summer 2008
 

hey all just a update bmi a320 to be based during the six week summer holidays operating on behalf of the thomas cook group they will also lay on a extra flight to tenerife on sunday dinners with futura from whit and tui group have now put spanair on there saturday flight to ibiza and futura on there sunday flight to palma replacing there own aircraft cheers paul

summer 2008
 

Paul do you no what will the third tom aircraft now operate on sat/sun
the programme still shows 3 aircraft mon to fir if website is correct,

Good news on the bmi airbus 6 week programme for tcx group this should
make up for the loss of the bmi airbus 2007 weekend flying programme,

If my details are correct and no more changes EMA will have the only charter programme with little change from 2007, that can not be case for airports like bhx,ncl,brs.lpl,lgw,man. which have lost full aircraft based for the 2008 programme.

can some one advise why we have 3 charters tonight to gva i.e tom/eaf/tcx

summer 2008
 

hey stuart the third thomson aircraft is now based mon-fri from may 1st the aircraft in question will now operate else where at weekends

summer 2008
 

Thanks paul the programme not showing a third aircraft at weekends
but with the added fua/spa had me confused with the programme.

On the departure board it is showing 4 flights out to Geneva tonight... anyone know why?

EAF3298 19:45 Geneva
TOM8047 20:00 Geneva
TCX912G 20:00 Geneva
TOM047X 20:00 Geneva

charters for a convention apparently

No wonder I had to fight my way through the terminal on the way home - thought they didn't look like Swiss footy fans!
RC

Hi guys.... anyone know what aircraft Thomas Cook / My Travel have planned for this summer?

2x Airbus A320 a/c and they'll be handled by Menzies Aviation.

Whar's the combined airline gonna be called? Is it Thomas Cook, with the current livery?

Yes, the airline is being called Thomas Cook Airlines, continues to use the TCX designator and the current uniforms and livery.

ema-new york ?
 

on the airport website dep 20.00 tue 12/2/08
AC123 is this a new service or just a dep board test for summer 2008.

????

bmibaby had there 2nd flight to Warsaw today?

how were the pax figures?, i read in cardiff it was above 100

How are booking for the new Isle of Man? I assume they are good!
When does Sterling - Copenhagen go up to 6 weekly?
And finally......What is the plan for Summer based a/c?

Thanks a lot
SAM-EMA

Parking!!
 

Well I have just come back from a long weekend in Ireland, which was flown EMA-DUB with FR.

Surprisingly, no problems at all with FR. That may be because I regard flying with them in a "this is war" mindset. They aren't having any more money off me. So, follow the rules and it all works swimmingly. Of course, as usual the staff are faultless!!

However, the parking at EMA can only be described as a complete and utter joke. I booked parking via the EMA website, so not sure if it is EMA ran or sub'd out.

On arrival we parked in Long Stay 7 and got a bus to the terminal. However the drop-off / collection point for the bus is the same; so trying to get off the coach with a pram and a pile of people getting on it was a struggle. Then when you arrive you have to walk all the way around to the bus stop (by departures). Why not do what every other airport does and have 2 stops, 1 for deps and 1 for arr's??

That was not the worst though. The frankly third world arrangements for getting out of the car park were totally laughable. As I had prebooked I had no ticket - instead you drive to the barrier, press the button, wait, wait, wait and then read out your booking number which is checked and then you are allowed out. All well and good in practice - but when there are multiple plane loads of people all trying to the same it results in a 20 minute queue to get out of the car park!!

It would have helped if the bloke answering the intercom on the barrier answered it promptly and was alert when he did. Instead it "rang" for about 30 seconds and then he seemed shocked that I wanted to get out.

There are numerous much better solutions to this: pin pad to type booking ref into, barcode on booking ticket and scanner, mutliple exit lanes... you name it.

I won't be buying parking from EMA again thats for sure.... I will try the offsite people next time and if they are no good then I just won't use EMA!!

A real shame as it totally spoiled an otherwise brilliant visit to EMA.


HC.

PS: Whats the current plan/state of the UKIA aircraft?

HeliCraig, seems that you may have highlighted a major flaw in the parking system at EMA. If you had those problems recently, then what is it going to be like in the middle of Summer?

