BRISTOL - 4

[MerchantVenturer]

A creditable performance, especially as it was achieved without a significant increase in flights. In fact, atms were down 2.4 % on January 2009.

CEO Robert Sinclair is quoted in the press that passenger numbers would have been up around 5% over January 2009 had the severe weather not intervened.

He also spoke about continued growth throughout 2010 "with the summer potentially our busiest ever".

CO to EWR

Further to the recent discussion on the BRS EWR route, the BRS website carries an item today regarding another promotion of the route jointly by the airline and airport in the South West and South Wales that mentions around 50% per cent of passengers having a destination beyond Newark.

[bravoromeosierra]

Just hoping to jog someones memory.. I flew from BRS to Zakinthos (ZTH) in October 2005 with MyTravel. I remember flying out on a certain day and flew back the same day two weeks later. I think the flight numbers were MYT1725 and MYT1726 respectively.

Could anyone remember, and perhaps confirm the day I may have departed? Thanks!

[MerchantVenturer]

Charter flights October 2005

Haven't got the flight numbers but there were four weekly charter flights to Zakinthos then: FCA on Tuesdays and Thursdays; MYT on Thursdays; XLA on Sundays.

So it looks as though your travel day was a Thursday - the inbound was scheduled back at BRS at 1715.

Airport Flyer

BRS has announced major improvements to the Flyer service.

From 4 April it will run at ten-minute intervals, increased from every fifteen minutes, for the main part of each day.

Route numbers will become A1 and A2 and the former 330 route to Clifton via Temple Meads and the bus/coach station will terminate at the Triangle, Clifton instead of travelling all along Whiteladies Road as is the current practice. The route around the central area will be amended in order to serve more city centre hotels.

Over £2 million is being spent on twelve new purpose-built Volvo buses that will feature leather seats, will be wheelchair accessible and equipped with free Wi-Fi and phone/laptop power points.

Passengers will be able to take luggage on board which will speed up the boarding process.

The current fleet of coaches, though for the most part no more than six years old, is beginning to look tired and luggage has to be loaded externally (usually by the passengers) into under floor compartments.

Six of the new buses will arrive in spring and the other six next year.

[bravoromeosierra]

Thanks for your help MV- you've been handy! :ok: Good news about the Flyer too.. I've taken it only the once, but its reasonably priced and was reliable.

Though I wonder if First or BIA will pay for the new buses.. or perhaps its a joint thing!

[LGS6753]

Guys,

Don't get too carried away by the thought of First providing new vehicles. They operate a route between Luton Airport Parkway station and the Airport, and made a huge fanfare a couple of years ago about the purpose-built, brand-new, traveller-friendly articulated buses they would be using. And sure enough, four brand new vehicles showed up, just to be moved away after about 18 months to another outpost of the First empire.

[MerchantVenturer]

The Flyer is operated for the airport by First Coaches. It's been running for over ten years with dedicated, airport-liveried 50-seat coaches.

The Flyer is more than a bus service. Because BRS has no rail connection, and is unlikely ever to get one, the Flyer is part of an integrated public transport system to the airport and it's possible to book through rail tickets to the airport from most stations in the country, through National Express tickets and through local bus tickets, with the last leg (first leg for inbound flights) on each using the Flyer.

I would be extremely surprised if the airport hasn't ensured the new buses will be for its exclusive use in its contract with First.

It cannot afford to have First playing fast and loose with the type of vehicle it uses.

[jerboy]

The Flyer's handy, although a little pricey I think (£7 single). Its just a shame that it has to crawl through Bedminster and up the A38: Its an 8 mile journey (according to google maps) that can, if you have to travel during rush hour, take up to 45 minutes.

I, for one, would like to see other options to the airport. First has the monopoly, as it does with most travel in Bristol. Have First signed an exclusive contract with BRS to serve the airport?

Although it does have its down points, it is clearly a vital service and its always good to see improvements.

[MerchantVenturer]

Hello jerboy,

Other options would be extremely difficult to achieve realistically.

The airport's major expansion planning application is due for hearing on 3 March and opposition is immense.

A main plank of the opponents' case is the reliance on private transport by airline passengers. In the 90s there was a mini bus link with Bristol that was infrequent. About ten years ago the airport apparently determined it would set about providing its own regular connection with the city, hence the Flyer.

At the time First Group owned a majority share in the airport with Bristol City Council having the minority share. That was probably why First Coaches was chosen as the operator of the Flyer, as a sort of inhouse venture perhaps. There was talk of a seamless transport interchange as First also own First Great Western, the main train company in the region.

First gave up all its interest in the airport in 2001 but the Flyer continued.

First does dominate Greater Bristol but the Rotala Group operating as Wessex Connect has an increasing presence in the city, including the operation of two park and rides and the city's night buses, so there could be another option if Rotala really wanted to become involved.

The airport has included section 106 payments in its planning application of £100,000 per annum to enhance the only other bus service (route 121) that accesses the airport. It's a meandering village tour between Bristol and Weston – the main bus routes between Bristol and Weston operate along the A370 and don't pass the airport. Route 121 is operated by First (except Sundays when a local company does the honours) but is two-hourly, doesn't contribute much to airport passenger numbers and was going to be withdrawn last year until the local authority stepped in with a subsidy.

The section 106 proposals also include contributions of over £5 million towards Bristol Rapid Transport Phase 1 and the South Bristol Link. Phase 1 could be in operation by 2013 and involves buses running from the Temple Meads area on dedicated tracks to Long Ashton near the proposed Bristol City football stadium for much of the route. There has been talk in the local Press that the Flyer would use this route and also part of the South Bristol Link. It would be further than the current route via Bedminster but, in theory, at least should be as quick and not subject to traffic delays.

I've used the Flyer several times in the past few months and the Temple Meads-Airport section has never taken more than 25 minutes. I've probably been lucky.

[santito]

Whilst SBAE would have an absolute fit, has there ever at any point in the airport's history been talk of extending the runway? Looking on Google Maps, there is at least 1000ft of land available off the 09 end before the coombe starts.

Approach lighting and so- on could be moved into the coombe area, and a small area cleared/ the lighting raised to ensure it is prominent.

I don't expect it to ever happen, as the opposition would be immense, and I don't think there is a good enough business case for it, but an extra 1000ft or so would put 09/27 at the same length as Newcastle, allowing aircraft such as the A330 and longer direct flights with the 767's.


I guess also the imminent arrival of the 787/ A350 means long- haul should soon be possible off our tiny strip of concrete?

[bristolflyer]

Santito, the extension of the runway was debated at length between the 70's and the early 90's. Of course during this time the airport was tiny compared to todays traffic and the cost and planning problems meant it wasn't considered viable. The main problem is that Feltham Common is protected common ground, i.e, anybody can graze their sheep on it, but not build a runway! Over the years various plans were forthcoming looking at a tunnel for the A38. The airport does own the ground immediately over the road. Some of the options were looked at in the expansion report. The most likely option would be a starter strip back to where the road is now thus not having to undertake a massive legal/PR battle for the Common. Clearly the view that has been taken by the airport is that the future lies in the 787, which is a fair one. The new 747 has about 15 orders and obviously the airport will never take an A380! So the general future is the 777 and the 787/A350. They have been assured by Boeing that the 787 will operate from the current runway direct to Florida/ Middle East. So there is little point in lengthening the current strip. I presume that Emirates/other middle eastern carriers will buy the 787/350 at some point as a replacement for the 330 which may open up those routes.

[WATABENCH]

Santito you asked the following a couple of posts back - Is the SFB flight going to be non- stop again? I guess it is an on- the- day decision depending on winds, etc?

Ta

SFB still ops direct barring any abnormal operational restrictions on the day, CUN via MAN outbound, direct inbound.

Some nasty delays this weekend, top of the pops goes to MON A321 to KTT, aircraft went tech on arrival in BRS during its W pattern, MON engineer and parts came down from LTN i believe, helped by TOM engineers, but no joy, could not get a spare aircraft in due to fleet problems and snow closures at other uk airports i believe, delayed from 1500 until 0800 :ouch:


VIKING
Quick update, looks like 12 weekly flights from Viking over the summer with a based 737-300, with the return of JSI which stopped after the XL collapse.
BJV, DLM, CFU, HER, EFL, KGS, RHO, JSI, ZTH, ACE, TFS, VRN

[brs planespotter]

i have been reliably informed that the fca 767 only ever takes 150/160 pax too enable it too go direct( i stand ready too be corrected) also is the mon a321 a lgw a/c?rgds brs

[WATABENCH]

brs - I believe the SFB goes with a full load, it wouldn't break even let alone make money going with 100 seats un sold mate, especially as no cargo goes on to it at BRS unlike other bases.
I believe TOM and BRS looked into what was needed for it to operate direct and managed to adjust things operationally, would prob need a more technically minded body than me to explain it all, WINDSHEER usually has a good take on things like this, I'm sure if he reads this he might shed some light on it, or a TOM 75/76 pilot if they read the thread may be kind enough to enlighten us on the ops side of it.

[sam1993]

Just to update...

Saga Airlines will be operating the Turkish routes and Viking Hellas will be operating the Heraklion flight. This leaves no flights for a Tuesday, however, Birmingham has a 733 position in to operate flights to Iraq on a Tuesday which then positions back in the early hours of Wednesday. I presume this will be the Bristol based aircraft?

[MerchantVenturer]

Summer transatlantic charters

The Sanford route was discussed on this board last May and it seemed to be accepted, after initial debate, that the TOM flights would be going non-stop which, so far as I am aware, is what happened. I understand the aircraft were 258-seat former First Choice B 767-300s. Passenger figures for the summer months suggest that the aircraft were nowhere near restricted to 150/160 occupied seats.

Here is part of a post from that time from Baron buzz who is an airline pilot.


The BRS-SFB flights are rostered to operate via MAN for the next few weeks, however it would seem that previous posters are correct in that the company is intending to operate where possible directly. The S09 plan was to operate via MAN, and this is a change fairly late in the day. I think the passengers are still being told its via MAN, and then get a pleasant surprise should they get to go directly.

The performance is close though, and there will be days when ops direct is not possible. Since the flight is only once weekly, hopefully these occasions will not be frequent.

MV, you raise interesting points. There was a school of thought that involving no crew swop and planning the flight via Shannon or something like that would work. Shannon is in the right direction and a fuel stop would be quicker than MAN.

I think MAN is chosen simply because it is an operating base, and problems/crew changes can be solved easily there (relatively). Then, should weather not be a factor flight could be planned to go directly to SFB, rather than stopping in Shannon. This would prevent the problem you raise.

It would seem though, that the company is confident enough in operating directly, and that should performance be an issue, there is enough operating hours available for a stop in MAN, without a crew change. We will see though....

easyJet to Milan Malpensa

It looks as though this route will finish in April - no longer bookable after that.

It started around the time in early 2007 that BACon pulled out of its MXP route from BRS.

Ryanair then came in with its Milan Bergamo and for a couple of years the two competed daily summer and winter.

Last summer and this winter easyJet reduced its MXP route to 5/6 weekly and Ryanair, having gone daily year round since the route's inception, has reduced to 3 x weekly in the coming summer.

So from 14 flights a week to the Milans there will be only 3 flights a week to Milan Bergamo.

When easyJet axed Valencia and Venice Marco Polo Ryanair soon stepped in with Valencia and Venice Treviso. I wonder if they will now increase rotations on their Bergamo route.

[cym]

EZY vs FR - a no win situation for BRS

FR will marganalise EZY on costs and volumes will go down - bad move on BRS management

See my earlier posts.......

[cym]

MV, you raise interesting points. There was a school of thought that involving no crew swop and planning the flight via Shannon or something like that would work. Shannon is in the right direction and a fuel stop would be quicker than MAN


Dare I even suggest CWL - shared market, reduced distribution cost longer runway (soz) = win win situatioon and no euro vs gbp costs!!!

waiting for the bullets!!!!

[mathers_wales_uk]

Saga Airlines will be operating the Turkish routes


Best of luck with that one with very little in the way of spare aircraft in S09 a few delays of 12 hours +

Summer Transatlantic Route

For some reason or other i think we should face to the fact that we will not have any longhaul TOM flights from CWL except for the Cruise flights which have done excellent this year.

It was proven with TOM before the merger that these flights do work but the ex FCA management seem to be pulling the shots on this one hence the reduction in flight from CWL.

[bristolflyer]

North Somerset planners have recommended approval of the airports expansion. The recommended proposals will have to go to the full planning committee shortly, but it is a major step forward. There appear to be a number of restrictions, including limiting the number of passengers to 10 million, but over all the airport appears to have got what it wanted. Excellent news!

[santito]

Nice!

How long does the 10Mil limit apply for? How would it be implemented? i.e. would the airport only be allowed to accept 10M seats from incoming aircraft? That sounds quite restrictive seeing as we are already at over 6M pax PA, and there must be -something like- 7M seats on flights already?

That would only allow growth of 45% in number of flights.

[MerchantVenturer]

Expansion plans

Although it is certainly a step in the right direction don't let's get carried away.

North Somerset's professional planning officers have made the recommendation but they don't make the decision, the elected councillors do.

In recent times North Somerset councillors have ignored the advice of their own professional planning officers and made planning decisions contrary to that advice on two high-profile local planning matters.

They did so with the airport's application to regard the western walkway as general permitted development and only later changed their mind when they realised their decision was perverse and unsustainable in law and would have led to the council tax payers footing a legal bill in the certain knowledge that the airport would have appealed.

They did so recently in regard to the link road at Long Ashton to the proposed new Bristol City FC stadium and that is still to be finally resolved.

Even if the planning councillors do go along with their planning officers' recommendations and the airport accepts the restrictions, there is still a possibility that the whole scheme will be called in by the government minister leading to a public enquiry or, if it isn't, legal challenges from opponents could still occur. SBAE with the backing of some prominent local politicians have already asked the minister to call in the application.

The latest news is a step forward it is true but there are many more to be taken before the plans are finally approved.

[WATABENCH]

D-Day today, whats everyones thoughts, will it be a yes or no from NSC?
I'm going for a definate YES

[yeo valley]

I see the planning application is being discussed tonight. Is anyone any plans for going. Cant make it my self. I recon they will delay decision and pass it on for someone else as they wont upset the locals with an election not far away.

[MerchantVenturer]

I wouldn't even try to forecast what North Somerset Council planners will decide this evening. Their recent track record of unpredictablity in planning matters means that nothing will surprise me.

What would surprise me is tonight's vote, whichever way it goes, being the final say. I doubt that whoever 'loses' will let the matter rest and appeals or legal challenges will likely follow, that is if the whole thing is not called in for public enquiry, something the objectors still hope will happen.

There's been plenty of rhetoric from both sides in the local rags in recent days.

Airport CEO Robert Sinclair said, "(Lack of expansion) will expose the uncomfortable fact that our facilities aren't adequate to meet the needs of a resurgent region."

He particularly mentions congestion at immigration and security with the current terminal leaving no room for expansion in these fields.

Whilst some of the comment must be taken in the context of pushing for the expansion there is no doubt that crowding can be uncomfortable at busy periods.

In recent months SBAE seems to have become slightly more conciliatory with their spokesman accepting the airport in its current form as serving the needs of the region and even suggesting a compromise figure of 8 mppa maximum.

Whether this is being done because they perceive their case to be weak only time will tell.

Incidentally, the local paper today reports the BRS February passenger figures up 14% on February 2009 at 364,906.

If this percentage increase was replicated each month for the rest of the year the airport would see a record calendar year of about 6.3 mppa. The CEO is cautiously bullish about 2010 though I've not read anywhere that he is that optimistic.

What will be true though is that the terminal crowding will not get any less and expanded facilities are needed, though even an uncontested planning approval (which I think is unlikely) would not see anything built immediately.

Finally, has the airport supporters' group website (BISON) closed? I've not been able to access it for a week. Seems odd that it should close (if it has done) at such an important time for the airport's future.

[MerchantVenturer]

North Somerset South Area Planning Committee did not make a decision tonight on BRS's major expansion planning application, as was expected.

Instead, after listening to submissions and planning advice they have adjourned the matter to a future date to be considered by the council's Planning and Regulatory Committee.

The positive aspect is that the nine councillors on the South Area Committe have recommended approval by six votes to three.

[MerchantVenturer]

Yet more tweaking with the summer 10 timetable from BRS.

Rimini is back in both the booking engine and web timetable at 2 x weekly - Wednesdays and Sundays. Having been in the first editions of the timetable (and booking engine) it was taken out a couple of months ago.

