BRISTOL - 4

[anoraknophobia]

The headline on the front page of to nights evening post.

CHARGE MORE AND WE'RE OFF

Budget airline Ryanair has threatened to pull out of Bristol International Airport if charges are increased. Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Crawley has said "If Bristol was to put up its charges to us ,we wouldn't be in Bristol - its as simple as that."

Well,Mr Kehoe has only be in the job two days,but he certainly has managed to get him self noticed.


Continuation of: http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=255581&page=19

[Standard Noise]

Well God forbid that Cardiff or Exeter should announce expansion plans. Mr Kehoe's gob will go into overdrive. While he was MD at Aldergrove and Belfast City announced their new terminal expansion plans, the poor man went into a state of hysteria and couldn't stop his cakehole flapping about planners over riding wishes of residents blah blah blah. Then BMI announced they would move to the City and BA mainline pulled out of NI altogether and everyone figured out why Kehoe had been so concerned.

Still, good luck to him, here's hoping he doesn't c**k it up but it would help if he didn't liken airport protestors to eco-terrorists................least not while there's journos within earshot! :oh: :D

[Goldilocks95]

The Air France flights toParis CDG started yesterday and so far all have been delayed by a couple of hours!!!

[AirLCY]

What were the loads like on the AF services?

[Standard Noise]

Well I was on today, and I can't remember the Airfrog being delayed by that long, and one of my colleagues said one of yesterday's delays was only 45 mins.:confused:

Still, what can you expect from French ATCOs, prolly out burning sheep or blockading Calais.:rolleyes:

[BRS_flyer]

Loads have been fairly respectable so far. In the last couple of days they have ranged from 14 right up to a full 50 with most flights having around 25-30 pax. Not too shabby for the first few days of their operation.

[crackling jet]

BHD, can a 737-800 get into, or more to the point get out again ?, i allways thought Belfast Harbour was the same as LCY but slightly smaller !

[Kellycsi]

As the first SAS flight to Stockholm is this Friday, does anybody know how the bookings have gone for these flights?

[brs planespotter]

can anyone shed any light as too why ryanair landed safely and the others switched too cwl during that bad weekend at brs?

regards

[Silvertop]

can anyone shed any light as too why ryanair landed safely and the others switched too cwl during that bad weekend at brs?

If you are refering to the bad weather which co-incided with the runway re-surfacing back in the winter, I think that it was very well covered on the Brs thread if you search back far enough.
But in a nutshell Ryanair did their risk assesment and said "yes", everyone else led by easyJet I think did theirs and said "no"

[brs planespotter]

thanks for that silvertop,never in my many years have i seen the whole operation move too cwl,i hope it never does in the future,best wishes,brs planespotter

[thepeacock]

Pretty good judging by the current prices!

[2J&D]

Attended a function yesterday evening for SAS and they are saying how well the BRS flight has sold. LF for the forthcoming flights are approx 77%, which is great for a new flight with a shortish operating period.

Looking good for the same thing next year, with a possible longer operating period.

Flight in/out today are full I believe.

[WATABENCH]

BA/GB are dropping TFS after summer

[iflycwl]

Is there any truth in the rumours that Aviance or another handling agent are looking at moving into BRS now that BA Handling as gone ?

Could this be the end of the Servisair monopoly ?

[Vasto1M]

GB are indeed ending their TFS service, but all is not lost, expect an announcement shortly from another carrier.

[Bristol_Traveller]

I hope that announcement turns up faster than the imminent announcement about who will take up the German routes.

I'm back on Heathrow again now; the only exception being a WOW flight to Manchester next week, but I'm using BD to fly back to LHR the following day. (And I'm only using WOW because I can't do an overnight in Manchester the night before and fly up from LHR or take the train).

[Marco491]

I second that, BT.

I tried Flybe from FRA to SOU a few weeks ago, a disastrous alternative from my pov. The flight was ok - same BACon plane, same crew, similar schedule, delay of approx 1 hour (but we seem to accept that these days) - but as expected the onward and return drives to and from the southwest were a nightmare; best part of 4 hours along A roads, so much for regional air travel. SOU is virtually another London airport, and the facilities are poor, no substitute for Bristol.

Going via Heathrow again next week, needs must, 4 hours down motorways instead :hmm: but at least more flight options.

Come on LH, buzz a little CRJ into BRS once a day and up your profile at BA's expense - BRS to the Far East via FRA, etc.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Ideally they'd be buzzing one of their CRJs in twice a day... let's not go back to the BACon fiasco of losing three days out of work for one day in Germany! (Maybe BD could move one of their Emby's down?).

I've got a FRA flight coming up, and briefly toyed with the idea of LH out of BHX, but the public transport to BHX is cruddy. So guess what, LHR here I come. Out first thing, back by 7pm.

I know I've said it before, but a decent hubbing flight out to FRA would just be superb. All the long-haul ex-FRA I could start at BRS instead of LHR. <sigh>.

SAS are our only *A operator (1---5-- only) - they need to feel less lonely.

[Tom the Tenor]

A lot to be said for Monday and Friday rotatations on new/thin routes as it helps maximise the potential. Maybe we sometimes get a little too preoccupied about a perceived need for a Sunday flight?

[Bristol_Traveller]

I agree - I wasn't saying that SAS were doing the wrong thing running on Mon and Fri only; I was suggesting they needed some Star Alliance company at Bristol, preferably BD or LH going out to FRA twice a day.

Anyone know what happens if you check-in for the SK flight with Star Alliance Gold Card? Do you get a voucher for the Servisair lounge, or just a nice smile?

[2J&D]

When I did the flights last weekend they were selling the Economy+, so I would think you would get lounge access.

The flight is very popular with both UK pax and Scandinavians and it looks like a 50/50 split. Both my flights were full. OK there are only 2 a week on a 736, but as I mentioned before SAS are really pleased with how well the flight has sold. It should be extended to a longer operating period next year, with hopefully a larger aircraft.

With this, you would hope that someone like LH would get wind of how well this is selling, without the connecting traffic and get something going themselves!

[AirLCY]

LH will probably be better off operating something larger than a CRJ twice a day to FRA, prob better off with something with 80ish seats maybe an AR8. Bacon did well with a single 50 seat a/c, with a twice daily 50 seat a/c you'd be able to fill on just point to point without the connections, so 2 or 3 per day on larger a/c required. If BHX can fill 4 daily 733's, BRS can surely fill 3 daily AR8's or CR7's.
Muc will prob work well on 2 x daily CRJ's with the connecting traffic too.

[Tom the Tenor]

Any update available on how CO are doing from Newark at the moment and how the early bookings are for in Sept/Oct?

Thanks.

[stalling attitude]

I was told recently that early in the morning there will be 11 scheduled departures all within 1 hour and only 8 gates to board through. Bristol is creaking at the moment, it's gonna be chaos come winter.

[Hank Birofski]

Bristol – Funchal (Madeira)

commences 29 October

Three times weekly (Mon, Thu, Sat)


Bristol – Lisbon

commences 31 October

Four times weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun)

:D :ok:

[Stone Cold II]

Nice to see easy venturing further out from a regional base. :ok:

With the launch of easyJetHolidays to allow people to book a package holiday with all the financial protections of a traditonal package holiday but with the benefit of tailoring the holiday to your requirement, I can see along with their press release that they are going to start going after the rest of the of the tradional package market around europe, with Tenerife just a short hop away how long before easyJet start going there?

[Bristol_Traveller]

I'm trying to book ARN-BRS on Friday 28th September, and it's not showing up anywhere? When does that route stop?

(Typical - I actually have a business meeting that ends at 15:00 in Stockholm, and could have really done with a ARN-BRS direct).

[danielhobbs]

The SAS flights end near the end of 13th August i believe. Somebody correct me if i am wrong.

[fyrefli]

Has the local press picked up on the Congonhas disaster yet and re-interviewed any of the more blase airport spokespersons about runway grooving? Would have thought that'd be right up the Evening Post's street.

[WATABENCH]

New FCA routes for summer 08, BRS - Verona, Naples and Kefalonia.
Naples and Kefalonia were covered from CWL by FCA, so guessing they're being transfered to BRS after the pull out of FCA at CWL.
Verona is an interesting one, First Choice dont have a lakes and mountains brand anymore, so i'm guessing this is to accomodate Thomson and Crystal(part of TUI) Lakes and Mountains brands!

[crackling jet]

nice to see watabench back, is that extra a/c ,and what about the l/h series? anything new

[WATABENCH]

No extra a/c at the moment, as for longhaul, POP will operate FEB-APR 08 weekly, it will then be replaced by CUN weekly. The SFB will break between NOV and FEB, but will come back weekly again.
As for extra a/c, dont think BRS will see an extra a/c until possibly 2009, when BRS should see 'fingers crossed' a based 787. :}
Bet FCA arent too chuffed with EZY's FNC, although saying that, FNC is definatly an upper class OAP flight, i'll be surprised if any people wanting to go there would know how too, let alone want to book with a budget airline, but i guess EZY know what they're doing.
Great news on the LIS flight though.

[crackling jet]

what happens next summer regarding TUI ?, are they gone for good or will they operate through Bristol on ' W ' patterns. Also heard rumour that TCA-MYT are basing two a/c at Bristol for summer 08. if FCA dont have additional assets based and there are no TUI, then there is a lot of capacity uncatered for

[WATABENCH]

Well the FCA EXT programme is only showing 12 or so flights a week, compared to the current 16-17 at CWL, so maybe there is scope for some W patterns on a 320 next summer, wait and see i guess.

[MerchantVenturer]

More new routes announced today.

easyJet will fly to Gdansk 3 x weekly from 30 October and to Innsbruck 3 x weekly from 14 December.

Ryanair will fly to Turin 1 x weekly from 22 December.

This means that from this coming winter BRS will have twenty-five departures to Polish destinations each week, viz

easyJet to Krakow (7), Warsaw (3) and Gdansk (3).

Ryanair to Wroclaw (4), Katowice (3), Poznan (3) and Rzezsow (2).

With Ryanair's new routes to SZG (announced recently) and TRN, and easyJet's to INN, it seems that BRS's extremely healthy winter ski market (sixteen weekly ski charter flights in each of the last few winter seasons) is being gnawed at again by the low-cost scheduled airlines, what with easy's GVA (at least double-daily each day last winter and 4 x daily on some Saturdays) and GNB already well-established.

And who, a couple of years ago, would have thought there would be four Portuguese sched destinations? Need to get back some of those lost German routes now.

It seems that FR will not be flying BHD-BRS just yet in competition with easy's BFS-BRS because BRS was not amongst the routes to BHD announced by FR today.

[LGWAlan]

The only slight issue here with the flights to INN being - none on a Saturday - the big changeover day on ski.

