Birmingham-8
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Qatar/EI/SN/LH/AF
Similar times and split to last time it operated
Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday
QR33/34 13:15-14:45
Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday
QR35/36 07:30 - 09:00
Hopefully loads will be good enough to allow a 5/5 split in the near future to help with connections or of course 7 and 7 like Edinburgh.
Aer Lingus Regional/Emerald Belfast City increases on a Sunday to 4 daily from 26 March (was earlier but delayed) and 5 daily in the week from 28 April.
These two above are welcome after a run of some significant back-tracking by Air France, Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines for summer, some of it due to crew or aircraft availability.
Air France was to be 4 daily in the week from 3rd January which was the first to go and was put back until 26 March with 3 x AF and 1 x HOP but this has now changed to 3 x HOP and 1 x AF, that is some drop but still more seats than last summer - just.
Lufthansa has been well publicised will large scale reductions with BHX still seeing an increase on Frankfurt on last summer on some days but down on what was planned and they use more Cityline to start with. Munich has already seen the night-stop removed until August leaving it double daily in the week but appears to be only once at weekends from April. Brussels Airlines change the afternoon A319 to Cityjet CRJ9 in the week and the night-stop A319 doesn't always operate. Not sure how that would work as the early outbound crew operate in the afternoon before which will now be Cityjet!!!
Pete
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Pre COVID I flew QR ex BHX several times. However, I have concerns for the viability of the new service. Since travel reopened all airlines have put up their J fares but ex UK QR and EK seem to have increased fares the most.
For a flight to BKK in J using random dates in Nov EK is £3,900. QR is charging similar levels ex MAN so it is likely BHX fares will be around that level. Why would anyone pay that when TK on the same dates is £2,600?
Granted, the onboard product on QR is better (but most definitely not on EK 777s) but I for one will not pay 50% more just to have a nicer seat.
If others take the same view as I do then J class loads are likely to be low, putting the viability of the service in doubt.
For a flight to BKK in J using random dates in Nov EK is £3,900. QR is charging similar levels ex MAN so it is likely BHX fares will be around that level. Why would anyone pay that when TK on the same dates is £2,600?
Granted, the onboard product on QR is better (but most definitely not on EK 777s) but I for one will not pay 50% more just to have a nicer seat.
If others take the same view as I do then J class loads are likely to be low, putting the viability of the service in doubt.
Pre COVID I flew QR ex BHX several times. However, I have concerns for the viability of the new service. Since travel reopened all airlines have put up their J fares but ex UK QR and EK seem to have increased fares the most. For a flight to BKK in J using random dates in Nov EK is £3,900. QR is charging similar levels ex MAN so it is likely BHX fares will be around that level. Why would anyone pay that when TK on the same dates is £2,600? Granted, the onboard product on QR is better (but most definitely not on EK 777s) but I for one will not pay 50% more just to have a nicer seat. If others take the same view as I do then J class loads are likely to be low, putting the viability of the service in doubt.
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The issue I've found with the occasional TK flights I've taken from the UK regions in C class is that you may be on a narrowbody with an inferior product to one of the ME carriers. And the shorter flight time to/from IST limits your ability to get meaningful rest if that's what you want.
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Saudi
Saudi flights now bookable on their website from July 2nd, 3 times a week, Sundays, Tuesday & Thursdays on B789's
SV250 BHX-JED 14:30 - 22:40
SV251 JED-BHX 08:10 - 13:00
SV250 BHX-JED 14:30 - 22:40
SV251 JED-BHX 08:10 - 13:00
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Great news for BHX, two long haul announcements in a week....but I am intrigued to see how this will work out, personally I think it may struggle load wise to start with, given that summer temperatures in Saudi are pretty unbearable. I just hope it gets good marketing to raise awareness of the many connections that can be made through JED. If the price is right, it could attract India and Pakistan transfer traffic
I've got friends in Jeddah so I am going to do my bit and book a flight to visit in the autumn and make a holiday of it.
I've got friends in Jeddah so I am going to do my bit and book a flight to visit in the autumn and make a holiday of it.
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Whatever the reason, BHX is getting a 78X. Nowt to be sniffed at during the proving period.
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Not according to what I've seen and heard from agents in the area. Saudi have been able to do a number of deals with agents in the region (pax and cargo) with significant block bookings secured. This change is demand lead, not a simple aircraft substitution....
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Summer 2023
A quiet start to summer 2023 but picking up as Easter approaches.
Two Ryanair Max based (I call them Max even if Ryanair don't
) and some seasonal routes restarting which includes a weekly Girona 2 months early due to the late cancellation of Gdansk 
Air France now 4 daily on six days, alas 3 are HOP which was not the original plan
Swiss go back to Double daily tomorrow (Friday as well), Wednesday restarts but Saturday ends making it 8 per week.