To make room Malaga has been reduced to 6 x weekly (no Sundays) from 7 and a gap has been utilised for the Wednesday flight with a bit of shuffling of some other flight times.

With easyJet going 2 x daily to Malaga it's certainly a better option to lose a weekly rotation in order to operate the Rimini.

[danielhobbs]

MerchantVenturer - I'm afraid we did make the decision to close BISON.

It wasn't an easy decision to make as a lot of work had gone into the group over the years, however it was just dying, and we weren't getting out of the site what we had originally hoped.

It was originally founded to be for supporters of the airport, the public to show support rather than another spotting website - which in the end, that's what it turned out to be.

It seems as though the public are happier to complain and protest than show support. We had received lots of support from fans and the media, however there wasn't much else we could do in progression. The team behind BISON were also busy on other projects and couldn't dedicate the time any more.

Thanks for everybody's support in the past, and we hope that all of the members still continue to actively support the website.

[andrew1968]

Bristol International Airport have published Traffic Figures for February.

Total Pax 365,331 up 14.33% :D

Charter 45,462 up 10.81%

Scheduled Int 233,130 up 12.38%

Scheduled Dom 86,679 up 22.07%

Total Aircraft Movements were also up 4.70% at 4,875 :D

A great turnaround in fortunes for the airport, lets hope this is a good year of recovery.

[bobsyerunlce]

Great stats indeed. I wonder which, if any, of the other regional airports can better that.

On a different note, did anyone know that Bristol International Airport is being rebranded tomorrow and the name changed?

I appreciate, and guess that potentially, the airport wants to appeal to a wider geographical area, and this may be reflected in the new name, but will it stop anyone calling it Bristol (or even for the older generation - Lulsgate)?

I just hope they dont choose a famous person, like Liverpool did. I hate that idea.

[Standard Noise]

Adge Cutler International Airport?

Wurzelshire International Airport?

Ciderset International Airport?

Bristol Cary Grant International?

Oh, I could have seconds of fun with this one!

[MerchantVenturer]

BISON

Thank you for confirming the site closure, daniel. I understand entirely why you closed it down and was half expecting you to for the reasons you have given.

Thank you for the work you and your colleague put into the initiative and some positives did emerge: for example, you harnessed much support for the airport's Western Walkway at the time the local authority was prevaricating over its decision as to whether it could be considered GPD.

Airport Name Change

I understood the airport is to go back to its previous title of Bristol Airport which if this is the case I support because calling a regional airport 'International' is pretentious and unnecessary in my view, though some UK airports smaller than Bristol still do so.

February Passenger Figures

They are very good figures especially having regard to the relatively small percentage increase in flight numbers because it means the 14% increase in passenger numbers is not simply the result of a lot more flights.

[WATABENCH]

New branding on website the morning, it gone back to just Bristol Airport with a symbol that i guess kind of reflects flight and a boat sail by the looks of it, infact it looks similar to the roundabout art on the A38 (which hasn't been lit up in well over a year), i guess to represent Bristols maritime and flying links?

UK & International Flights (New York) from Bristol International Airport - Bristol International Airport (http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/)

Cwl just announced MUC with Baby from October, a route not covered from BRS at the mo, and i'd imagine one that would do well over there, seemed successful when BACON were operating it a few years back in BRS, did EZY do it for a little while?

Great news on pax 14% up, just shame theres no where for them to sit in the departure lounge :}

[MerchantVenturer]

Munich was operated 6 x weekly for about eight years, ending in 2007 when Flybe took over BACon and pulled the plug on all the BACon Bristol routes, much to the well-documented surprise of the airport management.

I can't remember whether the BA franchisee was Brymon or BACitiexpress when the MUC started - it certainly progressed through BACx to BACon.

easyJet never did MUC from BRS.

I remember that in the early 1980s Thomson/Britannia used to operate their summer Lakes and Mountains Austrian holidays to MUC from BRS. We used the route once for a holiday around 1983 with a Britannia Boeing 737-200 followed by a two-hour coach trip to St Wolfgang.

For all its scheduled routes to France, Poland, Spain and Italy there is a surprising lack of destinations to Germany (Berlin and Bremen, the latter a niche route) and none to Scandinavia (Oslo and Stockholm apparently did well when operated as summer-only but fell victim to the downsizing of SAS, and easyJet's Copenhagen also had good passenger numbers but was axed when the Danish government imposed a £7 per passenger tax).

LH's FRA carried over 90,000 passengers in the year it operated and I know the airport was gobsmacked when LH pulled it.

There is another new German route starting soon from South West Britain - Flybe's 3 x weekly service to Hannover from Exeter although it will route via Newcastle. Ironically, Hannover is one of Bristol's twin cities, though two of the others, Bordeaux and Porto, do have easyJet and Ryanair connections respectively.

baby ran MUC from CWL for a year or two in its early days.

I flew out of BRS on Wednesday morning and was pleasantly surprised about the short time it took to transit security in the busy period.

I think though that the airport has gone too far in the number of retail and eating outlets it has allowed to be set up in areas of the departure lounge that formerly contained seating for passengers awaiting their flights.

We sat ourselves down in one of the restaurant areas - plenty of seats in those areas - but didn't want to eat as we had breakfast before leaving. We did buy tea and coffee but I wonder if we would have been turned out had we not done so.

[AirLCY]

I would imagine LH will look at adding FRA back in W11 when the new runway opens in FRA. They could then use an E190 instead of the 146 being cheaper to operate.

[bravoromeosierra]

Though bear in mind its also cited the route was pulled due to the fierce competition from Paris and Amsterdam.

[santito]

I think BMI will pick the FRA route up in the future.

Would also be nice to see a few more Germans plus SAS return one day! :ok:

[Pandy]

Its been almost a year since I posted here!

Recall LH started BRS/FRA in Apr 08 & terminated it about Apr 09.

My interest was to try DXB/FRA/BRS/FRA/DXB. The flights were on their booking engine in Dec 07 showing astromonic prices & this continued until May 08. It took them 5 months to sort it out.

As the service only lasted 12 months I've always wondered how much this sort of 'service' effected their loads.

I never flew the route, my feeling was if LH didn't care about my booking / custom (or cared enough to sort their systems out) then why should I care to fly them.

They could of got 4 or 5 DXB/BRS/DXB pa, OK they needed a lot more than that but how many of us were there?

Have they changed? Do you really want them back?

[Bristol_Traveller]

Goodness, a whole bunch of us must have anniversary alarm clocks set for BRS-FRA starting (and ending).

There's no doubt that the initial cock-up in loading fares to some POS harmed the impressions people had of the route, though hopefully that was not significant in affecting traffic numbers or profitability in the long term. Or at least, the implications taken into account.

I think it was probably a decision by LH to batten down prior to a set of very black clouds; the economy; ageing 146 fleet; the retirement of the A300 fleet; the indigestion of acquiring LX, OS, SN, and having BD unwillingly rammed down their throats ("go on - it's on wafer thin"). Last in, first out.

It's probably also the case (as bravoromeosierra says) that they underestimated the extent to which KL and AF would be cutting fares Europe-wide to hold onto traffic.

I was just wondering myself if we might see another BD orphan re-housed at BRS to operate FRA. However, it appears elsewhere that BD are looking at operating GLA-FRA, and there seems to be another BD aircraft off to operate LHR-DRS, so maybe there's nothing left to put in Lulsgate.

In the meantime, I guess we hope that the airports route development team are working on it, and hoping that BRS-BRU is showing the LH group that there is benefit of putting more into BRS.

[TBSC]

Wizz WAW-BRS from 19SEP, initially 2x weekly.

[GroundBunnie]

Quote<< I can't remember whether the BA franchisee was Brymon or BACitiexpress when the MUC started - it certainly progressed through BACx to BACon.>>Unquote

It was CitiExpress, a few weeks after I started at BRS. Then progression to BACon, as stated.

Loads were reasonable, often problems with weight and trim once > 40 pax on the E145, but yields were average.

GB

[WATABENCH]

Wizz, great news to see a new carrier at BRS.

[MILEHIGHBOY]

def wasnt BRY

[bobsyerunlce]

Great news indeed about Wizz. I really like flying with them and they seem to be going from strength to strength with their diverse route network. Maybe they will be the ones to bring the German and Scandinavian destinations to Bristol. Hopefully Warsaw will work out for them. What was the reason EZY dropped it?

[MILEHIGHBOY]

loads were always very busy on the BRS-WAW but U2 have dropped it from the entire network so they must have fallen out with the airport over landing fees! same thing happened with Gdansk which FR took over.

[santito]

Yep they've been there every Mon & Fri I've flown out (Bru and CDG) the last couple of weeks

[MerchantVenturer]

Very good work by the routes team to get this airline on board.

I've been looking at the Wizz route network and at first glance it's not easy to see what other destinations might be served because most of the obvious ones are already flown by other airlines.

It seems that Wizz either flies within central/eastern Europe or between central/eastern Europe and western Europe.

Sofia (already served in winter by ski charters), Belgrade and Bucharest might be possibilities though I'm not sure what demand exists, but I might have thought that about the likes of Riga and Bratislava that Ryanair seems to serve with pretty decent loads.

The Bristol Evening Post continues its negativity towards the airport saying the Wizz flights will replace the easyJet flights to Warsaw that were discontinued a couple of years ago 'through lack of demand'. The load factors didn't suggest that, far from it, and the paper conveniently failed to mention that easyJet then axed all its Warsaw routes.

I sometimes wonder whether this rag is the unofficial publicity organ of SBAE.

[bristolflyer]

No MV, the Evening Post just suffers from the usual Bristolian negative attitude. It just loves to see the world through a half empty glass!!

[bobsyerunlce]

It seems that Wizz's route network mainly involves either Katowice or Budapest. I would like to see maybe more flights to Budapest from BRS as FR only fly on a couple of days each week and it is more of a weekend destination than a business destination in my opinion.

Anyway, I cant wait to see if Wizz open up more routes to/from BRS. They have some very interesting destinations, but like MV said, whether the demand is there is another matter altogether.

and to the last poster, not all Bristolians are backward thinking! Its just the NIMBYs need to be vocal to try and get heard. Everyone else wants expansion at the airport, the new stadium, the new south Bristol/A370 link road etc.

[nivsy]

What has happened tothe general seating area in the departure lounge at BRS? The whole area now resembles a cheap shopping centre with Costa Coffee taking up the space that was for seating (for those pax not wanting to eat or drink - upstairs just resembles a eating court. Bad show - no where to go really except pay some dosh for the so called exec lounge.


Nivsy

[MerchantVenturer]

I flew out of BRS on Wednesday morning and was pleasantly surprised about the short time it took to transit security in the busy period.

I think though that the airport has gone too far in the number of retail and eating outlets it has allowed to be set up in areas of the departure lounge that formerly contained seating for passengers awaiting their flights.

We sat ourselves down in one of the restaurant areas - plenty of seats in those areas - but didn't want to eat as we had breakfast before leaving. We did buy tea and coffee but I wonder if we would have been turned out had we not done so.
nivsy,

I made the above comment in this thread three weeks ago.

Whilst I appreciate that airports have to maximise profits they ought to ensure that the passenger experience is at the very least a reasonable one.

At busy times this is sometimes no longer the case.

I have some sympathy because the airport's attempt to obtain planning permission for its much-needed major expansion is now four years behind the original timeline thanks to the perpetual opposition from the usual suspects and the airport's attempts to go back and come up with things to satisfy their complaints - it never will but to its credit the BRS management has tried very hard.

It's possible that another year or two will pass before final approval is given (if it is) bearing in mind a possible change of government may well call in the whole thing for a planning enquiry. Even if it doesn't appeals and/or legal challenges are likely to slow things down.

This year may see 6 mppa again after the fall in numbers in 2009 so the crowding will not get any less.

What should help a bit is the western walkway (due to open later this spring) that will remove a significant number of passengers waiting for flights in the main departure area towards the periphery. However, because it is being built as general permitted development the walkway and waiting areas therein will have no facilities, so no additional public seating.

Airport Flyer

Frequency increases from 15-minute intervals to 10-minute from next week, as was reported some weeks ago.

I was at Temple Meads rail station this afternoon for nearly an hour and I noticed that the Flyer was very busy inbound and outbound.

The majority of passengers going to the airport seemed to arrive by the London trains which would mean they boarded at Bath, Chippenham, Swindon or further east. The chances are that some came from east of Swindon which, if this the case, demonstrates again that the Flyer is certainly a decent substitute for the lack of a direct rail connection to the airport.

Loading cases externally under the vehicle floor still takes an unacceptable amount of time when the service is busy so the new coaches with internal luggage facilities should speed up loading and enable the coaches to more easily keep to the timetable.

I rode the Flyer from Temple Meads to the airport recently and the journey was accomplished in 18 minutes but that was exceptional.

[nivsy]

Must have missed your comment a few weeks back Merchant -glad to see I am not the only one thinking along the same lines.

I have always really quite liked BRS. I do not use it as often as I used to - still though for AGP and GLA every now and again. I do like the way i is likely to expand but I guess like all things in accordance with growththe small intimate feeling is going.

Nivsy

[yeo valley]

lack of seating might be somebodys thoughts as when shopping or looking around that it wont need seats. but then not everone wants to go looking in shops or buying.but thyen another problem crops up is if planes running late. but in one sense its profit before passenger comfort.

[MerchantVenturer]

Looks as though the based A320 will appear next week.

Mayfly shows it operating from Wednesday 14 April as follows:

Wednesday

0710-1255 Malaga 1340-2350 Paphos

Thursday

0710-1255 Malaga 1430-2210 Funchal

Friday

0640-1525 Tenerife South 1655-0015 Corfu

Saturday

0705-1250 Faro 1340-2350 Paphos

Sunday

0710-1250 Alicante 1340-2350 Paphos

I presume it will also operate the Paphos on Mondays and the Tenerife South on Tuesdays plus Med destinations on those days but Mayfly is yet to be published for the following week.

[MerchantVenturer]

There is an item on the BRS website that the route from BRS to EWR is to cease from 7 November this year.

[2J&D]

Never saw that coming and a real shame! I would have thought that after 5 years(?) it had become an established route...

Really sad news...

[MerchantVenturer]

Loads tended to be the lowest of the CO EWR routes from the UK, especially in the winter and to be honest the decision hasn't surprised me.

In fact, I'm surprised the route lasted so long. I didn't want to say as much on this public message board but I have been expressing my concerns in PMs to one or two people for a long time.

The herculean efforts of the airport and indeed the airline to promote all sorts of initiatives in the past year or so also gave a clue that the route was in need of a big boost.

Obviously yields are the important thing and there were rumours that the airport had given CO exceptionally good terms but even that, if true, has not worked in the end.

Probably the bottom line is that Bristol is rather too close to London (I know Birmingham is a similar distance from the capital but the West Midlands has a much larger population) with its huge choice of transatlantic routes, and also the failure of business people to use the route in sufficient numbers.

Paul Kehoe warned of this during his short tenure as CEO at BRS.

This will now play hugely into the hands of SBAE and its fellow travellers. They made a great fuss when the FRA route was axed last year.

It is a great shame. It was fun while it lasted. The airport says it will be looking for a replacement carrier - of course it has to - but it won't be easy.

I feel very sorry for those who worked so hard to get the route in the first place and I am sure they will try to find another carrier. If they do they will really have earned their corn.

Addendum

The official reasons given are the forthcoming rise in APD, the weakness of the pound and the recession.

The other thing that might have a bearing is CO's increasing its rotations from LHR from 3 daily to 5 daily later this year. When the CO to BRS started CO had no LHR routes and the London gateway was Gatwick.

[Random Flyer]

That's a huge blow to Bristol! Is the cancelling of the route for the winter only or is it permanent?

In all honesty, I can’t see Bristol finding a replacement service to the United States. If Continental can’t make it work, none of the US carriers can.

[Tom the Tenor]

Very sorry to hear about Bristol's sad news. I have no doubt that Bristol will be able to make up for this in different ways with more new routes elswwhere.

[FMCTEMPEST]

[
Very sorry to hear about Bristol's sad news. I have no doubt that Bristol will be able to make up for this in different ways with more new routes elswwhere.
]

Bristol will just attract even more LOW COST airlines.
Bristol has had its peak and with CO pulling out that leaves only AIR FRANCE/KLM & SN with the rest all being made of LOW COST airlines.
Perhaps the airport should do some deals with some of the other prestige airlines to make it more attractive for these airlines to come in.
In the long run the airport would get the money back through Parking retail etc.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Oh blow.

