Belfast City Airport-3
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BHX
Yes disappointing about the delay but I assume it is waiting for available aircraft. I doubt they would have taken many bookings for the period from 28 April until the end of June as the 5th service was only on sale since the beginning of March.
The BHX press release was quite clever, mentioning the 5th service but it neglected to mention from what date and I assume they knew something was about to change.
Pete
The BHX press release was quite clever, mentioning the 5th service but it neglected to mention from what date and I assume they knew something was about to change.
Pete
Join Date: Nov 2006
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easyJet have been quite clever in filling the gaps from BHD. The obvious gaps that Aer Lingus Regional might logically have filled, examples Liverpool and Bristol.
I would have been my guess that Gatwick can't about as a result of the incentive scheme that came about during covid. Beyond that I was surprised to see Manchester, Glasgow and Luton.
Given that many of the routes are less than daily (e.g. MAN/LTN at 1-3-5-7) make me wonder is this due to some offer by BHD in desperation or a punishment by easyJet to BFS for attracting Ryanair in which goes live next week.
While it's good to see extra routes at any airport, the limited frequency suggests not going to add up to much while limits the potential for other carriers to come in. It would be real progress for the airport if they could attract easyJet to do a Paris or sun route, these could easily be achieved by doing a W from one of the UK hubs like LPL. I'd be quite sure BHD have tried
I would have been my guess that Gatwick can't about as a result of the incentive scheme that came about during covid. Beyond that I was surprised to see Manchester, Glasgow and Luton.
Given that many of the routes are less than daily (e.g. MAN/LTN at 1-3-5-7) make me wonder is this due to some offer by BHD in desperation or a punishment by easyJet to BFS for attracting Ryanair in which goes live next week.
While it's good to see extra routes at any airport, the limited frequency suggests not going to add up to much while limits the potential for other carriers to come in. It would be real progress for the airport if they could attract easyJet to do a Paris or sun route, these could easily be achieved by doing a W from one of the UK hubs like LPL. I'd be quite sure BHD have tried
It is such a shame that BHD are so hell-bent on chasing short-term recovery in passenger volumes that they are unable to see the likely long-term consequences of this. A very limited easyJet offering still has the effect of depressing average fares and passenger volumes across competing operators' routes at BHD, enabling easyJet to effectively control the entire Belfast market whilst keeping the core of its operation at Belfast International. It is short-sighted in the extreme for BHD to play along with that agenda, of which the airport management appears unable to comprehend the probable consequences.
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My bet would be that they've been handsomely compensated by BHD...
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Well spotted Trueblue. I note that the flights are marked as sold out. There is no commercial sense for easyJet having an Airbus parked from 21:30 at night at BHD, in summer especially doing a flight say from Gatwick to a sun spot , returning much later will be far more commercially attractive. If this is true, relations may be poor at BFS ..
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Well spotted Trueblue. I note that the flights are marked as sold out. There is no commercial sense for easyJet having an Airbus parked from 21:30 at night at BHD, in summer especially doing a flight say from Gatwick to a sun spot , returning much later will be far more commercially attractive. If this is true, relations may be poor at BFS ..
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Mart901,
I've no doubt this connection will do very well. My point is they are forfeiting a daily rotation on an aircraft so that they can operate a BHD 0700 service. If they could depart earlier and arrive later it would make sense. Average fares on such a route in peak summer wouldnt touch a route like Palma, Faro, or Greek island which could be arriving back as late as midnight.
I've seen examples where Ryanair are getting a 737 flying from 05:45 to 01:15 the following morning. That's nearly a 20 hour day. This example at BHD is 14 hours. For this reason no low cost airline will make a base until the opening hours are revisited. On the flip side, I'm guessing they can tap into the locally based crew rather than do an overnighter.
I've no doubt this connection will do very well. My point is they are forfeiting a daily rotation on an aircraft so that they can operate a BHD 0700 service. If they could depart earlier and arrive later it would make sense. Average fares on such a route in peak summer wouldnt touch a route like Palma, Faro, or Greek island which could be arriving back as late as midnight.
I've seen examples where Ryanair are getting a 737 flying from 05:45 to 01:15 the following morning. That's nearly a 20 hour day. This example at BHD is 14 hours. For this reason no low cost airline will make a base until the opening hours are revisited. On the flip side, I'm guessing they can tap into the locally based crew rather than do an overnighter.
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Looks like a LGW-based aircraft nightstopping at BHD each night - a bit like they do in INV, MAD, and a few other places.
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Mart901,
I've no doubt this connection will do very well. My point is they are forfeiting a daily rotation on an aircraft so that they can operate a BHD 0700 service. If they could depart earlier and arrive later it would make sense. Average fares on such a route in peak summer wouldnt touch a route like Palma, Faro, or Greek island which could be arriving back as late as midnight.
I've seen examples where Ryanair are getting a 737 flying from 05:45 to 01:15 the following morning. That's nearly a 20 hour day. This example at BHD is 14 hours. For this reason no low cost airline will make a base until the opening hours are revisited. On the flip side, I'm guessing they can tap into the locally based crew rather than do an overnighter.
I've no doubt this connection will do very well. My point is they are forfeiting a daily rotation on an aircraft so that they can operate a BHD 0700 service. If they could depart earlier and arrive later it would make sense. Average fares on such a route in peak summer wouldnt touch a route like Palma, Faro, or Greek island which could be arriving back as late as midnight.
I've seen examples where Ryanair are getting a 737 flying from 05:45 to 01:15 the following morning. That's nearly a 20 hour day. This example at BHD is 14 hours. For this reason no low cost airline will make a base until the opening hours are revisited. On the flip side, I'm guessing they can tap into the locally based crew rather than do an overnighter.
It looks like the aircraft will be LGW based but night stopping at BHD, so unlikely to be the same frame at every night at BHD. It just means it will operate an odd number of sectors like they already do with the INV nightstopper. Could be perfect timing arriving into LGW at 0830 to go onwards to SSH/HRG etc and also means it isn't occupying a stand at LGW overnight, or trying to find another first rotation departure slot out of LGW this summer when the EZY base is expected to exceed 2019 levels.