[Bristol_Traveller]

The INN flights will be *very* interesting. INN is a horribly expensive airport to fly into normally (I speak from bitter experience), and suffers from terrible peak loading on Saturdays. I wonder if the airport have offered Easy better terms if they don't come in on "Bettenwechselsamstag"?

My in-laws flew in on Wednesday from SZG on the OS operated charter flight, and the A321 was completely full....

[JulietNovemberPapa]

I am delighted that both FR and EZY are expanding at BRS. Of course, the former only recently announced the base, so we should hopefully see a lot more routes from it in the forthcoming years.

I am pleased that there are now 7 routes to Poland from BRS (4 with FR, 3 with EZY). The vast majority of this will, of course, be ethnic- and VFR-based.

The transformation of BRS in the past few years has been astonishing, albeit not that surprising, and long may it continue.

[yeo valley]

brs tfs
with GB tfs route finishing end of summer. wonder if the route will be taken by another airline.
any body with thoughts on it,??

[anoraknophobia]

Tonights HTV news had an interview with Paul Kehoe ,in the interview Mr Kehoe was shown looking at a mock up of the new terminal extension,this quite clearly showed air bridges linking the terminal to the apron.I can't recall seeing these on the master plan. I wonder if this provision is aimed at attracting more upmarket airlines like Continental.
On a more serious note, I witnessed today a potentially serious incident when a light aircraft had only just become airborne after a touch and go and a Ryanair 737 landed almost immediately afterwards.The consequence was that by the time the Ryanair aircraft had slowed on the runway it had almost caught up with the light aircraft which was airborne but still low. The Ryanair Pilot commented on the proximity and the Tower apologized for not asking the light aircraft to go round.It seems more and more difficult for ATC to slot in the light aircraft movements in between the ever increasing commercial operations.I don't know if the Airport Management can restrict light aircraft movements at certain times but somthing will definitely have to give .

[rampboy767]

I here a FR may operate the TFS route come January once they base a 3rd A?C at BRS after BA/GB airways pull out come October? Any news on this or any other airline that may pick up the route? Or that FR may even base a 3rd A/C come January? I know FR will base 2 as of November for their 14 new routes, so who know's whats next?.......

[Standard Noise]

anorak - and where were you when you noticed this 'potentially serious incident'? Over at the ice cream van on the south side perimeter buying your 99?
Unless you were in the VCR beside the ATCO concerned, you didn't have the same view/take on this as he/she did.
by the time the Ryanair had slowed on the runway......
Oh, so it wasn't a missed approach then? Not as serious as you described then, now was it?
We are all human and sometimes there are factors that influence the decisions I and my colleagues make that are not apparent to the average rubber necker. Many times we have aircraft passing the threshold before the preceeding departure has cleared the opposite end of the runway. Doesn't necessarily make it a 'potentially serious incident'.
Anyhoo, if the Ryanair pilot is that hacked off about it, he'll go into print.............but I doubt it, it'd be a bit pot and kettle considering the way they get on sometimes.

Oh, and on another note, how nice it was to compare Bristol's security palaver with that of a large airport (PMI). Loads more flights, loads more pax but a vastly shorter amount of time to pass through security. 30 mins to get through last week at Brizzel in the morning 'rush' compared to 15 mins yesterday at Palma with queues three times as long. Our Spanish friends seem to have got it right. Maybe there isn't an Iberian equivalent of a jobsworth!

[iflycwl]

Anyone else heard rumours of a new handling agent for Bristol to compete with Servisair or are these just rumours ? Aviance, Groundstar, Menzies ???

[MerchantVenturer]

anorak,

I saw the Tv interview as well but didn't really get a proper look at the model as it was shown fairly fleetingly. There is certainly no mention of air bridges in the master plan, as you say, and the design of the terminal (built into the side of a hill with only one floor plus a mezzanine floor visible facing airside) would surely make such a venture extremely difficult.

The master plan envisages a two-level pier (essentially a covered passageway) leading from the expanded terminal to the expanded nose-in parking area which will segregate arriving and departing pax.

The plan drawing in the master plan could make the piers appear to be air bridges at a cursory glance.

I cannot think for a minute that BRS would move the master plan goal posts, unless to reduce the scale of infrastructure expansion, because the current proposals have attracted enough controversy as it is.

The new MD was understandably low-key and conciliatory towards the expansion opponents in his interview.

I think any meaningful airport expansion will be two to three years away at least, because the planning process will almost certainly be referred to a planning enquiry and very likely a legal challenge after that.

I would have liked the highly experienced ITV West business reporter to have asked Mr Kehoe how they plan to cope in the meantime, when we may be looking at in excess of seven million annual pax in the next couple of years if Ryanair base more aircraft for more routes as was suggested at the time the base was announced.

[bristolflyer]

There is provision for airbridges within the masterplan. The architect's plan on page 99 clearly shows 3. The two-storey pier would be a larger version of the current bus shelter running the length of the extended terminal before turning and extending out into the main apron (I assume at the point where the current fire station is). In the plan there are three larger stands where the pier extends out onto the apron which I assume would hold a 757/767/787. The reason for the refusal of airbridges during the original construction of the terminal was that the building would have to be raised higher and have a proper second floor airside and this would (in the planners view) have disturbed the sightlines of the surrounding countryside because the building would be too intrusive. I would have thought in the current climate airbridges could be shown to be environmentally friendly. It would reduce the number of bus movements per year (to the current 767 stand)! If the airport is to attract full service airlines especially a Middle Eastern airline it needs to offer full service facilities such as airbridges. It is embarrassing when returning to Bristol with Continental to hear the cabin crew announce in very surprised and mystified tones that Bristol is an airport without airbridges and the pax will be disembarking by those quaint things called steps!

The state of the terminal is only going to get worse before it gets better. Heathrow is a prime example of what goes wrong when you have too much traffic going through inadequate facilities. The airport is run by private enterprise and they will want to wring every last penny out of the existing building. Airports that are a joy to use because they have space to breathe don't make half as much money as one where you are maximising the facilities and some!

[MerchantVenturer]

bristolflyer,

Welcome to PPRuNe.

Having had another look at the master plan I have to agree that the drawing on page 99 of the web version does show airbridges joined to aircraft parked at right-angles to the other nose-in aircraft which don't have any bridges shown.

I had looked at the drawing on web page 76 which accompanies the section on the terminal building expansion plans and which shows extensions of the pier, but no aircraft drawn in (unlike page 99), and assumed these were a means of getting pax a bit closer to the aircraft, albeit they would still have to board via steps.

My assumption was based on the accompanying narrative on page 75 which states, "...........development of a two-level pier between the airport building and the aircraft stands." There is no mention of air bridges anywhere in the plan that I can find, apart from what appears in the drawing on page 99, although I haven't had time for a full re-read following your post.

I was aware of the earlier planning edict concerning air bridges from the current terminal. It may be that, because the three air bridges shown in the above drawing would be parallel with the front of the airside terminal and wouldn't involve a full second floor being built, the airport believes the planners would accept them.

I don't like air bridges and I like the fresh air and an external look at the aircraft that steps provide, in the same way that I prefer narrow-bodied aircraft to wide-bodied for long-haul because there is a great statistical chance of bagging a window seat in the former. I realise I am in the minority in both these matters though.

[bristolflyer]

MerchantVenturer thanks for the welcome. I agree the wording of the masterplan is ambiguous. I imagine Macquarie want to play things close to their chest until such time as they have the backing of the planners in principle. I understand that Kehoe has put back the date for the formal application until the autumn, no doubt because there are unresolved sticking points and he wants to be in a stronger position before going public.The airport is going to meet stiff resistance as soon as they break cover even though the silent majority support expansion by their continued use of the facility. I'm afraid I'm a "fairweather" steps man!

[en2r]

He said about the 2p RyanAir flights from BRS to Dublin..Anyone know how often these come up?Ryanair have sold 2c/2p return flights on three occasions since May across their whole network. The fares only apply to certain routes and have rather a lot of its and buts. In the last offer they could only be used on flights daperting between 12PM on Monday and 12PM on Thursday and after 12PM on Friday. I think they are essentially a loss leader to attract potential customers to the website. When the first offer came out the website crashed within 3 hours such was the interest despite the fact that there had been no advertising!

[Standard Noise]

"but it can't attract any airlines til the runway has also been dealt with."
Oh do let us in on your secret oh wise sage of West Wiltshire International!
Or do you mean that the runway at Bristol must be chastised like a naughty schoolboy!?

[2J&D]

I do not think we need to 'resurrect' the runway issue.

The resurfacing has been completed, there have been no problems as there were earlier this year and I do not agree with your comment of it 'being the truth....'

Don't forget, Air France have recently started operations and Ryanair are to increase their presence at the airport.

Unless you have have evidence that there is still a problem, I would be a little careful with your comments.

[Standard Noise]

No no, let him speak. Young Christian must have access to info that the rest of us (like those of us who have to look at the bloody runway every day of our sodding, working lives) don't.
This information must be shared for the good of all passenger kind.
I'm waiting boy!:hmm:

[Standard Noise]

Well if you don't want your comments to be taken the wrong way, don't be so ambiguous in the first place. But tell us, what shall we do, tarmac Felton Common or do a 'Funchal' on the other end?
You'll get a starter strip type extension if the old terminal is knocked down, but don't hold out for a full on runway extension. Anyway, the Airport owners can't see past the Boeing goose laying a 787 shaped egg at the minute so don't hold yer breath.

[Harry the Hound]

There may be an announcement at the end of the month regarding Frankfurt and other German routes hopefully, watch this space :ok:

[eu01]

You mean Frankfurt Hahn perhaps?

[Bristol_Traveller]

There may be an announcement at the end of the month regarding Frankfurt and other German routes hopefully, watch this space :ok:
Crosses fingers, shuts eyes tight, whispers "LH BD LH BD LH BD LH BD"
You mean Frankfurt Hahn perhaps?
Grimaces "Not FR, Not FR, Not FR!"

[Standard Noise]

From what I have heard it will be a full service carrier (at least one) for Germany.

[Bristol_Traveller]

I've got a big quarter of travelling coming up. Should I hold off booking a whole load of ex-LHR trips with SK/BD/LH? When's the announcement coming? Weeks or days?

[Harry the Hound]

Well this was from a direct airport source, very tight lipped, seemed like he was gagging to say, but fair play he didn't! He just said hopefully if all goes to plan there would be an announcement near end of month, Got the impression that it will be a full service operator, but wouldn't like to say whether or not to book your trips out of LHR yet, Wouldn't LH/BD be a great addition to BRS, BD would be great especially as hopefully they might pick up some of the others that BA dropped.
Only time will tell I guess, on another note had a read through of the 2nd edition Thomson brochure for s08, all flights apart from a couple now on FCA, havent seen the 2nd edition TC/Airtours brochures yet.