I'm likely to use BRS-EWR more this year than in the previous 5 combined (less Asia, more America), and it gets pulled. I rather suspect that the dramatic increase in capacity at LHR has quite a bit to do with it - both in terms of passenger demand from the West, and Continental's own assessment of where to put aircraft.

It still surprises me to find people who don't know you can fly to New York from Bristol, or still go pootling off to London like sheep. I may use LHR, but primarily because I've got *G status, and I'm not prepared to fly SkyTeam to Asia.

More worryingly, LCCs continue to form the overwhelming presence at the airport, and that can't be helpful for positioning the airport as valuable to business and the region. When KL/AF have got a stranglehold on business flying with just 6 flights a day, it's not a great position to work from.

[crackling jet]

Yes that is a shame, a lot of hard work went into getting them here and keeping them by the routes team. I expect they're already on the case for a replacement knowing them.The other thing ,is it falls in quite nicely with 'Mikey the Pikey's grand plan, rememember he said we are looking at setting up a low cost trans atlantic service to several US destinations in about four or five years and that Bristol would feature in those plans !, well that was about four years ago- so problem solved, pull your finger out and get it sorted. only hope that say New York service actually lands at one the New York airports and not take the European scheme where some flights don't even land in the right country of the destination and we end up with a New York service that actually lands in Boston or Bangor-Maine and coach to destination

[Wellington Bomber]

FMC TEMPEST

I would not class Eastern to Aberdeen low cost

[santito]

Terrible news for BRS, Bristol, and the South West.

I too thought this day was coming- the campaigning of late by BRS seemed a little on the desperate side.

I can't see another US carrier taking this route over.... If CO can't make enough from it, I don't see how AA/ Delta or anyone else would either.... Unless they happen to have a load of spare 757/ 767's sitting around they want to put to good use. (i.e. not going to happen). No British carrier will pick this up, VS, BMI, BA, are all either fighting for their lives or don't have the equipment for such a route.

The other problem is that even if it were picked up by someone else, how are they going to offer the huge range of onward connections that CO has a available at EWR? Presumably that was a big part of the reason that the route was started up in the first place?

If it does not work from New York, then it won't work from anywhere else in the US either.

Also, the fact they could not even fill a 757 let alone anything bigger pretty much proves it is unworkable.

We just have to face facts- there is simply not enough demand in the South West to sustain a direct connection to the US.

The only non- budget carriers I can see arriving at BRS now are one of the UAE carriers once the next generation Boeings and Airbuses are flying.

[JDB1052]

The timing of this will definitely help make the new Aer Lingus Regional connectivity to the US over Dublin from Cardiff very competitive against the drive up the M4 to LHR or backhaul to AMS, especially with US immigration preclearance at Dublin. EI's launch fares from Cardiff to the US have been aggressive so clearly they see a market there for connections from the region.

[Bristol_Traveller]

how are they going to offer the huge range of onward connections that CO has a available at EWR?

Codesharing.

However, we don't seem to be scoring too well on the codesharing front, which I'm hoping is cock-up rather than conspiracy.

SN just published a *massive* codeshare setup with UA and US (shudder), which brings them into line with *A, after using AA for many years as their feeder into the USA.

However BRS-BRU isn't on either the UA or US codeshare lists I've seen. BHX, MAN and others are.

Similarly, CO offers a routing of BRS-BRU-EWR (although you'd have to look hard to find it - their own website doesn't recognise it). It would be good if that stayed in place as well.

I'd like to see more global airlines codeshare out of BRS. It'd be good to see Bristol added to the dropdown box of origination airports on the SQ website, even if it's BRS(SN)BRU(SQ)SIN that they're actually selling.

[santito]

Came back on AF today, just have to ask... what are those passport gates in arrivals for? They are NEVER working/ enabled. The queue was half- way up the stairs down to arrivals for passport control, and the passport gates were all......empty!

I wonder if BRS will find anyone to pick up the US route? Does anyone consider it a lost cause?

Thinking about it more, the only other viable airline with existing routes in the UK is probably Delta... However, they are part of Skyteam so potential conflicts there... Also if it didn't work for CO....?

[bobsyerunlce]

When are we going to see the Trans-Atlantic Ryanair routes??? And would BRS be a possibility for that?

[Bristol_Traveller]

It's worth bearing in mind FR and MOL's reputation for blurting out anything that generates publicity. I do believe the phrase "free bl*w j*bs in business class" was used by MOL in connection with this alleged trans-atlantic idea. Maybe one to file alongside the "£1 for the loo on flights of less than one hour" concept as well.

But let's just assume, for one horrifying moment, that FR (or some other organisation) decided to go transatlantic on the true loco model.

1) They'd be hard pressed to get below CO's entry fares on BRS-EWR.
2) The extras would be doubtless be ridiculous.
3) A large number of people who will bear FR for up to 2 hours would baulk at that for 7 hours, particularly on the overnight coming back the other way.
4) They'd clearly have to fly to the middle of nowhere, which in the US, can be considerably middle of nowhere. Getting slots at EWR/LGA/JFK/IAD/BOS/ORD is inconceivable on a low-cost model.
5) There doesn't seem to be the latent demand in the West Country for a US route. If a loco managed to generate such demand (£99??), then it would be pulling people in from all over the place, which doesn't seem to be very compatible with the airport's position of being for the West Country and contributing to our economy.
6) If you were going to do it from BRS, why they heck wouldn't you start at STN or LTN first?

Just some thoughts.

I think we might have to conclude that our region doesn't (yet) have the demand to warrant a direct US link. As others have said, if CO can't make it work as a scheduled, it seems unlikely anyone else would. (Bearing in mind CO seem happy with BFS, BHX, EDI, GLA). I think we just have to (glumly) accept that too many people in the West go to Heathrow rather than to Lulsgate.

[MerchantVenturer]

I can't see much hope for a regular scheduled link in the forseeable future though would love to be proved wrong.

Although the loads for much of the summers were pretty good sometimes very good/excellent for the most part, the winter loads were not very good at times.

A local tv reporter confirmed my suspicions this week when he said a Continental source told him that the business/first cabin was one of the problems in that people did not fill it often enough. You would expect business to be the main customers for the front cabin but as Bristol Traveller points out there were still people who were unaware of the route from BRS and continued to use LHR as did others who were aware of the BRS link.

The 'official' reasons given for the discontinuance were the recession, the weak pound and the impending increase in APD.

CO started BRS when it had no access to LHR. When that situation changed I feared for the route and when CO announced some months ago that they were to increase their daily rotations from LHR to EWR from 3 to 5 daily I was convinced the writing was on the wall.

Would it make much sense to operate a route to a regional airport just a hundred miles away from LHR when they had decided to go full tilt from there? Even if the BRS route did make money for CO a concentrated LHR operation would likely make more money pro rata.

Never say never because who can forecast travel and economic trends in the future but I can't think of an airline that would be a fit for BRS at the moment, although I hope the Bristol routes team can.

The loss of the CO route is a blow to the airport's prestige but from a practical point of view I miss the LH Frankfurt more with its worldwide connections and Star Alliance partners as a counter to KLM/AF. Getting that back is more likely than a replacement NYC route in my view.

I was preparing this as B T was posting his input and we seem to be largely singing from the same hymn sheet.

I also agree also with his Ryanair transatlantic assessment.

[BleadonHell]

Moving on from the sad EWR news...

Does anyone happen to know when the current round of terminal improvements are going to be completed and when the new Western walkway might be opening?.

It is getting busier by the week in the departure lounge with floor and stair space now taking the brunt of the seating shortages.

And last but probably more importantly, has a date been set for the final meeting to approve ( :ok: ) the Airport Expansion by North Somerset Council, all I can find is "later this month"

[santito]

Yeah departures is hell at the moment- never seen it quite as crowded as it was earlier this week when I was there. The queues for the gates snaking everywhere is just a little bit silly.

Western Walkway opens next month, but as I am sure you know, has no seating or other facilities (As the airport is not allowed to put them in there!)

Some of the toilet facilities have been upgraded, but they are taking their sweet time about it...

The new walk-through Duty Free shop also looks really good, and I believe the work there should be completed next month sometime.

I think that covers the current round of improvements... No idea when the yay/ nay decision is on the big expansion though.

[BleadonHell]

I did hear there wouldn't be facilities at the Western gates and thought at the time the Ryanair rush and the Easyjet shuffle would take on a new dimension as everything would now be preceeded by a canter or more likely a gallop down the walkway; gawd help anybody coming the other way or with kids!

Maybe they'll start annoucing boarding gates sooner and at least it will do away with some of those ridiculous snaking queues in the main terminal which on Easter Thursday afternoon were just hideous.

However, what an marvellous position to be in, a busy airport, a growing list of destinations and a full apron - this will doubtless be the envy of many. :)

[MerchantVenturer]

Welcome Bleadon. It's always good to have a new local poster on the BRS thread.

The western walkway was built as general permitted development under the Town and Country Planning Order 1995 which means that formal planning consent was not necessary, although North Somerset councillors tried to say it was but eventually realised the error of their ways.

This means the walkway cannot be treated as an extension of the terminal in the sense that it will increase floor space so the airport can only use it as an alternative way of getting passengers to the stands on the western apron. That's the reason why the airport is limited in its options for furnishing the walkway, though I believe there may be some provision for people with limited mobility.

I suspect the airport will use the new facility 'imaginatively' and it ought at least to remove some of those snaking queues in the main departure lounge, though wait for the inevitable moans about having to walk over 400 metres to reach an aircraft. It should certainly be more user-friendly than the current metal-wrapped partly open corridors on the eastern apron.

You are right about the problem of overcrowding being in some ways a nice one to have (a bit like a football club with a ground not big enough to accommodate all its fans), though I still maintain that there are too many retail outlets taking space originally occupied by public seating. The snag may be that if the overcrowding is not addressed some people may decide to go elsewhere.

According to the BEP this week, the major expansion planning application will be heard by North Somerset councillors on 28 April, not that I expect their decision to be the final one. Appeals, legal challenges or even a public enquiry are likely from one 'side' or the other depending on the councillors' decision.

A change of national government might also have a bearing on whether the expansion goes ahead.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Was out on CO77 this morning. Great flight (as ever), made better by being up front. And early landing.

The Crew seemed genuinely sad that Bristol is ending, and as bewildered as we are. I had a good chat with a couple of them, and they were wondering if the intermittent schedule over the winter had done more harm than good. From an operational point of view, apparently they have to be taken over to LHR to be got home again?

One of the crew was stocking up on butter from the West Country!

[santito]

What are the load factors normally like from your POV?

[Bristol_Traveller]

I'm not sure I've got the best view of load factors, and load factors don't always translate into yield and profit.

I used the service intermittently in the last 5 years, and using it more now that CO are in Star (Star Upgrade Awards are a very very good thing), and because I have more business in the States.

However, if the Biz cabin isn't filling, that is a problem, more or less regardless of the number of bums in seats down the back. And from the times I've looked, there's been a lot of C9 D9 J9 Z9 in the inventory, which means no more than 7 people in business. (Today was 6 of us, and I was on an upgrade from an admittedly deliberately expensive economy fare).

[santito]

So averaging about 40-50% in Bus? (14 seats I think?) Doesn't sound great.

[Bristol_Traveller]

16 seats in Biz on the 757s.

You can also infer demand from the availabilities over time. Z is the lowest business fare, C the highest. A flight showing C9 D0 J0 Z0 probably means they have got strong demand, and really genuinely only have 9 seats left. C9 D4 J0 Z0 means they've sold a few, but are still discounting to fill a few more.

Seeing C9 D9 J9 Z9 a couple of days before a flight goes often means there's not much evidence of demand, and possibly only a couple of seats sold.

You can also look at what inventory has been dumped into R (which is Star Upgrade) and I (which is Star Award). BRS-EWR is usually available in both on weekdays. EWR-BRS usually not, but that seems to be general CO policy not to give away the night flight inventory to anywhere (not just BRS).

[bravoromeosierra]

Having seen the new walkway a few times, it does interest me as to whether it'll be heated/insulated as if just part of the terminal; and allow passage in and out both ways in regards to arrivals.

[Standard Noise]

From what I saw during construction, it was insulated but as for heating, I have no idea. I shall ask a contractor on the way in today. Looking at the glass section which crosses over the main gate road, the walkway appears to be partitioned (as many long walkways are), presumably to separate the inbound and outbound hordes.

No doubt, as MV says, there will be moans about the 'long walk'. Well, it'll be just as long a walk for I and my colleagues to get to Starbucks, but I'm sure we'll cope!:}

Oh, and the miserable beggars haven't put enough windows in the north side of it, so the travelling public will be spared the sight of a 'full moon'.:ok:

[bravoromeosierra]

Ah right, thanks for your input. Have they connected it to the tower? :}

[Bartlett1]

I am a simple surgeon and know nothing about airport/airline management, these are just my thoughts.

I studied at Bristol university and then worked in Plymouth for 6 years and so Bristol was the closest reasonably large airport and I used it a lot. Since moving to Birmingham I still use Bristol often if I find a flight at a better price/more convenient time. I certainly love Bristol as a city and like am quite fond of the airport.

However, I think it has been a victim of it's own success. When the new terminal opened it was spacious, airy but also empty and lacking in facilities. It now has much better facilities in terms of shopping/catering but nowhere near sufficient room for current passenger numbers let alone the predicted increase.

The terminal needs expansion and fast - not just adding little bits here and there as they've done the last few years, but major expansion to at least twice its size.

I have never flown the continental route to New York, but was planning to next year. Obviously I won't be able to now. However, I can see that the major users (ie business people) as well as many leisure users would be put off by the lack of facilities at the airport. Particularly for potential passengers that live on the London side of Bristol, why would you go there and spend a couple of hours in an overcrowded terminal with relatively few facilities and few seats, where you have to join a queue for the gate that snakes the length of the building rather than a dedicated gate waiting area, and then catch a bus or walk outside through what looks like a partially completed metal air raid shelter. Why wouldn't you go to a larger London airport where you have a good choice of shops and eateries, decent seating, and airbridges right up to the aircraft.

Will the Western walkway really improve things? I understand they cannot really add additional facilities such as seating areas due to planning. Will there be conveyers to ease the long walk? Are there air bridges? There certainly should be both of these, but I suspect it will be done on the cheap without either.

I would consider Birmingham airport as the sort of airport Bristol should aspire to. I personally think Bristol needs a runway extension to handle larger aircraft, and I'm amazed that this isn't in the major expansion plan (as far as I know - I may be wrong). On a longer flight, such as to New York, I would personally rather fly on a bigger aircraft than the 757 used from Bristol.

I think Bristol should also be looking at route via Dubai as this is a hugely growing area. My wife is from Malaysia, and we fly regularly via Dubai with Emirates. I would love to see something like an Emirates 777-300ER flying from a much improved Bristol in the future and, as I plan to move back to the Southwest, would certainly use it.

I just hope this expansion goes ahead.

[Standard Noise]

I understand they cannot really add additional facilities such as seating areas due to planning. Will there be conveyers to ease the long walk? Are there air bridges?

There's always one joker. No conveyors from what I'm told even though it's ever such a long walk.:rolleyes: It is fully insulated and heated with a partition full length. I was surprised when I was told that a limited amount of seating has been installed, but there you go.

It's not connected to the CTB, but we apparently will have access to the walkway through the external doors.
There's always a possibility that airbridges will follow in time, but for now it appears that ducting has been installed for ground power at the head of the stands.

Oh, and I may be wrong, but I thought the Masterplan had something in it about knocking the old terminal down and extending the main taxiway eastwards to create a starter extension which would give a longer take off run which would accomodate larger aircraft on longer sectors.

[Bristol_Traveller]

I'm not sure how much the airport facilities would affect a business travellers decision on whether to use the airport. In all the people I've spoken to, the primary factors have been lack of awareness, door-to-door travel times, flight times, or choice of destinations. Facilities at BRS haven't been mentioned as a significant disincentive. (And bear in mind most "Business Class" fliers and those of us with FF Status escape to the Cabot lounge, and survey the thronging crowds from above).

They could be better - they should be better. BRS should be allowed to invest in better facilities if they think there's a commercially viable case. The way to reduce flights is to dampen demand, not constrain supply.

On an Asian/Middle Eastern route. I think it's going to be a long shot to make a BRS-DXB/KUL/BKK work with a 330-type if CO are finding BRS-EWR hard on a 757-200. EWR is a hub for North America, with CO/UA/US/AC. DXB is pretty much an EK only affair.

Flying west has a perceptual benefit that you're not double-backing on yourself (as you would going to LHR, or transiting AMS/BRU/FRA). Flying east not so.

