Provisional passenger figures for June out. BFS not yet out however looking at BHD, LCY 1660, CWL 1705 and Dundee 425. Why has the LCY route never been successful from Belfast even Dundee/LCY carries 4456 passengers. Maybe they should try BFS instead I mean those figures from Belfast/LCY are poor the service has been well advertised all over the place 3 rotations a day Air France (not flymaybe). Liverpool/LCY carried 1656 and I think its been axed. As for Dundee has that been going a full month if so thats about 11 per flight what capacity seating does the aircraft have there. CWL pretty poor but then again as its Flymaybe, people are avoiding anyway.

BPS202 Isle of Man 08:45 08:37 ARRIVED FR 611 LONDON STANSTED 08:45 08:44 ARRIVED EZY251 LONDON STANSTED 09:10 09:10EXPECTED

Well BFS is the flavour of the month for diversions. What has happened at Londonderry this morning

From ryanair website

DUEFLIGHT#ROUTESTATUS0825FR 611London (Stansted) - DerryDELAYHas diverted to belfast airport due to low cloud at city of derry airport

Just while we're on the subject of Ryanair, i noticed this morning that there is now a travel guide for Belfast on their website. Is this a sign of things to come?

I see the Glasgow Prestwick flight was also diverted to BFS, but the British Airways flights are landing fine?? Something can't be right

Apparently FR are in negotiations with both Belfast airports. Interesting that when LDY was closed FR avoided BFS, now a little low cloud and they are in. BFS is the right airport for a Ryanair operation, so we will have to wait and see.

Gate 22, perhaps you would answer two questions:

1) Why would LCY work any better from BFS than BHD? Have you undertaken any market research which would suggest this is correct?

2) You say BFS is "the right airport for a Ryanair operation" - perhaps you could elaborate - right from who's perspective - yours or prospective passengers?

ALLMCC,

1. Dundee carried nearly 2.5 times more passengers to LCY than BHD/LCY, even although EDI is not too far away. I know for a fact, it has even been in the papers, that there is a large group of companies, particularly from the south of the province who use BFS at any cost over BHD for business purposes and this came to light when BMI switched to BHD. LCY failed with BE not too long ago, I mean LCY is an attractive business alternative to London, so you tell me why it has poor figures (surely Air France did a little 'market research').
2. So FR want to set up a base in Belfast. Now think about it FR want to be successful, after all they are going to be competing against EZY, they need aircraft based at an airport that a. has room. b. you can take-off and land from with maximum payload in all weathers. c. An airport that you can land in after 21.30 without paying fines. etc etc

A thunderstorm is causing a few problems atm at BFS. EZY449 and EXS336 have diverted into BHD. A few more in the hold atm.

Just a quick edit. Flights are now getting in again. Apparently the terminal has been evacuated due to flooding!!

b. you can take-off and land from with maximum payload in all weathers.

How ironic.

I see the Birmingham FlyBE flight # BE417 has been cancelled dept. Belfast City tonight. Anyone know why?

I assume it's either down to low passenger numbers? I'd be mighty annoyed if I had booked that flight, and planned to connect with a connection, or even to visit my friends in England. With no further flights to Birmingham tonight, what happens in this case?

Do you get a refund even if you don't have holiday insurance? What about if you decide you don't want to travel at a later date, do you get a refund for the return flight?

The 414 inbound passengers will be put on the later 416 flight, and the outbound 417 passengers would probably be put on the 415 if they checked in early enough, or told they're not going, or go to Manchester and bus it down.

The flight could be off due to low numbers, or a late departure, thus extending the curfew.

Flybe does not cancel flights due to low numbers. Maybe low crew numbers but not pax!!!

If there is anything political in EI establishing a Belfast base, today would be a good opportunity to announce, bearing in mind with what is happening in Armagh.

Allmcc wrote


1. Can't speak for him BUT I suppose the research HAS been done so time will tell whether EITHER airport would work(can't see WHY they would want to fly from BFS anyway:confused:)

2. Please use the search function for items such as
a. Noise
b. Passenger Cap
c.Opening hours
d.Parking space
e.better air traffic contr...........JOKING on the last one before Tower Ranger complains.:}:}

Didn't realise Wizz Warsaw flights were operating 2 W6 in last night together I heard. I wonder if Belfast will feature in expansion by Wizz. Austrian flights seem to come in regularly now, Linz this afternoon, are these locally operated excursions (Tele holidays are something).

I see Golden Air Saab 2000 is coming into BHD later today from ARL. Anyone any more info?

Smythy034

I suppose that's taking back the 'Elfsborg' football team who were playing Linfield last night

gate 22

Football charters
 

a number of different ad hoc football charters on Mon and Tue at bfs.2 aircraft from Sweden 1 emb145 that went out on Tue night carrying Linfields opponents and a 737 on Mon carrying Glentorans opponents.Tue seen another 737 from Lativia.I think this was Dungannon Swifts opponents,also had another Lativian team onboard and then departed to the Faroe islands.Not much room on the ramp on these days.

easyJet is discontinuing its Belfast-Rome service for this winter according to today's Irish News! More flights to Krakow and Geneva will fill the gap. Airport spokesman is hopeful Rome will return for summer 08.

They are Lithuanian not Latvian. :=



;)

If EZY can't make Rome work EI or FR could move in if they announce BFS/BHD. EZY seem to have turned their attention to BRS and are now ignoring BFS as far as opportunities go. So maybe a bit of new blood at Belfast to shake things up wouldn't go a miss.

This is standard practise for EZY . They chop and change on a seasonal basis. I personally would like to see extra AMS rotations...what about it WWW?

