FR
 

As always with FR, schedule clearly still a work in progress.....

Warsaw Modlin and Bydgoszcz now off sale from the end of April. Their other Polish routes Poznan and Krakow are currently still bookable.

Paris Beauvais showing 7 flights a week (2 flights Tues and Sat, 1 on Thurs/Fri/Sun, no flights Mon or Wed) but all showing sold out which implies the schedule or the route itself are far from confirmed

Tirana not yet bookable but only just announced so will probably appear in next few days

Perhaps more changes to come?

FR
 

No doubt, I now have 21 April flights removed to get it back to six based which is so strange with so many new destinations. Most of the flights removed were BHX based but a couple of away based with Dublin taking the biggest hit with just 4 on Wednesday Thursday and Sunday, no flights to Palma on Sunday (both removed) Malaga Thursday, Alicante Sunday and Barcelona Friday and all are more than 7 per week still. Tirana fares are displayed in the Internet site by changing the URL to TIA. I think Thursday now have 3 x RUK flights leaving in the morning so will they fill them with domestics but of course they don't need to astray can operate anywhere

Pete

Morning all, just thought I would check that this thread was still running as most of the discussion seems to have jumped over to the MAN forum. 🙄

Calm down Petunia, it’s a simple bit of HS2 discussion which is relevant to both airports…..

This happens quite often that info is relevent to both sides but hey ho.
One question has been asked, what do Brummies think of HS2 ex Birmingham to that common just outside London
is it good bad, bad or indifferent

My view is the same as BHX's - It needs to go Euston and Manchester to make it viable, but the massive overspend so far has lead to the leg North of Birmingham to be axed and the Euston part will need to be privatly funded.
BHX will still be in great place as it will be linked directly to HS2 and pax can get to London (Old Oak Common) in well under an hour.
As I mentioned before it puts BHX in London Transports Zone 5 in terms of commuting time.

Again not so 300km per hour with classic compatibles to West Acton is bl**dy hopeless and a waste of space. BTW not in the public domain but the REAL reason for the shelving of phase 2 and 2a is largely down to the loss of a significant EU funding package equivalent almost 35% from the original budget plans .

Thats a truly massive amount of money lost . Oh and the extent of tunnels from London to Amersham to appease a few grey haired wealthy baby-boomers and the odd newt

I do not see the benefit of HS2 for BHX when pax will have to transfer from BHX to the actual HS2 station a few miles away and then end up in west London (ironically not that far from LHR) to change trains again to get into central London and beyond. Are airlines really going to buy into that as an alternative to LHR? No they won't, they'll stick with LHR where the slots are far more valuable to them, it's an airport the whole world knows and it takes the equivalent time (albeit also with a change and covering far less miles) to get into central London using the Elizabeth Line + Underground.

BHX needs to carry on doing what it's doing pretty well right now which is to offer a wide range of short haul European destinations and airlines plus long haul suited for the needs of the many different VFR communities in it's catchment.

Sadly IMO it's not going to become a global gateway to the UK because of HS2.
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Agreed

One should also remember that the cost of travelling there and back between BHX and central London via HS2 will not be anywhere near as cheap as from LHR. HS2 has to be paid for... and that means higher train fares. Those who live in London will definite realise about the train fares. Even with higher airport fees, that keeps LHR flights significantly cheaper for travel to London than BHX

I suppose one way of getting to LHR and back is if the Heathrow Express stops at Old Oak Common to pick up/drop off passengers instead of having the hassle of travelling into Central London. However I won’t hold my breath on that one

Completely different track, isn't it?

Yes the Paddington line

Old Oak Common Station is being built at the junction with and directly above the line from and to Paddington !

The lower platforms are expected to be served by Elizabeth Line trains although they could just as easily be Heathrow Express or GWR trains,

Caveat to consider is who will mange the lower platform as three differing types of rail operators are involved - Elizabeth Line is managed by TFL, Heathrow Express is a commercial Open Access business and GWR a normal franchise TOC and all run on the same rails !

Nothing to do with BHX or indeed aviation, but what a terrible mess the UK has got its passenger railway into!

Sort of is as the operators of Birmingham Airport expressly use the HS2 development within their campaign strategies including the promotion of the airport as a future alternative London airport which will never be.

The potential HS2 benefits to Elmdon were from the Northern sections especially towards the East Midlands and we can be certain that ain’t happening in the next forty years.

IMHO anyone who relies on rail to get to or from BHX (or indeed any airport) is just asking for disaster. Given the past year + of disruption, and not only due to strikes, there must have been a lot of very disappointed people who missed flights.

Admittedly, I am in the happy position of living in Brum and can, and do, takes taxis when I’m using BHX.

you've clearly never been stuck on the Motorway in a jam - or had Extinction rebellion decide to close the road to your airport................... :(

Good point but in 35 years flying from BHX on a very regular basis I’ve never missed a flight due to delays getting to the airport.

Summer update - Aegean gone again
 

I have had a look at some of the booking engines prompted by the removal of BHX from the Aegean booking engine and quite a bit has been going on by the look of it although not gone through all the BHX operators as yet and just sample checking various dates

Not too many positives today but Aer Lingus seem to be retaining the A320 on EI262 compared to last summer with the AT76 and Belfast City is 5 daily every weekday

Air France is showing 4 daily outside of summer peak in the week 2 x HOP and 2 x A223

Swiss restore double daily Monday and Friday for summer

Lufthansa restore Frankfurt to just below pre-covid levels with 4 daily on 4 days and 3 daily on 3 days but Munich appear appears to be reduced to 2 daily permanently - night-stop removed

Turkish (3rd service 11/6 on certain days), Sun Express (12 AYT & 9 DLM) of course have significant increases plus there is Corendon and Pegasus as well

Brussels Airlines - Also looking like a permanent reduction to 5 per week from summer all A319 Monday Friday with no night-stop (BHX management probably won't mind that aspect)

SAS - staying 6 per week no double daily Monday Thursday Friday as yet

Vueling - return to daily Barcelona service seems to be delayed to 21st June with Wednesday and Friday missing. From 1 May to 21st June BHX has 4 operators but not a daily service and the one day missing is a busy passenger day - Friday. Easyjet offer it in April but the Ryanair service was cut long ago but offers 2 Monday flights and Jet2 are Thursday & Sunday. I assume just a quirk but frustrating for the traveller 15 flights a week but none on a Friday.

Eurowings - Prague restored 2 per week and Dusseldorf 3 daily Tuesday-Thursday is back

Saudia - Still 3 per week showing but 2 x 78X's some weeks but no change as yet for EK and QR

TUI - Hurghada reduced to 2 per week but Palma up to 11 per week from July

easyjet occasionally showing a third daily flight on Amsterdam on some Thursday and Fridays plus a 6th Belfast on a Friday peak season. They have added a second CDG on a Sunday for February half term and the Thursday and Sunday Geneva increases started this week amongst general cuts.

Pete