[redfield]

Daily A340 JFK-FRA-BRS-FRA-JFK as an extension of the existing FRA-JFK route........................and if you believe that you believe anything.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Daily A340 JFK-FRA-BRS-FRA-JFK as an extension of the existing FRA-JFK route........................and if you believe that you believe anything.

Operated using an LH A319-LR. Love it. (Well, we have been talking about 48 seat planes).

I'm off to go and look at the slot allocations at FRA (because my life isn't fulfilled enough) and see if anything peeks out at me. Preferably with an LH or BD code. I'm guessing any change wouldn't happen until the beginning of the Winter timetable at the end of October.

[bristolflyer]

I note that Staverton and Manx2 have started scheduled services with a twice daily rotation to IOM and weekend flights to Jersey using a Beech 19 seater. One imagines it won't take O'Leary long to threaten to move his operation from BRS and squeeze it into Bristol (Gloucestershire M5)!!!

[birdscarer]

I wonder whatb Air France are planning. ATR seems to be getting decent loads. Makes you wonder if A319/20 could be brought in?

[aeulad]

I think Airlinar ATR-72 or Britair CRJ-700 is more likely if an upgrade was to happen.

Regards

Mike

[birdscarer]

If Airlinair continue the route then yes but Air France may be using the ATR as a yardstick and decide to take on the route actually as AF with a larger A/C might they not?

[mmeteesside]

They'll probably upgrade through the different types as Aberdeen started with E145 > FK70 > F100 and is now at E190.

[OltonPete]

Aberdeen has fared better than BHX, as AF have not responded at all
to the BACON debacle, still 6 x RJ85's often with high nighties load factors
and at worse 65-70%.

Mind you look at the competition they have a BHX, all they need to do is laugh all the way to the bank. I remember 320's on the BHX in the past
but never mind.

Bristol seems to now has a reasonable Paris service - has the 2nd Easyjet started yet?

I must admit Bristol have a good all round schedule and even better if BD/LH do start on the Frankfurt, then possibly Munich, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen etc.

Pete

[MerchantVenturer]

Local press reports this week say that BRS is to spend £3.2 million increasing the terminal first floor space by extending it over the arrivals area in order to expand the security search area.

There will be additional search lanes and x-ray machines giving a total of nine that will, according to the airport, reduce passenger security queue waiting times of 20-25 minutes to ten minutes.

Work will take place over the winter and should be finished by next summer.

The new CEO, Paul Kehoe, stated at the time of his appointment that one of his priorities was to reduce time pax spent in the security environment.

The airport also announced recently that it is spending a seven figure sum on a new IT system for self-service check-ins.

Anything that speeds up the passenger experience will be welcome and these initiatives won’t need planning consent, unlike the major expansion plans.

With passenger numbers up nearly 8% in July (BRS website figures) compared with July 06, and set to rise significantly more when Ryanair starts its base, Mr Kehoe and his staff will have to come up with some more fine tuning over the next year or two whilst the main expansion planning battles are fought.

Pete: easyJet is double-daily to CDG this summer but during the past few weeks the Tuesday morning and Thursday morning rotations have not operated but extra rotations to La Rochelle have flown instead on these days, presumably using the 'CDG aircraft' because timings are roughly similar.

[Standard Noise]

Shame about the first floor extension though, one of the things I like about modern terminals is their less oppressive feel, afforded by light and airy double height design. Hope it doesn't stretch too far across the arrivals area.
Still, needs must when SBAE are being a pain in the 'aris.

[birdscarer]

I see they were up to thier usual stunts. Dressing as a gorilla is highly original and extremely relevent to thier cause! I'm sure they won alot of support from that stunt-thousands of passengers are now aware that they are trying to stop the airport expanding and will no longer fly from here!
I wonder if the suit was hired out on FlyBe's business expenses creditcard!?

[bristolflyer]

Aesthectics will play no part in the future development of the terminal. Bristol will mirror an airport such as Stanstead where economics overtook passenger experience and design value. They will bleed financial return from the current infastructure. At the end of the day I simply wish to pass through the required checks as soon as possible. It is a bonus if I am surrounded by beautiful design! It is a sad state of affairs, but that is modern air travel until such time as I can join netjets!!!

[Standard Noise]

That is modern air travel until such time as I can.....
afford to hire Netjets!:{

[ATCO1987]

There will be additional search lanes and x-ray machines giving a total of nine that will, according to the airport, reduce passenger security queue waiting times of 20-25 minutes to ten minutes.
Thats a laugh, need to have the staff to run it! I thought we were having 7 positions anyway, thats the rumour at work... We need to get rid of G4S because they are doing nothing for the staffing, and short staffing doesnt help search comb queues! Bring Mitie back or BIA take it in-house (I wish!)

[Bristol_Traveller]

I've read rumours about BD possibly reducing their MME-LHR routes, which seem to be operated by a single ERJ-145. The presumption is that BD want their LHR slots back for more useful long-haul flights by BMED.

The rumour continues that an announcement about MME's future flights is to be made "before the end of this month".

One might then presume that it would free up an Emby aircraft to work from another UK airport which didn't need to operate routes into London....

Expertflyer is currently showing an equipment change on MME-LHR from ER4 to 319/320 from 28-OCT-07, and a reduction in daily flights.

[crackling jet]

what's the latest on the immenent announcement regarding the new full service carrier rumoured to be coming to BRS ?. it is nearly the end of the month. believe it when we see it, as its been 4-5 months since BA Con departed the german routes. i would have thought they would been in sooner than this as were AFR and E/Jet increasing routes to cover CDG

[birdscarer]

I'm sure its coming! Its not a case of seeing is believeing-we know the market is there, we know Cardiff are too slow on the uptake to replace the routes and rumours have been rife on whom is coming!
Whoever picks up the routes will do so in good time and sure they want to make sure all the details are finalised before rushing in! FR are a good example! They could have just started slowly introduced new routes but that wouldn't have been a smart move as the marketing wouldnt have been there-more likely whoever comes in will come in with a bang to generate as much interest as possible!

[WATABENCH]

Whats all this on the CWL thread about 2 TCX a/c in BRS from next summer? Interesting move, but the markets there for another charter a/c after TOM pull out.

[Bristol_Traveller]

There's still rumours (now in newspapers) that BD is planning to ditch or cut services between LHR and MAN/LBA/MME. Apparently LHR-MAN loadings are down to 76,000 journeys a year from 120,000.

I'm still fingers crossed hoping that their loss is our gain. At least nobody is expecting BRS-LHR flights. (Although there are days when First Great Western makes me willing to pay almost anything for BRS-LCY).

BD announce their Winter timetable (commencing Oct 08) soon, and the assumption is that the MAN/LBA/MME axe will fall with that timetable. However you would have thought that someone on Ground Handling at BRS would know by now if they were going to be handling a BD a/c?

[rampboy767]

Nope! Your guess is good as ours just rumours about either BMI or Lufthansa, new news on the GB route or the airline that will take up the TFS when they will axe it come OCT?

[Baron buzz]

WATABENCH - TCX will effectively have (and therefore currently have) two aircraft based in BRS next summer. TCX and MYT are currently merging therefore the one MYT aircraft (A320) and one TCX aircraft (A320) will become two TCX aircraft (prob two A320). I doubt that they would want more than that, what with the Tui groups current two based aircraft (both currently FCA 757) and a visiting 767.

Or atleast that is my uneducated take on things!

BB

[Baron buzz]

Merchant venturer and watabench,

Yes you are both indeed correct - apologies!

I was under the impression that the TCX A320 was a summer based aircraft, but i stand corrected.....:ugh:

[Vasto1M]

It seems to balance out for next summer apart from the loss of the Air Malta A320…

1 x FCA 757 remains
1 x XLA 738 remains
1 x TOM 757 becomes the second FCA 757
1 x FCA 757 becomes a TCX A320
1 x MYT A320 becomes the second TCX A320

I say that a FCA 757 becomes a TCX A320 as Thomas Cook holidays ‘share’ on most of the FCA flights, a couple are flown just for Thomas Cook holidays, carrying no First Choice holidays customers, so this business is being taken in house.

[birdscarer]

Other than the vicinity, it perplexes me why BRS get drawn in to comparisons with CWL on this board. There is no competition. CWL is more in league with EXT size-wise. EXT staff don't take every opportunity to score points against BRS and if anything they aspire to be more like BRS! (Thier gripe is more with PLH! :))
BRS handles 3 times that of CWL and are closer to BHX in pax numbers! Obviously Cardiff envy the success of Bristol but the catchment area is that much greater so that is geographically to be expected!

[WATABENCH]

Finally someone with a bit of sense, it is time to stop comparing CWL and BRS, its obvious that BRS in pax figures and airlines are years ahead of CWL, as Birdscarer says, CWL is really down in the leagues of EXT and BOH nowadays, its harsh to say, but true! Sorry CWL... but reality has to bite at some point :eek:

[embraernotworthy]

Sorry guys but didnt realise there were leagues now!!! Imagine anyone else trying to compare with Bristol Airport!! tut tut.

[birdscarer]

embraernotworthy, this thread is in response to a constant barrage of threads by CWL posters who are constantly snapping at the heels of BRS posters on a tit-for-tatt basis! (Both Airports are guilty though!) By all means they can raise issues regarding future expansion of both airports as we are after all neighbours, but as much as this is a rumour network, CWL is not on parr with BRS. FACT.
Its also worth remembering that CWL recieve a boost in RDA (or the like) funding. If EXT can get on with the job in hand without funding, why cant Cardiff?

[Standard Noise]

'We love you Bristol, we do, we love you Bristol, we do...............'
'Cardiff keeper's going home in a body bag!'
'We are going up, oh we are going up!'

Sorry, someone mentioned footie.:}

Anyhoo, one has heard that the new carrier coming soon is not the Luftwaffe, er, I mean Lufthansa.
Haven't found out who it is yet though.

Ah yes, the huge Heathrow. I am sinking low enough to use it myself in the coming weeks. But only cos the Conty was fully booked for my dates. Guess I should have booked earlier.:{

[Dragon tracker]

If you are hearing it is not LH, who is it likely to be and on which routes?

[a1234]

One thing I do like about the BRS board is the optimism shown! Always a case of when not if! For example most people are convinced that the are to be new German routes with a full service carrier - shame there isn't that kind of optimism on the CWL thread:{!

[easyJet Galley King]

Anyhoo, one has heard that the new carrier coming soon is not the Luftwaffe, er, I mean Lufthansa. Haven't found out who it is yet though.


As much as i'd love to see Lufthansa at Bristol (i'd much rather use them than AF/KLM), im beginning to think of the possibility that maybe abit of Air Berlin might consider picking up a few of the BA Connect routes?