TATL flights tend to go in the morning, which makes for a grindingly early 06:00 flight to AMS/BRU/FRA or drive to LHR, compared with a relaxing 10:30 from BRS.

Going east, most flights leave around 22:00. For my money, I'd rather get a connector out of BRS at 17:00 and pick up at AMS/BRU/FRA than slog to London at 18:00 (!!). (Coming back works better too - a 06:00 arrival at FRA means a 10:00 arrival at BRS. An 06:00 arrival at LHR means arriving in BRS at 09:30 via a jam-packed M4/M32).

[Random Flyer]

I'm not sure how much the airport facilities would affect a business travellers decision on whether to use the airport.


I fully agree with you on this. As they say in business; "time is money". The Continental option from Bristol is obviously the quickest way to the USA, however there just cant be enough business passengers using the service to make it viable. Unfortunate really.

I don't think lack of awareness can be used as the reason for the route failing. The route was heavily advertised and its now in its fifth year of operating. If people don't know about or use the route now, there is not much more Continental and indeed Bristol Airport can do.

As others have suggested, perhaps the "Heathrow effect" is what brought this route to its knees.

Unfortunately it does not bode well for future scheduled long haul flights, east or west bound. Disappointing really as I thought Bristol could have been on Emirates radar after Newcastle.

[Bristol_Traveller]

I don't think lack of awareness can be used as the reason for the route failing. The route was heavily advertised and its now in its fifth year of operating. If people don't know about or use the route now, there is not much more Continental and indeed Bristol Airport can do.

I was thinking more coming in the other direction. I was talking to someone this afternoon (currently in LAS) who's flying to the UK soon, to go to somewhere near Bath. He had no idea he could fly to BRS - he just assumed he'd fly to LHR and drive from there.

That may be another problem. Whilst *we* know that getting to BRS is easier than getting to LHR, the distance appears so small from other side of the pond, you might not even think to consider there would be two airports 120 miles apart both with TATL flights....

[MerchantVenturer]

A brief look at the history of the terminal might explain its current shortcomings in that no-one could have forecast, or could have been expected to forecast, how the airport would have massively exceeded the passenger estimates that were the basis of planning the terminal in the 1990s.


* Bristol Airport News Issue No 1 of early 1993, is an impressive newspaper format of 16 pages. The planned new terminal is discussed at length. It had been approved by the local authority but was to go to public enquiry later in 1993. The terminal was designed for up to 2 mppa which total was expected to be reached at BRS in 2003 (a doubling of the 1992 figure).


* Following the public enquiry permission was given for the terminal to be built but because the then local authority-owned airport could not afford to build it the matter was deferred until First Group took a controlling share in the airport's ownership later in the decade.


* Airborne issue 3/winter 1999 (the successor to Bristol Airport News) carried an article and drawings of the new terminal that was then under construction and which it was said would have a capacity of 3 mppa.


* The 3 mppa capacity terminal was opened in spring 2000 by which time the airport was handling 2 mppa. Apart from the Ryanair Dublin service there was no low-cost airline seemingly in prospect, let alone a major lo-co route network.


* Go arrived in May 2001 and with it and its later absorption into easyJet the huge growth in passenger numbers and flights began.


* By 2008 annual passenger numbers had risen beyond 6 mppa but the only real increase in terminal size since its opening is a relatively small extension at the eastern end built on the ground floor which has added room for extra check-in desks and a catering outlet.


* Despite in excess of £20 million subsequently spent on amelioration schemes such as turning much of the existing landside above ground floor level into airside, significantly increasing/altering the size and layout of the security area, revamping retail/catering outlets and building the western walkway, the fact remains that the terminal was designed for a throughput of 3 mppa.


* The much-needed major expansion of the main terminal and other infrastructure was first put into the public domain in autumn 2005 through the draft master plan. After public consultations the master plan was published in early 2006 with a stated time scale of of submitting the planning application in the spring of that year.


* Because of the well-orchestrated campaign of opposition to expansion the master plan has been revised more than once since then following yet more public consultations and studies into various aspects of it, with the result that the planning process is now four years behind the original schedule.


* Passenger numbers continue to burgeon with the exception of the 2009 hiatus and congestion grows, though the airport in evidence to a Competition Commission investigation into neighbouring regional airports under separate ownership reckons the current airport could handle 8 mppa 'with some tweaking of facilities'.


* BRS will always be physically constrained in expanding much beyond the current boundary unless it spreads onto Felton Common at its eastern end, and this will have immense environmental ramifications as the airport recognises in its master plan which, in part, is why it believes an extended runway is not thought viable or even necessary. The airport is bordered mainly by downward sloping ground on its other three sides.


* Its major expansion plans do include provision for air bridges to some stands.


From this it can be seen that the airport is aware of the need to expand, wants to expand, presumably is confident about access to funds to expand but is being slowed down, some might even say obstructed, by the democratic planning process with all that entails, including the peripheral barrier of well-funded, well-connected and well-briefed opponents standing on the sidelines whilst figuratively waving red cards.

I acknowledge that the airport may have to compromise when it negotiates contracts with airlines, especially aggressive low-cost ones, and therefore has to try to recoup some of this money through other revenue streams such as car parking and retail/catering outlets.

It's a balancing act but I'm not sure the airport has got it quite right yet, at least from its passengers' viewpoint.

[bristolflyer]

I agree with many of the previous posts. I cannot see any airline filling the CO route. The original business plan of CO was to serve the regions with a 757 when they did not have access to LHR. It was a innovative plan. Times have changed and they now have full access. It no longer makes business sense for them to operate from BRS when they have 5 departures a day at LHR. My experience of the route has been similar to others. Business is quite thin on numbers, but economy quite full. The only hope I can see is that CO comes back when the economy picks up, on a summer basis. AA were the other airline originally in the mix for BRS and announced they were going to launch a service from Newcastle, but got cold feet. I can't see any airline that operates from LHR to the States looking at BRS. I can't see EK coming either. BRS already has two hub connections at CDG and AMS. The Lufthansa route is the most important to get back. The plan for the airport appears to divide it in two. The western walkway will be basic for Lo-co whilst the revamped eastern end will have airbridges and be more full service. The new walkway may not have moving walkways, but it will be a vast improvement on the Eastern Anderson Shelter. The Terminal experience is crowded, but the airport has to maximize revenue. It's no different to Gatwick or Heathrow. Both have cut back on seating to provide retail floorspace. It is a blow that CO have pulled out, but it must be put in perspective. Passenger numbers are rising again and the airport has a comprehensive network. It is the largest airport outside of London, bar BHX, MAN and EDI and GLA, and that's something to be proud of!

[PeterP]

Sadly, the demise of BISON has left Bristol without a grass-roots voice. In fact, no such voice now exists for any SW/West Country airport.

Anyone interested in getting a region-wide organisation up to support the West's air industry, please PM me. But only if you are prepared to put some effort in!

[Bristol_Traveller]

I would just like to briefly share with you the irony of the fact that I am trying to fly back EWR-BRS on 14-APR, and business class is now full.

Drat.

An enforced "Econybed" beckons. (And economy is looking pretty full too).

[2J&D]

Not sure if it helps, but it is now showing 2 seats avail in J and 1 seat in C/D class....However not sure if you have already booked your return in Economy...

Would certainly be very ironic if the news of them pulling the route suddenly means more people start to use it!

[OltonPete]

Source CAA:

Bristol March Passengers 429565 up 9.5%, rolling figure 5696920 - 4.2%

Another good month!

ATM's were also up as well by 3.3% to 4279.

Pete

[MerchantVenturer]

The good thing about March as with February is that the percentage growth in atms was lower than the percentage growth in passenger numbers which suggests that additional flights were not the sole reason for the extra punters.

Would certainly be very ironic if the news of them pulling the route suddenly means more people start to use it!

CAA stats show that in March this year there was an 11% increase in passenger numbers on the route over March 2009.

Can't think it will reverse the decision to axe the route though, even if such rises occur right through the summer.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Can't think it will reverse the decision to axe the route though, even if such rises occur right through the summer.

They'll have almost certainly re-assigned the aircraft. It's configured for BusinessFirst, so it'll probably remain on a TATL route - it'll be interesting to see where it pops up next. (My guess is somewhere in Germany).

(Update - a helpful person here at SFO tells me the flight is -15 on Y, so it's pretty full in both cabins. Is something going on I don't know about?!)

[santito]

The silver lining of the CO saga is that we might see bigger/ mainline services from KL/ AF from those heading west.

I fly Air France very regularly, and the last month or so, every flight has been pretty much full. (ATR72-500)... even mid-week. In fact, I couldnt book a particular flight on Tuesday, as Economy was full and there were only a couple of business seats left.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Arrived into BRS on CO76 (2 hours late), apparently due to some skillful negotiation by our pilot with ATC at EWR. They even managed to turn the flight and get it back out again. Apparently BFS/EDI/GLA etc. didn't make it.

1 hour from wheels down to being back at my desk in Central Bristol (including using the Flyer to get to Temple Meads). I am *seriously* going to miss this route. And spoke to an American guy on SFO-EWR who had no idea that CO flew to Bristol, and said he would have used it if he'd known.

Santito - I suspect airlines rather like having more demand than capacity, as it drives fares up. I wouldn't have thought they'll upgrade capacity if it lowers fares, or unless they think they're going to lose customers to other airlines, which at BRS means... um......

[santito]

Well don't forget EZY operate both routes (Granted connecting travellers won't use EZY)....

[bravoromeosierra]

In some un-Volcano related news, WessexConnect now operates the airport bus service 121 from Bristol to Weston via BRS.

The '10 reg buses are a complete step up from the heaps First were bringing through, and have their own unique exterior branding that mentions the route and indeed the airport.

The timetable is still quite poor though. :}

[MerchantVenturer]

The BRS website arrivals section is showing TCX 512 estimating arrival from Arrecife seventy-five minutes from now. According to the arrivals board this would be the first arrival, and so far the only one shown, since the airport was able to reopen.

I presume this is the aircraft that left BRS last Thursday morning for ACE, one of the last departures before the airport was closed.

bravoromeosierra,

I've seen the new Wessex Connect buses on route 121. As you said, they are brand new and are beginning to be painted as dedicated vehicles for the route. They look very impressive.

Not that many people use the 121 to access the airport in my experience (on average I use it a couple of times a month to reach Redhill/Wrington from Bristol), and one or two that do might confuse it with the Flyer at Bristol Bus Station.

Certainly an improvement on the First elderly vehicles that preceded Wessex Connect winning the contract.

The route is hourly from Weston to Wrington but only every other bus goes on to Bristol via the airport. The route was to be axed a year ago but North Somerset Council stepped in with financial support. The airport has promised to pump in a wedge of cash to improve it as part of its expansion planning submission.

[Standard Noise]

MV - I believe you are right about the TCX, it then turned around and left for Tenerife a little later. Believe it or not, he asked for an extended inbound routing to burn off fuel, still, what's a couple of extra on the track after a six day delay!

[BleadonHell]

United and Continental in ‘advanced merger talks’

26.04.10American airlines United and Continental are reported to be in advanced talks to merge within weeks in a move that would create the world’s largest airline by passenger numbers. United Airlines would be the surviving brand. The talks are reported to have picked up pace after fellow American airline US Airways announced last week that it had ended merger talks with United.The United / Continental merger would be in the form of a stock swap with Jeff Smisek, Continental’s chairman and chief executive, heading the combined company, while United chairman and chief executive Glenn Tilton would become chairman. The new company would be based in Chicago, where United has its headquarters. Continental is based in Houston.

[yeo valley]

the co/united merger if they merge,wont make any difference to co pulling out of brs. i will say one thing that it will put pressure on other airports that has a co service.i have used united out of lhr and internal flights in the states and wont use them anymore,as had lots of problems.

[santito]

Yep I would say that BFS/ BHX could be in danger of losing their CO services if this happened.

[crackling jet]

when is the next senior planning committee meeting, i think it is/was this week, anybody any idea ?

[MerchantVenturer]

A couple of weeks ago the Evening Post published tomorrow (28 April) as the date for the North Somerset Council's main planning committee meeting to decide on the expansion application.

Today the same paper, as a footnote to a report about the airport taxis winning a further contract to service the airport, gave the date as Monday 24 May.

I checked the NS planning site yesterday and no airport application was listed for tomorrow so it looks as though 24 May is now the date.

When the matter was adjourned earlier this year for the full planning committe to adjudicate there were various reports as to when this would be.

I suspect the general election has a bearing with the councillors anxious to see the make-up of the next national government before committing themselves one way or the other.

A new government might have called in the application for a public enquiry before we reach 24 May.

[bobsyerunlce]

I noticed on the Ryanair thread that they have fallen out with BUD over airport charges... will Easyjet relaunch, or even Wizz launch a route from BRS to BUD I wonder???

Still, I guess if we lose BUD, we may gain a new route through the spare capacity.

[Severn]

Does anyone have any information on these Titan Airways flights over the next two Saturdays?

Saturday 1st May
London Stansted - Bristol
Arrives 05:40
AWC 756Y
B757-200

Bristol - King Hussein International Airport (Aqaba, Jordan)
Departs 07:05
AWC 7562
B757-200

Saturday 8th May
Athens - Bristol
Arrives 14:15
AWC 7564
B757-200

Bristol - London Stansted
Departs 15:00
AWC 756W
B757-200

All information taken from the Mayfly's.

[globetrotter79]

Jamesc909 - I would guess this is a pair of charters serving the start and end of a week long cruise??

[Goldilocks95]

apparently was a group of rich bankers which private chartered the titan aircraft. They are flying to Jordan for a cruise.

[MerchantVenturer]

Frustrating weekend at Bristol Airport.

On Saturday there were 12 cancelled rotations according to the airport flights web page: nine Ryanair and three easyJet.

It seems that Ryanair took an early decision to cancel all flights to or near the affected areas which threw up some puzzling anomalies from the passengers' viewpoint.

For example, whereas Ryanair cancelled Alicante, both easyJet and Thomson flew there; TOM also operated to Reus which Ryanair cancelled; Ryanair cancelled its Canary Island rotation (to Las Palmas) but easyJet operated to Tenerife South.

Today (Sunday) has seen 15 rotations cancelled with easyJet having the lion's share with 12 against Ryanair's three.

easyJet cancelled all or most flights to a number of Continental destinations across the board so far as the UK is concerned.

I wonder though why easyJet cancelled many of its Paris CDG rotations including the Bristol when other airlines operated there. Flybe flew there and back from both Cardiff and Exeter around the same time as the BRS easyJet should have operated, and Air France operated its CDG service into BRS this evening. Other airlines such as BA and Air France seemed to be flying into LHR from CDG this afternoon and evening at regular intervals.

BRS also lost Geneva, Lisbon and Nice amongst today's easyJet cancellations, routes that the airline cancelled from most of its other UK airports, yet I noticed that some airlines did operate some flights into the UK today from all three of those airports.

This evening easyJet cancelled Alicante, Malaga, Palma and Faro from BRS, having flown the earlier rotations today to all four, yet Ryanair operated its Faro and Palma this evening.

The volcano situation is obviously a logistical nightmare to all airlines, not to mention the financial implications. I assume some of the evening easyJet rotations were cancelled because some inbound aircraft on earlier routes are several hours late.

I have sympathy with airlines because if an airline cancels across the board to places likely to be affected and it turns out that all airlines subsequently have to cancel then those passengers of the prescient airline will be grateful for the early decision because it will have saved them an unnecessary trip to the airport. Yet, if such a decision is seen as premature because other airlines manage to continue to operate then the blanket cancelling airline will be the focus of passenger criticism.

All this at a time when easyJet has launched a major advertising campaign around Bristol on buses and at bus stops.

[nonemmet]

I believe easyjet are using these Met Office: Icelandic volcano - Zoom air ash concentration charts (http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2010/volcano/ashconcentration/zoom_ashconcentration.html) to decide where to operate. At the time of the cancellations the charts were predicting ash clouds exceeding the safe levels in areas that would impede operations to the cancelled destinations.

[santito]

Some news on new flights out of BRS next year on the website for 2011:

"Tui, which trades under the Thomson and First Choice brands, has added a new destination in Tunisia for the region’s holiday-makers, with flights to Enfidha now available from Bristol. This new state-of-the-art airport is closer to the holiday resorts of Hammamet and Port El Kantaoui, meaning passengers can be poolside sooner.

Long-haul options include Cancun in Mexico and Orlando, Florida - with the latter flight now operating direct. "

What has changed to allow Orlando to always be direct? Have the airport team been encroaching on Felton common by stealth? :}

[MerchantVenturer]

Bit of spin I suspect.

