EAST MIDLANDS - 6
 

With Sterling signing up so they offer CPH, OSL and ARN for a minimum of 5 years, how do you think they are going to compete with SAS from BHX and is it going to be a strong network for the sterling group???? i personally think they will do ok and will go on to offer Billund and maybe another route ontop if it succeeds.

Also any news on UKIA's proposed start up? I know they have flown recently to DSA, SNN and LPL for testing and circuits, so whats next????

Please lets not ruin this thread.

Regards

Stu

Personally I think these new routes are very exciting for EMA, its nice to see a change from sun routes and Ireland.
I think its future depends on many of the current pax at BHX, on these routes are business travellers. What is the level of servise like with Sterling, is it a true low cost airline, or is it more like Monarch?

Lee

More like Monarch - and have been in the business for a similar number of years.

Sterling
 

UPS@EMA

Remember SAS only offer Copenhagen from BHX at the moment with
a load factor approaching 90% most months, which suggests it is all
low-yielding traffic or they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Stockholm and Oslo remain uncovered and nobody interested apparently other BHX management. Norwegian have started well with Warsaw and
I would imagine that they will serious look at Oslo.

I think it is an extremely brave attempt by Sterling and I am sure Stockholm will pick up West Mids traffic as well as East Mids but I am
not convinced at all by Oslo. Copenhagen should take some leisure pax away from SAS.

These would have been good routes for Aer Lingus at BHX but of course
they can make more money flying Faro/Malaga/Barcelona from Belfast:}.

All in all with no Ryanair flights to compete with and very little competition from BHX, they will never have a better chance at the moment.

Pete

Allegedly, UKIA will be doing their (or a) proving flight on Friday. I'm not sure how far a successful flight would get them in terms of closing in on serviceability, as I am by no means an expert.

Does anyone actually know how far this would get them? It seems like we're getting closer to the possibility that this could happen!!!

Additionally, while the region may not have scenery to beat much of Scandinavia, what we DO have is pubs + shops, and lots of them. At LHR SAS operate a very busy schedule all day every day - with a strong business bias. At weekends they are full with high spending weekenders. The cost of living in the UK is a lot lower than Scandinavia. Sterling's schedules are very leisure orientated, so I expect they will be strongly marketing these routes in NOR, SWE and DEN and we can expect to see an increase in the number of Scandinavians drinking in our cities' pubs and shopping at weekends. :ok:

When should we be expecting an announcement from Ryanair about the proposed 6th aircraft arriving in October???? it must be soon as its getting a bit late.

Also i see the airport have applied to the local council to make the land at Finger Farm into operational land. What have they got planned for this does anyone know???????

Regards

Stu

Not being local to EMA though living in Castle Donington where is "Finger Farm?"



Cheers

Its the farm at the East end of the airfield at the back of the pegasus business park.

Havent seen anything mentioned of the two new freight operators to start out of EMA in the next month or so. Aeropostal and Varig, I also here theres going to be another translantic flight to, anyone know anymore?

Cheers

Ah cheers for that UPS@EMA possibly with its location extention to the cargo apron, shift the cargo apron slightly further to the East few more stands. Interesting be keen to keep an ear to the ground for that.

First Bag, Where did you hear about Varig Log? is that the Luton service changing so routing SAO - EMA - FRA - SAO?

And is the Aeropostal, the Venezuelan airline or is it a French airline?

Regards

Stu

Its Aeropostal the French airline doing a post office flight as fars as I am aware, I hear the Varig Log is doing a twice weekly flight from September and its the ex- Luton flight but was just seeing if anyone would confirm it on here

Cheers

Aeropostal B737 came through last night-Edinburgh+return, we all assumed it was a Sub for Channex, does this mean its going to be a regular visitor?
Varig news is also new to me, does the Finger farm change herald UPS expansion?

Have herd that the outbound PHL UPS flight is going to be upgraded to a B744 soon. It is from a reliable source but is there space for a 747 at that time of night down there? Seems bit of a jump from a 767 to a 747.

is marked for B744, but at angle so you would lose two stands in effect, but happens after the posties so may not be so critical

747 Stand
 

Have it on very good authority that work will commence on new 747 stand to be built at the end of the UPS ramp work to start in October.

I while back the rumor was a new state of the art hub on the likes of DHL at EMA,
In my own opinion this will now not be the case, due to the new tamworth facility ( UPS.s
second largest sorting facility outside the US ).
I beleive a smaller than planned facility with no sort, just air-trailer movements to tamworth.

As for the aircraft change from the B763 to 747, the last I heard the EMA-PHL route was
being taken over by the MD-11, however this may of changed due to rise in cargo and not
just package volume, on a typical night there can be upto 41 positions of frieght for US destinations.