The Austrian flights are inbound holidays charters from Vienna/Graz/Linz. People coming to Northern Ireland for a holiday.

Just shows that BFS is increasingly becoming a tourist destinations with direct charters to BFS for people wanting to holiday in N.I

Remember Crossair used to operate similar flights to Enniskillen about 5 years ago.

TE 5545 VAGAR 23:25 23:25

From arrivals board this evening. Where exactly is Vagar!!!!. I take TE is Lithuanian Airlines. Would this flight be a B737.

FR at Bhd
 

So we are at 19 July and still no news on fr at Bhd. I thought that we were to hear some news early July? See Fr has made a fairly large announcement today, but nothing on Bhd. What do you think?

True Blue

Well lets look at the facts
1. FR talking to both Belfast Airports
2. Belfast has appeared on the FR site, within the destination guide as a 'new' destination, (mind you I think I saw Adelaide in there) But I think this is very significant.
3. FR have went quite public about researching Belfast/Shannon as a route.
Now todays announcement, could it be they are feeing up an aircraft in LPL, which could be used elsewhere. When do they stop INV/Aberdeen etc. from LPL.

Vagar is Faroe Islands and the carrier is FlyLAL, so either 737-300/500 or Saab 2000

Is there a clue in the fact that the Ryanair guide on Belfast is only in French?

Interestingly they give transit information for buses etc... for both Belfast airports - so no clues in the content.

If Easy are losing money on CIA it's their own fault. I imagine a lot of the pennies went towards reconciling bags that were offloaded due to performance limitations on the 737. I don't for a second think they'll be back on it again because its a prime target for any operator now. RYR could start it from CIA even if they don't have a base in NI. Easy have clearly fallen out of love with NI. Good luck to those who profit from lost orange opportunities. I'd wager that if their 'commercial' team had any idea whatsoever about the NI market they would be doing just the opposite. From what I hear on the inside they have no interest whatsoever, much to the disdain of their local crews.

omoko joe
 

I dont think that Ryanair will start any new CIA routes in the immediate future as they have been told that they must cut back on the number of weekly/daily movement as the authorities put a cap on the number. However, Ryanair may get a chance to consider some military airport in the Rome area... Intersting!

If FR set-up a base, (aircraft based overnight) in Belfast then on paper they would be foolish not to select BFS, but who knows when politics enter the equation.

Ryanair have no current plans to set up a Belfast base. They will fly to Belfast from its other bases. The routes will come in dribs and drabs over the next 2 to 3 years. Belfast could become a kind of Beauvais or Treviso or Riga. A good few routes, but no based aircraft.

Seven flights due into BHD after 22.00 hrs tonight last one 23.40 hrs.

Near enough the same case everywhere else in the UK due to the bad weather over there. Looking as if the BEE SOU will be diverted to BFS.

Gate 22

Thanks for that valuable contribution but please could you tell me how many flights are going to be delayed tonight and what time the last one will arrive. This is particularily important today as i will be ordering an Indian take-away and if i`m gonna finish late it might be better to leave it till after 7pm.

Unfortunately Crap Weather = Slots = Delays = Welcome to the real world !!
I`m sure there were no late flights at any of the other NI airports, you do cheer me up!!

I must admit gate 22. You do come across a tad bitter/angry in these progressively more boring debates. Jesus, it's an airport, not a concentration camp.

My own view is this. BFS is good because it has easyjet but sadly is a bit of a hole in the middle of the countryside too and being full of chav types going on holiday doesn't exactly help. If it was demolished and rebuilt like BHD was then it'd be lovely.

BHD is simply a nicer place to be. You're clearly pissed off about the curfew being broken all the time but as tower ranger said, that's life, get over it.

Personally folks, I have to say I prefer BFS to BHD anytime. While BHD might be shinier, BFS has more room, more restaurants / shops, and always seems a lot quicker to transit through! If BHD had a few more security gates, and a few more check-in desks, then things might get a bit quicker!

As for routes, expansion etc., maybe Jet2 will pick up Rome? Flew with them to Bergamo recently and was very impressed...it's nice to get a seat actually allocated! Something Easy and FR could learn from Jet2 and Baby...

My money is also on EI opening up LHR and maybe BHX, as I reckon BHX will get the new EI base, but EI will want to start a presence in NI. As for FR, the old terminal at BHD sounds like a winner for them, except, they will not want to be limited by the 9.30 curfew...what would that do to their utilisation?

Any more word on possible additional North American expansion, or terminal work at BFS?

wingman863, Tower Ranger, lisdoonvarna,

This is an aviation forum which relates to Belfast, if you cannot deal with views from members, then maybe you should queue outside a good bookshop and buy ‘Harry Potter’s latest release.

‘ the curfew being broken all the time but as tower ranger said, that's life, get over it’

Maybe you should submit this view to the BCA planning review, as it would sit in tandem with BCA management and plane spotters of BHD.

is a bit of a hole in the middle of the countryside too and being full of chav types going on holiday

Be careful you come across ‘bitter and angry’, you may upset some other members.

I can wait to read your posts when FR announce BHD


You sound so sure, what do you know, go on spill the beans, you will put a lot of people out of misery these rumours have been going on too long EI as well.
If FR started flying into BHD I would see it as the wrong decision, and yes I would be very disappointed, there you are gloat away, a missed opportunity for Belfast. However I would rather they flew to BHD than avoid Belfast altogether, however FR please not LPL, EMA, Paris somewhere different and exciting please

PS the verona flight is currently running about 20mins late so hold off from ordering that take-away

Comical to read the posts here,

I for one would welcome FR at BHD/BFS Ards if they could as I can then migrate home easier and for free and not pay BMI Baby or go via Dublin!