Not being competent to argue technical matters I can only repeat what an airline pilot wrote when the matter of flying non-stop to Florida was discussed on PPRuNe last year.

He said that for the most part the former First Choice 767-300s with fewer seats than the tradtional TOM models would be able to make it non-stop but there might be occasions when weather or other conditions dictated an en route fuel stop.

I believe that the service did operate non-stop in summer 2009 most if not all of the time but, unless the airport has sneakily laid your runway extension overnight onto Felton Common hoping the locals wouldn't notice, I presume the caveat re weather etc will still hold good in 2011.

I guess the new Enfidha Airport is merely a switch away from Monastir just up the road by some carriers/tour companies.

[bristolflyer]

The Airport has recently completed installing a giant elastic band at the end of the runway to aid performance, hence why TUI are now offering non-stop flights!

[yeo valley]

well bristolflyer you took the same thoughts from my mind about elastic on the end of runway

[BleadonHell]

Is there any news on Frankfurt returning with either BMI regional or the mothership Lufthansa?

[bravoromeosierra]

Oh, forgot to mention this a few days ago- the walkway is open now. I didn't really have time to take any photos or anything, but its very long and seems to be quite well built.

The Air France, KLM and BMI flights were all using the very end of the pier- looked quite sophisticated. The addition of seating would have been nice if it wasn't for the planning limitation clause.

[bobsyerunlce]

Wouldn't be surprised to see FRA or Hamburg back soon...

[OltonPete]

Source: CAA

April 2010 364868 -12.5% rolling year 564835 -3.9%

I thought the BHX/EDI/LTN pax figures was interesting but how
about this: -

Glasgow April 2010 403076 -29.2%
Bristol April 2010 364868 -12.5%
Liverpool April 2010 363296 -12.4%

Okay Glasgow will speed away with Thomas Cook taking residence
from May onwards but I just can't believe how close all three were
in April.

Pete

[MerchantVenturer]

Frankfurt

When LH pulled the FRA route at the end of April 2009 their UK chief said she couldn't see any circumstances where it would be reinstated in 2010. 2011 therefore looks the earliest it might return, if it does at all. Probably depends significantly on the world economic situation becoming much healthier.

April's passenger figures

As Pete has pointed out BRS was down 12.5% in April which was third best of the top twenty airports so far reporting. Belfast City was best down 10.5% followed by Liverpool down 12.4%. Next in line was Southampton down 19.3%.

BRS and LPL were neck and neck in April 2009 too with BRS handling 417,000 and LPL 415,000. GLA was way ahead then with 569,000.

Looking at BRS's April 2010 figures, a rough calculation would suggest that had the airport not been shut for the extended volcano dust period (as of course were all UK airports) it would have seen an increase in passenger numbers of around 6% at a conservative estimate. This would have continued the recovery seen in February (+13.6%) and March (+9.5%).

Car parking charges survey

A bit of a surprise in the WhichCar survey of the UK's 15 busiest airports to find BRS came out third cheapest after Belfast International and Liverpool airports for on-site seven-day car parking (£29). The usual cry from locals is that the airport is one of the most expensive in the country for car parking.

Major expansion planning application

It seems the day has finally been named for the long-awaited decision.

The full Planning and Regulatory Committee of North Somerset Unitary Authority will hear the application at 1400 hours on Monday 24 May 2010 according to its website.

An area planning committee has already recommended approval but in the current climate that means little, especially now that we have a change of government that has set its face against new runways at major London airports, and North Somerset is a Conservative dominated council.

Fingers and everything crossed but I wouldn't bet my house on the outcome of the councillors' deliberations.

[BleadonHell]

I meet John Penrose during the election campaign and when I questioned him he was firmly in favour of BRS expansion plans - particularly now that the airport had made concessions; by that I read contributed £4.3 to an A38-A370 link road, amongst other things. He suggested that with a pure conservative govt, he could not foresee any additional hurdles (apart from the environmental statistics supplied by BRS stacking up ) being put in place by Westminster to scupper the plans. However it's not him that is voting next week, but he may certainly be with the allies when the shouting starts.

>>

New tourism minister welcomed

The Tourism Society has welcomed the appointment of John Penrose as tourism minister in the new coalition government.

The Conservative MP is seen to have an "inherent undestanding" of the importance of tourism given that his constituency is the resort of Weston-super-Mare.

Penrose was previously shadow minister for business entereprise and regulatory reform.

This means he should "view tourism from a business/economic perspective and be understanding of regulatory reform," according to the Tourism Society.

The appointment also fulfills the Conservative pledge to appoint a dedicated tourism minister.

>>

[johnnychips]

Nice of the airport to pledge £4.30. I'll send a fiver myself if it'll help :ok:

[MerchantVenturer]

Nice of the airport to pledge £4.30. I'll send a fiver myself if it'll help

I'm sure the airport owners will be very grateful - every little bit will help as they are looking at having to fork out £150 million if the expansion goes ahead.

North Somerset Unitary Authority planning officers have recommended that the planning apllication be approved when the councillors meet to consider it next Monday.

However, the officers have included 69 conditions, many involving financial commitments, they feel should be met with the main ones listed here.

£4.108m towards the cost of a new link road between the A370 and the A38

£1.25m towards phase one of the Bristol rapid transit route from Long Ashton Park and Ride into the city centre

£200,000 towards traffic calming measures in Barrow Gurney

£100,000 on an Environmental Improvement Fund to reduce the effect of noise on local properties

A restriction on the number of night flights between 11.30pm and 6am

Passenger numbers to be capped at 10 mppa

Numerous specific local highway improvements

The airport has already pledged the financial outlay so that should not be a problem. I don't know the full details of the night flight proposal but the airport is restricted at the present time.

Not sure about the 10 mppa. The airport master plan talks of in excess of 12 mppa but the timescale for that is of necessity vague. They might accept the 10 mppa which the current thinking says will probably not be reached until 2018-2020, but no-one can know with any certainty how the aviation industry will develop in the years ahead.

The airport has always said any expansion will be done incrementally as the need arises.

The councillors are not bound to accept their officers' recommendations and this council has a history of going against them in recent years.

If the councillors do approve the planning application it will still remain for the secretary of state to give the final go-ahead.

[BleadonHell]

Not for the first time in recent years, easyJet has dropped Pisa from this coming winters flying schedule; what is suprising though is the decision to turn Murcia into a seasonal (I am making an assumption here) with the service finishing 1st Nov.

Last years EZY dismissal of Venice & Valencia turned into a Ryanair gains, and given FR strength in Pisa and dominance in Murcia, I wonder if the same is likely to happen?

Finally, is the A320 going to be resident during the winter and what other new routes would you see it being utilised on particularily when Sophie Dekkers, UK commercial manager of easyJet recently said " We plan to expand further from this key base to provide even more choice to travellers"

SSH anyone?

[MerchantVenturer]

easyJet

I have a healthy disregard for the spin of airline and airport spokespeople so I don't really know what to think of Sophie Dekkers's comment.

Sharm is very popular and last winter BRS had five weekly charter flights to SSH so that might be on the easyJet radar.

Murcia seems a surprise and the Harpists may well step in there and to Pisa as they did with the two Vs.

I was at BRS this week and in the terminal saw an easyJet advertisement 'Biarritz from £18 something or other, New Route'. Knowing that the airline had discontinued the route this summer after running it in summers 08 and 09 I thought perhaps they had had second thoughts for 2010 and maybe it was to return later this summer.

The woman from Menzies at the easyJet enquiry desk told me that the easyJet people were supposed to remove the advert but haven't yet got round to doing so. I hadn't noticed it before but presumably it's been there since 2008 when Biarritz was a new route. So if anyone else sees the advert be assured the route is not returning this summer.

Expansion plans

Local Conservative MP Liam Fox, the new defence minister, has written to the transport minister opposing the expansion, according to the BEP. The paper has been trying to contact neighbouring Tory MP, John Penrose, for his comments on the North Somerset planning officers' recommendations but it seems he is keeping his head down and the Post failed to reach him.

[Random Flyer]

Local council officers have backed the expansion of Bristol Airport.

[Powerjet1]

Wizz WAW-BRS from 19SEP, initially 2x weekly.

Seems no longer bookable. Has it been withdrawn already ?

[idlejack]

According to AirDB its been cancelled

[bobsyerunlce]

Well Bristol has disappeared off the WizzAir routemap on their homepage.

What the heck has happened?!?!

[bravoromeosierra]

Bigger bucks elsewhere?

[yeo valley]

planning d day on airport expansion. will be interested how it turns out.

[bobsyerunlce]

Expansion plans passed by 10 votes to 2!!

[MerchantVenturer]

I am surprised at the large majority - thought it would be closer - having regard to the formal objectors that included Bristol City and B&NES councils. The local MP, Liam Fox the Defence Secretary, has also written to the Transport Secretary setting out his objection which is based mainly on what he sees as inadequate surface connectivity.

The secretary of state has the final say and could yet call in the application for a public enquiry but one would hope the overwhelming decision of the local councillors will make this less likely.

Even if he doesn't call it in the objectors could still mount a legal challenge though a request for a judicial review.

This is a major step nonetheless.

[MerchantVenturer]

Persistent rumours doing the rounds, including press speculation, that Bristol will be amongst a number of routes from Shannon to the UK to be announced by Aer Arann tomorrow.

The route was dropped by Ryanair in March this year, along with a number of its other routes from SNN, after operating for several years mainly daily.

[WATABENCH]

Aer Arann website showing BRS-SNN on route map :ok:

[Welshtraveller]

Aer Lingus regional Bristol to Shannon route has been announced :-

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0531/breaking27.html (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0531/breaking27.html)

Good news! :)

[crackling jet]

rumours are starting from several sources that Delta may be taking over the New York slot, but into JFK, will believe it when it happens, though the figures seem to be picking up on the Continental.

What i think will happen is we will feed into Shannon along with the other recently announced UK departure points for Aer Lingus Regional and operate transatlantic through there clearing US Customs at Shannon.

Mind you one of our local company sources has supposedly been approached by Delta to operate operational back up services, watch this space

[MerchantVenturer]

There are also rumours that Delta asked the Welsh Assembly Government to subsidise a route from Cardiff, presumably to New York, at nearly £2 million a year.

I will be very surprised if we see Delta or anyone else operating regular scheduled transatlantic services from BRS or CWL in the forseeable future but am always pleased to be proved wrong in such matters.

Incidentally, the Aer Arann/Aer Lingus franchise to Shannon appears to be 6 x weekly, no Saturdays, from 1 July this year.

[wanna_be_there]

I too will believe delta when I see it. They seem to have retreated back down to LHR/LGW and MAN (and even MAN was temporarily dropped before being re-instated), so a BRS service would be a huge surprise.
Also, CO have been the champion of the regions, and if they cant make New York work, I doubt delta would have much success.

[2J&D]

Would be very interesting to see DL.

The funny thing it seems that since the termination announcement on the CO route, more customers are asking about seats!

One thing that does seem to be repeated in the 'wish list' of destinations is Atlanta, when ever the airport talks about growth...Could we see a curve ball and get DL operating there instead??

[airhumberside]

and even MAN was temporarily dropped before being re-instated
There has been no break in MAN-ATL

[Bristol_Traveller]

Well, if we're speculating on TATL...

I'll throw in a suggestion of US to PHL.

Reasons:
* US do operate regionally to the UK
* BRS-PHL is a sensible East Coast destination, which feeds into US's network.
* They're going to be subsumed at LON by the UA/CO merger (where "our" 757 is bound for, to operate the 5th daily LHR-EWR rotation that starts end October, I very much suspect).
* They probably run on a lower-cost-base than CO (interpret as you see fit), and have the right equipment (A330's).

Why not DL?:
* They're not going to give up precious JFK slots for BRS flights.
* ATL seems too far away (what equip?) and won't work for any east coast destinations.
* What equipment have they got that's the right size?
* They have no history of regional operations
* Nobody can be that unlucky to have to fly DL TATL (personal opinion - YMMV)

I concur that interest in the route has gone up since it was cancelled. Indeed, a vague colleague from the US is flying in on it in two weeks as a way of getting to Hilperton. (Admittedly, I steered him in that direction). He just has to brave the increasingly awful service on the Flyer to Temple Meads.

[Random Flyer]

US Airways to Bristol... no offence guys but major reality check needed!

US Airways have just axed BHX-PHL and if CO cant make BRS-NYC work, do you really think Philadelphia would do better?

[Bristol_Traveller]

We're all speculating, so we're already in a place where reality is loosely interpreted. And sometimes it's fun to be an armchair airline/airport CEO with none of the tedious realities of life.

There's good reasons why DL and US wouldn't come to Bristol. Heck, if CO can't make BRS work for them, why would it work for DL or US or any other airline in the world? So we're all suspending some belief in this conjecture.

We believe TATL should work ex-BRS. What we're debating is what shape might work, if it isn't BRS-EWR on CO?

To expand my thinking a little bit more:
* I don't think BRS-EWR is dramatically underperforming. I just think (as with LH to FRA) it's the "least-worst" cut to make if they need extra aircraft to use up precious LHR slots, and to dominate LHR-NYC. Airlines only have a finite number of aircraft, and funding for new frames (or leasing frames) must be scarce.
* I suggest US because they have the right kind of aircraft for BRS, in terms of technical capability and capacity, and because they have a credible *east coast* hub at PHL. I suspect the majority of BRS-EWR journeys were on connecting to the rest of the US, and that's easier to do at PHL even if the range of routes is less.
* US have pulled BHX, but is that because they're competing against CO? Now they're not at BHX, maybe they might use that aircraft to operate BRS because CO *won't* be at BRS? Less competition = higher yields?
* I'm less convinced of DL because I can't immediately think of what they'd use to operate it, and where to. JFK seems unlikely because of pressure on slots, and ATL is wayyyy to far west to be credible for IAD/JFK/BOS etc. CVG? Seems unlikely.

Ultimately, none of us know if TATL ex-BRS is viable.

I leave you with this experience, from Tuesday of this week. I flew BRS-EWR, connecting to IAH. We left BRS +75min, landed EWR +60min at Terminal B, leaving us 50min to do immigration, customs, re-check bags, change to Terminal C and get to gate 110 (which is right at the end of the central pier). One of the passengers said "I normally go to LHR and fly CO to IAH direct, and this is exactly why".

He didn't make his IAH connection. He won't do BRS-EWR-IAH again.
(I was CO*G and hand-luggage only and made it with 6 minutes to spare).

[bravoromeosierra]

Did the EWR flight ever do well? Its had a good six year stint- so something must've gone well at some point.

[2J&D]

I think the flight did do well. It appears the main problem was the BizFirst traffic. After all this is really where the money is made and from reading trade press it was noted that it just wasn't filling up from the front.

It is a shame as I have seen the new BizFirst seats and they really are a great product. But, you never know, things could pick up and we have until Nov before the service is stopped. As a company we are still promoting the flight and as I mentioned before, intrest has increased, whether that is to do with the announcement or possibly because people are starting to travel again...

[Bristol_Traveller]

The new BusinessFirst seats are exceptional. I got one into BRS a couple of weeks ago, and it knocked socks off LH's flat beds. My only gripe was that the space for my feet was a bit cramped when lying fully flat, but that's primarily the fault of my huge feet, and easily fixed by being in 1A/B/E/F.

I think CO's gone. A late rally now is too late, as they schedules are cast and the aircraft planned out elsewhere. But it might give another operator confidence to jump into the opportunity.

[bristolflyer]

I agree. I can't see CO changing their mind and I can't see another US airline coming in. LHR is the prize and most have the slots they want. I'm not necessarily surprised that business didn't sell. The airline has only just moved to Star and many firms continued to send employees to LHR, either though ignorance or choice. The airport worked tirelessly to retain the service and I don't think they could have done anything else. The truth is that there are a lot more affluent short break takers in the South West than there are business travelers and they filled the back of the plane, not the all important front.

[MerchantVenturer]

Did the EWR flight ever do well? Its had a good six year stint- so something must've gone well at some point.

I have a copy of an article from the Houston (Texas) Chronicle dated 18 January 2007 (18 months after the BRS-EWR route commenced in May 2005) that discusses in considerable detail Continental's strategy 'that enables it to expand its European presence despite its inability to get coveted landing rights at London's Heathrow Airport'.

The article went on to describe how the airline had in recent years begun to fly from its base at Newark on secondary European routes and the policy was said to be paying off.

The bulk of the article dealt with the Bristol route as an example of CO's strategy, with lots of quotes from the airline, airport and local and international business/aviation analysts. The consensus was positive towards CO's initiative.