Looking at their website, they have little representation in the south west, promote themselves as a full service airline, seem to be adding alot of aircraft and regularly fly to the airports in Germany dropped by BA - Dusseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt, but also easyJet's dropped Hamburg route. (Although I do believe the Munich will be picked up by us Orange folk)

Thought i'd have my tupence worth....

[Bristol_Traveller]

Air Berlin... flying all over Germany - via STN.... once a day. Brilliant.

I still believe that the real value in bringing a new carrier to BRS would be not only to operate a point-point service to destinations in Germany, but also to provide some proper hubbing opportunities as an alternative to the somewhat flaky KL operation.

BRS-FRA is one thing. BRS-FRA-VIE, BRS-FRA-CPH, BRS-FRA-MAD, BRS-FRA-DXB, BRS-FRA-SIN, BRS-FRA-ICN... now *that's* worth having.

[Standard Noise]

Would that be the same Air Berlin who are pulling out of Belfast City and may need to find something else for their crews/aircraft to do?
Mmmm, now there's a rumour to be getting on with.;)

[crackling jet]

Reading the above mentioned thread regarding the formation of one airline from S08, Thomsonfly, who are wholy owned by the TUI group have announced their decision to close the Brs base, what will happen to the present FCA operation at Brs when they too come under full ownership of the TUI group?. Was the Thomsonfly decision to pullout self driven or did it come from TUI and if so, how will this effect the FCA operation next year at Brs when the two become Tuifly

[birdscarer]

I guess we will have to suck it and see. Its all up in the air and probably will be for a few months. They are unlikely to withdraw all thier services but stupider things have happened! (For the definition of 'Stupid' see also 'FlyBe'!)

[ADC2604]

or an alternative definition - "birdscarer" - The BACon ops were not commercially viable.

It would be a big blow if FCA and TOM full ops left BRS in addition to the KM A320. Maybe XLA would look at basing a second B738 orr even a B739 (one day) there

[rampboy767]

Regarding your comment "ADC2604" TOM are only pulling out because of the merger & they can't compete with FCA at BRS so they will focus on CWL where they are popular, funny as only a few years ago TOM was big at BRS & FCA at CWL just goes to show how things can change so quick due to demand. KM are removing their aircraft due to completion from EZY on routes like AGP, ALC & FAO,etc which XL holidays has operated this summer. XL will not add an extra A/C next summer, as far as i'm aware it will be FCA 2x757s plus the 767 on long haul, MYT 1xA320, XL 1x B738 & TCX 1xA320 as part of the MYT/TCX merger i think & the TOM will operate on a "W" pattern maybe. If anyone can shed anymore light on this matter feel free to help.......

[birdscarer]

ADC2604. I am guessing you work closely with Flybe as only someone who does would be hoodwinked into thinking these were not profit making routes. Someone will pick these routes up and will prove you otherwise.
In the mean time though I would be interested to hear where you get this notion from? I have spoken to pretty senior BACon staff regarding the matter and they stated we were one of the only profit making bases for the airline. Secondly I have worked closely with Flybe myself in the past and would often be seen sporting an 'I'm with Stupid' tee-shirt, so on previous experiences I have had with them and given their popularity since, I will continue rewarding them with the said 'Idiot' title issued in my earlier post and may even upgrade it to 'inept'! Any questions?

[MerchantVenturer]

It would certainly be a major surprise if the TUI/FCA company pulled out of BRS altogether.

In recent years around 1.3million to1.4 million charter pax have used BRS annually with the lion's share going to TOM and FCA and their associated companies. This is a lot of trade to give up.

As for Flybe's relationship with BRS, I am not in the business at all but I do have some sources and as soon as it was announced (last November I think)that Flybe would be taking over BACon there was speculation that BRS would fare badly.

It was the only BACon/Flybe airport at that time not to be specifically mentioned in Flybe's future plans, so they must have worked quickly to establish that BRS was a BA loss maker or would be a loss maker to Flybe.

Even before this there were strong rumours circulating around BRS that Flybe had taken the hump with the airport because easyJet had come in on some of Flybe's routes leading to the latter pulling out of them.

It is true that no other carrier has yet picked up the former BACon routes to FRA, MUC, DUS and ZRH, but those to MXP and CDG are now operated by the ubiquitous easyJet with Air France doing CDG as well at 3 x daily, and the former Flybe routes to TLS and BOD are also now operated by the aforementioned Orange Airbus.

easyJet is carrying at least double the number of pax that BACon/Flybe carried on these routes, and in some cases four or five times more, so one can only assume that with the right product these routes are not loss makers.

Indeed, Ryanair is starting a daily flight to its version of Milan (Bergamo) in November alongside easy's daily to Malpensa so, to an outsider at least, it does seem odd that Flybe thought there were not enough punters to make at least the Milan and Paris viable.

easyJet carried nearly 9,000 pax to TLS in July and over 8,000 to BOD (and well over 5,000 to nearby La Rochelle on what was not even a daily flight then).

It is probable that Flybe pulled out of BRS (except for the daily JER) for perfectly sound commercial reasons from its perspective, preferring to concentrate on nearby EXT where a Big Bad Orange or Harp was unlikely to trump its ace, but to give the clear impression that all of BACon's BRS routes were loss-making and that, if they were, Flybe itself would be unable to turn at least some of them around (and thus pulled out) is something that is still regarded with scepticism in some quarters around BS48.

[WATABENCH]

FCA wont be going anywhere, well at least the aircraft wont be, the name will! Bring on the B787 I say.... But will there be a starfish or a smile on the tail?

[Red Snake]

Spot on MV.

BRS never sat easy with Flybe as it was seen as a major distraction for their main EXT base. With easyJet's continued expansion and now Ryanair also, I'm sure they still believe this was the right decision. But the instant the Flybe takeover of BA Con was announced, there was a mass exodus to the crew room door; long before the closure was announced, no one in BA BRS believed Flybe would stay.

Bar the Germanic region, the BA routes have been picked up by other carriers with at least as much capacity as BA ever out on. FRA slots are in short supply which limits potential carriers to one that already has an FRA slot to spare. Not sure about MUC & ZRH, but it may be the same.

[ADC2604]

Thanks for the info rampboy767 -I was aware of the merger and I too can remember the day when you could see 2 or 3 TOMs in at once. Like you said its funny how things can change so much!

[Anodyne]

ADC2604 I can back up birdscarers comments: As the BACON management told it not too long before the takeover; the established European routes made a profit (especially the CDG which was one of, if not the, most profitable route in the airline), the Scottish routes were holding their own against Easy, the new start up routes were doing surprisingly well considering how long they'd been going, and the ground operation was profitable in its own right.
Suddenly ‘Feels like you're Being exploited’ comes along and the Bristol base isn't viable anymore and apparently hasn't been for some time. Now I might not have the sharpest business brain but it seems to me that since those two positions are mutually exclusive somebody must be being 'economical with the truth'. I leave it others to decide who.

[cym]

Have been involved in yield management for airlines for more years than I care to remember and have yet to come across a situation where a 'for profit' airline closes down 'highly' profitable routes especially if slots are protected.

Costs of route development are well understood and chances of future profitabliity are key decision making factors in deciding to carry on with / withdraw a route.

Flybe may have disappointed some with their choices re ex BRS routes acquired from BACON but commercial suicide I am sure is not one of their drivers

[ADC2604]

Well said "cym" :D

Anodyn - it is clear you don't have a business brain. It seems to me that there are too many people who hold a grudge against Flybe (making silly names and definitions - these people have too much time on their hands) because of the route cuts and job losses. I am sorry to say this but get over it....thats what the aviation industry is all about.

I am not at all confident that there are many BE employees on this particular thread however as one myself, I can assure you that at the time of the takeover the BAcon routes were not performing as well as people seem to think, nor were they making enough profit as BAcon were making out. I would urge the likes of Anodyn to ensure their comments are factual before making such posts.

Anyway my initial post was not intended to start of another lead which has been covered time and time again elsewhere on Pprune. So if we could move on to the next BRS news it would be good. One question I do have is why did the Teeside flights stop alltogether (T3 operated them last year? or the year before.....)

[danielhobbs]

Perhaps because they were loosing money and crap load factors.

Thats the reason why most airlines stop routes.

[LGS6753]

The discussion about 'profitability' above shows a lack of business understanding.

You can define 'profit' in lots of ways, and it depends on each company's definition of 'profit' as to whether a particular route, or base, is profitable.

For instance, BACon's view of profitability may have been revenue less direct costs (Gross Profit, some may call it). This 'profit' is passed to the company, which takes out it's management and infrastructure costs and may call what's left 'operating profit'. This is then passed to the Group which deducts its own management and infrastructure costs, and perhaps calls what's left 'net profit'. Then the bean-counters deduct things like interest and extraordinary costs before converting the figure to 'earnings', which is what the shareholders may get a share of (if it doesn't go to support the deficit in the Pension Funds!).
Whatever is left is 'retained profit' which is re-invested in the business for the future.

A simple guide to a very complex matter. So was BACon's Bristol base profitable? You tell me!:confused:

[Standard Noise]

Star Alliance, mmm, now there's a rumour.

Yes, yes, I know The Luftwaffe are members, but the latest from 'over there', is BMI/Luftwaffe coming in. You just can't trust some people these days.:rolleyes:

[ADC2604]

danielhobbs - what I was getting at was why did they not reduce the frequencies as opposed to stop them altogether.

The flight I believe was 3x daily on a J31........I do think there is room at BRS for T3 to expand. Would be good to have a Norway route at BRS and Stavangar I think could possibly work.

[Bristol_Traveller]

A third of a way through September, and the "end of August" announcement hasn't materialised.

I know that deadlines slip, and I know that timing of announcements can be dependant on a lot of other announcements and changes happening first, but I'm becoming a little despondent.

Following the assumption that a *A carrier would come in to operate the German routes, it seems that all the likely suspects have made their winter timetable announcements, and none of them appear to leave any space for Bristol.

We're just over 6 weeks away from the start of the Winter timetable, and it looks like I'm going to be spending a dark, cold, wet winter trudging to and from LHR. (It's times like this I almost have the crazy idea of relying on KL again.... no, no, the moment has passed...)

[airvanman]

I can see Ryanair picking up some Deutschland routes from Bristol (the new Stansted)
WOW should be having a pop on the closer German cities. MGL could be a good 'un?

I still can't believe no Canadian flights have started up :confused:

All you Bus spotters must be loving the new bendy Bus. How much did that cost? They should get the bendy airside over the weekend and help get the SFB pax off a bit quicker ;)

[Flap Track 6]

Yes, the new bendy bus is great but it was needed airside on Saturday lunchtime. 10 minutes wait on the a/c after a delayed arrival from Nice because no busses were available.:hmm:

I know it was a busy Saturday, but it took us 45 minutes from weight on wheels to outside the terminal. I'm used to it being much quicker through the airport than that. Late night flight in from Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago and it was only 55 minutes from touchdown to home in Sadly Broke.:)

[JulietNovemberPapa]

I flew BRS-DUB on Monday and DUB-BRS last night. As always, it was excellent.