Same as usual we will wait and see, and just speculate for the moment.
rgds..

Hi

Well i am on my days off and in shock !!!
I am a Senior At Easyjet at East midlands and i have been warning you for a long time about this.
Well at home this lunch time, and i thought i would check my intranet site with work and catch up on my Emails, and got one which has shocked me and my fellow colleagues.
Basically as business and pax numbers are down at EMA, our base manager is looking for crew and Seniors who are willing to take unpaid leave from Oct to March 2008.
I have been with the company for several years after starting at LTN and then transferring to EMA about 4 years ago.
I do feel NOW that EZY is looking at pulling out now at EMA as they are looking for crew to be laid off, so PAX loads are down, no new routes at all, except for the ****ty chavvy IBZ flight, which is only once a week.
Well FR have beaten us, i hate to say it, but i think they have now.
Myself and other crew do feel strongly that BHX will be come the next base and just transfer everything up the M42.
I really did believe in EZY would put a fight up, but NO they have just took all the crap from FR, well the best man has won.


Maria xxxxx

But Maria, didn't this happen last winter at EZY? Or was it going to happen? This seems to ring a bell!

Hi

Yes it did, but for only 5 crew, this year it is for at least 40 crew !!!!!!
That is very worrying, that they are looking for upto 40 crew to be laid off.

That is worrying, sorry to hear that Maria! From what I've heard about us at Baby, things are ok, the usual cutting down of frequencies due to winter on certain routes, but we seem to have more Geneva flights! AND... we've just taken on extra crew.

Hi

Oh thankyou so much for your kind words, i do hope you do well, i just cannot get over how EZY have just done nothing !!!!!!
Well at least WW seem to be doing ok at EMA and now BHX, good on you guys.

Maria L xx

I'm really sorry to hear about the problems easyJet are having with their EMA base. There are some fantastic crews there and to have Europe's second largest low-cost airline with a base at the airport is important to keep EMA on the map. Obviously EZY downsizing their base would be great for WW, we had even heard rumours about a year ago the company was interested in WW to protect their position here and to open a base at BHX. I hope it's all temporary and things get back to normal for you all soon.

well as much as i like EZY I'm hoping baby gets to be a toddler so they can kick some butt.....then again keeping my fingers crossed to join them later on in the year....:ok:

Easy
 

Maria

Not much consolation and I can only speak for a few in the West Mids but Easy will be most welcome at BHX.

With the almost hysteria caused by the Geneva & Grenoble announcement (okay slightly over the top) a base would probably cause dancing in the streets.

On a serious point, with BACON gone, ignored by Aer Lingus, the market
is wide open and as much as Baby try (and they have been great) it will never have the same marketing power of the Orange machine.

I like flying with Baby but something of a change would be nice :)!

Pete

Hi Maria

What is your source for crews being reduced. I agree with you regarding Ryanair and that EZY have shown little ambition at EMA, prefering to place their new aircraft into Europe. Ryanair are squeezing hard. I have heard nothing and recently numbers have been overestablished at EMA, maybe they are being reduced back down to normal crewing figures.

Loads are good and profit is up, not a time to be downsizing I feel.

Hi

My source is very Valuable, it was to me and my colleagues on the company Email and intranet site.
the email was from the Base manager at EMA, i know BHX is not too far away but just means to me an additinal 50 min + travelling time.
Thanks for all your kind comments

Maria xxxx

Strange that I didn't get it, or was it from the BCCM?

Hi

The email was from ci**y, The base Manager, the email has been sent to at least 12 people i know off, as we were all talking about it yesterday and last night !!

Let me know when you have read your Crew Email or they may post something up in the Crew room.

Maria xxx

It's certainly going to be interesting with FR getting at least 2 more airframes at EMA and potentially several more out of STN.
The existing EZY routes could be covered by FR, NRN for CGN, TSF for VCE, GNB for GVA and AGP added as it already a FR destination;same with PRG. Whether they would look at IBZ is doubtful although FAO is a possibility.
As for baby and regional, if FR put on a CRL service that would compete with the BRU, ALC is a new base, PRG is a possible, BHD is about to start and AGP and PMI, again, possibles as they are served from other airports.
The introduction of routes to Scandinavia would dent Sterling's hopes and give FR a virtual monopoly at EMA with the attendant negotiating power.

Maria you have my heartfelt sympathies.

Methinks that EZY have lost the plot a little. Having made the initial in-roads and establishing EMA as a base they now seem to be going backwards in their decision making. Load factors appear to be strong, aided by good slot times, so why the bail?

I could understand it if FR were putting a real squeeze on the routes offered but this doesn't appear to be the case.