The Houston Chronicle stated that Bristol Airport had given Continental incentives, including a suspension of landing fees for the first three years.

However, I believe the key phrase in the article was its (CO) inability to get coveted landing rights at London's Heathrow Airport.

It's tempting to speculate that CO would not have axed the BRS-EWR link had they still been excluded from LHR. However, once they gained a foothold followed by an ability to increase schedules it was clear their strategy of operating to some of the smaller regional airports was likely to be reviewed. BRS was probably always the most at risk because of its proximity to LHR and its smaller catchment compared to the other LHR neighbour at BHX.

Bristol's overall passenger numbers were also lower than those to the other UK regional airports served by CO from EWR though of course that alone does not necessarily prove anything because the yields are commercially sensitive, but there is much anecdotal and other evidence to suggest that the business-first take-up from BRS was often disappointing.

As a comparison CO's Belfast International-Newark route commenced a week after BRS-EWR. From May 2005 to April 2010 Bristol carried 427,821 passengers and Belfast 487,388 which equates to an average of 1,000 extra passengers each month on the Northern Ireland route, or 16-17 per flight, a not insignificant near 10% of the seating capacity of CO's Boeing 757 aircraft.

Bristol did quite well in the main summer months with passengers numbers, the two best months being August and September 2009 with respectively the highest monthly total of the five years (so far anyway!) at 9,622 (ave 155, load factor 89%), and the highest load factor (over 91%) after the schedule had been reduced in mid September 2009 to 6 x weekly from daily for the first time in a summer period. It's back at daily this summer.

Lot's of ifs, ands and maybes, but I believe the killer for Bristol was CO's access to Heathrow.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Just at EWR waiting for CO076 to BRS (gate C125) in BusinessFirst (ironically).

The lineup of flights here in the evening is testimony to CO's distributed strategy of flying to secondary cities all over Europe. Strange to believe that SNN is better loading than BRS, but I suppose so. I notice CO are offering 5k bonus miles on flights departing BFS, so maybe not all is quite so well there either?

US don't have much footprint at LHR, and have some operations out of LGW. That might be a help. Or not. Who knows....

[jerboy]

Taking the topic slightly off CO for a bit. I travelled through the 'new' BRS terminal this weekend. First thing to say is that its great to see the airport getting (clearly needed) expansion, and although I didn't get to use the new passenger walkway, one could see how huge benefits must already being brought about by the reduced use of coaches etc.

One thing really niggled me though... Where the hell are all the seats?? I was airside for about an hour and I didn't fancy being ripped off by the many cafes/restaurants etc. The tiny seating area (next to gates 5 and 6 I think) was completely full. I wondered upstairs, sat down at Burger King and I was asked to move along, being told that the area was for paying customers only. So I had to stand around for the best part of 45 minutes.

Its not a huge deal for me personally and I realise the whole point of this is to get people into the shops/restaurants spending their cash. But I think when there's free seating for about 40 people max it slightly takes the mickey. We all know what shopping malls LHR/LGW are, but at least there's plenty of places to sit.

What happens if there's big fog delays and hundreds of passengers are airside for hours at a time? Or if Saga decide to parade a plane full of oldies (who don't know how to work Starbucks) through the terminal? I can see it turning into a bit of a nightmare.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Sorry to thread hog a bit, but I've just boarded CO076, and been offered a shower on arrival at BRS! That wasn't on offer 3 weeks ago.

I have visions of being hosed down by one of the ground crew, somewhere in the vicinity of the fuel dump. Or the fire station.

Great new service - beats have to share the work shower with the cyclists, and almost makes up for the lack of sleep I'm going to get on tonight's very quick flight...

[MerchantVenturer]

Showers

I reckon someone's not been telling you something, B_T. According to the airport press blurbs the hosing downs have been available since last October.

Shower facilities provide a refreshing change at Bristol International - Bristol Airport (http://www.bristolairport.co.uk/news-and-press/press-releases/2009/10/continental-executive-showers.aspx)

Lack of seating in departures

This has been discussed within this thread several times in the recent past with the majority opinion seeming to be that the airport has gone too far in removing public seating to provide more retail and refreshment outlets.

There is obviously a balance to be struck between the need to maximise revenue and the comfort of passengers but I believe it's currently tilted too far in favour of the former.

Western walkway and bus access

Whilst the western walkway will reduce the need for bus transfer to/from aircraft some remote stands will remain.

A poster on another forum believes the walkway obstructs bus access to international arrivals if an aircraft is parked at stand 1.

He cites a recent experience where his bus was held up because of these circumstances.

Can anyone working at the airport comment on this?

[Bristol_Traveller]

Showers were very good. Three of them round the back of the AF/KL check-in desks.

It's the first time CO have offered a shower to me, and I've done EWR-BRS in BusinessFirst a number of times this year. Although, admittedly, the time before last boarding was all over the place due to a catering cart disaster.

EWR weren't very clear what to do. I had take it into my own hands to go around to the CO check-in, and someone there took me to the CO ticket desk, who let me in to the shower. Maybe I missed someone more helpful hanging around the aircraft or apron....

All the crews I've spoken to have been very sad to see BRS go - they seem to like it as a route, and surprised that it's going.

[bravoromeosierra]

Its almost a shame they can't do anything seating wise in the new pier- that would at least act as a feed out of the main airside zone. However, I understand the airport had to level with the council when regarding capacity.

Interestingly when I was last flying out of Bristol, Air France/KLM/BMI were all departing from gates on the new pier. Would have been nice to see at least some seating around the boarding gates.. albeit I understand it wasn't allowed.

[Severn]

On the topic of the new Western Walkway I discovered this on the Bristol Airport Wikipedia article. "On 28 May, an £8M project finalised with the opening of a 450 metres (1,480 ft) walkway, which connects the terminal building to eight new pre-boarding zones, each with its own jetway."
Can someone tell me if this is true, or have any photos of the new walkway as I didn't think that each boarding gate had an airbridge/jetbridge/jetway straight to the aircraft, I was led to believe that passengers would walk out to the aircraft via doors onto the apron and board using steps.

[Confirmed Must Ride]

CO have always offered showers to inbound B/First pax, it used to be provided by Holiday Inn but now the airport has specifically built ones.

[bravoromeosierra]

On the topic of the new Western Walkway I discovered this on the Bristol Airport Wikipedia article. "On 28 May, an £8M project finalised with the opening of a 450 metres (1,480 ft) walkway, which connects the terminal building to eight new pre-boarding zones, each with its own jetway."
Can someone tell me if this is true, or have any photos of the new walkway as I didn't think that each boarding gate had an airbridge/jetbridge/jetway straight to the aircraft, I was led to believe that passengers would walk out to the aircraft via doors onto the apron and board using steps.

I'm afraid that is defiantly incorrect, as the article states- they are preboarding zones, but they don't have airbridges.

If you don't mind the hopeless plug, click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHtckbAxPUg) for one of my videos from last week- shows the outside of the walkway.

[CheekyVisual]

Buses.

To answer the question the bus pick up road is run one way. This means inbound buses from the eastern apron have to use the road that crosses behind stands 1 2 and 3. There is no problem when the aircraft are on stand but the delay in question may have been whilst an aircraft was in the process of push back from one of these stands which would obviously close the road for a minute or two at the most. Not a huge problem unless you chose not to pay mr o'leary for the use of his toilet !

[crackling jet]

In light of the rumors about Delta at Brs, an interesting item has appeared on the Cwl thread stating that Delta has been in talks with Cwl for some time regarding a Cwl - New York route three times a week. It is a BBC news story and is reporting these talks have just broken down.

Could this be because that they may have their eyes on a better alternative across the channel when Continental vacate with a greater catchment area?

As i said previously, i think any future trans Atlantic New York route will be via Aer Lingus hubbing through Shannon.

Another point that was raised was that the route would attract state aid, its pretty good with two competing airports, with only one receiving direct government aid and that the unaided airport knocks spots of the the other, the proofs in the pudding- numbers talk.

Interesting though.

[Bristol_Traveller]

As i said previously, i think any future trans Atlantic New York route will be via Aer Lingus hubbing through Shannon.

They'll have to improve on this flight schedule then...

Shannon – Bristol
EI3654 SNN1530 – 1655BRS AT7 x6
EI3655 BRS1720 – 1850SNN AT7 x6

Day x246 till 27JUL10

If we're back to hubbing, then it might be that CO leave their BRS fares open with option to route BRS-BRU-EWR (as they currently allow now, although you'd be hard pressed to get CO's website to offer that).

Oh, I really hope it's not DL to ATL. In so many many ways.....

[MerchantVenturer]

CheekyVisual,

Many thanks for your reply re bus routes from stands to terminal at BRS.

crackling jet,

It seems that the Welsh Assembly Government refused to agree to Delta's request for financial aid - a sum approaching £2 million per annum was talked about - for a transatlantic route from CWL and this decision has come in for criticism by some members of the business community and others in South Wales.

There is current speculation that CWL is seeking WAG support for an Emirates route from CWL to Dubai it is trying to set up.

Apart from the PSO route from Cardiff to Anglesey I'm not aware of any public money currently being used to support CWL or its routes or its infrastructure. The Welsh Route Development Fund was wound up several years ago when the EU imposed new conditions that made RDFs less attractive.

In fairness, BRS has had some public help in the past.

About six years ago the South West Regional Development Agency (a publicly-funded QUANGO) provided £1.5 million for infrastructure developments at BRS, although last year SWRDA stated it would no longer financially assist any of its airports. SWRDA even formally opposed BRS's expansion plans - talk about giving with one hand and trying to take away with the other! It might not be around itself much longer if the new Coalition Government gets its way.

The Eastern Airways Aberdeen-Bristol route that commenced in November 2004 was initially assisted by the Scottish RDF.

[BleadonHell]

Just looking through the Ryanair Winter 10/11 offerings from BRS and I noticed that Milan Bergamo is not bookable past 3rd November. Having driven the big Orange off the Malpensa route it is somewhat surprising to see Bergamo disappear.

The handful of times I have used the service the flights have been pretty rammed but then there's the load factor vs yield chestnut, and I must admit I have never paid more than about fifty quid often nearer £25 for a winter mid week return.

I am assuming that FR have completed loading their first pass at a winter schedule ?

BH

[crackling jet]

Morning MV Appreciate what you say regards public handouts via RDA's and the fact that under this new administration they may not be with us much longer, surely that is a good thing, as it is uncompetetive isn't it ?, how many times in the past did we hear that the South West has lost out to Wales again due the WDA grant, not only aviation but other business ventures. I know it's harsh, but lets get rid of them all and have real competition, with the real go getting companies pulling off into the lead with the rest having to fall by the wayside, after all to much tax payers cash is being pumped into lame ducks that without would have long since gone under. As you mentioned Brs had £1.5m six years ago, i visit Cwl very regularly, driving around the airport you see little plaques on various locations stating this project was finnanced by WDA or EU funding. The initial idea of these Quango's was good, to assist poorer areas to improve, this they did, however when a level playing field was achieved this should have been suspended, but it was not and a false economy was born being supported by these agencies, where the original well performing areas became the new underachievers with no RDA to assist them into the future. Anyway rant over

[MerchantVenturer]

BRS and the public purse

crackling jet,

Bristol and its city region do seem to miss out on all the public gravy train money, both national and European, as the city and its region are perceived to be economically self-sufficient and don't need a helping hand from the public purse. This means that many 'deserving' areas are blessed with public handouts and finish up with better facilities than places like Bristol that have to pay for everything themselves. I've written a lot about this in other arenas but clearly this is not a forum to debate the topic at length.

The £1.5 million from SWRDA was the only amount that the airport received from this QUANGO as far as I can determine, and the RDF money was from the Scottish fund to assist Aberdeen setting up the Bristol route, so Bristol benefited indirectly.

Like you, I much prefer any business to stand on its own feet and public handouts can skew markets in sometimes unexpected directions, with aviation no different. I wasn't in favour of the £1.5 million that BRS received from the SWRDA.

It seems the Coalition will retain some RDA's, reportedly to be renamed and revamped, but only in those areas deemed to have need which doesn't apparently include the South West, albeit many rural areas struggle to keep up with the likes of the Bristol and Exeter regions. So far as the South West airports are concerned the demise of SWRDA would make little difference going forward in view of its previous decision to opt out of supporting them in future.

Ryanair Bergamo route

BleadonHell (it's not really that bad is it? I always thought it was a pleasant sort of place),

I don't know whether the Ryanair Bergamo service has been axed for the coming winter or whether the current timetable is a work in progress. The summer 10 timetable had a number of versions that began in November last year but wasn't finalised for another two or three months with routes and times/days being shuffled almost weekly at times. For example, Rimini was in version 1 before being axed in the subsequent versions only to return in the final one, and it is operating this summer.

If Bergamo is being chopped Milan will have gone from 2 x daily year round until a year or so ago (easyJet 7 x weekly to Malpensa and Ryanair 7 x weekly to Bergamo) to nothing.

[Torque2]

321's dont climb steeply unless they're empty, was it a flightsim A321?

[WATABENCH]

BBC News - Daily New York City flight talks 'end' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/10275280.stm)


Intresting reading, could the BRS team succeed where the CWL team have failed?
Especially when you read the part about 3 x weekly!! Theres no reason that this could not work from BRS with DL in my opinion, CO 's loads haven't been too bad, it's just the business section they struggled with, a 3 or 4 weekly service may make it easier to fill a business cabin, it's a real shame CO won't consider a similar system for the BRS connection than dropping it completely.



:oh:

[Bristol_Traveller]

it's just the business section they struggled with, a 3 or 4 weekly service may make it easier to fill a business cabin,

Not sure about that. I had a couple of trips to do earlier this year when the CO route was have its seasonal "off-days" (Tuesday, IIRC), and it was an amazing hassle.

I had to *call* CO and tell them that I was able to book outbound BRS-BRU-EWR (SN to BRU, connecting to CO61), because their website wouldn't handle it. I was also prepared to support BRS by getting an ERJ-145 to BRU at 6.15 in the morning followed by a sweaty 45 minute dash across the entire airport (lousy airport for connecting) to get onto the CO flight. Less committed people would have just driven to London and got CO29 at 11:00, which gets in about the same time. And if you're going to do that, chances are, you're going to fly back to London, because so few people understand, let alone book, open-jaw tickets.

So I'd be sceptical that a 3/4 weekly DL flight would benefit from a better business cabin yield - it might be the opposite. 3/4 weekly to me (1356?) sounds like a holidaymakers' flight.

[MerchantVenturer]

BRS announcement today that The Gambia Experience will operate to the island of Boa Vista in Cape Verde in winter 10/11.

The Friday flight to Banjul will continue to Cape Verde between December and March.

[cym]

Suggests BNJ load factors must poor.

Double touches are always a cause for concern as incremetal costs go through the roof

Good luck to it tho!!!!

[MerchantVenturer]

The Banjul route has been operating in winter for nearly a decade with a mixed history so far as loads are concerned.

For a number of years it went twice weekly, first operated by First Choice in competition with The Gambia Experience then by The Gambia Experience.

Last winter and possibly the one before (can't remember with certainty) it went once weekly.

At times both First Choice and The Gambia Experience have operated a service via BRS from/to another UK airport such as East Midlands.

Certainly the total passenger numbers have dropped off of late but that may be down to the recession and fewer rotations.

The raw passenger figures are (per CAA) as follows - I have broken them down into calendar years rather than winter seasons as it doesn't take so much time to compile:

2002 6,284
2003 5,232
2004 7,526
2005 9,212
2006 9,224
2007 12,546
2008 9,542
2009 4,993

I have a vague recollection that Senegal has also been offered as an alternative destination on the Banjul flight in the past.

[Bristol_Traveller]

EI via SNN to NYC/BOS seems even less unlikely now.

They're "resting" the routes for Q1 2010, after losing an average of €11m a year on them since 1995.

Reminds me of when OS used to operate VIE-KUL-SYD and VIE-SIN-MEL. They were OS's "flagship" routes (OS1/2/7/8), but they lost tens of millions of Euros a year on them until someone got some sanity.

[OltonPete]

Part of press release off the Bristol Airport site: -

"Passenger numbers were up by 5.3 per cent at Bristol Airport in May.

Over 500,000 passengers passed through the terminal last month, despite further disruption due to volcanic ash. International travel rose by almost 10 per cent over May 2009.

Shaun Browne, Aviation Director at Bristol Airport, said:
“Demand for both business and leisure travel remains strong, despite the disruption caused earlier this year by the Icelandic volcano. With airlines and regulators working hard to ensure such widespread disruption does not happen again, travellers are once more booking with confidence."