I find flying to/from BRS simple, quick, and effortless. After disembarking after landing from DUB, I was out of the terminal in under 5 minutes. I haven't yet been able to achieve that at LCY.

[easyJet Galley King]

I find flying to/from BRS simple, quick, and effortless. After disembarking after landing from DUB, I was out of the terminal in under 5 minutes. I haven't yet been able to achieve that at LCY.
Thats 'cos you more than likely parked on Stand 1-5 - Ryanair seem to always get those stands although Im sure that it'll change once Ryanair are at BRS full time. Just wish they'd stop parking us Orange guys in Weston Super Mare.
On another note, dare I say it, as easyJet dont seem to be too keen on Scandinavian routes, lets see Stockholm/Skavsta, Oslo/Torp, Tampere and Malmo added to the Ryanair route network. Following SAS's summer only, twice weekly service, im sure there's demand there?

[birdscarer]

Its funny how when Bristol was developed there was a lack of stands directly outside the terminal. Was this planning constraints or a lack of fore-thought on future development? Most airports have alot more don't they. EXT, NCL, JER and LGW all spring to mind and have grown in a Linear direction or with satalites.

[bristolflyer]

The Terminal was never designed with LCC's in mind and I don't think anybody at the time could have envisaged the explosive growth of scheduled traffic. If you look at Cardiff they handle slightly less charter traffic than BRS, but far less scheduled. It was assumed passenger growth would be akin to the pattern of growth seen at Cardiff and therefore the Terminal would take years to reach capacity. It would be good to see WOW expand into Germany. They are a great regional airline. They have indentified, and are currently evaluating, BRS, Newquay and Plymouth for route development. The only problem is that they aren't part of any alliance and any new route would be point to point.

[JulietNovemberPapa]

"Thats 'cos you more than likely parked on Stand 1-5"

Certainly. But I also fly EZY to/from BRS (indeed, I've just booked BRS-EDI), and I've used some less convenient stands. Still, I always find BRS simple, quick, and effortless.

[redfield]

Easyjet galley King: "Ryanair always seem to get those stands." That's because their aircraft are bigger than yours and don't fit on as many stands as yours do, a fact that many Easyjet staff seem to forget about. Also, they turn-round in 25 minutes, when some of your a/c are on the ground for forty or fifty minute turns. Hmmmm.....

[Silvertop]

I think I am correct in saying that a B737-800 can park on any stand that an Airbus 320 variant can,(Also the XL -800 is often parked on the western apron so I reckon the Ryans -800 will fit as well) so I think that one reason for some of "easys" longer turnarounds is waiting for busses, ambulift etc (waited 25 mins for the ambulift to pitch up the other day!!), so any airline allocated stands 1-5 stands at least a fighting chance of meeting their schedule Hmmm.:ok:
Cheers Silvertop

[easyJet Galley King]

That's because their aircraft are bigger than yours and don't fit on as many stands as yours do, a fact that many Easyjet staff seem to forget about

OK, so maybe not Stand 6 onwards, but why do they never get put on the western apron? They do fit there, because XL 800's can be found there often enough?

The majority, if not all our turnarounds are supposed to be 25 minutes aswell. Its even just 20 minutes in Scotland! We are getting 40-45 minute turns, due to the sheer distance between the weston apron and terminal - and also the logistics involved inbetween.

I understand, 757's need 1-3, and arriving flights of this variant need to be pre-allocated these, It just seem's unfair that Ryanair always seem to be allocated premium spots too, whilst easyJet gets the bum deal, and buses.

Im sure that when Ryanair arrive full time - we easy boys can kiss goodbye to our on time performance, and to stand 1-5.

[redfield]

Galley King: You misunderstand me. Ryanair DO get parked on the Western apron, especially if parking them on the front stands means creating delays in the tunnel. At busy periods Easyjet flights that are scheduled to have 40-50 minutes on the ground will get parked remote a) because of the larger a/c on the ground which need the larger stands and b) because NO Ryanair flights are EVER scheduled to be on the ground for longer than 25 minutes. Too many people complain about stand planning these days, but they don't appreciate that several hundred passengers can be moved through the terminal by parking short-ground-time flights on the front stands in the same time that a longer turn-round flight is on the W apron. If it was done the other way round, more flights would be parked remote, more flights would get delayed (lack of coaches, see previous) which would give more people cause for complaint. What do you expect, every Easyjet flight to be parked on the front stands? Impossible. The logistics of the airport simply don't allow for it. The Excel 738's are frequently on the ground for two or three hours, which is why you see them on the W apron. And one final point: where is stand 6? Last timed I looked it had a coaching lounge built on it.....

[JulietNovemberPapa]

NO Ryanair flights are EVER scheduled to be on the ground for longer than 25 minutes.

Actually, a few Ryanair flights have turnarounds scheduled for longer than 25 minutes. For example, DUB-MAD-DUB has 40 minutes in MAD. And another example: FR9336/9335, BRS-GRO-BRS, had 30 minutes in GRO. But of course virtually every Ryanair flight has a scheduled 25-minute turnaround.

[dumdumbrain]

Hmm if you look at EMA Ryanair has its morning shift finish and some a/c are left on stand for over 1hr (like my fr1924 MJV, it will be parked up for some 75mins before i even step on it), also if you look in the SEP Manual Part A and D you will see in Italy not only can we not re-fuel while pax onboard also the minium turnaround it 30mins

[easyJet Galley King]

where is stand 6? Last timed I looked it had a coaching lounge built on it.....

My mistake......typing error.

So, is the myth that Ryanair have written it into their contract, that they are only to be allocated 1-5 untrue? I've never seem them on the Western apron...

[birdscarer]

FR have been parked on W loads of times. The other benefit of not being parked on the main stands (if not night stopping) is they can self-mounouver and not have to wait for a tug. Pros and cons!
Guessing your biggest gripe is awaiting a crew bus to take you back after a long shift which is fair enough.

[JulietNovemberPapa]

When was that add-on check-in area (internally connected to the main terminal) built? I could have sworn I didn't see it in July, but perhaps I was blind. And will it be used as a general check-in area, or pretty much airline-specific (e.g. FR)? Cheers.

[zoar]

It's been there for at least a year and a half, assuming you mean the bit with “Subway” in it. I hear "Specsavers" are very good :)

[airvanman]

Was it on my days off? I have never seen FR on the west apron not never ever.
You do see 'em taxing past at a zillon mph;)

:*I don't care what you say but all airlines are told they are special by BIA and little vebal deals are done like parking outside the terminal!

[JulietNovemberPapa]

It's been there for at least a year and a half, assuming you mean the bit with “Subway” in it. I hear "Specsavers" are very good

Ah, yes. My father did tell me that too much X would make me go blind. Alas, I didn't follow his advice.

Do you know whether that area will continue to be a general check-in area, or pretty much airline-specific?

[MerchantVenturer]

The good and the bad of using Bristol Airport was demonstrated over the past two Saturdays.

We flew out on Saturday 8 September to Innsbruck with Austrian Arrows, a weekly charter on behalf of a major lakes/mountains tour company. Take off was scheduled for 1220.

1220 came and went with no sign of the inbound CRJ (due 1140), but an Austrian Arrows F 100 was already parked on the far end of the western apron when we arrived in the departure area at 1015 (incidentally, the extended Echo Bar is a great improvement giving a decent view of part of the apron).

Around 1220 the dreaded words, ‘delay – further information at 1300’, appeared on the departure screen against our flight number. My wife wandered around the departure lounge area but could not find anyone from the airport or Servisair from whom to seek further information. A security man told her this was not unusual.

At 1315 we were still expecting further information at 1300 when I spotted a ‘suit’ with a mobile phone looking up at a departure screen. I buttonholed him and he told me he was from the airport and was trying to gee up the handlers re further information. He was able to tell me the Austrian Arrows flight from INN to EXT had diverted to Bristol earlier that morning because of fog and it had been decided to combine the Bristol and Exeter flights to INN on the F 100 parked in the country.

The board then changed to ‘further information at 1400’, followed after that with an announcement apologising for the delay which was due to ‘operation reasons’.

Around 1400 a further announcement was made that the flight would commence boarding soon. I had asked the ‘suit’ and, later, the woman at the gate about seating and was told by both it would be ‘free seating’, so our previously allocated seats would be irrelevant. No-one had told the cabin crew who insisted we take our allocated seats only to discover shortly afterwards that people who had checked in at EXT had the same allocated seats. This was repeated around the aircraft. Eventually everyone found a seat.

The captain told us they had been parked for five hours because of the inordinate delay in getting pax coached from EXT. Few people were impressed with the airport over this although the likelihood is it was not the airport’s direct fault. We finally took off two and a half hours late.

Now, why could not an announcement have been made at an early stage explaining what was going on? Simple communication seems to be a forgotten art in today’s society, whether in the airline world or elsewhere.

The good was demonstrated today. Our Austrian Arrows CRJ arrived twenty-four minutes late at 1204 right in the middle of the busiest lunchtime period of the week when around twenty-four arrivals occur in a two-hour period. We landed amongst a bunch of six or seven other aircraft, mostly easyJet.

We parked on (I think) stand 11 and our baggage was on the belt within twenty minutes of our aircraft touching the runway. I thought this was a marvellous effort, and congratulations and thanks to those involved.

Incidentally, Austrian Arrows brought back memories of charter flights of the 1980s. The cabin crew (all female on both journeys, as it happens) were smart, attentive and friendly. The food was good; there were two rounds of tea and coffee, and two rounds of complimentary alcoholic drinks (we didn’t even get the latter on charters in the 1980s!) – on flights of not much more than ninety minutes. The leg-room on both the F 100 and CRJ was good, although the latter aircraft was slightly cramped, but completely acceptable on such a short flight.

[anoraknophobia]

On the 30th of this month there will be an aviation fair held in the old terminal building.If the expasion plans go ahead the old terminal building is sheduled for demolition,so if you want one last look inside the building and the chance to look out over the eastern end of the ramp make a date in your diary.Details are available on the Bristol Airport website.

[JulietNovemberPapa]

I remember using the old terminal. Looking back it was tiny and somewhat dingy.

What are BRS' expansion plans?

[Marco491]

Hey, JNP, the old terminal was cool... in its day.
I remember in the early 70s stuffing 5ps into the black-and-white televisions that were built into the plastic chairs up in the gallery, the height of luxury :)
(As was flying, in those days. Bring back Court Line!)

[rampboy767]

Hey, does anybody know who will take over the TFS route? If any after GB axe it come end of October. As gossip goes FR may take over come January if they base a 3nd A/C at BRS.....

