Belfast City Airport-3

[El Bunto]

allan1987

I can't imagine any airport being confident in Eastern running a trunk route. You'd just about get the ink dry on the advertising and they'd pull out.

As noted above, A320-size makes more sense on that route due to Gatwick's charges. Would seem more strategic to convince Lingus back onto the route.

[Dorking]

Can`t help but wonder how long it will be before they pull off the announced Gibraltar routes

[Alteagod]

If the flight is not an early departure from BHD probably no point operating it. Stobart had been awarded slots for LGW but it was late afternoon so they didn't pursue it. Maybe T3 might get one of there own for morning and get a deal for the Stobart slot.

[Moo Driver]

Or you could get our MLAs to lobby for slots to connect the regions............oh that's right that would be stopped by their bosses. They like flying in to LHR and first class treatment.

[DUB19]

BA appear to be operating an A321neo on the LHR-BHD flight tomorrow morning.

11:20 arrival
12:10 departure

[Alteagod]

I believe the inbound sector is bunged. Probably people getting home to Ireland before the compulsory hotac in Dublin from Monday.

[allan1987]

Is this for Stobart Air BHD - LGW? can this be done on an ATR72-600 or will need to be on e190?

[Alteagod]

No reason why not on ATR. Probably best a/c to use until market picks up.

LGW has been on cards almost since EI pulled out.

Did Stobart not plan 5 airframes in BHD for full programme so they must have other routes up the sleeve

[Fly757X]

Once their current offering gets back to “normal” whatever that will be it’ll need 5 frames as is. A sixth one will need to be sourced for LGW if it comes to the fore.

[SWBKCB]

127,988 divided by 1,306 = 98 so could be either, though ATR more likely.

[Alteagod]

Actually re my previous I now understand 7 airframes had been earmarked for BHD for S21 so that would indeed make LGW possible as well as at least 1 or 2 more destinations. But like all things is covid dependent and what the new owners of Stobart have planned when they get there hands on them.

[EI-BUD]

Originally Posted by Alteagod

I believe the inbound sector is bunged. Probably people getting home to Ireland before the compulsory hotac in Dublin from Monday.

Compulsory hotac started Friday, yesterday, so that theory doesn't stack up. I'd be surprised if the flight was bunged. The other was to look at this is, if compulsory hotac is required in DUB it is possible more would look to use BHD to avoid it, but a negative pcr test within the lady 72 hours means you avoid the hotel stay, I can't see this issue driving numbers at the moment. Maybe in summer yes.

Separately, comments about LGW, totally see ATR as the wrong aircraft. Too slow given the competition is all jet, and too hotly contested by easyJet ex BFS. Would seem illogical to go into a market that may take from Aer Lingus' own London route into LHR. Surely there are other routes more attractive ex BHD where they could contest and have more success, CWL, BRS, LPL, some of these closer in terms of timings. JER would also seem a good bi weekly opportunity.

[allan1987]

Alteagod

I cant see ATR 72-600 being used to LGW.

Found this here

https://www.pressreader.com/search?q...type=1&state=1
I found this press reader

It’s believed that if Ettyl is successful in its bid to buy Stobart Air that it plans to use about three aircraft from the carrier’s fleet to operate domestic routes within Britain from the summer in order to generate additional cashflow.

This would make sense if 7 airframes have been earmarked for BHD

As it seems for EIR S21 12 ATR's is needed

5 ATR 72-600 BHD
4 ATR 72-600 DUB
1 ATR 72-600 ORK
1 ATR 72-600 KIR
1 ATR 42-600 CFN

So that would leave 1 ATR 72-600 spare for the new owners but would still need another 2 planes. So not sure if the new owners would be planning to bring back the 2 Embraer E190's.

That would make 1 ATR 72-600 and 1 Embraer E190 based in BHD for the new owner

So, a total of 7 Planes based in BHD.
and somewhere else the 3rd plane would be based

[EI-BUD]

Allan1987
I understood the 2 Embraer have not flown since Sept and that they were being returned to the lessor in the near future.

I had meant to add in my previous post, if any airline was to be interested in LGW route it would be Wizz Air?

[allan1987]

While im not sure about Wizz Air being interested, both Embraer''s where flown to BZG in January for storage. Think this was return to lessor.

[EGAC is Better]

Originally Posted by EI-BUD

I'd be surprised if the flight was bunged.

Whatever the reason, it was almost full - 21 in Club and 166 in Euro Traveller

[EGAC is Better]

Fly757X

There might also be a tranche of B737 MAX by July which should be capable of full passenger load out of BHD? Ryanair quoted (albeit in January) that they hoped to have 24 by summer and they would be deployed on ‘UK routes’.

A Ryanair training captain who is very active on social media recently posted a picture of himself in the MAX simulator. Might be complete coincidence but he is based in Girona so maybe the Spanish bases will be the first to get the MAX for summer?

[Fly757X]

Could be but in all honesty it’s the same situation as the SFP frames. I highly doubt they’ll be earmarked for the bases that will be operating to BHD. There was also a few articles recently stating they will be UK based initially and I’ve seen other folk from DUB/STN/MAN in the simulators for it too.

[Alteagod]

I see T3 restart SOU today. Hopefully greenshoots of recovery for BHD

[allan1987]

I see that Easten Airways ATR 72-600 flew HUY-BHD as EZE961 today and is Parked there
are we expecting an announcement tomorrow?