End of quote

Seems pretty good but notice the actual figure is still not showing in the CAA figures for UK airports.

Pete

[Severn]

Can anyone shed any light on the following flights this coming weekend?
Taken from the Bristol Mayfly.

Sun Air of Scandinavia - ? - Arrives from Stavanger as SUS 245 at 10:45 on Friday
Sun Air of Scandinavia - ? - Departs to Brussels as SUS 245 at 11:30 on Saturday

Eastern Airways - ? - Arrives from Brussels as EZE 1614 at 22:00 on Saturday
Eastern Airways - ? - Departs to Nante EZE 614P at 13:00 on Monday


Hamburg International - A319 - Arrives from Dusseldorf as HHI 811F at 15:25 on Friday
Hamburg International - A319 - Departs to Hamburg as HHI 8191 at 16:00 on Friday

Hello - MD90 - Arrives from Hamburg as FHE 6961 21:35 on Saturday
Hello - MD90 - Departs to Basel as FHE 5961 at 03:40 on Sunday

Maybe some sports events?

Many Thanks

[Betablockeruk]

Glastonbury?

[Severn]

I thought that, but the flights seem to come in as positioning flights and then go out to Brussels and Hamburg and then return later on in the weekend.
On a side note the flight to Hamburg operated at exactly the same time last year although it was operated by Transavia.

[Bristol_Traveller]

I noticed yesterday at Temple Meads that the Airport Flyer Coach was actually an "Airport Flyer Single Decker Bus" - fully liveried, and with new '10 plates on it.

Is this going to be a complete withdrawal of the coaches for buses?

[2J&D]

Seems they are. If you have a look at the airport website news section, it details all about the new buses...

Thanks

[yeo valley]

noticed the same thing when up the airport yesterday. if they are correct i would say a step backwards.a coach has to be more comfortable than a bus.

[GrahamK]

Could it maybe have something to do with some EU regulations meaning that public busses/coaches must be accessible for the disabled?

How likely is it that the easyJet BRS-NCL service will remain with all the cuts that they are currently making up at NCL?

[airhumberside]

If Easyjet say retain an NCL operation but close the base, BRS-NCL (and BFS-NCL) could be an important way to 'bridge' aircraft and crew into NCL. Short of a total pullout from NCL, I think NCL-BRS should continue

[tpm]

I don't think it's a step backwards at all. I'm sure the busses will be comfortable alright (leather seats), and anyway, who cares, it's just a 20-minute ride, and you can keep yourself busy surfing the net on the free wifi.

Most importantly, there will be no more awkwardness and delays due to people having to stuff their bags into the coach's luggage compartment, and having to find it again when disembarking. This will speed things up a lot, and will hopefully make the service more pleasant to use. Also, I just like to keep my bags with me really.

They use similar (less fancy) busses connecting Barcelona El Prat to the city centre, and they're quite alright IMHO.

[MerchantVenturer]

Flyer

The new buses are Wright-bodied Volvos, similar in some respects to those currently in the FirstBristol fleet, except the Flyer vehicles have leather seats, free Wi-Fi access and laptop/phone power points.

The Volvos also have internal luggage racks that should make boarding much quicker at busy times with the Flyer coaches only having externally accessed under-floor luggage compartments.

The Volvos are operated by FirstCoaches on behalf of the airport and, from First's perspective, could be relatively easily taken into general bus use should they lose the contract in the future.

At present there are six Flyer Volvos (each costing about £165,000) with the remainder of the fleet still consisting of the Scania and Irizar coaches, some of which are beginning to look a bit tired. The coaches are due to be replaced next year when another batch of six Volvos arrives.

Possibly the major negative aspect with the Volvo buses is the seating capacity of 37 (reduced because considerable space is taken up with luggage racks), compared with the 50-seater coaches. Unless standing passengers are allowed (they weren't on the coaches so far as I'm aware) there could be problems at busy times because I've seen passengers left behind at both the airport and railway station when the coaches have been full. The 10-minute frequency should ensure that if buses are full another ought not to be far behind.

The Volvo bus livery differs from the coach livery.

The Wessex Connect 121 service that runs from Bristol via the airport to Weston also has a fleet of brand new buses wearing a route personalised livery that features the airport.

BRS-NCL

Bristol-Newcastle remains the busiest route between two English provincial cities by some margin with Manchester-Southampton the next busiest (2009 figures).

However, passenger numbers have been falling but this can be explained in part by rotations being reduced from 3 x daily to 2 x daily at certain parts of the year.

2009 saw 187,000 passengers carried with the annual figures for the previous five years being 202,000 (2008), 246,000 (2007), 246,000 (2006), 252,000 (2005), 242,000 (2004).

The Cross Country train service links Bristol and Newcastle with no change of train at least once every hour for much of the day so there is a reasonable alternative.

SBAE want to seek legal challenge to expansion plans

There is a piece in the Evening Post re SBAE's desire that the Sec of State should call in the expansion plans for public enquiry. If he doesn't SBAE wants to mount a legal challenge to the North Somerset Council's decision to approve the plans and is actively seeking public donations for a fighting fund.

The Post helpfully provides an address to which cheques can be sent and a link to an online payments system.

easyJet - new route

easyJet will fly from Bristol to Lyon on Saturdays and Sundays from 18 December for the ski season, a useful addition to Bristol's traditional very healthy ski market - upwards of 40 flights per week last winter to ski destinations (both charter and scheduled).

[Powerjet1]

Trolley charges to double at other UK airports : Bristol Airport News Stories (http://www.uk-airport-news.info/bristol-airport-news-050710.html)

[MerchantVenturer]

Looking at Mayfly for next week when the Turkish and Crete routes begin a second 320 is shown operating the new routes from Friday week.

That will mean nine 319s and two 320s are based for the peak summer season.

[easyJet A321]

Ah so that might tie in with the Arrival of the Titan B763 at LGW if its still coming to free up an A320 to then come to BRS. Good news, I wonder whats install for next year with EZY at Bristol.

[bobsyerunlce]

Does anyone know if a plane had to abort its landing early this afternoon. From my window in central Bristol, I can see out over Dundry and the planes coming in to BRS when I saw what looked like a plane taking off towards the west but unless they have moved the runway a mile or two towards hartcliffe, something wasn't quite right!

[Bristol_Traveller]

Was it a Ryanair aircraft?

Maybe, having failed to reach terms with Bristol Airport, they've started flying from their new base, Bristol "East", aka the remaining 300m of overgrown runway of Whitchurch Airport.

You'd need to pull up steeply to avoid knocking the kids off the climbing frame at Hengrove playpark. (Also known as "check in").

[MerchantVenturer]

Perhaps a pilot or ATCO might have knowledge but if it was a discontined approach it was probably entirely routine or the local news hounds would have been baying at the door.

I like the idea of a STOL Ryanair 738 hopping into the sky from Whitchurch. Perhaps it might operate a pan Bristol route - Whitchurch/Filton/Downs/Lulsgate.

Would certainly be quicker than the buses clogged up in the Bristol traffic and it might develop into an international service to Cardiff and Swansea.

BRS's passenger figures for June show nearly 584,000 passengers handled (up 8.5% on June 2009) and the second best June ever - after June 2008's 613,000.

[bravoromeosierra]

Good news. Glad to see BRS bending the trend- even if things are getting gradually better elsewhere too.

[MerchantVenturer]

Five rotations cancelled today according to the BRS website - Geneva, Rome, Ibiza, Faro and the evening Alicante.

There has been some debate of late on aviation websites that the airline has been cancelling flights because of crewing problems.

Does anyone know why so many BRS flights have been chopped today?

[WATABENCH]

I believe it was due to mixture of 3 tech issues on seperate aircraft and crewing hours/availability

[MerchantVenturer]

Hello WATABENCH,

Thanks for that.

Three more easyJet cancellations today - Krakow, Pisa and Berlin.

I suppose three is better than five (though not if you are one of the passengers affected) but it's not something that is going to increase the confidence of easyJet users at BRS, including me.

Ryanair

The 2 x weekly route to Bydgoszcz that only began in May seems to have been axed already - no longer bookable and no longer in the web timetable. I would never have used this route because I couldn't spell it.

As part 'compensation' the 3 x weekly Valencia has been increased to 4 x weekly.

[Goldilocks95]

Just for your info, the psa had bird strike inbound to psa and the aircraft is still tech in psa. operating as u2 9190 eta 0915 12july. No spare aircraft, so result was krk and sxf canx. They will be an aircaft short for first wave so lets just see what will happen.

[2J&D]

By all accounts it was a little manic at the EZY ticket desk on Saturday...Got a call from a customer who was due to go on the IBZ flight with his family. Apparently there were a lot if Stag/Hen do's on the flight and lots of upset people.

I ended up booking them on the LCY-IBZ flight yesterday, which sounds a bit bizzare, but they had never been to LCY and were quite looking forward to it! Also have a driver so no real problems getting there, however this was I think over booked and they were bumped off the flight! No real heart ache though, as they each got GBP250 x 5 and put in a taxi to LGW for the BA flight later that day. The kids were made up as they each have GBP250 extra spending money!

[bravoromeosierra]

Re-booked from easyJet to BA CityFlyer? Impressive!

[Bristol_Traveller]

Slightly OT, but that LCY-IBZ flight appears quite bizarre to me. I know a BAEC Gold who's booked on it with his family, specifically so he can avoid the heaving throngs at LGW, or low-costing it with EZY. But it's got to be the most unlikely route, and I can't imagine who the normal clientèle would be.

(Now I'm slightly concerned it's a route prone to cancellations...)

[Carvair66]

Yes it was chaotic around the Easyjet ticket desk at BRS, not helped by the Menzies staff being totally ignorant of the EU regulations regarding cancellation. They had not read the relevant info sheets that were sitting on the desk and when I suggested they did, they said they couldn't understand them. Brilliant!

[2J&D]

bravoromeosierraRe-booked from easyJet to BA CityFlyer? Impressive!

Obviously he had to pay for the new tickets, but we will sort out the EZY refund when he gets back...He was so desperate to get away he even talked about a private charter, but I didn't see the point!


Bristol_TravellerSlightly OT, but that LCY-IBZ flight appears quite bizarre to me.

They launched it with the recent addition of the E170's ex LCY..The other route is PMI and somewhere else I think. I guess it makes them extra revenue on the weekends, instead of the aircraft sitting on the ground. It is funny but i had the same conversation with my customer about it being quieter etc. To be honest, I completely forgot about it, but it was not until I got Worldspan going from home, that I saw the flight and it was fairly well priced too!

Luckily, the flight was not cancelled they just must have overbooked it, as 15 where left behind, so I was told. But thankfully BA put them all in taxi and they were also a little richer! ;)

[Carvair66]

EZY405 to Glasgow 1635
EZY407 to Alicante 1935

Bristol flight departures website reveals sorry state of affairs - delays of up to three and a half hours. Funny, other airlines seem to be getting away on time.

[MerchantVenturer]

After last weekend when 5 rotations were cancelled on Saturday, 3 on Sunday and 2 on Monday (and at least one each day this week) we have 3 rotations cancelled this evening - Palma, Alicante and Faro.

Does anyone know the reason this time? I note that 7 easyJet flights into BRS this evening have had or are showing delays ranging from about 90 minutes to nearly three hours. Is there a knock-on effect leading to tonight's cancellations or is it mainly due to the reported crewing shortages the airline is experiencing at a number of airports?

I've used this airline regularly from Bristol since they took over Go (used them too) and have always told people how it is a decent way of flying from Bristol even though I was caught four times with the crewing problems in the summer of 2006. At least then we were told a couple of weeks in advance that the flights would be cancelled giving time to make alternative arrangements.

I will find it very hard to recommend them to anyone at the present time.

Apart from the inconvenienced passengers and the airline staff who can't be happy with the situation caused by their senior management's inability to manage its crewing, the image of Bristol Airport is being done no favours as most passengers will link the airport with the airline's failures.

[Carvair66]

Heading up to Bristol soon to collect my daughter from Easyjet flight from Ibiza. Running 90 mins late - but as I fully expected it to be cancelled, as was her outbound flight a week ago, I am actually relieved that it's just delayed. What a way to run an airline!

[bravoromeosierra]

I was on EZY6168 (AMS-BRS) earlier in the week and that was delayed out of AMS due to weather.. so some of it is down to elements out of their control.

The fact that schedules are so tight make knock on delays so inevitable. But I won't defend them if its their own fault.

[MerchantVenturer]

In fact there were four easyJet cancellations from BRS yesterday because I had forgotten the morning Edinburgh was also cancelled.

easyJet was not the only airline affected by lengthy delays into Bristol last evening - Ryanair had two with one (Malaga from memory) not expected until 0330 (four hours late) but they didn't cancel any flights.

Delays are part and parcel of air travel as is the occasional cancellation but it's the scale of recent cancellations by easyJet that is disturbing.

[marlowe]

The Palma and Ibiza routes on BAcityflyer out of LCY are doing really well big club loads on all flights , you do get a better class of hen/stag clientele as well lol!!!!!!!! the pax are an eclectic mix of people on the route, club is usually full of pax with summer homes in IBZ or PLM all usually BA gold/silver cardholders I guess they prefer the more personal touch at LCY than LHR/LGW any way apologies for thread drift

[Standard Noise]

I believe it was something to do with crewing (hours/Sunday schedules), but I can't confirm. To be fair, some of the slots were bad yesterday.

What observers see is a flights(s) leaving 25-30 mins after the EOBT but the initial slots were absolutely horrendous, at one point the Easy Tenerife had a slot 3.5 hours after EOBT.
Mind you, that's not much comfort to the 831 people (both in BRS and abroad) stranded by the Faro, Alicante and Palma cancellations.
If today has been anything like yesterday then I'm in for a busy nightshift tonight.

[MerchantVenturer]

Standard,

If you can put up with the singing aardvarks for a bit longer you might be controlling the Boeing 787.

Chris Browne, MD of Thomson Airways, said today that the company intends to use the aircraft from Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, East Midlands and Bristol.

Start date for the Thomson 787 is reported to be 2012/2013 (assuming no further delays with development I suppose) but whether Bristol will be amongst the first batch of TOM 787 journeys is a moot point.

I believe the 787's wing span is too wide for the parallel taxiway (will overhang the boundary fence) and will have to backtrack the runway.

Nevertheless, it will certainly cancel out many of the disadvantages of the short runway if its reported performance is to be believed.

[CabinCrewe]

Im suprised to see EDI on that list given that they only have a couple of summer SH routes from there and no regular LH

[Standard Noise]

MV - I'm sure the airport will come up with a suitable solution for the 787. I'd be more worried about where it will park, we've only got one large stand as it is, although there is a plan to extend the Western apron so maybe they'll include another 767/787 stand or two.

I suspect though that Bristol will be fairly well down that list of airports when it comes to basing the 787. I hope I'm wrong though, as far back as I can remember, the airport management have been pinning their hopes on the 787 as the door opener for long haul so hopefully they have a plan.

[CabinCrewe]

and doesnt necessarily need to be based, could just rotate through via BHX, MAN or GLA etc

[MerchantVenturer]

Standard,

I'm assuming that to begin with at least any 787 will not be permanently based (as CabinCrewe suggests) but will visit in the same way the TOM 767 currently does at weekends for Cancun and Sanford.

As you say, the 787 has long been held up by BRS management as the great hope to largely overcome the route limitations of the short runway, from the original master plan (over five years ago) to the present day, with a suggestion in the master plan of turning circles at runway end being the way to get round the taxiing problem.

The glitzy video indicates air bridges to some stands in the future together with an extended apron running eastwards and making use of the land currently occupied by the old terminal block.

Assuming the sec of state doesn't call in the local authority's major expansion approval for a public enquiry (I wouldn't bet much money on what he will do) or the SBAErs don't win a judicial review (if they can collect enough money in their public begging bowl to get a review in the first place), the idea is to expand as the need arises over the next decade and one would hope there are early plans to deal with a 787.

[TSR2]

and one would hope there are early plans to deal with a 787

Well plenty of time on that score :ok:

[jaycee10]

According to tonights Bristol Evening Post Flybe are looking at launching up to seven new routes from Bristol in the next two years. Mr Rutter has said they are looking at Germany, France, the Netherlands and Belgium as well as domestic routes. Let the speculation begin.

[bobsyerunlce]

Dear Mr Flybe... Germany and Scandinavia please! We already have Amsterdam and Brussels and loads of French destinations.
Thanks!