[Kellycsi]

Hey, does anybody know who will take over the TFS route? If any after GB axe it come end of October. As gossip goes FR may take over come January if they base a 3nd A/C at BRS.....

Re above I hope that Ryanair does not take over, as a 15kg luggage allowance is not much for a two week break in Tenerife, also now charging people to use the check-in rather than online check-in (as you cannot use online check-in if you have hold baggage) leaves a bad taste. :(

But you pays your money and takes your choice I suppose, the GB service was excellent - so it will be LHR for me with Iberia. :ooh:

[jongeman]

kellycsi - how about Monarch from Birmingham or Thomsonfly from Cardiff?

[Kellycsi]

jongeman - re kellycsi - how about Monarch from Birmingham or Thomsonfly from Cardiff?

I would much prefer to travel from LHR and use BA or Iberia, the cost is not much more if you book early and with IB you get a stop over in Madrid for an hour which breaks the journey up nicely.

Thomsonfly does not float my boat and I avoid Cardiff at all cost as I do not like the airport as it feels very provincial, Birmingham is ok but I would choose IB or BA over Monarch anyday. :rolleyes:

[MerchantVenturer]

Hello Kelly.

It is a shame about GB Airways pulling the flights to TFS from BRS and EMA.

Loads seemed good on both routes and friends of mine were very impressed when they used the service last winter. I suppose that there are richer pickings for the airline elsewhere.

Of course, there are still charter flights to TFS from BRS this coming winter, including TOM, FCA and TCX (according to recent brochures I picked up).

It seems the Canaries are being serviced increasingly by UK low-cost airlines so I suppose it is a toss-up whether easyJet or Ryanair will get in first at BRS.

Interesting that you seem to rate LHR. I avoid it like the plague and will take a regional airport every time. It's a good job we are not all the same. ;)

[Bunrunner]

I believe partly the reason behind GB pulling out has something to do with the fact there is no longer BA ground handling services at BRS now BACON is no more. Loads have been very good & surely there is scope for another carrier at BRS to provide scheduled services to places like the Canaries/Cyprus where there is year round demand for seat only sales.

[ADC2604]

Well I am not sure about the handling side of it because EMA does not have BA handling there does it??

[Kellycsi]

Hello MV

I always read your posts with interest ;)

I would always chose BRS over LHR if they have a service that suits me, the BA service to TFS was excellent - reserved seating etc. I have no desire to fly with Ryanair with a 15kg baggage allowance etc, also I do not want to use a charter flight. I am passionate about BRS and feel very lucky to have an airport on my doorstep with such a wide range of destinations.

I do not mind paying extra to get what I want for instance I am travelling from BRS with KLM to Budapest in December I could have got this a lot cheaper with Ryanair but would rather pay the extra and travel via Amsterdam. I have started to tire of the LCC scrum at boarding and of the often total lack of customer service when something goes wrong (although from experience easyJet and much better than Ryanair fi things do go wrong).

So that is why I will fly LHR to TFS so that I know I do not have to fight to get a seat etc, bring back the days of GO that was how a LCC should be run :p

[Bristol_Traveller]

Ryanair is urging potential airport partners to follow the example of Bristol if they want to see significant revenue increases.

Addressing delegates this afternoon (18 September) at the World Low Cost Airlines Congress in London, Ryanair chief operating officer, Michael Cawley, hailed the south west airport as an ideal model.

The Irish carrier will start operating from Bristol in November and is to invest $140m in two new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, aiming to serve 16 routes carrying 2m passengers by 2009 to and from the airport.

“What Bristol has done is a lesson,” said Cawley, adding: “They have some of the smallest square meterage of any airport that we operate to, but have maximised efficiency with 25min turnarounds.”

“Airports are replete with huge, fixed costs and growth is the way to deal with them. Many airports are not producing a level of service that we would like.”

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea that Bristol airport is held up by Ryanair as being their ideal operation. In fact, I think I feel a nasty sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach. (And it won't help those elements of the Masterplan promising to benefit local business travellers....)

[birdscarer]

The business scheduled market will grow alongside LCC's and we would be foolish to turn away any extra business offered to BRS from anyone! How could what Michael Cawley said be deemed as bad in any way?
Bring it on! ALL OF IT!! :}

[redfield]

MV: I can speak for your delayed Austrian flight last week, at least from the Ops side: the flight was delayed, which means that it didn't get priority handling ahead of all flights the that were on time. SOP at most airports is to protect your on time departures. I can't speak for the lack of info. in the terminal though.

Airvanman: Ryanair have been parked on the W apron, it happens frequently.

As for the "myth that Ryanair had an agreement with the airport about the front stands." yes it IS a myth. No such agreement exists, it never did. I have no idea where FR ever got this idea from!

[WATABENCH]

I think CO is the only airline with a front stand agreement is it it not?
When I flew with FR last we were parked on W.
Does anybody (MV) know that with the expansion plans if they are looking at widening the nose in stands where the airbridges will be so that the likes of B767, B787 will fit on, I'm guessing a definate yes, would be a bit daft otherwise!

[MerchantVenturer]

redfield,

Thanks for that - it was the lack of information that got up my nose and also that of some fellow pax from what they were saying.

WATABENCH,

I can only deduce from the master plan which, although intensely detailed in much of its content, does not actually mention stand sizes or even air bridges as far as I can see. However, there are some plans and sketches within the publication that appear to depict three air bridges.

In one sketch five aircraft are parked nose-in to the expanded terminal (along the extended line of the current stands 1 to 3). Two of these appear to be large aircraft. Three others are parked at right-angles to the five and it is these stands that appear to be provided with air bridges (coming from a pier that is built at right-angles to the front of the terminal building). Of course, all this might be just for illustrative purposes with the aircraft sizes not meant to be to scale.

Like you, I am sure there will be provision to take wide-bodied aircraft on some of the stands adjacent to the terminal.

B_T

The business flyer is an intriguing animal though, and one of many shades.

There are some, like my son, who are content to use low-cost airlines for their convenience.

He is not a bit interested in aviation, other than as a means to convey him around the world. He is employed by a US conglomerate and his grade entitles him to at least business-class travel. Like me, he hates LHR with a passion although has to use it at times.

For his US trips he has taken to using the CO business/first connection from BRS via EWR. As he lives in the Bristol area it is very convenient and he speaks well of the experience, although he is not so complimentary about CO's domestic first-class product.

He also uses easyJet a lot for business from BRS, and FR from BRS to DUB and SNN.

I have asked him about FR and his view is that as long as the flight operates more or less on time and safely, he has no problem with the airline’s basic service over such short sectors. He prefers these airlines to the turbo-props (‘noisy propeller planes’ as he calls them) of Aer Arann and Flybe that he has also used from BRS on business.

Kelly,

Yes, Go had a certain je ne sais quoi that put it above most other lo-cos in the service it provided. Perhaps it just seemed a bit classier (its chief exec was not a hindrance in this regard) and of course it allocated seat numbers at check-in.

[Bristol_Traveller]

M_V

I'm not a LOCO snob per-se. I use EZY and WOW a fair bit from Bristol (although admittedly I will not fly FR on any route except BRS-DUB, but that's personal protest against MO'Ls disdain of customers and business ethics).

I think my point is that the differential between using BRS and LHR in terms of ease, stress and timing will be eroded if BRS stretch their infrastructure too far in the name of keeping FR happy. I believe it will deter customers who might be prepared to pay a premium for flying, and will deter the airlines who want to charge those premiums. Does that mean we get locked into a LOCO spiral?

It's difficult for the airport. The fixed fee they receive for each departing passenger means that profit is driven only by quantity of passengers, and not necessarily quality. Therefore the LOCO business strategy drives airport revenues up more aggressively, assuming that the airport can hold fast on pricing and not get into discounting (or other incentives).

Maybe I'm painting to dark a picture; maybe there is a way to allow premium and LOCO customers (passengers and airlines) to happily co-exist on the same infrastructure. Let's see.

[BRS_flyer]

From my point of view LOCO passengers can be made up of all types including businessmen, who's needs and expectations are very similar to those using a full service carrier, and those have been mixing with high volume charter pax (who are probably more of a drain on the airports infrastructure than LOCO's, IMO) for years. So in therory the two types should be able to co-exist happily, but it may be helped if the winters security expansion work begins to reduce queue times in that area.

I would however be lying if I said I was not a all concerned about the effect a large scale FR operation will have on the airport though, as they are really not as pax friendly as EZY and having an 2 based 738 will add almost 380 pax to every peak we currently have (including AM!!)

B_T: You are right that the airports profit is directly linked to the number of PAX, but some are more equal than others. Due to tight turnarounds and careful cost management LOCO's do not contribute as much in terms of aeronautical fees as some of the charters and full service carriers and certainly spend per head on retail in the terminal is lower with most LOCO pax. However due to the massive growth in the LOCO market they present more opportunities for the airports expansion and the growth of the business.

I think the airports management are keen not to see BRS condemmed to a low cost only future and will hopefully not let any more full service carriers be lost, and maybe gain a few as well :ok:

[MerchantVenturer]

The seemingly inexorable rise in passenger numbers showed no signs of abating in August, with 641,000 using the airport according to CAA stats. This is a record monthly total and is up 5.7% over August 2006. My dodgy maths makes that an average of in excess of 20,000 per day, and Ryanair hasn’t even opened its base yet.

According to the Bristol Evening Post, the major planning applications re the proposed £80 million expansion will now be submitted in November – yet another slippage in time.

With the rolling twelve-month passenger total now 5.8 million, and likely to grow significantly in the next year, the commencement of what will undoubtedly be a protracted planning process cannot begin soon enough.

Another snippet from the aforementioned local rag is that a BRS management team is visiting the annual World Route Development Forum, this year being held in Stockholm, with a Canadian route top of their agenda. At last year’s forum the airport failed to secure a route to Canada but who is to say the renowned persuasiveness of the BRS negotiating team won’t do the biz this time?

Also on the airport wish list are German routes, with FRA being specifically mentioned, and Seville, where a lot of traffic is expected to be generated in connection with the new Airbus facility there.

The mention of FRA is interesting as it could suggest the airport is not yet as close to securing a route as some had believed.

[Bristol_Traveller]

The mention of FRA is interesting as it could suggest the airport is not yet as close to securing a route as some had believed.

I suspect something was close to being in the bag, and then it went wrong. Let's assume some correlation with the rumour of BD coming to BRS. They have been in the embarrassing situation in the past of announcing routes (notably EDI-MUC or EDI-FRA, I think) and then having to retract because they couldn't find aircraft or slots.

I notice the MME didn't suffer the expected cuts of their BD operated MME-LHR route, after some very vocal local protesting. Maybe their gain is our loss?

