Flybe set for further ABZ expansion

[Richard Taylor]

Following on from the DHC8-400s/EMB195s announcements,local press report that Flybe are expected to confirm an expansion of its presence at ABZ.

The announcement,expected "in the closing days of this month"is expected to announce new flights to destinations "in the Midlands and South of England".These are believed to be BHX & SOU.Also,NCL flights are also expected to be confirmed.

Report also says Flybe evaluating international flights at ABZ,but only once final EMB195s are delivered in 2008.No mention of Scandinavia,but a destination in Portugal & a ski resort destination are rumoured(early days of course!!).

Also no confirmation of ABZ being an actual base,but does look like,as expected,Eastern are in Flybe's sights.

Anyone know how both are doing on the ABZ-Belfast runs?

Hopefully the announcement will help stimulate the market,when it comes.

:ok:

[aeulad]

I would expect to see Norwich on the list from ABZ also.

Regards

Mike

[EK-LHR-LGW-GLA-MAN-B]

Just about everone of BE's UK airports are expecting expanshion from FlyBe, GLA, BHD, SOU, LBA, LVP, NWI, NCL and now ABZ.

[GoEDI]

Good BE expansion on the cards for all of Scotland then! :)

http://business.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=299&id=622602005

I'll pretend that EK 'accidentally' missed EDI out of his list...:rolleyes

[Richard Taylor]

Keep yer EDI v GLA outta MY thread

:} ;)

[GrahamK]

He does have a point though....seems that every place in Britain has their eyes on the new ERjs for BE if you look throughout the web ;)
Just wait until Carlisle gets announced :8

[Richard Taylor]

Keep yer GLA v EDI outta MY thread

(just for the sake of balance)

:p

[Daza]

ABZ-BHX has been rumoured for some time in the midlands, has is BHX-INV
Daza

SOU and BHX (Largest airline @BHX now) along with EXT to a lesser extent are Flybes main "hubs" they are likely to see the most expansion which will lead to services to other airport such as ABZ etc
Daza

[Richard Taylor]

I would suggest the BHX-ABZ route could do with competition,BACX have the monopoly on a route which,last time I looked,was suffering from stagnation - dropping passenger numbers,even on an ERJ145.

[jamesbrownontheroad]

I would expect to see Norwich on the list from ABZ also.

Me too, although it does amuse me to think of the size of Norwich Airport (ie 'dinky' at best) and the fact that we could soon see not two but three operators all flying to Aberdeen.

Sorry to pollute this ABZ thread again, but does anyone know when NWI will actually become a BE 'base' with one or more aircraft kept overnight there?

*j*

[airhumberside]

Just about everone of BE's UK airports are expecting expanshion from FlyBe, GLA, BHD, SOU, LBA, LVP , NWI, NCL and now ABZ.
Wheres LVP?

[LBA]

He will have meant Liverpool.

[MOR]

So that'll be the third time flybe have opened a base in ABZ then... last two didn't last very long... doubt this one will either.

[airhumberside]

He will have meant Liverpool.
Oh right, Thanks

[Richard Taylor]

MOR:

That'll be because Aberdeen is a cold,grey,two-bit city with a two-bit airport that nobody wants to fly to,right? :rolleyes: ;)

[mmeteesside]

Any chance of Flybe. starting BHD-MME any time soon? now that baby have (at last) given up from BFS :p They finally realised that 30 pax wasn't good enough, although it remains to be seen how they will do with NQY :)

mmeteesside

[Devonair]

Rumours in Devon suggests ABZ and EXT will be connected shortly. A much better option than the PLH - ABZ which operates via CWL & LPL!

[MOR]

That'll be because Aberdeen is a cold,grey,two-bit city with a two-bit airport that nobody wants to fly to,right?

Well, it is a "cold,grey,two-bit city with a two-bit airport" - in fact the airport isn't even really two bit - but that isn't the reason... :p

Actually I quite like the city, but it is cold and it is grey.

