Belfast City Airport-3
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ballymena
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I see Ryanair making a big play that APD was a major reason in their decision to leave both Belfast airports. When they announced the new BHD routes, they knew it was there and that it wasn't going to be changed that soon. But no journalist ever pins them down on these sorts of statements. As a company, they must be a nightmare to deal with. Nothing ever seems to please them. I wonder if they ever look at their own failings?
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Its the same APD as they pay at all the mainland airports is it not? Can't/won't compete with easy at the international and can't get enough sectors in with the curfew or bums on seats with Runway length at city is my guess
Join Date: Sep 2012
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They didn't have any aircraft based at BHD so trying to squeeze in sectors within the opening times wasn't really an issue, and fairly certain they weren't restricted performance wise either.
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Give it a year or two then they will re appear in a blaze of glory promising NI folk everything in terms of cheap flights / destinations................give them a year or two after that and they will find an excuse to leave again, naturally blaming airport, government or anybody else
Join Date: Nov 2006
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The NI market on international routes is very seasonal and very leisure orientated. The vast majority of pasengers fly to the Med sun belt; Faro, Malaga, Alicante and Palma comprise circa 40% of the total demand on international routes. The array of routes to cities in Continental Europe is very limited, this has always been the case.
easyJet learned (during Carolyn McCall's time) to hold firm in their core markets and not cut and run in the face of Ryanair below cost selling. Ryanair needs to run the competitors out of town but based on easyJet approach achieve that in this core easyJet market. The international routes will therefore be unattractive with much greater opportunities available in Europe.
This leaves the domestic market where the biggest opportunities for volume exist. This won't work for Ryanair as we've seen time and time again. For these reasons both in equal measure;
My sources tell me that the deal at BHD was zero landing fees. The idea was to drive volume for BHD and they then collect car park revenue, support concessions too etc etc.
easyJet learned (during Carolyn McCall's time) to hold firm in their core markets and not cut and run in the face of Ryanair below cost selling. Ryanair needs to run the competitors out of town but based on easyJet approach achieve that in this core easyJet market. The international routes will therefore be unattractive with much greater opportunities available in Europe.
This leaves the domestic market where the biggest opportunities for volume exist. This won't work for Ryanair as we've seen time and time again. For these reasons both in equal measure;
- next to no ancillary revenue. Highly VFR and poor uptake on luggage and car hire etc.
- Very late booking market. Ryanair apply general approach, measure of success is fill the plane well in advance if departure date. Doesn't happen on domestics, hence they dump seats on the market at very low prices. They don't pick up late high fares* (*not like other routes). Proof is they surrendered valuable slots on BFS LGW. I'd suggest made nothing on this route.
My sources tell me that the deal at BHD was zero landing fees. The idea was to drive volume for BHD and they then collect car park revenue, support concessions too etc etc.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
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The flights by BA Cityflyer flights from BHD to GLA/LBA/EXT seem now to have a code share with Aer Lingus (BHD-LBA BA7313 / EI 8383) this may be with do with
Emerald Airlines starting soon.
Emerald Airlines starting soon.
Join Date: Nov 2000
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I think the critical thing is, with the former Stobart Air Belfast routes currently being operated in-house by Aer Lingus and Cityflyer, why would they be in any hurry to hand those routes over to a third party operator in Emerald?
IAG have excess capacity, spare aircraft and crew, so keeping those routes in house makes a lot of sense. The same would apply to the Dublin-UK network. From a group perspective it’s probably best to utilise your own assets before you bring in a third party.
Eventually as frequency demands the use of A320/E190 aircraft become sub optimal, but for now I think IAG would rather keep the cost and revenue in house. As alluded to above, there are some frequency increases currently kicking in on the Belfast flying and code shares back in operation. Why would you want to hand any of that money over to a non-IAG company at the moment?
IAG have excess capacity, spare aircraft and crew, so keeping those routes in house makes a lot of sense. The same would apply to the Dublin-UK network. From a group perspective it’s probably best to utilise your own assets before you bring in a third party.
Eventually as frequency demands the use of A320/E190 aircraft become sub optimal, but for now I think IAG would rather keep the cost and revenue in house. As alluded to above, there are some frequency increases currently kicking in on the Belfast flying and code shares back in operation. Why would you want to hand any of that money over to a non-IAG company at the moment?
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BA Cityflyer, 16 times weekly Belfast-City to Birmingham from 31st October.
British Airways Media Centre
British Airways Media Centre
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Join Date: May 2017
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Is it not same company that doing the LDY flights as well. Did they ever happen anywhere. Was there not something about them mot being ATOL or ABTA or something.
My sources on the footbridge have said that EZY staying for winter
My sources on the footbridge have said that EZY staying for winter
Yes it's the same company, JetsGo Holidays, who were offering flights from LDY and other smakller airports. Don't think much if anything happened this year. They are bonded in Spain, not in the UK. That could make things interesting.
