I think to say that EZY will quit Belfast is tosh. FR are clearly interested in BHD, there is NOTHING to suggest they would operate an expensive 2 Belfast airport operation. 8478 for STN is average, not poor at all.

Regards

Mike

Why is there this 'fear of FR going around'. Are EI not gaining ground at Dublin. They have been in Prestwick for years and EZY are slowly expanding at GLA. In fact I would say that they carry well under 3 million passengers in the cental belt of Scotland in total. EZY are expanding away in BRS despite a large start-up from FR. EZY are still in STN after years with FR. What about the FR routes that have been all quietly axed recently. MOL has done wonders for a charter airline in the eighties, which flew into BFS from memory in those days, he has turned european travel around and lowered fares by an unbelievable amount. But at the end of the day FR is now just a low cost airline like any other.

STN/BHD 83 passengers average on every flight in June for a 737 on the busy London corridor-I would say average in numbers, poor for the route

EI at BFS
 

Anyone know what the EI215 flight to DUB at 1600 is about?

I think it was a diversion due to weather at DUB.

Do you think ryanair will fill the gap airberlin going leaves?

Took a day to consider the Fr news. Really surprised at the muted response on here, seems to be lack of excitement. Can't figure the Fr decision, how are they going to compete with 1 flight per day. And if they decide to go for more flights, then the pax cap will kick in. I believe that they have reduced frequency on Ema - ldy already. And how big is the market for Prestwick? I have checked prices to Lpl and they're not cheap.

I have come to the decision that this may have been a rushed decision by Fr, bearing in mind reports that the agreement had only been finalised the previous afternoon. Were they spooked by the Ei news at bfs? And was all the reports about Ei to Lhr to steal some of the fr thunder, because it worked?

Fr don't always get it right and this may be one of those wrong decisions. I can't see a restricted airport being the right option for Fr. Surely they would have needed more flexibility to compete with say Ezy to Lpl, like higher frequency and maybe a late arrival at belfast?

What will Bd think about the deal that Fr have got?

And what will Be think, their ability to expand may be screwed by the arrival of Fr and the probelms with the pax cap that will now surface again?

True Blue

The decrease in LDY-EMA was always planned....as early as the release of the summer schedules way back. It goes daily again in September.
It's obviously great news for BHD, but one has to wonder if FR have suddenly got all these shinely new planes and are struggling with things to do with them. All a bit predictable. Hopefully the European routes will follow soon.

BFS obviously suits FR far more then BHD would ever...passenger cap/curfew/short runway. I can see possibly the flights being increased once things get going but it seems to me FR are out to unsettle a number of airlines not least EZY. Starting up in Bristol etc give it 18mths to 2 years FR will be based in Newcastle.

Interesting times ahead to see how BD cope with competition from EI and see how things go once FlyMayBE sort things out after the BAcon takeover.
I have seen some mention EZY arn't expanding from BFS now will this FR announcement give them the incentive to or not?!?:ugh:


Regards

I forgot to ask, is the viewing gallery at Bfs open again yet? And i do wish Bfs would put flight info screens in it.

True Blue

This has got to be good for a punt!

EZY have had it too good for far too long, in the past year they have been screwing the NI public

THEY NEED COMPETITION

With this new FR anouncement they will hardly be quaking in their boots but it represents something (the start of the end!) but add it into the overall mix, their backs are against the wall.

An announcement from EI may be the kick in the pants they need, its a bit like the kid sticking his finger in the dyke (no nasty comments please), not directly responsible but a major factor.

As I said - interesting times ahead.

BTW I have never used AB but I will be sorry to seem them leave (if they do) IMHO competition is king

And was all the reports about Ei to Lhr to steal some of the fr thunder, because it worked?

That made me think that maybe if EI ever announce BFS as a base, maybe they will have a more organised affair. First Minister, with his deputy, etc there, a lot of 'fireworks' blah, blah

Do you think ryanair will fill the gap airberlin going leaves?

I would be surprised if they didn't, and announce it quite quickly. The irony of this all is that the civil servants of North Down are going to have to travel with the 'peasants' now to London, on seats with chewing gum remains. (especially when BD leave)

The FR announcement of a very limited operation at the city was the abridged version of what they were planning to announce. The airport were worried that the full scale version would tip the balance, both in terms of the existing operators and the locals, who have won a 3 day judicial review planned for mid September. The airport are right to be worried, but their success in curtailing the airlines expectations is only temporary and a poor way to have to start a business relationship. The Ryans bullish attitude to airport operations is not suited to BHD where the constraints are considerable and the recent EIP which was to have been a formality, in terms of relaxing the constraints, has ended up in a JR. The proclaimation that ' if we need a runway extension we'll do it' made on the BBC the other night might be a little premature. Airports increasingly are using their commercial income to supplement the reduced charges required to encourage low cost carriers, with one landside, and two airside shops and a limited range of cafe, restaurant facilities and a growing requirement for capital, how do BHD see the future.
Meanwhile we passengers benefit, in the short term.

I heard what Mr Ambrose said also on BBC about 'runway extension we will do it' and I thought MOL already pulling the strings. I think I heard something about an environmental campaign to happen at Heathrow against the new runway. I would say that BHD will find it difficult to achieve any runway expansion.

I think 'difficult' is a great understatement, the locals will force that one to full public enquiry which in NI can take a number of years, but I think the issue will be sorted long before a runway extn is required.

but I think the issue will be sorted long before a runway extn is required.Today 09:33
What do you mean!!

Also BE seemed to welcome the competition in the Tele yesterday. I hope that they stay were they are, but will they expand further. I said before BHD/BE (apart from the delays) have worked well together for years, with BE providing a more business style operation which has always been popular, smaller aircraft etc etc and was never an issue with residents. I just hope that the dogmatic view taken by BHD on 'expansion', 'expansion' hasn't lead to a stalemate between the two with the introduction of FR.

'The FR announcement of a very limited operation at the city was the abridged version of what they were planning to announce'.

So don't keep us in the dark. What were they planning to announce?

I agree, I feel that BHD, in an attempt to improve their falling passenger numbers have sold the best tool they had, their differentiated product. They are now competing in a market place that they are not able to exploit, mainly through their lack of commercial opportunity and also as their constraints prevent them from reaching the critical mass required.
flybe will remain at BHD but growth, or even maintaining current levels, despite welcoming the competition, is unlikely even when they sort out their operational issues.
How they fare with the other planning issues such as terminal extension, passenger cap removal, if this remains a problem, and other environmental matters will need to be successfully resolved prior to extending the runway.

Dont know the detail but Peter did refer to anumber of european services in his later TV interviews, saying what was announced was only a start.

Anyone know anything about KLM coming to Belfast. Heard that there was supposed to be an announcement made from them??

Aer Lingus have KLM code shares on their flights from Dublin and Cork to Amsterdam. Could it be a case of Amsterdam being one of their new routes and KLM throwing a codeshare on it?