BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - BFS (Aldergrove)
 

Well the Belfast airports have now been split, probably about time.
Its been a bad year for most main UK airports with a large downturn in business. BFS has not escaped the cull.

Main areas of interest/concern
1. EZY's LTN service now at BHD, alot of rumours floating around there IMO its gone what will follow?
2. The runway extension and passenger cap at BHD are top of the 'concern list'. Passenger cap would - I think be top of the list.


On the plus side
1. BFS has invested heavily in the terminal-haven't been through since last summer so cannot comment. Will it attract new operators?
2. Coming slowly out of recession I wonder if any new routes/operators will be announced soon surely canada must be around the corner.

I have thought that RE should look into a BFS/CWL service with 2 daily flights they could make a run at it. WW at there peak carried quite alot of passengers (aircraft was too large for the route at the end of the day)

A good rumour posted at BHD this morning can sometimes lift spirits

By Mutleyshriek

This rumour has come and gone what do you think?

There's an even better story than that doing the rounds - apparently R/W 17/35 is due for re-surfacing next year and front-runner at the moment is to "do a Glasgow" and have it re-designated as a taxiway and just leave 25/07 as "the runway".

On the plus side the plan involves moving the 17 ILS round to serve 07, emminently sensible methinks.

Is it not better having a cross runway? The reason I ask is that 17/35 seem to be used 'quite' often. Also is it not handy during maintanence of the main runway/or if there is an incident?

Very few airports have "cross runways" - lots of major airports are single runway. They seem to manage. Are the costs of maintaining two runways worth the very very few times the second may be required?

From BFS website yesterday

I think this has been mentioned before on here, is there a summer long programme outside the above period. I think someone mentioned that there was not. However the article does say these are additional. I know some folk who are heading to Florida from BFS next June on CO via Newark £660 rtn

Can just see Mr Mueller being over the moon about BMI coming back to BFS!

Just cannot see that happen especially with EI on LHR.

its a possibility of BMI returning to BFS, purely with transfers (isn't BMI in one world or star alliance? or something like that)... during the summer its a good idea, but EI has the demand covered during winter so it could be hurtful to both EI and BMI if it was all year round

havn't heard that myself, every so often (about a week every month during winter) theres adverse weather at BFS and 17/35 has been the safest option for landing... have seen many go arounds from 25/07 being used even on the a319s followed by a successful landing on 17/35... in saying they could chop the bottom end off 17 to the cross over point and extend the apron straight across in the direction of 07... :8

who knows what they are planning, should be interesting though :E

if bmi still has spare LHR slots this summer then putting up a couple of flights per day on the route BFS-LHR is maybe their best bet?

They're known in Belfast but perhaps feel they can target a slightly different market with BFS rather than BHD. Plus, if they do still have LHR slots spare, this is perhaps a better bet than throwing additional frequency onto LHR-MAN, LHR-GLA or LHR-EDI..

Bmi did operate from both Belfast airports for a short period, and believe that the loads on the BFS flights at that time were horrendous.

Two different Belfast airports with two different airlines operating tp LHR has the market covered pretty well I'd say.

Never,the loads only became horrendous when the route was culled to 3 F100 rotations per day.Business was always well used especially as lots of companies had paid for annual car park fees at BFS and were not moving.At the time Gallaher Limited had 24 spaces at BFS reserved as had Nortel.When BMI finally departed Gallaher went to GO-FLY.As did the long freight contract with the eel farm...

Not helped by bmi not knowing where they are in the arse/elbow department at the moment, ditching Business Class, not knowing if they are a full fare/lo cost/no frills/full service/no service/buy on board/free drinks airline...this is not the British Midland of 10 years ago. BA will be back at BFS before you see a bmi-Lufthansa aircraft in there again (assuming of course that Aer Lingus is on its last legs which looks increasingly likely).

Would these business contracts not now be swallowed up by EI for the businesses that have a preference of BFS over BHD. EI are now pretty established on BFS - LHR and upping flights to X4 day.

Coming back from Hong Kong in 2002, arrived into LHR earlier than thought and bmi changed our flight into BFS rather than BHD to save us hanging about. Can remember in that instance, only about 15 people on the flight on an A320. Can remember asking the crew on the flight, re the light load, and they basically said this is the norm... Obviously if you worked for BD, you'll be much better versed on the situation.

Very well said lad,Lingus I think will be there for the duration though.BMI dont know what they are doing.I think they are knee jerking as they always did.They always seemed to be going from one downturn to the next.I remember having a business briefing with an advertising agency whilst at BMI and we all pissed ourselves laughing at the slogans they were trying to come up with.It was embarrasing but highly amusing,enough said.................

Think that there is more chance of BA going bust than Aer Lingus atm.....
Thank goodness for a couple of 'decent' rumors on this thread for once (17/35 extension + BMI moving).....was begining to lose all hope for Belfast/Pprune thread over the last while........:}

Ardsboy- thanks for that incisive business lesson; I think if you re-read the beginning of the thread, rather than suggesting a runway extension, it is being suggested that the cross-runway is possibly going to be closed :ugh:

Guys,just a thought.The argument of having two airports in such a small city(or province)will undoubtably run and run and run.Airlines for years have used the situation in Belfast to their better end.They are there to make a profit and when it suits they hold airport operators to ransom and switch from one to another.In the late 80s and early 90s,we had Ba Midland Manx Loganair Jersey.Manx and Loganair were owned by Midland but operated under the BA FRANCHISE.So they were all lining each others pockets.The only real independant was Jersey European.Fares were high and we were held to ransom by these so called independant operators.Nowadays its a very different tale.The eco warriors and climate change scientists are all dancing to the tune of our wonderful government with their message that we are all responsible for the greenhouse effect with our cheap holidays and weekends away.What effect will this have on operations at the city airport,or indeed any airport within a certain radius of their said city centre.TAXES.more and more will come,mark my words...

Runway 07/25 is due for resurfacing NOT 17/35. 100% positive on that.

New threshold and runway end AGL has just been installed on runway 17 (last month), new 5 bar approach lighting for 17 is almost completed. The edge lights on 17/35 will also be replaced in the near future, quite a bit of investment there so I cannot see 17/35 being closed in the near future.

Just out of interest why is there no ILS approach to RWY 07? Surely it would make more sense to move the 17 ILS over to 07. Im guessing the larger aircraft who cannot accept 17/35 for arrival would prefer it to a VOR/DME, especially in bad weather conditions. . Is there a cost issue? I don't think it's a terrain issue either. Also what are the ILS categories at BFS?

SpeedbirdATC

25 is Cat 3, 17 is Cat 1.