EZY could add capacity on their other LON routes and yes BA could definitely up the ante over winter, given the fact they have the slots to hand.

Flights bookable for next summer, so it appears that way.

Massive slap in the face for BFS though.

Cancellations ..
 

BFS LGW and STN domestics x2 axed for winter now being reported by a well known news channel...incredible. The rationale for selecting the UK domestics is telling, why these, routes where competition with easyJet is intense? Is the shortage more grave at these impacted airports or is the airline halting winter ops on less profitable routes.

BFS LGW and STN domestics x2 axed for winter now being reported by a well known news channel...incredible. The rationale for selecting the UK domestics is telling, why these, routes where competition with easyJet is intense? Is the shortage more grave at these impacted airports or is the airline halting winter ops on less profitable routes

Maybe FR showing 'compassion'. FR anticipate more issues this winter, and by cancelling high frequency UK domestic services with an alternate carrier/or form of transport thus minimising the affect on passengers already booked. Also these routes are traditionally booked closer to departure time!

I am guessing one airplanes worth of crew are going to have to decamp to Dublin or elsewhere for the winter

Route just not profitable “enough”.

A real opportunity there for someone agile to get their foot in the door; for example a leisure-orientated airine with some airframes slack in the Winter. Jet2, or Monarch perhaps?

I can't see the big carriers like Easy or BA doing much more than adding a couple of extra dailies, their network planning is so complex that trying to change a part of it it must be like tugging the end of a ball of yarn.

How much for a couple of B734s...?

And can I make money with them when an airline with industry leading low costs has decided to suspend the route?

Well at least we have got the "Dublin rocks, BFS needs to know it's place" rants out of the way. Now the BHD one is due.

In all seriousness though, can we not just block these trolls when they start up?

Welcome to the wonderful world involving Ryanair. Everyone gets shat on when it suits them. IF they decide to come back next summer they'll flog a load of seats for £1 and the fairly fickle travelling public will forgive them. The next move is there for the taking..a 100+ seater out of BHD to LGW 3 times a day. If I were easyjet I'd develop that idea rather than stick an extra rotation into BFS. BA are truly having a laugh down their with their fares this winter.

Agree husky passengers have short memories and a £9.99 sale then customers will trickle back
As previous I suspect little or no change over the winter with the current airlines reaping the rewards of higher fares

Let's not get too caught-up in the Ryanair myth. Do we really believe that no-one can make money on the Belfast-Gatwick route?

Yes it's punishing on smaller aircraft due to the Gatwick fees, but totally unachievable? Hard to believe.

Maybe - but you know that Ryanair have all the numbers (and you don't) and have still dropped it.

Would make you think twice - they've not dropped it because they don't have time to count all the money they are making...

Think that's true from the customer side of things...

...but maybe, just maybe, this whole episode will give the FR employees the impetus to rise up?

I have had flights cancelled to Lgw on 30th Oct. Have a look at current prices to London on Easyjet, would give you a heart attack.

Yup True Blue unfortunately every airline will likely be better off now. Much as easyJet annoy me capitalising on this they are at least being loyal to the Belfast market.

The weekend of my cancelled flight (4 November), easyJet are now more expensive to Gatwick than BA are to Heathrow from City. Thankfully we got in early enough to miss a lot of the price hike.

These price hikes will be generated automatically by the booking computer. Expect them to settle down.

BTW are these flights all operated by 320s? If any are 319s, I would expect an upsize. Just don't expect fares below the real cost of your flight, which, I think, is somewhere in the region of £40-50, although I'm sure someone on the inside can tell us.

Some better news...

Had a look at easyJets schedules for July 2018 and Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sunday nights need six aircraft (3x A319 & 3x A320).
So looks like there will be more changes soon... likely some new routes!
Hopefully routes like Corfu, Kos, Dalaman, Bodrum, Heraklion, Madrid that are underserved or not served!