I was on the GLA flight, and I sure as heck wasn't happy! :}

Can anybody shed any light; bmi told me it was due to 'technical problems'?

yes the GLA flts have been canx of recent, this will be due to the loads IF there is a problem with one of the a/c during the day.

If an a/c is tech for the day rather than pax get screwed over totally (i.e. stranded somewhere where they dont live etc) the flight that gets canx will be the one where the flight can be combined with a later service or alternative destination.

This makes perfect sense and although not best fot the passenger it does get them back to where they need/want to be.

It would make no sense to canx a flight where you cant get all the pax on the flight home that day. A good reason why the GLA keeps getting picked on is because there are x4 a day and normally all pax on the canx flight can be accomodated.

One thing that does annoy me though, all though a cancellation, really it tends to be only a 3 hour delay until the next flight. You would be amazed at pax responses if a flight is canx "yeah but you canx the flight" - reply "yes but really your only delayed 3hrs" As soon as the word canx is mentioned they automatically seem to think COMPENSATION! - and what they can get with the EU regs - unfortunately and thankfully not a lot!

regards as ever

bmibabyFC

GLA cancellations ex EMA
 

Most certainly was due to 'tech problems'.TOYF has flap damage that Mr Boeing won't allow so until those in Seattle ok a repair,it's sitting with a flap missing in the shed!
The easiest option if loads allow is to combine with the EDI flt or canx.With more than one rotation to GLA its then possible to get the pax oop north-unfortunately later.This was a philosophy used when it was mainline with the Fokker fleet out of EMA too.
FAO flybmi - whilst I am only too aware how frustrating your canx/delay was,I am sure you would rather get there later but safely on a serviceable and safe aircraft.

Knock - MAN came into EMA with pax who were bussed to MAN. This so the aircraft could be used on a EDI or GLA rotation. I understand that in addition to the flap damage aircraft another one was AOG. The flap damage repair may take time to resolve as the aircraft was fresh off check. WW could do with some decent spare aircraft to support the operation, think they are using Titan today :\

WW replacment a/c
 

I know when it comes to replacing the WW fleet, it will be between A319s and B737s. I think that they should start thinking about taking the 73Gs that EZY are laying off. The 737 has served WW well, I would like it to continue.

SAM-EMA

SAM-EMA

The problem with the ex-EasyJet Boeing 737-700s, is that these are in very high demand from airlines far more influential than bmibaby, as the waiting time for off-the-factory 737s is about two years. Gol, Southwest and Air Berlin, are amongst the low-cost airlines fighting to pick up these EZY aircraft once EasyJet get more A319s. The waiting time for an Airbus is a little less, but I think these aircraft are to be the exclusive domain of bmi mainline. One option being looked at is the Embraer E-Jet family after a successful promotional tour by an E-190 to EMA a few months ago, but whilst more efficient, it would take away significant capacity. As with all things bmibaby, I think it's just a case of wait and see.

Little pier update as of Friday, the roof was on when I was called in on Saturday, but as you see they have started roofing it in this shot :)


http://mysite.orange.co.uk/il2skins/Terminal.jpg

Looking good-starting to take shape. Thanks for posting NutLoose

SAM-EMA

anyone got any info on how the flights to Kenya are looking sales wise???? see they are being operated by 767-300 equipment.

Also, ive heard of a new cargo operator operating to EMA . rumour has it of MAS Cargo??? anyone else heard this?

Any new Long Haul services in the pipline????

anyone seen how many gates are going to be on the pier????? and is it just gonna be for the new apron or is there gonna be gates both sides???

Regards

Stu

think the mombassa flight is oporated by a based manchester a330. Only flights in march and april. no info on the pier.

owen

According to the EMA timetables, its a 763. that might be wrong tho

Regards

Stu

gates both sides to allow access to the north side stands. ie 30+

Airliners are reporting that after the flybe/BA Connect merger that EMA could become a base or a focus city. Does anybody know if EMA is being considered or if flybe management have been to EMA? If you ask me they have enough on their plate without launching new bases, and we already have enough based airlines.

more airlines the better! thats good that it will have gates both sides because it allow more aircraft to park over on the far side.

anyone got a summer 07 timetable?

owen

Are they going to re-line part of the current pax apron in order to have aircraft park up to the pier that way.

