Happened today, A/C still on the ground with dep times being put back.

Having read the article in yesterdays Birmingham Mail my opinion of the nimby's at SOAR doesn't improve. One of them was quoted as saying that if the Mahan had flown over Catherine de Barnes at that height it would have blown the village away:eek: Now I may be wrong here but isn't the village 2 miles away from the end of 33 so any aircraft approaching from the south would be passing at approx 600ft and last time I checked all the houses were still there:ok:

Flap15,

I just like the fact that both the Brum and the Cov nimbies have tried to join together on this one, yet both are using this as an example of the risks of having more no frills flights from the Midlands.

At this end, we got the classic "bye bye Stoneleigh, hello Lockerbie" from one of them.

Whatever the issues surrounding the Mahan incident, they are nothing whatsoever to do with either the growth in no frills airlines, or the air space issues between BHX & CVT. The CVT nimbies have been quite happy to voice their support from Brum's second runway, which would be preceeded by the extension, which would encourage more long haul carriers, some with questionable safety standards. Yet they all have the one-track "planes bad, growth all due to evil cheap airlines" mindset. How long before SOAR start using the "CVT is just down the road" argument we've heard so often when used the other way round?

I noted Brums runway was closed for about 30mins tonight due to it being contaminated which meant a couple of flights diverted to East Mids.

They say things happen in three's, first the Mahan Air, now this, whatever next? :eek:

Fried Chicken

Monarch Scheduled (ZB) introduce new service to ACE and increase the freuency of the Menorca service, they are certainly making themselves known at BHX.

Air India Express B738 @ BHX
 

Currently sitting at Birmingham is Air India Express B737-800 (VT-AXD) on delivery from Boeing to India.

Previous deliveries have been via Heathrow, hopefully future flights will also come via BHX.


Ian

February 2006 Pax
 

A bit late but worth mentioning: -

"Passenger Figures on the up at BIA

February was another successful month at Birmingham International Airport (BIA) with 598,583 passengers travelling through the two terminals - an increase of 5.0% on the same month last year"


Still slightly down on 2004 but there was extra day to take into account.

March should be up as well but things will start to get tough and of course
Luton's pax will pass BHX's :{ as well at some point unless something
dramatic is announced and soon.

OltonPete

I was associated with BIA for nearly 40 years, since the early seventies. I watched time and time again the Management squander opportunities through the decision by (council) committee process. This Airport always was and still is stuck in a time warp, in thrall to the unions and political correctness. Always following never leading. Manchester was always miles ahead and now ranks as one of the most successful of airports worldwide. My last experience at Birmingham, like so many, was appalling. Yet more shopping mall development leaving arriving passengers to endure a long wait for immigration clearance in the middle of a filthy slum of a building site. After that humiliating introduction to UK plc follows the interminable wait for baggage claim. Awful, awful dump. Close it and build houses and supermarkets.

:yuk: :* :{ :uhoh: :eek: :confused:

upperecam

Thats a nice constructive message. Have you ever tried the other regional airports at busy times, Notts East Midlands for instance.

Perhaps we should knock them all down.

Centre Cities

Upperecam

I agree at times that the way BHX has carried out "expansion work" is bewildering but not working in this industry I just trust that they are
trying to do their best with what appears to be limited resources.

I use BHX for virtually all my travel now and I get frustrated at the
arrivals procedure but you only have to read comments re other
airports to see that it is much the same elsewhere. I am not saying that this is an acceptable excuse, just run of the mill at most airports.

However on arriving at BHX's Terminal 2 from touchdown to home, I have
often done this within 30 minutes including waiting for bags and although
I only live about four miles west, it is not bad :)

Having suffered at the hands of the likes of Nice, Palma in recent years I feel BHX is not that bad.

OltonPete

CenterCities, yup, over 10000 hours of flying,buddy. Brum really is the worst I ever experienced. Worse even than the Greek Islands etc. Corfu still beats Brum and that was pretty dour! Of many criticisms I had/have one beauty was frequently waiting 10 minutes or more for the doors to open! All airports have problems at times, Brum every minute of the day and NIGHT.

:hmm: :ugh: :{ :zzz: :* :oh: :8 :}

Upperecam


As most airports have the same handling companies I find that rather strange.

As a customer I have noticed little difference between most airports including BHX.

However you are entitled to your opinion.

Centre cities

I find BHX pretty good, although I do use T2 mostly. Last year from TO @ CDG, to T2, to Baggage reclaim, to home 25 miles away (admittedly via the toll road) took 1hr 30. I was mightily impressed.

In fact so was a colleague, lived nr. Oxford who always used BHX rather than LHR for flights to / from Scotland. Flights not as frequent but reckoned she always got home quicker.

I don't have the time to trawl through the many previous posts, but it was reported today that CSA are likely to terminate their Prague-Birmingham service soon?

CSA
 

CSA are finishing this weekend, as are Germanwings and AerArran !

Ian

On the other side of the coin, Baby have seen off CSA and the route is still served, Aer Lingus replace Arran and Hapag replace Germanwings.

You win some and you loose some.

Centre cities

Aer Arran are here to stay with the Liege service, so more like you gain more!

Isn't the Leige route only 3 times a week though? Not much of a gain although the saying about Mighty Oaks from little acorns could be true I suppose

FC

Indeed it is, I was associating the gain with a new destination really.

New airline for BHX? Air Berlin
 

www.thebhx.co.uk is reporting that Air Berlin are taking over the forces
flights to Munster & Paderborn from 7/4/06 with 737-800 (not confirmed).

Nice change just a shame it is not schedule flights!

OltonPete