Hi again Phil
I know thats not quite what happened. The Amicus official only confirmed what had been said by someone else when BIA tried to pretend they didn't know and that they had nothing to do with it...Which was blatently untrue.
Also the FS did not have their deal sorted. All they had at that time was an offer that fell short of what they actually wanted.
Anyway this is probably not the best place to discuss it as nothing has been concluded anywhere yet. Lets save the bile for when it is....

Recent PAX @ BHX opinion
 

Changing tack on the thread, used the airport as PAX 4 times in the last 6 weeks back and forth to ALC - so (for what its worth) an update on my latest observations and findings.

The work is ongoing in departures.... Ranging from the mess at security to the mess at the far end of the departure lounge. the entry area is fine and duty free is quite nice and open. But because of the work it gets darker and dingier the further down you get towards where the soft shoe co, and other were based. Until it is finshed the area is quite small and cramped, not a nice place to be really.

Most people end up congragating around the new bar (which is very nice) and the duty free - just to have a bit of light, I think my grump is that it is all taking so long - this "only" a shopfittng excercise after all.

Not sure how they are going to do it but it needs a light and airly feel that many contemporary departure areas have (Luton is MUCH better)

The security area into departure is being slooooowly made ready for opening in May and it wont be a moment too soon. Its really awful and slow and very tortuous.

I understand there will be 5 or 6 input lanes which will help enourmously. At the moment you almost have to walk to T2 to get in !

Inbound immigration is finished but it baffles me how / why it is now slower than before, The serpentine queue to get through can take an age, There NEVER seems to be any planning as to what flights are coming in - I think that has been previously mentioned - is it just happenstance as to how many people are on the desks ? There are definately more people standing watching the process and at the desk behind than actually looking at passports. The other Sat am as I walking to my gate they were actually queing out of the aircraft airbridge exit gate towards the escalators !!! - My estmate is that it would take at leat 40 minutes to get throught BEFORE waiting for your luggage!

My big worry is that immigration inbound is now the slowest achilles heel of the place. I dont undestand how this "improvement" can slow the exit process down so much. It not subject to any more work or imporvements so this is how its going to be (gulp)

The IRIS system is working and now I have registered perhaps I can escape quicker until everyone else cottons on !

Overall - they have a plan and it may be quite good when finished, but oh so slow.

Warsaw Flight
 

I see Norweigan are starting to run a weekly flight to Poland ( Warsaw) This is forward thinking! Low cost flights to/from eastern european countries has to be a popular choice with the large numbers of Poles coming to live work in Birmingham. Any idea what aircraft Norweigan will run? Where are they usually based if not BHX?

Fids still shows the usual BA charter flight numbers. Nothing has changed, the same charters to the same places flown by the same aircraft. Looks like just an update of atc call signs. Lets face it, it's been many years since the callsign Speedbird was heard in BHX for anything other than diversions or special charters

Quite a bit has changed & not just the ATC callsign. These charter flights are no longer operated by BAcon (or the combined BAcon & Flybe outfit) but BA Cityflyer who have no aircraft based at Birmingham.

I'm lead to believe that the BA colourscheme may still be seen at Brum (other than on the Sunair Billund flights). This is due to the fact that LCY is shut Sat' afternoon & Sun' morning, BA Cityflyer are looking for charter work for the RJ100's for the summer weekends (presumably similar flights to those operated by BAcon in previous years). Wether these flights will be to BHX remains to be seen

WNC

WAW Flights
 

Just checked out Norweigans website and outgoing flights about 42 Euros and inbound mostly 25 Euros. At least BHX management starting to wake up to the sunshine of these low cost airlines and stop thinking the big ones were going to be there forever, shame they had to wait until the writing was long on the wall about this issue.:ugh:

Trouble is though Phil, as you say, they woke up about 5 years too late. Wouldn't mind if significant heads had rolled at Director/Senior Manager level, but they haven't. BIA are now moaning that their cost base is too high; well they weren't too interested in controlling costs until about two years ago. Interesting that 'Personnel' are now called 'Human Resources.' Given the attitude of the head of that department, it's not surprising that the name now reflects an impersonal attitude. People I know are immensely proud to work at the airport, but not proud to work for BIAL - and certainly wouldn't recommend it:=

Warsaw
 

PhilBHX

The aircraft is a 148 seat 733 and based in Warsaw. Norwegian had at
least two units based in Warsaw when the base opened but not sure now.