PLUS: It is 18 years to the day since the Kegworth Air Disaster, in which a British Midlands Boeing 737-400 hit the M1 embankment on approach to EMA.

SAM-EMA

I'm not sure that I fully agree, I think there is a strong potential that if flybe did arrive at EMA, it would result in a bad fare war which bmibaby in particular probably couldn't afford to fight long in. EasyJet competed with bmibaby for a while on the EMA-Scotland flights, but there was far too much capacity and they quickly retreated to where they could make money flying to the continent. bmibaby have their own market on these flights, and still manage to keep fares pretty low but planes pretty full on these routes. Factor in competition from BHX and now more importantly than ever from the train, and it just seems it would be wasted planes, fuel and tarmac to have another airline trotting up and down the country on this route.

Hmmm not so sure about having gates both sides of the new pier. Where the 30's are there's a blast fence in the way, a large equipment park, and is too close to the alpha taxiway to route pax behind the parking area.

If they were to do it, the only way to do it would to have the crossings like on the front of stands at the moment (8-17), however there's no room at the top of the 30's stands. If you put it infront of the equipment park, you'll need to remove the access road infront, and if you put it the other side of the road it'll take up too much room on the stands, would make it hard to board a/c with all the vehicles moving up in that corner. Also you could only board one flight at a time.

I'll try to take a pic to explain what I mean. It's hard to explain if you don't know it !!

A-net is saying that BE already have slots for 4x daily EDI-EMA, but whether it starts is up to the BACON merger.

SAM-EMA

I could see these slots being better utilised for somewhere like DSA which currently lacks a domestic operation where flybe are currently only flying from BHD, or maybe their new base at CWL. EMA simply doesn't have the market for two low-cost airlines on the EMA-Scotland routes, though flybe are a very competitive airline, so if they did arrive, I could see them really kicking bmibaby into shape. The two airlines co-exist I suppose up the road at BHX with their own business models, so it's probably worth watching.

A-Net also suggesting Eastern's ABZ route not doing too well. Is this the cost of the tickets or is the market just not there? I could see WW doing very well with a twice daily flight (one early morning, one early evening) on this route like we're doing at BHX.

Additional 737 for s07
 

Any idea when where the additional 737 will be based for S07? Announcemnet seems to have been pending for quite some time

Regular Cappuccino proving himself a dab hand with a camera - the work continues.

http://www.wheelerweb.org/images/nema/pier_and_sun.jpg

flybe have confirmed that EMA is definatley a non starter. they have no plans what so ever to start ops out of EMA.

Does anyone else feel EMA is being left behind a bit????? i may be being a little harsh but we must be the only airport in the top 12 airports now with no scheduled Long Haul operations with he announcement or Emirates to Newcastle

Ive emailed the my friend in the planning department at the airport about all this too so hopefully i could find out whats happening with future developments.

Regards

Regular Cupu and Chilli Monster, and Almost Prof - many thanks for the continued Photo updates!!! Really appreciate it.

Any idea how much further the pier will go? Will it go right up to stand 40?

Another parking question.

Is it possible to have 6 737/A320 aircraft parked in stands 15, 16, 17, and 31 32, & 33 at the same time?

You can park them there - the fun starts if they all want to go at the same time :)

Chilli,
Regarding the stands - would those buses need to be moved? There doesn't seem to be much space between the back of the MYT '20 and the buses to have another 73 or 20 parked on 33??


oh and......:O this is a really stupid question from someone that knows little,

but at an airport like EMA with no airbridges, why could aircraft not be parked at a 45 degree angle to the terminal front, so when it is time to depart they can just do a right hand turn and pull away.

lol - I am sorry, that question totally reveals that I have very little idea what goes on in the pointy bit at the front of planes!! :) :)

And why not get them buses shifted permanently so the aircraft parked in stands 31-33 can just taxi forward and then turn right for Twy Q?