I suggest you contact the airport by email. In the past, I have found them pretty responsive to suggestions to speed up their processes, also you never know they may compensate you for your delays.

morning all,

Any ideas for TCX982L from Cairo arriving tonight????

Also, are there any developments taking place before the summer commences or is there anything planned for after the Summer??? Also where is the new hotel being built and what chain is going to be running it? I know the Thistle (bit tired now) is there along with the Premier Travel Inn and Holiday Inn Express on site. Any one any ideas???

Regards

Stu

Stu,

I believe the planning application is for a 4/5 star hotel to be built on the Eastern end of the Pegasus Business Park - no idea of the chain.

Not much else seems to be on the cards at the moment apart from the new link road between the Western and Central aprons; I suspect we can expect a year of consolidation at EMA, along with most other UK airports.

WestOfEMA,

Good point - have just left some feedback on EMAs website. No point in moaning in public but not letting them know so they can at least decide if it is a priority for them!

Lets hope they sort it; for the sake of EMA. Creates a terrible impression. If I get a refund, so much the better!.


HC.

re: Parking
 

Like HeliCraig, I had a frustrating experience with EMA pre-booked parking last summer (August). Pre-booked at what seemed at the time a marvellous rate for two weeks in car park 1. Seemed a great idea, just park up and walk to the terminal, no waiting for buses, etc. etc.

Turned up and lo and behold, car park FULL. I guess I shouldn't be surprised but hey, I only had an email saying that's the car park I was booked in on...! Luckily I had left plenty of time so I drove down to the Long Stay 7. It then took more than 10 minutes of driving around to find a space, the car park was busting at the seams with people parked in every grass verge etc. that was available. Thankfully, we got a space and a bus was available - we didn't get inconvenienced any further.

Must admit I didn't take it up with the parking company at the time, I just wanted to dump the car and get on my holiday. But seeing HeliCraig's post reminded me. But the question remains, what's the point in allowing you to pre-book a car park when it's full at the time you stipulate on your booking!!

Something else as well, re: the bus transfer, on our return, the bus arrived and people proceeded to get on, and although there were plenty of seats left, the bottom luggage racks were full, and everyone else had heavy cases. So no further passengers, including us, attempted to get on. The driver then very helpfully said "I'm not allowed to leave unless the bus is full", and we said "we can't get our cases on", because no-one was going to try and lift their 20kg bag above shoulder height and into to the top rack.

So this hilarious stand-off ensued (well, it would be hilarious if it wasn't 5.30 am and we'd all stepped off a transatlantic flight) where nothing happened for a minute or two. Eventually after some mutterings under his breath the driver got out of his cab and moved all the cases to the top rack, we got on an off we went. I know it's laziness on the part of the first passengers to dump their cases on the bottom, and it shouldn't the the drivers' job to hump them around, but wouldn't it have been easier just to drive off and we wait for the next bus?

January Pax Figures
 

The airport's website is reporting a 15.8% increase in passengers using the terminal in January, the total for the month being 340,069 - a good start to the year!

Checking on south dep from ema and bhx sun 6.00am to 7.30am today,
and counted 12 dep from ema and only 4 dep from bhx, I now this is only a cross section but on the grounds with ema increased pax and further increase in cargo and mail when do you think ema will over take bhx on air transport movements. ?

REGARDS
STUART

p.s That would that make ema the midlands no 1 airport when the air transport movements over take bhx.

ATMs are but one measure of an airport's size / importance.

By measure of cargo EMA is already the biggest airport in the Midlands - actually one of the biggest outside LHR. I think I'm right in saying that if you take account only of pure freighter tonnage EMA is probably the biggest in UK.

By passenger ATM's EMA has a mountain to climb. However I think if you compare total ATMs BHX vs EMA it's going to be closer, though I still cannot see the day when EMA gets near the BHX total figure.

By the most used measure (passengers - or bums on seats) then BHX is still way ahead, and will continue to be so.

