Flybe airbus announcement?...
 

word out of exeter is that flybe will be making an announcement 'regarding airbus' later this month... anyone know anymore? What is the lead time between ordering and delivery?

Wouldn't nkow,though there have always been rumours regarding replacements for the 146,type commonly mentioned was the B737 but as I say its been all rumours and speaking to FlyBe 146 jockeys they have been asked to move onto the Q400.


Regards

P.S. Wouldnt mind seeing FlyBE Airbus though:ok:

On an unofficial site devoted to Exeter Airport there is a rumour that Flybe will announce A 319 orders at the Farnborough Air Show.

Would there be sufficient pax on some of their regional airport routes currently served by 146 a/c to fill a 319?

If it is to be Airbus I wonder what sort of deal they will get compared to easyJet, albeit Flybe's order would doubtless be for far fewer aircraft.

Well as for pax numbers I can only account for their 2 146's based at EGAC.They fly the BHX and LGW routes with pax ranging from 60-90 currently.Through the summer though they are very full.

Regards

The Airbuses would be used to expand their International network, particularly from Scotland or N of BHX as their 146s don't have the legs.

The A319 may be a bit big for some FlyBe routes, but what about the A318? Buying both would provide a lot of flexibility and room for growth.

they would then need to pay Airbus salaries if they would hope to keep anybody on it.

A319/ Q400.
 

Yep! Carlos you hit the nail right on the head.

WRT Cost, a little birdy told me that Flybe are paying similar leasing cost for a Q400, to what Easy are paying for their brand spanking shiny new A319's.

Probably about right, what with the company tumble dryer on full spin down below 50 N.










Off to Toulouse anyone? nah...didn't think so...........

I'm not so sure that 319's would be too big. It would be very unlikely that Flybe would configure them to seat 156 pax, 140 would be more like it, in which case they are only approx 25% larger but significantly more economical. If such an order is coming I would expect it to be in the region of 10 firm plus maybe 10 options.

Flybe are making an attempt to cover the middle ground between the likes of BA and BMI compared with Easyjet. Offering slightly more in terms of comfort for slightly more in terms of cost. Very similar to the old GO concept. Before I get my head cut off...I know that Flybe cannot be compared to GO in many ways yet..but they are on their way and becoming quite important in the industry at fighting the 'middle ground'.

I know for a fact that Flybe could certainly fill an extra 30 seats on many routes, in particular some of the summer routes into Spain would not be difficult...just look at the load factors they get out of EXT and SOU to AGP/ALC.

With regards pay....well i'm not so sure things will change greatly. I'm more under the impression that most of the crews simply want a more stable roster in many respects. Fewer changes and less roster turbulence. Yes pay is an issue but it isn't the most important factor for many.

Can the A319 do SOU to ALC etc? I thought there were significant runway/obstacle restrictions. Ditto for 73NGs?

The 319, 318 and the 73g and 736 coule do SOU-FAO/AGP easily, even in the height of summer.

Going on current fleet capacity, the 146-300s seat 110 pax, therefore a jump to a 318 or 319 is not all that demanding.

Routes that could support larger a/c include

JER-LGW
GCI-LGW
BHX-JER/GCI
BHX-TLS
BHX-BHD
BHX-GLA
BHX-EDI
SOU-ALC
SOU-AGP
SOU-MJV
EXT-ALC
EXT-AGP
EXT-FAO
BHD-LGW

So as you can see, there is potential there for at least 10 a/c with more routes to be announced soon.

Regards

Mike

JobsaGoodun and auelad

I've checked the CAA provisional figures for May and I'm beginning to see what you mean.

The flights from EXT to ALC, AGP and FAO appear to be averaging loads of over 90 pax. Perhaps they ought to run the ALC and FAO daily.

I've also checked the BRS easyJet and CWL bmibaby figures for these dedstinations (albeit baby don't fly to FAO from CWL) and the scheduled pax are broadly the same as last year in numbers, so they don't appear to have come from those places.

