BmiBaby - BFS-BHD

[ALLMCC]

Heard last night form a previously VERY reliable source that this WILL happen early 2004 after runway/taxiway work at BHD completed & terminal alterations made to accommodate them.

Can anyone else confirm this?

[KingoftheRoad]

I'm not quite sure why runway & taxyway works are required to accommodate bmibaby Boeing 737's.
bmi Airbus 321's already operate there, and they are 146ft long x 112ft wide and can weigh up to 89 tons !!
bmi have just completed a new lounge extension & airbridge.

Where's the problem ?

Roger Miller.

[ALLMCC]

Fair comment although I'm told that additional lounge capacity may be required - perhaps there are some other reasons - certainly the current timings would require little or no changes & there shouldn't be any problems with ramp space or handling.

[mysecretsmile]

I too have heard talk of BMI Baby moving from BFS to BHD.
If it is goign to happen I can't see any operational reason why it can't happen until early 2004, unless BMI Baby are contractually obligued to stay there until the end of 2003.

This may well spell the end of BA Citiexpress's service to MAN/CDG out of BHD as Baby will wipe the floor with them in terms of price to Manchester and it is only a matter of time before a carrier introduces a direct service from NI to CDG as a result of these new subsidies.

Lets hope BA Citiexpress take up the challenge and fight their corner instead of lying down.

Either way there are interesting times ahead

[ALLMCC]

MY SECRET SMILE

It seems that BACX are already bowing to pressure from Bmibaby as their winter schedule shows MAN operated mainly by Dash 8's so the prospects of them putting up a fight if Baby move to BHD in direct competition don't look too bright.

Also, even if the move doesn't happen until 2004, it seems a little pointless for WW to start the new Teesside service to BFS at the end of October only to move it to BHD after a few months - would be better to start it from BHD in the first place.

[Uncle Monty]

Anything is possible but...

The passenger cap at BHD doesn't allow for any significant growth there. BHD is, according to recent press reports, right up against the limit already.

Those same press reports and comments from local politicans indicate that the Dept of Environment want a public inquiry before that is altered.

ALLMCC - the passenger cap was not imposed at the behest of BFS. It was voluntarily agreed by BHD and Bombardier back in 1997 or 98.

There are commercial reasons too why a move is not as simple and logical as it first looks. Belfast City was in the past and probably still is a high cost airport. It doesn't have the throughput and resultant economies of scale to offer charges as low as BFS.

The opportunities for raising revenue from non aviation activities at BHD are very limited. The terminal, with its short kerbside to gate distance, doesn't lend itself to too much retail.

Parking, which is the other big potential source of revenue, is also limited. It's very convenient, so convenient that lots of people take taxis or get dropped off.

Take a look at LPL, LTN, STN, BRS. They are brimming with shops, and acres and acres of expensive (and full) car parking spaces.

It's hard to see how BHD can reduce charges, which are still seen as critical to loco airline economics, to a level that would make sense for an operator to move its operations there.

bmibaby might take the hit but in a business where margins are so thin, would that be wise? They recently moved CWL-GLA to PIK - in a bid to reduce costs and keep that route going.

bmibaby's operations at BFS aren't that successful at the minute. Loads on MAN especially are poor - sub 60 per cent.

A move down the road would probably make this worse. EZY would probably start EMA from BFS. At least where they are now, baby have that market to themselves.

They would also be up against an improving twice daily turboprop (which is arguably a more suitable plane for a thin route like this) Air Wales operation on Cardiff.

BA may be carrying less passengers than baby on MAN but it's not how many you carry that's important but how much money they are paying. Punters pay more to fly with BA. Who knows, they might be happy with the numbers they have and may compete quite easily alongside baby at BHD.

Just one man's opinion...

[tallseabird]

What is this cap at BHD, I've only recently heard about it and people seem to be implying all sorts of things about. I have heard that as a 'private' airport there is a limit on capacity ( not speaking about BHD here) and once that capacity is reached then all sorts of freedoms are granted, the big one here being opening the door to independant handling agents, currently BHD,The Spanish Builders specify what one company they want in. Is this the cap???