The reason is that to make a profit out of ABZ, you have to get your head around the local mindset. They didn't manage it last time and pulled out very quickly form the ABZ-LCY and subsequent routes. They left a lot of people hanging at short notice - the ABZ routes tend to be the first to get axed when life gets difficult. Just the way it always seems to go...

[5711N0205W]

MOR, sitting up here in the cold grey north east at the moment could you please explain my mindset to me?

If by mindset you mean a fairly limited catchment area with a relatively static population you could have something. If you mean that apart from the London destinations (mixed Business / Leisure) and Dublin (Leisure) that routes likely to survive are those that can attract business traffic you could have something too.

The extended choice of med type holiday destinations due to more flexible airport opening hours will probably attract a few more punters to launch off on their hols from here.

Not sure how the mindset comes into it, do please enlighten me.

[Richard Taylor]

Thought I read somewhere Aberdeen was statisically Scotland's sunniest city.Yes it can be misty,yes it can be cold,but it can also be sunny and...YES,warm!! Just like everywhere else in fact!

Our scenery in & around can't be beaten & with this in mind,more tourists are making their way up here,which is contributing to the passenger growth at ABZ.Better awareness of what can be had up here will assist lo-co routes & others to grow,as well of course as the business pax.

Important for this area to be marketed for incoming tourists as well as targetting more people to fly from here.That must be the future for this area.As has been said,we only have so many people based here who will fly,therefore we need the tourists from both home & abroad to continue to growth.

Maybe one day Aberdeen beach will be awash with tourists like the old old days.

(That was a public service broadcast on behalf of the Aberdeen Tourist Board:cool: ;) )

[Richard Taylor]

May 2005:

ABZ handled 242,493 passengers,up 10.9% on the same period last year & 10,302 ahead of Apr.

Both domestic & international services overall showed healthy growth.

Domestically,passengers were up 9.7% to 146,211 for the month.Routes to Luton,Humberside & Newcastle(Flybe will be encouraged?)showed the best growth.

International passengers were up 10.6% to 59,207 for the month with routes to Bergen,Gronigen & Amsterdam showing best growth.

Helicopter passengers up 16.1% to 37,075,reflecting increasing confidence in the oil/gas sector.

Aircraft movements at ABZ were 13.2% up on May 2004 at 7,747.

To the end of May 2005,the rolling passenger total stood at 2.725m.

The BAA's masterplan for ABZ is due out in the next few weeks,outlining their future plans for the facility.

Good figures,long may it continue,but is this growth SOLELY down to oil/gas or is tourism playing a larger role.

And could this growth be better enhanced without the BAA's hand(compared to the likes of Exeter,ABZ's growth is comparatively "small beer" although good in BAA terms. )

[Richard Taylor]

Just returning to my initial thread on flybe's "intentions" at ABZ.

Mike correctly predicted NWI,which has been announced.

Local rag seemed adamant that the Midlands (BHX),S.England (SOU) & possibly NCL would follow,with announcements in the closing days of the month.

Doesn't appear that any more annoucements are imminent,yet the paper seemed definite.

Will there be an "ABZ specific" announcement or have Flybe's plans been delayed/deferred?

Apparently there were adverts in the Daily Mail showing BHX - ABZ but the Flybe advert in the local today just shows BHD & NWI.

Flybe's routemap just shows BHD & NWI as well.

Was it only "presstalk" or was there substance to the BHX/SOU/NCL routes.

(I know,I know...NEVER trust the press... :) :rolleyes: )

[liquid sunshine]

Whilst this is potentially good news for ABZ I feel that Flybe would be better off consolidating what they have. Their fleet is already stretched to breaking point and barely a day goes by without major delays and/or cancellations. Although they have been succesful on certain routes I believe there is a danger of them self-destructing if they continue with these over ambitious expansion plans. :confused: