and the population centres around where I live, am at least 60 mins from BOH and quite often more - for me LHR and even LGW are more attractive. There's a reason that BOH has never managed to compete with SOU and that's because it is too far from large population centres.

[Phileas Fogg]

SOU has the railway and the motorway, but that also means it's quicker to get to other airports too

SOU to LHR (The world's busiest nightmare) might be OK by motorway but to LGW, by motorway, a nightmare! ... Quicker to go M27/A27, turn off by Arundel, thru Storrington to connect with the A24, then the A272 to connect with the A23 then the M23 etc. ..... And I knew these roads like the back of my hand and they ain't easy to navigate unless one knows where they are going.

[hampshireandy]

I think this says all we need to know about Flybe's commitment to SOU. Keep an eye on Bournemouth Airport schedules from next Jan. ;-)

[adfly]

That's a hard kick in the privates for SOU if it is true! Although I don't think SOU would have too much trouble picking up passengers on key routes (AF-ORY/CDG, EI-DUB, KL-AMS) it would struggle domestically and for leisure focused routes. However I'm not sure this will be a wise decision on Flybe's part assuming this is anything other than a bargaining point for lower costs.

[NickBarnes]

Flybe's first ATR-72 has now been painted

Here a link to a photo
Photo: EI-REL (CN: 748) Flybe ATR 72-212A(500) by GREENWING PHOTOGRAPHY Photoid: 7824862 - JetPhotos.Net

[Phileas Fogg]

It's got "Operated by Aer Arran" painted on it by I was under the impression Aer Arran was now Stobart Air!

[adfly]

I may be mistaken but I am sure the other side has 'stobart air' in the same place, seems a little odd though...

[LN-KGL]

NickBarnes, I have to disappoint you - the picture below shows one of the flybe nordic ATR-72s



And hence EI-REL is not the first ATR in flybe colours

[NickBarnes]

Aye I know about Flybe Nordic, should of put first ATR in new colours prefer the Flybe livery on the ATR than the Dash-8

[TSR2]

The new colour scheme is atrocious IMHO. Which child won the painting competition ?

[Phileas Fogg]

When BIA/AA became Air UK they painted the aircraft in dark blue ... They thereafter PDQ changed it to add some lighter colours after an incident or few because ground vehicle drivers couldn't see the aircraft at night.

Live and Learn ... Live and Learn

[BCALBOY]

Air Anglia were AQ

[Phileas Fogg]

Air Anglia were AQ

So were my name "Another Anorak" does that make my initials "AA" or "AQ"?

[Guest 112233]

Mr Fogg

Re that anti-bird collision colour scheme. You have an interesting point there - I bet, that from a visual identity perspective of a ATR or DH8 operating a visual circuit on a clear blue CAVOK day could be a bit of a problem. Stick in a old fashioned low pressure sodium lit apron (yellow) and you might just have the reasons why the colour scheme might be quietly abandoned.

In Hope

CAT III

[Phileas Fogg]

CAT III,

We joked that Air UK's 1980's paint job looked like a tube of toothpaste but the cheat line, the "go fast stripe", went in there for a reason, so that drivers could see it not just at night but in fog and/or bad visibility also.

And the recently "removed" CEO of FlyBE (JF) knows of this problem because he was with Air UK when the trucks were driving in to the aircraft ... LOL

[BCALBOY]

I'm not an anorak ,I've worked in the business 35 years and if you don't know the codes just use plain English !