Really hope that they have not shot it at EMA as this place needs healthy competition to stave off threats from DSA and BHX. Sterling appear to be latching onto a new market but my fear is of a strong challenge from FR and maybe only a short appearance.

Flying the EZY-VCE shortly and Sterling to CPH next March. Keep the competition going and we're all on a winner.
:ok:

Looking at Easyjet routes from EMA on the latest stats, they are all performing as they did last year, and have been making money for them for years so i dont think loads are a problem.

best to sit tight and wait. I have a very good friend working cabin crew from EMA with Easy and she aint concerned. best thing to do is see where we are in March. That will give us a better look at things.

Now in regards to IT Charters for Winter 07/08 and Summer 08, what is planned new? It seems that Montego Bay aint returning, along with Punta Cana and Cuba, so is there anything coming in to replace it??? I know Goa is starting in January with First Choice, is that going to carry on into summer or just going to be for 3 months???? is First Choice making Puerto Plata weekly? Is there going to be more Sanford flights???? I see Thomsonfly are offering 3 more destinations next summer. Cancun seems to be one of the strongest performers from EMA and could become year round.

Still keep hearing about the Long Haul carrier looking at the airport for services to the US.

UPS to upgrade to 744F and Varig Log starting next month maybe and L'Aeropostale operating the Royal Mail flight between EMA and EDI 2 weekly with another new operator looking to start ops soon.

Regards

Stu

Varig Log still in the balance and as for the UPS747F I'm still trying to fathom out how they can possibly make that pay. The feeders into EMA are limited to the type of volumetric ULD's that they carry and all I can see on that aircraft would be a lot of empty volume. I would of thought the MD11F would have been a better option as not so much space would be lost through transfer ULD's. The MD11F offers 39 positions (upper/lower deck) and has a reasonable MTOW.
The only downside to this however is the runway length at EMA.This might be the pivotal factor as to the preferred choice of a/c.
Either way they would be good to see on the east apron.

I have used EZY many times from EMA and flights have always been busy. I personally don't see Easy pulling out of EMA they have good routes and a loyal pax base. HOWEVER, it was not so many moons ago that the idea of Easy operating from BHX would have been simply laughed off this forum due to BHXs well documented anti-LOCO stance. But what do we have - Easy starting up at BHX as management there have suddenly woken up to the fact that pax are voting with their feet and using other airports offering more choices of destination and better value fares. OK so its two ski winter flights - but I really can't see BHX saying goodbye to Easy that easily now that they have finally enticed them in.

So IMHO, I think Easy could realistically set up a base at BHX (if BHX can offer the right price which I think they would be foolish not to) but only to complement that at EMA as there is sure enough demand for flights from both airports. The big worry for EMA is becoming a one horse FR airport, FR are really trying to assert themselves as dominant carrier at EMA. A good financial deal from BHX would lure Easy down, lets face it BHX has a big catchment area and pro-rata not a good range of LOCO flights apart from the usual sun destinations - eg there are no flights to MAD, BUD, SXF, PSA, VCE, VLC amongst others, all of these would be relatively easy to set up as EZY already fly into all of them from other airports.

What will Thomsonfly's 3 new destinations be?

Will First Choice be basing a 767 at EMA in summer08?

Loads
 

I have been looking at the loads on the CAA website, just a few Ryanair numbers, from what I have seen easyJet have beening going well, so I don't know why it wants to move down the road.

Bergerac 88.2% (+6%)
Carcassonne 94.4% (+3%)
Dinard+26%
Limoges +29%
Nantes +7%
Nimes -3%

Berlin +2%

Dublin +18%

Algerho (new) 77%
Milan (new) 81.3%
Pisa (new) 85%
Rimini (new) 80.4%

Girona +20%
Madrid (new) 81.4%
Granada (new) 89%
Murcia 86.3%
Valencia (new) 86.9%

Krakrow (new) 89%
Lodz 75.7% (-12%)
Wroclaw 93.4% (+5)

summer 2008
 

hey all the excel flying program next summer will offer three flights a week to sharm el sheikh (tues,thurs.sund)the first choice long haul program will offer weekend flights ,saturdays (fortnightly) to puerto plata,sunday to sanford,mondays to cancun thats what they are planning,it also looks like the goldcrest flights to turkey will start early march if i get any further information i will pass it on.

Any more on the VarigLog, is it PAX flight, combi or freighter?

Would and MD11 PAX flight with bellyhold containers / combi get handled on the PAX ramp?

Or if its a frieghter is it going to park on Cargo East or West.

Varig Log is a Freighter Carrier only, so would be MD11 and more than likely on the Cargo West Ramp if it comes to fruition.

Regards

Stu