I'd be interested to see what the rationale behind a BRS-YYZ/YUL/YOW etc. route would be? Are they looking to lure someone like Zoom into BRS? I can't see AC would want to get anywhere near it, and surely CO will be a bit grumpy having some of their potential EWR traffic eroded?

[Smile!!!]

Yes indeed, Zoom next year will have 2X weekly direct to Toronto, and a single weekly flight to Vancouver via BFS.

The loads are quite succesful on this route. I would think BRS best chance would be with a summer charter, and AC isnt going to happen, Period.

EDIT!-

Thats this years scheule above, the current schedule shows a single weekly Toronto flight direct and that is it for the moment.

However a move to BRS is less than unlikley.

[birdscarer]

Never say never Smile!. It may be unlikely and probably likely to be an airline stolen from elsewhere but I have a feeling BRS International Airport is going to start earning its name in the next couple of years. It only takes one mainline national carrier to set the trend and others will follow.
That ball will start rolling soon!

[easyJet Galley King]

Makes me wonder why someone like Flyglobespan hasn't appeared on the BRS list of operators? Very big to Canada, seem to like operating from regional airports, and with aircraft types that BRS could cope with (757). Other than their summer only, weekly service from EXT (routing YHM-EXT-STN-EXT-YHM), they have no pressence in the South West and would fit in just nicely.

[ADC2604]

I hope GSM don't read this - folk in Exeter are most pleased with the 2 flights and would not want to see BRS gain them.

[MUFC_fan]

I was just wondering why there are no BRS-LON flights?

Would it not suit VLM, Air South West, Eastern?

[Ranger 1]

Toronto used to go well out of BRS as an IT route back in the 80's although it hardly ever went direct because of the 757 was in high density layout, sadly the airline called "Odyssey" folded before it could become regular route, infact another airline called "Worldways" picked up the route & operated it for a part of a second season with a DC-8 srs 63 via GLA, before also going out of business, there certainly was a market here then.
If this service is operated by a 757 with the same layout as Continental Airlines, I recon it will be a winner especially going direct.
:ok:

[Bristol_Traveller]

I was just wondering why there are no BRS-LON flights?

Would it not suit VLM, Air South West, Eastern?

Every day that I drag my bones onto delayed, crowded, overpriced First Great Western, I ask myself this question.

Sadly, when you get below the emotional urge to stick one in FGW's eye, it doesn't stack up sensibly unless you're coming from west of the airport (Weston, Clevedon, Chew Valley) and going to east of London (Docklands, City).

When you add up Travel Time to BRS + Security Time + Minimum Gate Time + Taxi + Airtime + Landing/Taxi + Time back into London, it gets way above the equivalent train time. And the trains, despite all their faults, go every 30 minutes each way.

The only route that would be credible would by BRS-LCY, and even then LCY is 25 minutes out of the City on the DLR.

[birdscarer]

I hope GSM don't read this - folk in Exeter are most pleased with the 2 flights and would not want to see BRS gain them.Hmm yes. GSM HQ might suddenly get the idea to check BRS out as an alternative to EXT instead of running head-to-head with Air Transat on the exact same day of the week! EXT staff are hoping for GSM's mainframe to crash to avert them logging on and not reading this thread. ;)
Canada is calling, but unsure who it will be. I doubt Zoom. I doubt Air Transat or Air Canada. Any other suggestions guys?

[Horizontal Attitude]

Notwithstanding the aforementioned logistics of a BRS-LON service and the competition with surface transport, there are now some significant commercial considerations for such short routes.

TAX!

What country in the world would levy TWICE as much tax on domestic flights than on international?

Airlines on UK domestic routes will struggle to attract leisure / short break traffic this winter.

Are any of the political parties calling for a VAT-style system of aviation tax?
e.g Long-haul flight 5%. European 7.5%. Domestic 10%

I guess my rates would be unlikely to recoup the tax-grab under the current system.

:ugh:

[BRS_flyer]

Strangly enough the most common London airport that we are asked if there is a service to is STN. Presumably so people can take advantage of the large low cost network there. I would be far keener to see WOW restart the NWI service than look at any London airport (particually as they would probably go for LGW to compliment their existing operation there). The only route I could possibly see working is Eastern into LCY, where their higher fares would absorb the tax and they would only have a small a/c to fill.

BTW: London airports are by far the most common route enquiries made to the airport (that we dont currently fly to anyway). I have also taken enquiries for CWL, BHX, EXT and EMA though :confused:

[Wellington Bomber]

BRS Flyer

LCY not interested in operators with small a/c such as J41's they want 100 seaters if possible, that is why Eastern pulled the NCL - LCY route

[Goldilocks95]

Atthe easyjet ticket desk we get asked a lot whether anyone flies to london.....and on one odd occasion someone wanted to know if we flew from brs to cwl! i kindly pointed them in the direction of the train station.

[Ranger 1]

There was a time when we used to fly to CWL it was a daily service CWL, LBA, GLA, (HS 748 & SH30) excluding all the JER/GCI's via CWL, we also had a LGW route twice daily (DH-6).
:ok:

[bristolflyer]

Bristol Evening Post has reported Tony Hallwood saying that a "significant annoucement" is going to be made within the next two weeks about a Toronto service with a Canadian carrier. In addition that "constructive" talks had been held with Scandanavian carriers over routes to Copenhagen and Oslo and the airport was hopeful for business services to Frankfurt and Seville. Flight to Cardiff? That has to rate as one of the most pointless airlinks of all-time!!

[Bristol_Traveller]

Oh the irony of it. I've got three weeks of schlepping to Heathrow to take a whole bunch of flights to Scandinavia (on SK, all of them routing through CPH). Let's hope SK found their experience of running BRS-ARN good enough to want to come back more permanently.

I'm guessing this is coming off the back of the Route Development Forum in Stockholm (this week's destination for my Scandinavian visit - thus explaining why I couldn't find a hotel...).

Still can't work Canada out. Is there really enough demand for that? Would it hit into the EWR service?

[ADC2604]

Atthe easyjet ticket desk we get asked a lot whether anyone flies to london.....and on one odd occasion someone wanted to know if we flew from brs to cwl! i kindly pointed them in the direction of the train station.

"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome onboard this service to Cardiff. We are currently climbing to 2000ft and will maintain this...........oh hang on, no scrap that. On behalf of XXXX airlines we welcome you to Cardiff."

[MerchantVenturer]

As Ranger says there was a route to Gatwick from BRS.

It ran from 1999 for about three years and was operated by Brymon/BA via PLH in both directions.

DH-8-300 equipment was used but the timings were somewhat bizarre as far as Bristol was concerned. The flight left BRS in early afternoon and returned mid evening.

I don't know how many pax used the service from BRS to LGW (it was flight number BA 4008/4009) which I believe was primarily intended to be part of the several daily PLH-LGW services and, presumably, used the BRS aircraft because it was available.

Going back forty or fifty years many (many in those days would not be many to our eyes today of course) of the Cambrian and Dan Air scheduled services operated BRS-CWL or CWL-BRS to a destination such as Paris, and even Liverpool. This lasted for many years, although I'm not sure if it was possible to book BRS-CWL (or vice versa) legs on these journeys.

Indeed, until the advent of Air Wales which ignored BRS completely (I wondered at the time if this was a mistake), Welsh-based airlines such as Cambrian, Airways International Cymru and InterEuropean Airways, used BRS and CWL as almost twin airports for their operations, although that is not to say it was possible to use them to travel across the Severn (the last two were charter airlines anyway).

Talk regularly surfaces in the local press about a hovercraft connection between Bristol or Weston and Cardiff, and it must be remembered that in the 1930s the air service betwen Weston and Cardiff was one of the busiest in the world at certain times of the year. But there was no Severn Bridge then of course.

Finally, the government has announced a major study into the feasibility of a Severn Barrage. Could this yet mean one airport for South Wales/West of England in the estuary: ;)

[JulietNovemberPapa]

I remember seeing Brymon DH7s at BRS. And the DH8s routing BRS-PLH-JER-CDG.

[Bristol_Traveller]

If you want to see a crew working at speed, try BSL-ZRH, ZRH-GVA or the world's shortest scheduled air route WRY-PPW (cost £12). Now *that's* a short route.

Some of those make BRS-CWL (which would inevitably end up going round Bath, Gloucester, Swansea most days) look positively long haul.

[Ranger 1]

Thanks for reminding me of the Brymon service, MerchantVenturer I forgot all about that one, all I could remember was the first service to LGW using a Twin otter operated by a company called Spacegrand then later by a Brymon Airways Twin Otter.
The beginning of old age & short term memory loss is setting in I guess :uhoh:

[MonkeyB]

MV,

Why not go the whole hog and run a Maglev over top of the barrage to link an east and west runway of Severnside airport. Longhaul off the sizable western runway and shorthaul off the ski slope in the east!

MB

[Standard Noise]

Aah, dear old Spacegrand. Often wonder how they'd have fared if Jack Walker hadn't merged them with Flymaybe.

[bycrewlgw]

Monkey,

Even though that i know was sarcastic, it is very good idea!!! I like it!!! People used to as me whether the monorail in LGW was also an airside link to LHR - Yes of course jump on it you'll be there in 2 mins!! :ok:

[airvanman]

Is a London route viable again um maybe?
What about a nice old empty airport sitting waiting east of the city -Southend :ok:

[crackling jet]

So where is the S08 Canada coming from, is it Cwl's cancelled Vancouver or is it one of Exeters, as with all the pax they have, the check in queue starts just after you pull off the M5 and stretches all down the by pass to the checkin desk, little bit congested isn't it. Perhaps Balfour-Beaty can stick a conservatory on the terminal, or should i say checkin-shop-cafe !.

Any idea of destination, Bristol-Toronto has always been the kiss of death for the operator.

I suppose we'll have to wait for the promised announcement mentioned in the press release, mind you im still waiting for the last dead certain anouncement at the end of the month that Harry The Hound said was coming at the end of last month

[easyJet Galley King]

Would be a good addition. Hamburg would be good to get back too, even if it is Lubeck. Sure OLT would love that (They are still flying into BRS aren't they? I havent seen them for a while)

[danielhobbs]

Yep OLT are in everyday i think.

To Hamburg via Bremen, or Bremen via Hamburg.

[airhumberside]

OLT do BRE-HAM-BRS

[jaycee10]

Latest from the rumour press is that work is soon to start on a covered elevated walkway to some stands on the whiskey apron. Stands to be served are 23 - 26 and 27 - 30 via piers. Stands 21 - 22 and those currently used for the mail will continue to be coached. Good exercise for those that need it before and after flights.

I did say rumour so please do not shoot the messenger if it doesn't happen

[Standard Noise]

Where is this 'Whiskey' apron? Sounds like a nice place, must look for it next time I'm in work.

