Belfast International-2
 

So the airport is forecasting over 6m pax in 2018. Considering flights are already operating with a very high load factor, does that imply further new routes/aircraft? Would the Jet2 expansion lift numbers to that extent.

Is jet2 not just replacing a 300 series with an 800 series?, and some extra flights, maybe 1.5k per wwwk in summer?

The 800 is an additional aircraft for summer

The 800 is based from 2nd Nov this year.

Yes, so there will be 4 based by summer 18. From what jet2 say they will offer an additional 110,000 seats next summer and 75,000 of that will be on the 8 new routes.

Passenger numbers will also be lifted by the first full season of BFS-MCO and BFS-PVD, and a full year of BFS-SWF and BFS-MLA.

Who is operating BFS MLH?

Apologies, BFS-MLA

Looking at EZY for summer 18, nothing particularly new, freqeuncy good for BHX up to 3x daily, LGW up to 7x daily. Nothing seems to dropped, ACE, KEF and LYS not on sale for summer.

2nd A320 will be based.
A monday in June shows BHX and LGW on the A320 early morning.
3x A319 & 2x A320 at the minute.

Remember that these schedule releases are only the bare bones of the schedule. Other flights added at different times and new routes generally announced end of October/start of November time!

2nd A320 maybe for the norwegian connections?

2nd A320 maybe for the norwegian connections?

Which way? Are they going to offer flights from say NCL to New York via BFS with EZY and then Norwegian? or are you talking about LGW connections originating at BFS?

I think the BHX schedule was good this year up to end of June then it all fell apart in July/August.
Lanzarote all summer is very popular!
At one point Geneva was served during the summer-if my memory serves me well-should be popular during summer!
Again no Saturday flights to Paris!
An extra aircraft could be worked hard at BFS - certainly during the summer.

Geneva did run the summer once indeed, maybe 2005 i think, plenty of hikers, bikers but no big buying on board hence the chop, gatwick or bfs i would say regarding the d8 feeder, either way.

There's no feeding to be done by easyJet to NAI's BFS operations. That tie up is a fairly lame PR stunt involving LGW operations. The second A320 will just be a capacity booster possibly with the addition of a couple of holiday destinations to mix it up e.g. Venice (again).
If easyJet were thinking out of the box they'd put a NEO in and clean up on NI's Canadian market...but never gonna happen. Too much politics involved for that and too far north of LTN.

EasyJet 2017
 

Searching again on easyJets website it appears that on June 24th next year there is 6 departures 'one way' in the morning:

06:00 Malaga
06:10 Alicante
06:25 Faro
07:00 Krakow
07:05 Dubrovnik
07:50 Barcelona

Malaga, Faro & Krakow appear to be A319
Alicante, Dubrovnik & Barcelona appear to be A320

So possibly there could be 3x A319 & 3x A320 based next year!

Why would anyone connect in Gatwick when we've got a plethora of flights from premium airlines serving Dublin?

Not everyone drives Owen and Dublin Is more than 100 miles for a lot of people. You answered that like you think it's all Belfast people who would want to drive to Dublin. Why do people connect through Heathrow for instance and can you fly Singapore from Dublin. Maybe it's a fact that the majority of people don't want a 100 plus mile journey after a long haul flight.

Looks like the rumour of a 6th based aircraft is correct. Suspect lots more BHX and MAN during the week with possibly a Venice on Saturday for the cruise traffic. I wonder if there will be a surprise or two from FR!

I make the trip to Dublin when traveling more than 4,000 miles. I stay overnight in a Travelodge to shorten the journey. Bus services are offered by Translink.

My point was that more choice is available from Dublin with legacy airlines and modern planes in contrast to Thomson/Virgin or Thomas Cook.