Difficult to say yet.The Govt could simply hand the contract to the firm who came second in the tendering process.

If there has to be a pretender could cause a delay.

I would say certainly put the Manchester HS2 link back too you would think.

My ex colleagues "up North" have zero interest in HS2 as they believe it will simply become a feeder line for Heathrow.

If you live in Birmingham it makes flights ex Heathrow much more viable and less reason to use own airport where choice and frequency will always be limited compatible to London.

Exactly! Why would customers want to travel from the London area to BHX to catch a flight when everything is on the LHR/LGW door step? It doesn't make sense.

Apologies but I cannot make sense of your posting Crewmeal.

My reference was to potential BIRMINGHAM passengers heading to London "on price" and indeed "frequency" NOT London passengers heading out of London to use Birmingham ?

I was looking at it from the other way round as well as the opportunity for Pax to travel to LHR.

Do we know what's happening with Primera?

There is a rumour start up ex STN has been put back.

In addition the schedule at Birmingham seems all over over place ?

I "thought" it would be a solid April start with based aircraft in place at both airports but not sure that's actually happening ?

BOSTON looks as thought it has disappeared completely at Birmingham for summer at least. Very odd.

Where’s that rumour come from?
On Primera website BOS flights are operating from June from BHX.
Although would make sense, cabin and flight crew haven’t been given contracts/US Embassy visits yet so I imagine that process which can take up to a couple of months just to get the ball rolling with references etc could delay the start.

My guess would be aircraft delivery issues.

From BHX the full schedule is on the website but only 4 New York per week are sensible prices, the other 3 days are so expensive to deter bookings, likewise Boston until the end of September is the same.

There appears no change with the YYZ schedule.

Until late September I am guessing that there may be only one aircraft available for BHX hence 4 New York and 3 Toronto, unless this is a precaution and the delivery date is not certain.

OT: You think will effect the STN ops too?

I do hope we're not witnessing another debacle along the lines of Highland Express and the services from BHX to EWR and YYZ.

It will take little time for people booked on the apparently cancelled flights to take to social media and the whole exercise will collapse. News travels faster, and people are far less tolerant these days.

" people are far less tolerant these days."
How very true, if it`s not sorted in 30 seconds complain, claim compensation etc

I'm looking at Amadeus not the Primera site itself.
Can anybody else see same re schedule ?

The worrying thing about BOS is the Sept start date.

BOS seems to struggle a bit more in the winter, even the likes of LHR and CDG see reductions in the winter, so, I’d be surprised if PY still ploughed ahead with a 4 weekly winter flight, especially now it misses the bulk travel period in the summer. That’s not to say they could launch BOS succesfully next summer after the other 2 routes have bedded in a little?

Suppose it’s a wait and see, but let’s face it, 3 new TATL routes from BHX, the same at STN and then CDG with no previous experience in one go was always a tad ambitious, not to mention they don’t physically have the aircraft yet either.

Indeed, an odd time to start that route. Unless they plan to offer connecting options onward to warmer climates with a domestic carrier in the US. Not sure that would be financially viable tbh though.

In Galileo it is showing Newark as 4 flights per week - Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun?
Boston loaded from 21st September.
Toronto looks as per schedule.

Looks like aircraft delivery dates are the issue
There first 321 was at Hamburg on Monday but still only half a fuselage !

The first aircraft is supposed to be delivered on March 20th surely it'll be done by then?

Primera
 

Now that Boston is delayed I hope they bring Toronto forward to operate in May on the days Newark doesn't.

Boston in the Fall should be okay but it must be tempting to write it of for 2018 especially if there isn't an intention to operate it in winter.

I would give Newark and Toronto a go in winter with one aircraft and just forget Boston in April 19 and then base 2.

I suppose it is not unreasonable to assume that this decision has been made due to Stansted is selling better than BHX.

If it is not late aircraft then it is a worry.

Yes I think we can assume both STN & CDG are selling better than BHX.
But I have been very impressed with their advertising in association with BHX

The problem is that this was touted as last chance saloon for BHX-US services and the initial fanfare promised much.

The reality however suggests a chaotic start to their UK debut !

A will they / won't they, start date for one route, a September start for another, plus a price structure which everyone agrees is somewhat bizarre.

Starting Boston from anywhere in the UK in April would be risky, starting from Birmingham in September is IMHO planning to fail.