EI are only 3 times/day so imagine they'd keep them and supplement BA's offering. Maybe BA would do them all, as it's a UK domestic route.

Much would depend whether there's a required slot surrender, but don't think another carrier would take it on, as any potential candidates are "Heathrow-phobic" (for valid business reasons).

VS is unlikely, its already had its fingers burnt on UK domestic.

Regretably, job losses may be a danger as rationalisation takes place, whether its BA and EI, BA only, or EI only.

Aerlingus do more than Heathrow from Belfast, are all routes under threat?

AerRyan,

'Under threat'? Nothing is under threat, IAG is a long way off securing Aer Lingus at this point. All of this discussion is hypothetical. The base is paying its way for Aer Lingus, and we could take a different angle on this. Aer Lingus could operate this route on its own, while closely aligned to BA, and increase in aircraft size could result in slot savings in net terms for BA to use elsewhere.

EI-BUD

I realise IAG is a long way off buying Aer Lingus, that's kind of irrelevant, especially directing it towards me when comments before me have discussed the Heathrow link. And BA will probably keep the heathrow link in some shape or form, but what about Gatwick, and the 3 holiday routes?

Why change it if it's profitable? There's no point fixing it if it's not broken. Back office savings and rationalisation may be likely.

Also, not convinced that EI would disappear in the way that BD did if IAG were to buy it.

Why wouldn't you fix it if you can make better returns elsewhere? My point is what if BA see better potential basing these aircraft at Dublin?

And I'm not saying this will happen, I'm saying that an eye should be kept on it.

Any idea that day the other announcement is due at BHD??

Just a random thought. Could BMI Regional be looking at BHD from Germany. Some interesting musings on the BMI Regional thread. The name would be very well know to Norn iron travelling public!.

Saw an Aerlingus Regional ATR at BHD today. Not sure where it was operating.

Possibly a diversion due high wind at DUB

6 diverted I understand

I hear City are talking to Ryanair again, yesterday. Thought they had said they would only be back if the runway was extended. Perhaps the thought of the BA/AL merger and the potential to lose some LHR ops has encouraged the airport to be more agressive, and creative.

Does the airport really have any more space?
I know airlines only rent check in desks for the flight time but will they have enough space in summer when Aer lingus' summer flights return. Klm start daily. Vueling fly 3 times a week plus the extra flights to Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow flybe are introducing and not to forget the charter flights by Volotea and Air Dolomiti?

I think they could get unstuck v quickly on thisone if they dont have agood infrastructure in place, check in desks, baggage sort area, belts etc etc

They are also in talks with BFS over the past few weeks.

As well as or instead of LDY?

FR must be hungry for STN Belfast market following on from launch of EDI and GLA.

I've never seen a campaign as big as the Ryanair and Dublin Airport, advertising £19.99 ex Dublin. Feels like they are trying to make conditions painful for BFS until they yield and give them what they want...

There's no point courting airlines to do the same old routes. All it does is split yield and ultimately cost jobs. For all the pontificating Ryanair do about cheap fares, they seldom beat what's on offer on our own patch. This winter I have scooped several sub £50 returns to London from BFS and even a sub £60 from BHD. There's plenty around if you're flexible. No need for a manky harp-tail.

Shoeshine,

If the IAG takeover of EI goes ahead my feeling is that BHD have nothing to worry about. Any reduction in overall LHR roatations would probably be replaced by an increase in EI LGW ops to provide better connectivity to BA's mainly leisure network. Probably a break even all around. Just a gut reaction with no basis in fact.

Also, if IAG got its hands on EI, that would be 3 airlines under their umbrella utilising BHD from next summer.

AC

I quite agree Husky One, this winter my wife has been working in England, booked numerous flights for her, myself and family members all around the £60 mark, some less. BE have provided some £22.99 one ways as well. Brilliant

BE launched LPL today - whoop!