Busses and some equipment is being parked on stand 33 at the moment while the new pier is being built. Once that is built they can be parked on the new ramp like they were during the summer. It's just a temporary measure while building work goes on. Remember they did the same thing when building the new ramp??

Reason for not taxying off stand/starting on front stands/reversing off stands is blast damage to the terminal front + H/S, also not enough space to taxy forward off the Thirties and turn right to 'Q', what with the lighting pole etc! at least not with anything B737 size
to answer an earlier question I was told that the new pier would cater for the Thirties, and there is room north of the blast fence for a gate+walkway, just needs some more lines painted! Oh and the busses need moving!

I've been saying all along that this is what would make the most sense. As they try to incorporate BA Connect, the last thing that they need to be doing is opening up more bases just up the road from existing ones. EMA is already well served by bmibaby on our Scottish routes, and flybe would only have cannibalised the market.

No announcement has yet been made, and it will all end up on being which airport is most strategically fit and which airports gives WW the best offer. Though as we're only a few months from the start of the summer season, and the new aircraft are due to arrive in May, it should be soon.

Big shame bmi regional despite having announced four extra aircraft for this summer, aren't bringing any of them to EMA. They're going to MAN, ABZ and EDI instead.

This thread tends to be heavily populated by spotters these days. Posts regarding individual aircraft, individual flights, liveries, etc. etc. need to be made on the Spectators Balcony (spotters) or SLF (passenger) forums, not here as they will be deleted.

Likewise, posts parroting airline or airport press releases regarding changes in flight schedules are seldom relevant to this forum unless service to a new destination is established or curtailed.

For the moment the pictures currently posted are welcome as they appear to be used to illustrate points made in discussion regarding the Airport. If they lead to what the Mods perceive as more spotter posts they will be removed to save bandwidth.

Cheers,
The Mods

Aero Asia is now saying 'we will be operating these routes soon' under the EMA and MAN adverts. But I did notice that they have changed it from East Midlands to Nottingham, well obviously we know different.

Anyone heard anymore about when UKIA will be starting from EMA?

SAM-EMA

UKIA
 

UKIA says in March they will start their operations.

I just hope that you don't suffer the same shame that FlyWho/Blu/Whatever heaped on BHX!!! Be very wary about start dates that get put back forever and airlines that can't spell or call it's intended destination by it's right name...............good luck to you guys at EMA I think a service to Pakistan will be well supported and might shake up the PIA operation here at BHX a bit??

Islamabad routes
 

The announcement on the start date and schedule timings will come in due course through the respective press offices.
The change from East Midlands to Nottingham was made because of the number of queries raised in Pakistan about exactly where was East Midlands. People there know where Nottingham is because of the cricket connection. Eventually it will go back to East Midlands.

I saw Penny Coates today buying a pack of bolts in Wilko's !!! Must be for the new pier, i'll post some photo's tommorrow........ :}

Sorry for taking the p***, it's just i cant understand all the excitement about a covered walkway, it's not like it's a new terminal......
Perhaps i need to get out more!!:)

I agree that with the exception of a few photos and genuine information being provided, this thread has become more than most PPRuNe airport threads as one for pointless gossip or spotter garb. Might I suggest as the summer season is rapidly approaching and with real news or substantial rumours about to really take hold, that we consider starting a new thread now?

It seems that EMA is very busy today
A lot of diversions from Birmingham.
On the ramp
Lufthansa, Air France, BA, Monarch, Swiss
Nice to see all of them

ryan ema
Believe me it wasn't nice to see all those a/c at ema today,
with a/c come alot of passengers and you could hardly move at ema.....
I hate diverts as you can probably tell, especially in a small airport.

Another Top Award for EMA
 

Today, 19th Jan, EMA was named BEST UK REGIONAL AIRPORT.
It looks like EMA are going places, and going there quickly.
Congratulations to EMA and everyone who works there.

From SAM-EMA

bmibabyfc if you cant deal with diverts and extra pax than maybe the aviation industry is not for you its part and parcel of working in the industry!:*