Aer Lingus - Some reductions not kicked in such as EI262 Dublin which changes to an ATR although the afternoon service has alreadyThe 5th Belfast City has been put back until 29 June but the 4th Sunday rotation started today
Brussels Airline afternoon service will be changing to Cityjet Monday to Friday and eventually Sunday as well
Lufthansa - obviously all cancelled tomorrow but not only after losing the Munich night-stop a few weeks ago, from 25 April Tuesday and Thursday will see the new Citytjet CRJX operating, another loss between 50-75 seats
KLM - The 5th service is added back in the evening Monday - Friday but several cancellations throughout the month on KL1431/35 but no different to other UK airports
easyjet - Lisbon increases this week to 3 per week, Naples starts next week, Belfast increases tomorrow, Glasgow and Edinburgh do increase eventually in May but suffer from constant schedule changes at times, Amsterdam back to double daily, Palma restarts in late May, Faro and Nantes restart in late June along with the new Milan Malpensa.
Sun Express - a bright spot as Antalya increases to 5 per week this week, then daily from late May and then 8 per week from late June, Dalaman starts weekly on Friday, then 3 per week late May. Izmir is also late May between 1 & 2 per week
Turkish Airlines - back to double daily today with A330's next Saturday and 16th April. The morning service has reverted to the MAX.
Aegean Airlines - Athens starts Friday 2 per week and bookable to the end of the year
TUI - They add Antalya, Dalaman, Heraklion and Larnaca by the end of week then more in April including a few 787 short-haul flights and Melbourne starts tomorrow
Jet2 - One A321 still due by the end of the week and still a significant increase in flights from 1st April
Corendon - Should increase Antalya from Thursday to 3 per week, then a weekly Dalaman form late April going twice per week late May
EK, SV & QR has been covered and no change with AI as far as I know
Pete
Two Ryanair Max based (I call them Max even if Ryanair don't
) and some seasonal routes restarting which includes a weekly Girona 2 months early due to the late cancellation of Gdansk Air France now 4 daily on six days, alas 3 are HOP which was not the original plan
Swiss go back to Double daily tomorrow (Friday as well), Wednesday restarts but Saturday ends making it 8 per week.
Aer Lingus - Some reductions not kicked in such as EI262 Dublin which changes to an ATR although the afternoon service has already
The 5th Belfast City has been put back until 29 June but the 4th Sunday rotation started todayBrussels Airline afternoon service will be changing to Cityjet Monday to Friday and eventually Sunday as well
Lufthansa - obviously all cancelled tomorrow but not only after losing the Munich night-stop a few weeks ago, from 25 April Tuesday and Thursday will see the new Citytjet CRJX operating, another loss between 50-75 seats
KLM - The 5th service is added back in the evening Monday - Friday but several cancellations throughout the month on KL1431/35 but no different to other UK airports
easyjet - Lisbon increases this week to 3 per week, Naples starts next week, Belfast increases tomorrow, Glasgow and Edinburgh do increase eventually in May but suffer from constant schedule changes at times, Amsterdam back to double daily, Palma restarts in late May, Faro and Nantes restart in late June along with the new Milan Malpensa.
Sun Express - a bright spot as Antalya increases to 5 per week this week, then daily from late May and then 8 per week from late June, Dalaman starts weekly on Friday, then 3 per week late May. Izmir is also late May between 1 & 2 per week
Turkish Airlines - back to double daily today with A330's next Saturday and 16th April. The morning service has reverted to the MAX.
Aegean Airlines - Athens starts Friday 2 per week and bookable to the end of the year
TUI - They add Antalya, Dalaman, Heraklion and Larnaca by the end of week then more in April including a few 787 short-haul flights and Melbourne starts tomorrow
Jet2 - One A321 still due by the end of the week and still a significant increase in flights from 1st April
Corendon - Should increase Antalya from Thursday to 3 per week, then a weekly Dalaman form late April going twice per week late May
EK, SV & QR has been covered and no change with AI as far as I know
Pete
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A321
Would have much preferred the aircraft that has just headed north east of BHX out of Brize 
Beggars can't be choosers though.
I assume the second A321 is June now?
I am surprised they went ahead with a. sub-fleet of one for a few months although any extra seats are desperately needed at BHX. I assume very tight on aircraft as some March frequencies are the same or a slight increase in June/July/August on certain Med routes which is unusual to say the least.
Pete
Beggars can't be choosers though.I assume the second A321 is June now?
I am surprised they went ahead with a. sub-fleet of one for a few months although any extra seats are desperately needed at BHX. I assume very tight on aircraft as some March frequencies are the same or a slight increase in June/July/August on certain Med routes which is unusual to say the least.
Pete
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Having just literally used Birmingham last week - I would say any additional flights will only add to the complete chaos that is security control, what an absolute shower of ............ queuing from the top of the escalator, airport staff running round shouting flight numbers out, and even all of this when you get to the airport way before you are supposed to. I used to quite like Birmingham, but boy, how bad is it organised now ......