Good to see new routes n flights. Anysign of the Germans for BHD/ BFS

Belfast City rwy 22 Bump
 

On our take off roll yesterday we passed over a section of runway 22 with a larger than normal 'bump' in it in the area of the TDZ. The only other one as bad as this in my recent experience is rwy 04L at Nice.

Has anyone else noticed this bump as worse than normal?

Cheers, Encore

Only the one bump?

I noticed several when I took off from there the other day.

It does appear to be getting worse.

It is built on reclaimed wetland, so probably no surprise the ground moves around a bit every now & again. This being typical & incompetent NI however, it'll take forever to get fixed! You try the roads around rural Down if you want some real potholes ;)

Still, could be worse, could be one of the RWYs in deepest darkest Russia...

Or Khazakstan. The runway at Uralsk was made from separate slabs of concrete, and as such there were many places where the levels could be inches apart. Shook the poor old 737 up no end.

I worked at Shorts near the airport some years ago and i was told (could be an urban rumour ) that they had to consult the tide tables when performing final assembly of the Belfast . The floor was only level enough to join the fuselage at certain times.

...or you could be really unlucky and regularly operate into and out of Leeds. That has got to be the roughest runway in Europe. I just wonder how it affects braking action. You certainly need an all-terrain aircraft and no fillings to fly from that place.

The worst I have seen is Tbilisi (UGTB).
You really can loose your teeth!

Widgeon - Same at Brough in the Old Blackburn Facility. And that came straight from the engineers mouth during a visit.


Not half as amusing a tale as to why the frozen chicken gun (canopy tester) had to have a plastic bag over the end whilst the charging took place over an hour or so.

Ivano Frankivsk has been my worst so far by a fair margin and Ukraine in general is poor. And I've been to kazak and deepest darkest Russia!

CAP 168 has some very strict criteria regarding runway (and taxiway) slopes and changes in elevation etc. I'm sure that BHD along with all other UK airports complies with these criteria.

Although, am I correct in assuming there are exemptions, BHX and LBA among others don't conform to the regulations, but they are still allowed to operate.

If westjet ever come to NI could they fly from BHD with a fuel stop in KEF?
Or would there still be takeoff issues?

Plymouth-Roborough also operated under an exemption ( correction: dispensation ) until its closure.

And isn't one of the gripes of the current Biggin Hill legal action that Northolt doesn't comply with CAP 168 but handles civil traffic?

It depends on what their engines are rated at. The 700 series has better performance stats than the 800, so provided they aren't de-rated like Ryanair BHD-YYT (St. Johns), or even nearby Gander would be possible..winter time, with stronger winds might be a different story though!

It's unlikely, but if the City got Westjet it would be a massive 2 fingers up against Aldergrove!

Am I not right in thinking though that Brian Ambrose did mention Canada once? Or was it just a general reference to a canada link in NI
BHD is a better option as Weatjet do have a codeshare with BA if I'm right in thinking

I believe he did mention canada but I think it was ona broad context regarding ni as a whole. Still would be some feather in the cap to get it. Any updates from any rumour location on the germans? A little late to announce now for s15

I think the language that Brian Ambrose used was that they were working on a link with North America. Totally aspirational, BHD to Canary Island routes are deemed unworkable on a nonstop basis outbound so most unlikely that Canada even the closest points world work either...

Do remember that standard 737s are lighter than their European counterparts, when either empty or full up.


On top of that Westjet's 737-700 fleet are less densely packed than Aer Lingus or Easyjet, thus increasing range capability.


The flight times are comparable for the Canaries and the East coast of Canada. My understanding is that some A319s do not like operating to the Canaries because they have performance issues, even from long runways. Easyjet comes more to mind, as their 156 seat A319s are very heavy! I recall being told about issues with bags being left behind on certain routes a few years ago.


In my humble opinion I think Aldergrove would sooner get Westjet, but it is not impossible for them to operate from the City. I imagine if fully loaded A320s and A321s can make it as far as Verona and Reus, a small 737-700 can make it 4 hours across the ocean in the summer. As mentioned before, a crucial factor would be if the engines are de-rated or not.