Mart901,

The whole experience of the EI move and the cold winds of change should have hit home more than ever at BFS, there was a feeling of that around the place on Saturday when EI was packing up to leave. The staff at the airport had clear views on what was happening. There is no doubt in my mind that at this time BFS will have a much increased desire to do a deal, clearly if FR did come it would be on that basis.

Again it would depend on just how bad BFS want it and if they ever did it will be now.

Separately, despite the fact that EZY have publicly stated no interest and no benefits from operating at BHD, lets see how they move to protect their LGW market and their Belfast LGW route, I wouldnt be surprised to see an additional EZY route using LGW based ac to operate 2 or 3 daily on LGW BHD... no reason why they could not operate to both airports in comfort as they have done before. It will all depend on how loads on LGW are impacted.

While they may see 'no tangible benefits' in operating ex BHD for LTN, a route that has other operators may be a very different outcome. Lets see how Belfast LGW market pans out between now and Christmas...

Like your thoughts EI BUD
Regarding the two possibilities, FR could make a go of it if they stayed away from most the EZY destinations, maybe Reus, GIR, MAD, LIS and maybe Warsaw etc on the European front and domestically EMA and I suppose STN would have to be included since they have a large prescence there. Competing directly with EZY will not benefit either airline, only the customer will win with crazy prices

BA on LHR. Personally I would like to see it but whether they would move I think is unlikely even at rock bottom rates. However they could provide a later arrival to BFS which might suit the business market

EZY on the LGW will be fine at BFS provided they have the frequency at key times

London market now has an extra 21 flights from EI, 5 from EZY from 10 th DEC to LGW, and you could include and extra one ( STN down by one but SEN up to two)
I think there is an over supply on this market

Thought all this was to be on the BFS thread?

If FR stayed off the sun routes then there operation at BFS would not be profitable for the most part and we all know it would not happen anyway.

Belfast-London is not the only over supplied market. Dublin has around 25 extra weekly flights this winter also and the London-Barcelona from March 2013 is another example. I think that all carriers will remain and not drop flights even if the LF are falling apart from Flybe but I think that would be more related to charges at LGW but EI and EZY are fine on that front. I also think that EI won't affect EZY LGW numbers but it will be other London routes that will see falls before LGW as EZY will now add any more capacity to LGW drawing pax away from STN, SEN, LTN.

Maybe they are going to combine the BFS thread with the EasyJet thread Eastern!!

Like everything else, even the thread is moving down the road to BHD :E

I doubt if BCA could afford to move the thread - the coffers must be pretty dry after a series of bungs to pull in airlines! ;)

Flew out of BHD today with Aer Lingus and have to say they look very smart down there, check in and ticket desks look very impressive alot more than what they looked like when they moved to BFS which really shows they are here to stay ( unlike EZYs threat to BFS when they moved LTN and even BMI Baby )
Even the ac stairs looks very smart and it seems that their ground handlers are wearing EI uniform which correct me if I'm wrong they dnt wear at BFS
Comparing this to BA which seems very basic ie I noticed their checkin people weren't wearing a BA uniform, it gives me the impression that either they are holding back on investing until they are settled at BHD or they may move to BFS for summer 2013

EI-EPR returning to the airport flight EI 34 descending rapidly

Squak 7700

What's happening with this LHR Arrivals says now due 1415.... 40 mins late.

Didn't appear to me to be anymore rapid than a normal descent. Perhaps it was a medical emergency? Would explain a short delay rather than a cancelation.

If it was medical, hopefully the person is ok.

Edit@1333: Airborne again, just gone over my house.

Now showing as 'Contact Airline' on LHR arrivals.... maybe we will see an A320 coming up from DUB to take over the rest of todays schedule?

A few comments on a certain micro blogging site indicate it was indeed a medica emergency, certainly fits the short delay compared to any other emergency.

Did a LHR-BHD and BHD-LGW over the last two days and EI seem to be doing well at lest 80-85% LF on both services.

Correct BHD2BFS, Passenger services are wearing the EI uniform, all other staff wear the ground handling company uniform.

As was the case at BFS (and probably any other airport they fly from), seriously - who is coming up with this kinda stuff to try and start the two airports thing again?? Some other poster talking about the look of the check in desks being better than BFS?

It really must be a slow news day!

Any new info on EPR that returned might be more interesting....?

EI ground handlers don't wear EI uniform everywhere, LGW being an example despite having a base. I do agree its not exactly earth shattering news and the threads seem to go off tangent at times but I don't see any harm in people analyzing the business and commenting, maybe they are making a bigger effort, especially given the place in the market they are trying to compete in they need to stand out as different from BA and BE, I don't think for one minute its a snub to BFS. Good news on the high load factors, especially LGW being a new route.

EI using BA lounge
 

I see EI ( business and Gold Circle ) customers can use the BA ( ex bmi ) business lounge in departures. Is that not a bit odd inviting your premium customers to use the lounge of the opposition on your new LHR route ?

What about BA Gold and Silver flying EI are they now getting lounge access at BHD? They didn't at BFS even if on the BA codeshare.