Yes, have to say that a FR service out of BHD would be great - not sure what services they would have. Barcelona Gerona/Pisa/Frankfurt Hahn???

Ryanair
 

So a reminder of the rumours that featured in the press last month:

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...cle2706531.ece
http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/fligh...r-to-star.html

These statements suggest (confirm) that Ryanair won't base any aircraft in Belfast, but will simply fly to Belfast from other bases. This solves the issue of City's curfew.

Interesting to see non-bases among the routes then!? Paris could easily be a W, but Riga would nearly mean a Riga base, and same goes for the Polish destination of choice. i.e. As soon as Ryanair decide between Warsaw and Katowice for their first Polish base, then that base will have a Belfast route...

Interesting how things pan out, its almost like a play, EI talk about a base in Belfast, FR are always out to have dig at big bad EI so they suddenly decide to open operations at Belfast. Meanwhile BE let it be known that they wouldn't be happy if FR set up at BHD. So without any official annoucements yet, this is what we know. I think management at BHD have taken on board the carrot from BE about Paris, Amsterdam and other European routes that they plan to start and thought yeh, yeh heard it all before. They have falling passenger numbers, BE flights are very often delayed. So with a bit of risk they have decided to a deal with FR. The problem for them is they cannot set-up a large base there with the restrictions that apply. BE have something like 10 aircraft there overnight. Small aircraft ideally suited to BHD I just hope for their sake BE don't take the hump and go maybe not to BFS but leave NI altogether. BE and BHD work well together for each other and their aircraft are best suited to a City airport, I mean 737's every hour complaints will rise blah, blah. The routes planned are nearly all here already which I think is the sinister side to all this FR out witting EI, as NI is a small market place. Yes the traveller will win in the short term but in the future who knows. If they would come in with a new interesting set of routes but are they.

Ryanair at BHD
 

If we are to believe the Ryans are coming to town can some expert answer me 1 question.Why if City of Derry runway is longer than BHD why did ryanair need the first mentioned lengthened to accomodate the B737-800 series.What will they need knocked down at BHD? I await you comments.

Ryan didn't really need the runway lenghened at Ldy. That's all about the need for 3 international airports for the large population we have here.

If Fr come to Bhd, they know all the rules at this point. So what will happen to the pax cap, or will it just be ignored? Or will we see more shouting about how unfair it is, affecting ops etc and the need to have it reviewed again until its gone.

What I can't accept in all of this, they know the rules and still decide that they're not an issue.

And why would Be try Norwich, sure they tried it before and it failed?

True Blue

Regarding BE and the NWI route, it didn't fail. It was actually a very good route in terms of pax loads, the company however in their infinite wisdom decided to pull it for reasons best known only to themselves. It would make sense to re-run the route as NWI is now a crew base for BE, and seemingly always short of locally based crews. NWI and GCI are the only 2 crew bases not directly linked to BHD through the BE network.

As for the talk of BE pulling out of NI, Jeez, where would you even start with a load of cr@p like that.......:ugh:

Apparently it will be announced tomorrow that Ryanair will soon be starting Belfast City routes, best of luck to them!

FR/BHD runway/PAX restrictions
 

If FR were to appear at BHD, how many of the 189 seats on the B738 would they be allowed to fill?

Incidently there is also a FR announcement at LPL tomorrow.

Sounds like a bloodbath on the way! With EI and FR opening up new opportunities, our little patch is about to become oversubscribed!
Of course, we're all delighted to see the competition, but it will be interesting to see how many of the new (and indeed existing) services survive over the longer term. And it probably suits FR most of all to have a go and see what happens...if they're successful, then they hurt EZY, BE, Baby and Jet2...if not, they pull out! I reckon EI will do well though...they have the perception of a 'proper' airline at LCC prices, and if they do offer routes across the pond, that will build customer loyalty.
Somehow feel it's going to be a difficult time for BE...their reputation isn't exactly glowing at the moment.
Two questions though about FR...what will the night curfew do to utilisation for them, and what about the runway length at BHD (a tad short for 738s if you take LDY as an example).

Air Berlin have used the 737-800 on some sundays, and at one stage overbooked by 4 seats. The aircraft took off with 189 POB with no problems.

IF all the rumours are true, it'll be good news for the consumer - at least in the short term. It'll be good to see the airlines (and airports) competing to get business, head to head on the same routes

Interesting times ahead!

If my memory serves me right, Bd were none too pleased at bfs for offering a deal to Easy when they first appeared. Thinking about the sort of deals that Fr want, what will Bd think now if Fr appear? And what will be the furure of their Lhr route if Ei appear?

I must say I'm not a fan of this idea of the same routes being offered, nothing new.

True Blue

They will fly from bases to Belfast and time their flights so that there are no late flights. No FR planes will be based at BHD.
Example:
A Liverpool based Ryanair aircraft could fly
LPL - BHD - LPL - BTS/BUD - LPL - BHD - LPL - CRL - LPL
The Liverpool aircraft is fully utilised :cool:

Fr pushed for the runway extension at Ldy. That has now been agreed, at a cost to the taxpayer of many millions of pounds. Will Fr serve both, or up the road will they drop Ldy and leave a white elephant of an airport and wasted millions? That's what my money is on.

True blue

If FR are to serve Liverpool/Belfast City it will give ESCNI and the like an alternative. :ok:

NSNO

What will EI do now? I can't help but wonder did they create enough speculation to lure FR in to announcing first. So that EI can now assess the situation and announce after FR - looks better.

I read on another forum this week about a group of MP's wanting a £40 per pax green tax. I am as keen a traveller as any, but I think that the sort of expansion we are now seeing will give the green lobby more ammo and the Gov the excuse it needs to put more taxes, in the name of greenery. If the reports are true that Fr will do Lpl, Ema and Brs, why do we need these from 2 airports? At this moment, they all have better services from NI than they have ever had. What will more from Fr do for us? And I agree, where will the pax come from for all these flights? Also, if Fr want to grow here, how will they do that at Bhd? Will BD and Be be pushed out of Bhd?

True Blue

Aer Lingus
 

Doesn't seem that EI will be rushed into an announcement: -


http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/article2796365.ece

Hopefully the link will open but EI claiming no decision has been made.


Pete

FR wouldnt have problems operating to the non-bases out of BHD. As mentioned they would fly a W pattern and as for the polish flights well currently out of EMA we fly Bergerac/Wroclaw Wodz/Limoges Dublin/Krakow so a BHD/Katowice would fit the bill.
EMa is meant to be getting 2 new based 738's with only 2 new routes so far announced being Riga and Budapest. I for one hope FR do go to BHD means I can travel home easier! :ok:

I wouldn't expect them to claim anything else...