So where have all these extra pax for the EXT flights come from?
The charter figures for these destinations are down a bit but not to the extent that they would anywhere near account for the extra pax. Just shows that airlines can create a market with the right product.

I can't understand why no-one tries Norwich. Surely it would do as well as EXT.

With regards to FlyBe operating either A319's or B737NG's out of SOU, the problem would not be performance but apron/stand space. There are currently only 2, yes TWO, stands capable of taking that size of a/c!

simple,im sure with the extra income the airport could make a bigger apron!

rgds
K.I.L.:ok:

And GCI without a runway extention will be very limiting. It is in a 146 so all the Airbus and Boeing toys will not be able to be used to capacity.:suspect:

MV,

Norwich has come up many times in the past regarding Flybe and the potential for it to be a new base. It would initially appear to be a good option with the poor road links it has and the good inbound tourism however there are a couple problems.

Norwich would supply a large catchment area but the main fact is; How many people live within that large area? I'm unsure if there are sufficient people living within the area to warrant the supply of seats that a new base would add.

The population in this area is sparse and with Luton and Stansted not overly far away (albeit not easy to get too) I wonder just how successful a low cost base at Norwich would be.

JobsaGoodun

I have to hold up my hand and say that I have never worked in the aviation, travel or transport industry of any sort, but public transport economics (especially aviation) do interest me - I love flying anyway.

It just seems to me that Norwich is the sort of place that would suit Flybe. However, I hear what you say and I see from your profile that you work in the industry so I am sure you know more than I about the subject.

You mention the cost of setting up a base. I believe Flybe operate to five destinations from BRS but do not base a/c or crews there. Perhaps the water could be tested at Norwich with a similar operation.

BTW, I have no connection with Norwich - only been there once on a 24 hour business trip many years ago.

MV

How can one look up de CAA figures?

Cheers

:8

http://www.caa.co.uk/erg/erg_stats/default.asp

The above link will take you to the CAA statistics Home Page.

On the top left you will see a series of headings - UK Airport Statistics, UK Airport Provisional Statistics, UK Airline Statistics etc.

Most only take you up to the figures for March 2004 at present. However, the provisional statistics include figures for May 2004 for certain headings, including UK airport international routes and UK airport passenger figures.

To get the latest provisional figures click on UK Airport Provisional Statistics which will bring up a page giving you the option of April's or May's figures. Click on May then wait for the page headings for UK airport international routes and UK airport passenger statistics to appear, before clicking on the one you want and you will see the figures.

The international routes don't include individual airlines but where only one airline covers a route (eg easyJet Bristol to Barcelona) you can obviously see how that airline is doing on that route.

The figures cover both charter and scheduled passengers, broken down under relevant headings.

The stats are given in two formats, viz Comma Separated Value (csv) or Adobe Acrobat (pdf). They are best viewed using pdf.

MV

I agree with what you say and Norwich would certainly be an option for Flybe. Infact a few years back as Jersey European, a new route was intially planned to link NWI to BHX with a thrice daily Shorts 360 service similar to the one between EXT and BHX. Seats were initially sold but the route was withdrawn before any flights were operated.

I think that given the current state of the market; potential overcapacity, profit warnings from the big two with falling share prices, and the predictions of the 'mother of all fare wars', Flybe will be treating this winter as one of consolodation. A few routes may be added to existing bases but a new base may be out of the equation until next spring/summer.

The final few Q400's (of the 17 firm orders) will be delivered over the winter season leaving a couple for 2006. I would expect the first indications of a new base would come if Flybe take up any of the 20 options still held on the Q400.

I think that as you say NWI is an area in need of new regional servies of the like that Flybe can provide, and indeed it may be under consideration for all I know but indications earlier this year suggested that the next new base would be in the north. Leeds, Manchester, Blackpool or Carlisle may also be an option