So np announcement today either then ? Which probably would've been the best time to announce any new airlines ? I'm starting to think that maybe no airlines are coming at all :(

I'm not convinced that there will be an announcement. They may be talking to EI and alot to do with how the LHR- EDI AND ABZ scenario pans out and any potential opportunity that EI have to do a deal with BA ex BHD.

In any case, as far as I can see, there are few airlines who can bring BHD the numbers that they want at the moment. Jet2 (most unlikely, AerLingus, Easyjet (already ruled it out) and perhaps Monarch (320 prob too big for AGP, ALC, FAO?). The price tag with Ryanair too great and cant see Flybe coming up with the goods. Eg BE dont seem to operate to say sunspots directly in competition with other airlines on the same routes ie City pairs, eg Southampton, Exeter, Norwich. So it would appear that they might keep out of the way.

IF there is an annoucement it will be Germanwings to Cologne, twice weekly for next year. Only my suggestion....
EI-BUD

Agree with you EIBUD but I heard German wings to duselldorf

Cityhopper to AMS??

Cityhopper does what its parent KLM tells it to do. And the KLM modus operandi for short-haul is a minimum of 2 flights per day to provide connectivity (plus a very strong preference for launching at the start of summer rather than the start of winter). Do you honestly think they can make a case for twice-daily?

probably only on a 50 seater a/c and even then an uphill struggle. Also what connections would there be at AMS that aren't available at LHR?

The Dutch havent saddled there airlines with APD, so long haul & business class from AMS saves a fortune on LHR fares. :D

In regard to long / medium-haul connections, I'd say NI is relatively underserved with only EI / BA to LHR and UA to EWR offerings. Many other UK airports have KL, AF and SN, etc. With the current APD tax, I would say an alternative to LHR could well be a very shroud move, and potentially help leakage to DUB.

When you look at the CAA figures for AMS flights from basically every UK hole-in-the-hedge, and the airports served only by KL, I would surmise that a fair chunk of these passengers are connecting.

Back in the day when SN operated thrice daily to Brussels, Cityhopper at least twice daily to AMS, and this was possibly just before 9/11 when BA and BD were also operating LHR.

I think that NI airports / airlines need to be inovative and rather than cherrypicking each others routes to the typical bucket n spade destinations, look at where NI passengers are travelling to via the likes of DUB, and then try and encourage suitable carriers to offer these routes. Would have been interesting to see had EI had a KLM codeshare on their AMS!!

I would agree with this Cyrano, take Liverpool Amsterdam. KLM entered the route and it seemed like it would have been an overnight success given the lack of full service airlines who could provide onward connections etc. easyJet was well establised in the market already and the local population made the case strong. Yet it was axed as it didnt perform, and it was a shorter sector, well only slightly shorter.

Aer Lingus attempts on AMS was flop, mainly due to gross over capacity on the route, and the fact that it was 2008 when the industry had a very soft winter. Bmibaby although the numbers grew, were average. I can't see KLM coming to BHD or BFS anytime soon. Hate to be negative.

If BE saw an opportunity they would have went after it. However, unlikely that they would have been able to codeshare with KLM, apparently EI couldnt codeshare with KL when they did BFS AMS, because there is an agreement with unions at the airline that the most codeshare routes to any country is 2. I noticed recently that BE will codeshare on INV? Or did I get that right. Not sure if that was what I read....

It would be great to see Brussels Airlines, with say 4 weekly BRU even if it was on a Dash 8, operated by Flybe leased machine??? Plausible scenario?

EI-BUD

Schiphol
 

A service to Schiphol would be very welcome...it's a great airport to get through, and the Dutch seem to be almost as well organised as the Germans, but with a relaxed atmosphere thrown in. KLM would be a good international option if there was an early flight into Schiphol from Belfast...certainly more attractive than Heathrow...

EI-BUD

I had a similar thought about Brussels Airlines, not as great a hub for connections but can be useful and its a very sucessfull destination from DUB and ORK recently, I'm sure some of the DUB pax would hail from N.I. Definately good for the business market.

None of this is new. Sabena tried it from BFS in the late '90s.....there was even a small airline tried it about 7-8 years ago...didn't work then...there is a recession on...doubt it would work now.

Now a LCC might just be able to swing it.

Link below to an article in the Irish Times. Quotes BA as "confident" that something can be announced in the next couple of weeks. Seems to tell me that nothing has been signed yet for a new operator.

Belfast City Airport unfazed by turbulence - The Irish Times - Tue, Jun 12, 2012

TB

Almost a decade? Wow that passed by quickly. Terrific journalistic research! :ugh:

Well I reckon I've heard it all now!

I'm told the plan is for Aer Lingus to tx services from BFS to BHD using a fleet of Aer Arann ATR props pulled off Shannon, Kerry etc to try to po*p all over BE's domestic flights.

BHD have given EI a blinding deal to do this, planning to underwrite it by BA continuing to pay premium charges on the LHR service! Presumably BE will also be expected to finance BHD's efforts to unseat them........

Aer Lingus
 

So the Aer Lingus operation out of BFS will remain the same ? None of the European routes from BFS are being transferred to BHD ?
I cant see the whole regional thing being a success really...

This doesn't make any sense (to me)
 

I really cannot believe this will happen. Why would BHD management want to destroy their relationship with their biggest customer Flybe for a new relationship with Aer Arran \ Lingus ??????
Although I am constantly surprised by the ever changing operations at the City!!!!

Germanwings does not serve Dusseldorf. Lufthansa has clearly split operations between DUS and CGN by having Eurowings and Lufthansa Direct Services serve DUS and Germanwings CGN. Recently, Lufthansa has not grown its Germanwings-operated services at CGN but rather strengthened its DUS network.

That said, almost all British Isles services from CGN have not been terribly successful anyway. Destinations such as EMA, SNN, CVT, NCL, BHX, LPL have all been tried and failed. DUB and EDI are nowadays only served seasonally and with a low frequency. All what has remained is a (much scaled down) MAN service and the traditional STN flights. I don't see how BHD would work unless we are indeed talking about a low frequency and possibly seasonal service.

I could, however, imagine Eurowings-operated flights from DUS, probably for a start like the rather sccesful seasonal services from DUS to INV and NQY.

Larry you are right.

AL will cease operations at Aldergrove and switch to domestic ops from the city. They weren't able to complete with easy on the European routes and will operate Heathrow Gatwick Edinburgh on jets and Manchester Glasgow and Birmingham on ATRs.
I will be interesting how Flybe react, but if the their past history is anything to go by they will do nothing, just be very cross.
I don't think AL will have an easy time on these routes either but it all stems from the fact that the airport really have nowhere left to go.
Where is that 'For Sale' sign.

Does N Ireland have holiday appeal to lots of Germans in the same way as the Scottish Highlands or Cornwall ?