[POL1W]

Seems to be a bog standard press release to all newspapers near to airports. Similar article in the Evening Post for Leeds.

[Stewart28]

Maybe Flybe might do flights to LDY

[MerchantVenturer]

Seems to be a bog standard press release to all newspapers near to airports. Similar article in the Evening Post for Leeds.

It does seem so.

Thus far I am aware of local newspaper reports containing Flybe assertions that significant growth of routes will be seen at Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton, Leeds-Bradford as well as Bristol. There may be others.

As for Bristol, the airport is short of German destinations having only easyJet to Berlin Schoenfeld and the niche OLT route to Bremen, so there might well be scope there. I believe the airport is still hoping for a return of the LH route to Frankfurt when the recession eases.

Netherlands seems an odd one with Amsterdam well covered by KLM Cityhopper and easyJet. Perhaps Flybe is thinking of Eindhoven. When Ryanair operated this route in summer 2009 the passenger numbers were disappointing for a 189-seat aircraft with average monthly loads being: May - 88; June - 84; July - 129; August - 137; September - 101. This might encourage Flybe to believe its smaller aircraft would fit this particular bill.

Belgium is another route that one would not think of as being at the top of a list from Bristol given that bmiRegional currently operates the route 3 x daily on behalf of Brussels Airlines with seemingly appropriately-sized equipment in the ERJ145.

As bobsyeruncle points out, the obvious gaps in the Bristol network are Germany and Scandinavia.

[roverman]

Yes, the B787 is indeed being held up as the Great White Hope for regional long-haul due to its lower seat-mile costs and runway field length requirements. A word of warning, however. The 787-8, with a wingspan of 60 metres falls into the ICAO Code E bracket for aerodrome characteristics. This means it requires taxiway strips / stands etc sized for the A330/B777 and not the B767/A300 which it will often be replacing in the UK. The 787-9, which follows it has a span of over 63 metres, into 747-400 territory. Without getting my scale ruler out I am not sure that some regional airports with long-haul aspirations will be able to meet Code E requirements across their taxiways and stands without a chunk of investment.

[Skipness One Echo]

Except the same thing was said about the B767ER. Bob Crandall at American set out to destroy the B747 operators at Pan Am and TWA by flying the smaller B767 direct from the US into Europe bypassing the large US hubs.

Twenty years later, most of those routes are gone and AA is entrenching at Heathrow with ATI. The rise of the Alliances puts to bed a lot of point to point travel as it's cheaper to fly through a hub than is is to fly direct.

Given that the hub airlines will have loads of 787s as well, I don't really see it being a game changer as you hope.

[roverman]

Skippy,

Yes, you may well be right, I have thought so too. Nevertheless, Pan Am and TWA never flew into MAN. AA have since 1986 and still do, although smaller UK regional airports didn't work out for them. Conti have the 787 on order but if they didn't make a 757 work at BRS a much larger 787 won't either.

[MerchantVenturer]

I don't think anyone, including the airport, believes that Bristol will become a hub for long haul scheduled travel. They say as much in their master plan that looks forward over the next twenty years where they suggest that only about four scheduled long haul routes, mainly to the USA, might be viable.

Where the 787 will change things at Lulsgate is in its ability to reach non-stop without load penalty charter destinations such as Florida (the 767 just about manages this), Cancun (for which the 767 needs en route refuelling) and resorts further afield.

As for infrastructure changes necessary to accommodate a 787, the airport's £150 million expansion plans have now been passed by the local authority but there is still a question as to whether the sec of state will call the whole thing in for a public enquiry.

The plans include, inter alia, stands for larger aircraft and airbridges to some stands as well as a bigger apron, accomplished by demolishing the old terminal.

The full length parallel taxiway is too narrow for a 787 (wings would overhang the boundary fence) but they anticipate dealing with that by turning circles and backtracking.

No-one that I know thinks the 787 will push BRS into a higher division (in football parlance) but it will enable more flexibility from the airport on long haul, mainly charter routes.

[andrew1968]

Flight CO77 to Newark

Both Friday and today CO77 has been fully booked in Business First and Economy!

I estimate that for the route in July 2010 the total pax could hit 9,000. :D

I have been monitoring the pax figures over the last two months and I would to say there is a case for someone else to fill the gap should Continental carry out their withdrawl. :ugh:

[WATABENCH]

CO full today as well, I believe 2 pax off loaded due to over booking, same situation last couple of days, re booking and $700 offered i was told, not sure how accurate that is.

[CabinCrewe]

1 month out of 12 doesnt make economic mathematics. Look at the figures for mid winter particularly in biz class. Noone will fill this route in a hurry

[AirLCY]

Shame they can't operate summer only, March to end October, but then there is the issue of what to do with the plane in the winter!

[andrew1968]

1 month out of 12 doesnt make economic mathematics. Look at the figures for mid winter particularly in biz class. No one will fill this route in a hurry

If you discount the months of airport closures due to Snow at beginning of the year and then the Volcanic Ash Cloud, pax figures have been increasing ahead of last year, and so much so there is the real prospect of beating August 2009 of 9,622 pax, the highest ever monthly figure since the route began.

So as AirLCY has said, at the very least there are grounds for a seasonal service. :ugh:

[cym]

Perhaps better aircraft utilisation over the year? CO made a commercial decision - live with it! The same criteria will apply to all TA carriers!

[birdscarer]

Yes guys - Cym is right. The prospects of a TA route from BRS is not dead, but it is the jewel in the crown of an affluent regional airport that is going through a recession - therefore, now may not be the time, but it will be back! Mark my words! we still have so much to be positive about - we are the fastest growing airport currently in the UK and there isn't an airport in this region that can match the routes and airlines offered here! Big pat on the back! :ok:

[MerchantVenturer]

It's a shame for those people who regularly used the route and for the reputation of the airport in the eyes of those people who don't usually take a close interest in aviation matters but who see the loss of the route as a telling blow to the viability of the airport as a whole - in the letters column of the local paper for example.

With the recession and Continental's increasing presence at Heathrow just along the M4 (they had no access at all when the BRS-EWR route was started) it was always going to be a monumental task to retain the Bristol route.

Someone may pick it up or something like it in the future - no-one can accurately forecast the fortunes of civil aviation over the next two years let along the next ten - but I believe the important thing is for Bristol to have a portfolio of routes that can be realistically operated. Might be stating the obvious but it is something that should never be marginalised. Long haul can still be accomplished via Amsterdam or Paris with Brussels chipping in as well. I hope that Frankfurt returns with LH as, from a personal point of view, that hub offers me more than the others.

Bristol area people are also fortunate in having the country's major airport relatively close with numerous long haul destinations (though I realise that this proximity can sometimes work against the aspirations of BRS) and don't forget BHX just along the M5 still has a CO EWR route and a twice-daily Emirates connection to Dubai and all the onward destinations that provides.

I think we are luckier than most with all this choice and birdscarer is right when he says there is much to be optimistic about in the current fortunes of the airport.

Hotel

The local Weston paper reports the airport have submitted plans to the local authority for permission to build an onsite 251-room hotel. Needless to say SBAE is calling for the application to be withdrawn.

I believe BRS is the largest UK airport without an onsite hotel.

[ijhannis]

Your info was close but not quite there. Offer was $500 travel voucher and accommodatio nand pretty much anything else required.

[Pandy]

IF and its a big IF the BAA strike goes ahead what position would BRS find itself in?

I assume it is a given that existing scheduled operators such as AF / KL / SN possibly CO would upscale their offerings and maybe even offer an additional service or two to assist the 'must flys' on strike days - they would certainly have spare aircraft.

My questions are
1) if an existing operator such as AF/ KL / SN wanted to (effectively) divert some of their LHR or SOU services to BRS, maybe even to a destination they don't presently serve (say AF to Nice)

2) if a carrier who doesn't presently serve BRS such as say LH wanted do the same

Would it be possible to arrange? could BRS handle much additional traffic at this time of year? and would it be worth it for the airline?

[Standard Noise]

Could BRS handle more traffic at this time of year? Yes, most definitely

[airhumberside]

My questions are
1) if an existing operator such as AF/ KL / SN wanted to (effectively) divert some of their LHR or SOU services to BRS, maybe even to a destination they don't presently serve (say AF to Nice)
Not sure why AF would fly BRS-Nice when they dont fly LHR-Nice

AF/SN/KL serve the same destination from BRS as they do from LHR

[Deano777]

Someone a couple of pages back mentioned a possible 7 new routes for Flybe over the next 2 years? Do you think there's a possibility of Flybe ever returning to BRS as a base (ok it was BAconnect) to serve these routes? Or do you think the routes will be operated from European bases?

Thanks.

D777

[Ringwayman]

If anything, I can see AF & SN in particular just rebooking passengers onto Eurostar. As for KL, they could choose LTN or BOH as I think it's a bit easier for them to get passengers to London from either of those airports than it would be from Bristol.

[WATABENCH]

Maybe just upgrade in aircraft for strike days if anything? for example F70 to B737, just so theres additional capacity if needed? Lets not forget that EZY also fly these routes so pax may have option to re book through BRS or LTN to AMS, CDG, NCE, CIA etc
I believe (correct me if wrong) that LGW is no longer BAA run, so plenty of options for LHR pax without maybe the need of extra flights through Brizzle.

[MerchantVenturer]

As has been highlighted in other PPRuNe forums Flybe is to step in to replace some of the 'lost' UK routes to/from BHD following Ryanair's decision to pull out of BHD.

Flybe will operate BRS-BHD 'up to twice a day' from 31 October.

Mention has been made elsewhere in PPRuNe that Flybe operated this route in the past but pulled it, apparently in the face of competition from easyJet on BRS-BFS.

The route was stopped at the end of October 2006 along with BE routes from BRS to Toulouse, Bergerac and Bordeaux, again it seems primarily because of easyJet competition.

There was at the time and since a barely concealed difference of opinion (I put it no stronger than that) between BRS and Flybe which may, in part, explain the airline's decision to axe the entire BAConnect route network in early 2007 when it took over that airline.

In the past year or so it seems the tiff as been resolved leading Flybe to start an Isle of Man route earlier this year (to complement its sole remaining BRS route - to Jersey) and to include Bristol in its long list of airports that might see development when the large number of new aircraft begin to enter its fleet.

The other point to make is that Ryanair have been steadily gaining ground on easyJet on the Bristol-Belfast route this year, culminating in more passengers being carried on the FR BHD route than on the easyJet BFS route in both June and July.

This may have encouraged Flybe to believe that it can now fly successfully in tandem with easyJet, though the latter had already increased the number of some weekday rotations for the coming winter over its current summer schedule.

[Standard Noise]

In the time I've been here, I've used the services of all three airlines who have flown BRS-BFS/BHD. Flybe have never been cheap despite claiming to be 'lo cost'. I don't see that changing when they return to the route.

Cheapest flights (approx) I've had - Flybe £50, Easyjet £39, RYR £7 (although more usually £18-28)RTN. For convenience, the City is better for me, but I won't pay through the nose to fly into it just because the route exists. There may be an argument that RYR created demand partially because of their pricing, but the fact is that they did well due to being cheaper, on the whole, than Easyjet. If that rings true, then it is natural to assume that many will migrate to Easy as they are again generally cheaper than Flybe. I hope they are, can't abide that pigsty Aldergrove.

[Goldilocks95]

looking at the times for the flights, they dont seem very convienient for brs pax.
BristolBelfast City
BE924
11:05 12:15
BE928
20:05 21:15

Belfast CityBristol
BE923
09:30 10:40
BE927
18:30 19:40

[Cloud1]

Flybe may not be the cheapest but at least you can rely on them putting you up in a hotel overnight if the flight is delayed until the next day or worse, cancelled altogether. I have read all to often cases where passengers have had to fight to get costs reimbursed with certain Irish carriers......sometimes it may be worth paying the extra few quid.

Unfortunately whilst Ryanair fares benefit many, they have led to a public attitude of expecting everything for nothing. I can guarantee that no airline will offer seats BRS-BHD for £7.00....well only one but they have pulled the plug.

[BleadonHell]

Plans for Bristol Airport hotel approved


31.08.10

Pedersen Hotels plans for a new hotel at Bristol Airport as part of a £150 million redevelopment programme have been approved by North Somerset council. The hotel will have 250 bedrooms, and is scheduled to open in the winter of 2012. It will be a four storey building with facilities including a bar, restaurant and meeting rooms.

The hotel is to be built very close to the airport terminal, a mere 100m away, offering a convenient and easy stroll to the airport. Pricing will be set higher than the majority of its competitors due to the advantages of its location. Objections to the hotel related to the impact of additional traffic on the area, but this was balanced by the benefit of the 125 new jobs that will be created.

[WATABENCH]

Aer Lingus A320 in BRS the other day, anyone know why? both ATR's came in for SNN and ORK so cant of been to cover them

[Goldilocks95]

came in on emergency due tech issue, not sure exactly what. It was operating a flight from DUB to JER, left after approx 90 mins.

[MerchantVenturer]

Referring to Flybe taking over the Ryanair service to Belfast City and the airport's August passenger figures (a small percentage rise of under 2% but a continuation of rises seen every month this year except April when flights were severely curtailed by the volcanic activity) Shaun Browne, Aviation Director, made the following comment on the airport website this week:

We hope to have further good news for travellers soon as we look to build the South West’s connectivity to key destinations across the world.

Could this be the return of the much-missed Lufthansa connection to Frankfurt?

Some airlines are loooking sideways at Germany because of the impending aviation tax but FRA was a significant feeder into LH's worldwide network.

[tpm]

Some airlines are loooking sideways at Germany because of the impending aviation tax but FRA was a significant feeder into LH's worldwide network.

Surely there must be other reasons too though? Connectivity to Germany has been bad for years, with the exception of a short-lived Easyjet BRS-HAM route a while back, the Airbus-targetted Bristol-Bremen OLT route, and of course the Berlin route. I simply can't believe it's not possible to operate e.g. Bristol-Hamburg, Bristol-Munich, or Bristol-Dusseldorf/Cologne profitably a couple of times per week, even without feeding into a hub like Frankfurt.

[MerchantVenturer]

Germany and Scandinavia are certainly glaring gaps in the otherwise fairly comprehensive BRS European network though, of course, Germany wasn't too bad in the days of BAConnect and its predecessors with daily flights to FRA, DUS and MUC using the 50-seat ERJ 145s.

All that went over three years ago when Flybe decided to axe the BRS BACon base when it assumed control of the airline as its management decided it would be unprofitable.

The reason I speculate on LH is the reference .................we look to build the South West’s connectivity to key destinations across the world which to me suggests a route to a hub, unless of course it's a replacement transatlantic carrier for Continental which I don't think it is for one minute.

Or maybe it's Shaun having a bit of fun to get the BRS posters on PPRuNe adding 2 and 2 and making 97.

[crackling jet]

As reported, the hotel has now had local authority approval along with the terminal expansion a couple of months ago. There has been little noise from the anti expansion campaigners apart from them begging for funds to fight the plan, though now it has come to them putting their hands in their pockets- nothing, not a sign of them, are they remembering the Stanstead issue where court costs were awarded to the airport authorities, and don't want any of that.

So what is actually happening now, i believe after North Somerset approved the terminal plan it was off to the transport secretary for the final sign off and understood it was a matter of weeks for this, so anyone know the status so far as nothing has been mentioned lately.

The hotel statement says that it will be open summer 2012, but noting regarding the terminal/airport expansion.

[trafficnotsighted]

Hotels are going up everywhere. Exeter have just anounnced that a Hilton Hotel will be built next to the Flybe training facility.

[MerchantVenturer]

crackling jet,

My understanding is that the major expansion plans are of a type that must be notified to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (currently Eric Pickles) when a local authority is minded to approve them.

The secretary of state has 21 days to respond to the local authority and can either tell it he will not intervene or, alternatively, call in the planning application in which case a public enquiry would be held presided over by a planning inspector who would ultimately make recommendations to the secretary of state.

It sounds a very quick way to get a decision as to whether planning applications will be called in.

Unfortunately, there is a snag. The secretary of state may feel he needs more time to decide whether to intervene in which case he can issue a holding notice to the local authority which in effect gives him as much time as he likes to decide on his course of action.

This seems to be what has happened with the airport application. Perhaps someone should jog the secretary of state's memory or the plans might be going yellow and gathering dust in a filing cabinet until the next general election.

I believe the hotel planning application is a separate one with no need for it to be formally notified to the secretary of state.

[a bristolian]

MV

I think you will find that a decison has just been made by the Secretary of State.

I think you know I only post when things are certain and positive!

a bristolian