The outbound from BHX is a good time but no so good from the other end
but I assume it is aimed at the Polish market and not the usual UK
frequent flyers.

I must admit BHX has been slow with the Polish market with just the twice weekly SkyEurope Krakow & it will be interesting to see how Norwegian do.

OP

Departure Lounge
 

CVTDog totally agree with you about the departure lounge. I know its a revenue grabber with the business trippers bored for a couple of hours with their expenses euros burning a hole in their suit pockets, however I wish the refurb had made as much use as it could of the viewing area that used to be by the old Starbucks. Was a great way to see the airport as well as a wall of natural light. Maybe watching the joys of ramp workers going about their business was not the best advertisement for quality service when too much work and too few poor souls slaving away to get it done for fast turnarounds.All well and good making the lounge glossy but as you say taking FAR too long and the whole international pier about as attractive as a 70s train station, come to think of it, maybe the carpets came from a 60s train station.

Hopefully, if Warsaw attracts good loads, we could see it go from 4times a week to maybe 5-6? Also, if Warsaw prooves itself, they could also look at maybe an Oslo

Fried Chicken

Where is Wawsaw ?

Question answered? :p

Thread in Rumours & News suggesting Easy might be starting at BHX in the winter. Anyone have anymore info?

The EasyJet rumour has been doing the rounds for a very long time, but considering that the airline has just re-signed their contract with EMA and have also gone through the trouble of signing a new handling agent here - I can't see them moving up the road to BHX unless they've given them an excellent deal, or Ryanair are really squeezing them.

Perhaps they could be picking up MAD, SXF, GVA using aircraft from those bases?

I'm not sure why they'd go through the expense of establishing these routes to a new airport, when they could increase the frequencies of existing services into EMA from GVA, and launch MAD/SXF from there also.

Quote "Where is Wawsaw ?"

Between Birmingham and Wolverhampton :p :p

Madrid/Berlin
 

bmibaby.com

In respect of MAD & SXF, would BHX not be a more logical choice if the
aircraft were operating from these bases (They have bases at both).

Why go head to head with Ryanair on these routes thus diluting yields when you can have a monopoly at BHX. I agree it is a totally different matter if we are talking about establishing a BHX base etc.

I know Prague at East Mids survives with Easy and Baby but wouldn't MAD & SXF be a major risk?

Maybe Easy could test the water at BHX with these two routes.

OP

An Air France partner is looking strongly at the Lyon - BHX route. I'm not sure if Cityjet have any aircraft based in Lyon so possibly Regional (Embraer?) or Britt Air (CRJ?)

WNC

Pay Rise
 

Hear from the FS lads that Serco have confirmed the 4.9% offer still on the table along with an agreement to support training outside people on overtime ( not compulsory) so doubt anyone will disagree with that. Seems the reason was the Serco negotiator didn't have the authority to actually make the offer but seeing as he has, it will be honoured. Can't exactly argue with that - well not if ur in the FS. Makes the 3.7% general offer look more than a bit weak - maybe if we offer to do training on overtime its gonna be ours too?

The offer was never taken off the table for the FS. The guy had the authority. It was BHX interfering because they want the airport claim settled before the FS so that it will not give people any Ideas.
Re BHX pay.. There is always more to negotiate than the basic % rise. The talks are still on going. If they can't screw you one way they will always try another...
A new head at the helm of HR would not go amiss.
It looks like the airport is pushing its intent to become landlords only, on a pace. Several feasability studies appear to be going on. They have to have something to offer the new owners - whoever that maybe - .