I think that as with most figures, there's lies, darned lies, and statistics and the "spinmeisters" with continue to quote the ones most convenient to their cause, whatever the truth might be.

stuart-travel

I think you may be in for a bit of a disappointment.
To put things into perspective - EMA had I believe about 5.4 million passengers in 2007.
Ryanair, which opens its new BHX base in April with 20 new routes, has pledged 5.0 million extra passengers through BHX by end of 2013.
So just the proposed Ryanair growth at Birmingham about equals EMA's total 2007 passenger numbers. :}

Alvechurch

You may be right but its rynair you quote and the past history of bhx and rynair is not good and it may only take a change of charges to change rynairs plan.

Just a follow up to my earlier mini rant.... I had a nice letter from EMA today explaining that they are aware the current situation is not ideal regarding car parking.

Firstly the writer pointed out that I could have got my ticket validated in the terminal so as not to have to use the intercom (although this would not have helped with the others at the front of the queue!).

However, she does then go on to explain that they are looking at getting ANPR installed so the barrier will raise automatically; and for the summer they will have completed a new long stay car park which will have multiple entry/exit lanes.

Its really good to know that they are listening; and it seems the people on the ground at EMA are just as friendly and helpful as those in ATC!

Keep up the good work.

Please dont shoot the messenger but word has it that Kingfisher Airlines of India are in talks with the airport to offer flights from To India and the US. I dont know how true it is, but has made the news and i heard this before but didnt wanna sound stupid (if you know what i mean).

Hope someone can shed some light onto this

Regards

Stu

India
 

Talking about flights to India, anyone know any more about Kang Pacific starting flights in 2008?

Stu
 

This is a rumour network, and we've been woefully short of decent EMA rumours for a while, so well done!

Mike

Very doubtful - BHX and FR have taken a very long time to reach an agreement that suits both (FR were in talks with BHX back in 2001 over a base well before they considered EMA) and if the rumour is true that FR are to operate from T2 they will have use of a facility that dare I say it is a lot better than many of the terminals they fly from across the UK and Europe (for now!). I have no idea of the deal struck between FR and EMA but considering it was when O Leary threw his toys out the pram over BHX I would imagine it was a lean deal for EMA particularly as at that time they were very keen to embrace scheduled flight expansion through loco ops. If anything (and this is pure speculation but this is a rumour site after all) it will be EMA that would have to rethink their deal with FR over charges in the long run......no FR base airport is safe from the whims of O Leary and his relentless drive to cut costs to the absolute bone

Stu,

The Kingfisher info is a very interesting one. You mention it has made the news - have you read it somewhere, or heard ti on the grapevine?

I know Kinfisher have stacks of dosh, having flights stop at EMA on the way India - USA/Canada would obviousyly be great news.

egnxema,

I have both heard and read about Kingfisher. I was speaking to someone a few weeks ago and he mentioned that talks had opened but also it was mentioned in the Nottingham Evening Post. It is on the web on the following page http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/di...=sidebarsearch

Regards

Stu

Very interesting reading Stu - cheers.

The business community requesting, and an airline that has plans & cash could well lead to bigger things. A space worth watching.

UPS@EMA
Is the usa service with kingfisher the same plan as a airline from the us to operate nyc-ema and bos-ema or is this a new plan.

regards
stuart

thomson
 

hey oliww see posts 562&564 there is your answer cheers paul

Thanks Paul.

The summer season starts soon...can we expect to see this based at ema?

Ryanair - 6x B738
bmibaby - 4x B733, 1x B735
bmi - 1x E135
Eastern Airways - 1x J41
easyJet - 3x A319
Thomsonfly - 2x B738, 1x B752 (1x B738, 1x B752 on weekends)
First Choice - 1x A321, (B763 - Sat, Sun, Mon)
Thomas Cook - 2x A320
XL.com - 1x B738

Is the BMI A320 as well as the 2 TCX A320s or is it part of the 2 TCX A/C?
And, when FCA leave us, can we expect TOM to replace their A321 with a B757?

Thanks in advance
SAM-EMA

bmi A320
 

hey sam the bmi a320 will base only during the six week school holidays these flights are extra and will link up with the 2 thomas cook aircraft cheers paul

Bit of a spotter question I'm afraid:-

Did EMA have any/many diverts yesterday due wx in the SE?