Should be fun putting in an elevated walkway to 23 etc.

[danielhobbs]

How will they elevate the walkway if its coming from the ground floor of the departures. Unless they put gates upstairs and still the big metal tube through the windows?:}

[bristolflyer]

Was there not talk earlier in the year of covering the void in the main departure area with a second floor (between the old Serviceair lounge and the bar)? The masterplan seemed to suggest a double height pier with access from the second floor. This plan might be "on the rocks" due to the current design of the building!!

[MerchantVenturer]

I think we have to differentiate between what the airport is doing now in the short term (where it does not need planning consent) to try to deal with ever-increasing passenger numbers and what it wants to do in the longer term (ie incrementally over the next five years), as set out in the master plan, to bring about a facility that can cope comfortably with 9 million passengers per year.

It has recently extended the mezzanine floor area to provide an increased space for tables to accommodate those using the airside refreshment outlets.

During the winter it will increase the number of security lanes/ x-ray machines to nine by extending the space above the landside ground floor arrivals area.

The master plan calls, inter alia, for the terminal building to be doubled in size with extensions at both the eastern and western ends. A two-level covered corridor/pier would take passengers from/to parked aircraft to/from the terminal. Plans and drawings of this scheme can be seen in the master plan, accessible via the airport's website.

There is nothing in the plan suggesting a lengthy covered walkway to the area currently occupied by stand 23 etc.

The submission of planning applications for the extended terminal and the other infrastructure enhancements are already over 18 months behind the original publicly-stated schedule. This is partly due to the need for independent scrutiny of the airport's proposals, some of which has now been done, to satisfy the requests of the local authority, and the new CEO taking a look at the entire shooting match.

The minutes of the last Consultative Committee meeting (held in July) state that the landside catering outlet is to be removed airside in November to improve the flow management for security purposes. I don't quite follow this as the security area is on the first floor. Furthermore, this will presumably mean more scarce airside passenger space being lost.

The same minutes speak of zoning the western apron with one for cargo/mail flights and the other for passenger flights. Has this already been done?

As usual, the CO flight to EWR gets a mention in the minutes with the load split given as 60% originating in the UK and 40% in the USA which is much better than was once the case when it was predominantly UK pax using the service.

[flyerboy]

MV I think you mean landside as when the food village reverts to airside the airport will finally be out of bounds to people like my dad who have been watching aircraft from the terminal since before the late great Les Wilson days.

[birdscarer]

Afraid for spotters/public the Burger king, food village and bar will be airside from this winter and will help alleviate the cramped Departure lounge.
It is kind of a shame spotters are gradually being forced out of viewing areas at airports but sadly we are not in an age where nostalgia can dictate development. EXT has closed their gallery off to non traveling public recently too. I think its also fair to say that the view from landside is some what restricted to a couple of stands anyway and wont be a major loss! I also doubt that financially Spotters bring in a lot of revenue and would be suprised if they even make up 1 or 2 % of the terminals revenue.
The '09' area is the best place to see the aircraft from anyway. :ok:

[riasivres]

Not only spotters and general public but what about the staff who work landside only that will no longer be able to get a hot meal, do the airport not care abouth them either? also the '09' area is only good if 1.you have a car, 2.you can find a space for your car and 3.you dont mind tearing the underside of your car off trying to negotiate your way through the ditches and pot holes to a parking space!

[birdscarer]

Not only spotters and general public but what about the staff who work landside only that will no longer be able to get a hot meal, do the airport not care abouth them either?I doubt that is a major concern at this stage as you have about 7 million pax coming thru a terminal designed for 2 million and space has to be used wisely and dont forget there is still Subway (high street prices) and Cafe Ritazza (sp?) landside. Both do hot food. Things will improve if and when the Masterplan has been authorised. Also most spotters at Lulsgate have a car as there aren't many other options to get there, but '09' is only a short walk away. TBH the facilities for spotters are excellent compared to other airports that are very restricted. Where can you get so close to the A/C at EXT for example?

[flyerboy]

I posted the comments about my dad slightly tongue in cheek because he knows what is going on before a lot of people because of people he knows very well at the airport. As for the staff getting hot food I work there and you cannot get meat and two veg or pie and chips at any of the outlets mentioned.

[birdscarer]

But its 6 of one and half a dozen of the other.....
Looking at this in a purely selfish manner, Airside staff pay overinflated prices for hot meals at the moment and don't have time to sit down anyway and there is little takeaway choice. You are unable to have for example a BK Meal from landside as the liquid restrictions hinder transition, so you end up paying more for a burger and fries than the meal deal itself! Also operational staff dont have time to go through security and a lot of these staff have to be airside at all times!

[bravoromeosierra]

Anyone know why Jetairfly had that Fokker 100 in today and who it was operating for?

[mathers_wales_uk]

I know that an a/c brought punters to CWL for the rugby, and was going out to BRS so maybe it was that one. Not sure for what reason though.

[Goldilocks95]

the airport should really create a staff canteen anyway-its not like it wudnt be possible except for space. Your right when you say landside staff should have somewhere to eat, and it takes ages to go through security sometimes anyway. I opnly have a half hour break and to go through security and buy foodtakes half ofthat mostly!!! BIA staff get massive discounts on all food and we dont get as much so we spend loads biying overpriced food as well!

btw the talk of the walkway extending down to the western apron unfortunatly is true. they are gonna start building it soon.....and its gonna be crap! i can just see how many misboards are gonna occur-pax getting on the wrong aircrafts as there still isnt enough staff there! great!

[bravoromeosierra]

Would this be similar to the one thats on the Eastern apron, or will it be a little more 'constructed'? If its going to be another one of those things, heaven forbid..they're not the most suited things to life there.

[Vasto1M]

I'm led to believe it will be a proper walkway leading to the boarding gates and holding area’s. So hopefully not like the waste of money and time that the oh so useful forward coaching lounge is, but sadly I think it’ll be some poorly thought through and cheaply made effort, please prove me wrong BIA.

[GrahamK]

Watch out for SAS doing BRS-OSL next summer :ok:

[bravoromeosierra]

Anyone have anymore detail on the walkway? I'm quite inquisitive. ;)

[iflycwl]

BMI baby in process of announcing new routes ex CWL to both WAW & GDN - all over the news this morning, nothing on their web page yet though.

[thepeacock]

Watch out for SAS doing BRS-OSL next summer

I guess the Stockholm route did OK for them this summer then ?

[birdscarer]

BMI baby in process of announcing new routes ex CWL to both WAW & GDN - all over the news this morning, nothing on their web page yet though.
Sorry mate-CWL forum is down the corridor on the left. :}

[bristolflyer]

Let them enjoy their good news! It's not every year that CWL get new routes.

[Pandy]

This link is posted on another forum:
"http://wpy.observer.se/wpyfs/00/00/00/00/00/0A/C5/1A/wkr0018.pdf"
Can anyone translate?
It definitely mentions Oslo / Bristol but type / frequency etc?
"neste sommer"
No SAS or BIA press releases

[GrahamK]

Pandy, from what I've made out of it, IMO it will probably operate in a similar manner to ARN this year. Op for maybe 3/4 months at 2 or 3 weekly frequency with 737s.
Someone feel free to correct me though :ok:

[a bristolian]

Confirmed!

3 weekly Tu , Thur and Sun .

B737-700.

WIth ARN we might have almost daily SAS B737's at BRS next Summer!

S

[Avalon]

Well done to you and your team A Bristolian! :D
Any news on the promised Canadian route yet?

[MerchantVenturer]

a bristolian,

Yes, well done - yet again...........

I always appreciate your snippets...........anything else in the offing you can give us a clue about?

birdscarer,

I noticed that elsewhere in this message board you have taken to task a poster who does seem to like to focus on BRS’s perceived reputation as an airport that has to divert many inbound flights because of weather.

As is often the case in many fields, perception and reality are not the same.

I have looked at CAA stats for 2006 and list below the ‘top’ UK ten airports (leaving aside the London ones) for diversions of inbound aircraft to other airports:

BRS 83, SOU 70, BHX 57, LBA 53, CWL 44, LPL 39, BFS 36, PLH, NQY and MAN 39.

Although BRS is at the top of this ‘league’, when taking into account numbers of landings, it is not as bad as some other airports that are rarely mentioned in the context of diversions; of course, BRS does have Cat III capability on its westerly runway so that has undoubtedly helped to reduce diversions to a considerable degree.

BRS’s 83 diversions went respectively to BHX (27), EXT (25), CWL (24), LGW (2), LPL (2), EMA (2) and MAN (1).

The 2005 figures for BRS are slightly better with 67 diversions and this year so far shows a broadly similar pattern, if the January figures are ignored when so many flights went elsewhere because of the runway problems.

In 2006 BRS had 49 flights diverted to it from other airports, viz CWL (25), NQY (11), SOU (7), BHD (1), BHX (1), BOH (1), EXT (1), LHR (1) and ISC (1).

Interestingly, BRS and CWL (in whose thread you highlighted the matter) sent almost the same number of diversions to each other in 2006.

I realise that not all diversions are weather-related but probably the majority are.

[birdscarer]

Thanks MV - interesting reading. The majority of divvys to/from BRS would be W/X related unlike somwhere such as EXT which has a major maintanence base for tech a/c. This year (as you say excluding the Jan incident) has seemed to have been a good year thus far with only a handful of inbounds being unable to land. CWL is really only a few miles as the crow flies from BRS and is pretty much on the coast, so what we suffer in fog (albeit with the aid of CatIII) they must suffer in sea fret-things should be pretty even in reality. I just liked the opportunity to blast the guys attitude problem. :oh:

[Pandy]

Agreed, very interesting reading MV.
The thought crossed my mind, what are divvys as a proportion of movements.
Using the CAA movements stats for 2006
PLH - Moves 4661 Divvys 29 = 0.636%; NQY- 9983 / 29 / 0.29%; SOU - 46314 / 70 / 0.151%; LBA 37251 / 53 / 0.14%; BRS 65825 / 83 / 0.126%
What surprises me is the minute percentage chance of a divvy to the Pax. Words like 'bus, more chance and run over' come to mind.

[Goldilocks95]

yeah the air france thingsbeing kept quiet but it was the talk of the airport yesterday.....perhaps i shudnt say any thing.

[Ranger 1]

Mr Michael O'Leary just arrived here at BRS for a meeting, "Top of the morning to you sir" ! :)

[Charlie Roy]

Probably to announce Pau, Bergerac and Béziers.

[birdscarer]

This is so boring now......
BBC News: -
Bristol International Airport produces the same amount of CO2 from flying each year as the African nation of Malawi, an anti-poverty group said. The World Development Movement claimed the overall UK-wide growth in aviation was undermining efforts to control climate change.
A spokesman for the airport said: "Passenger numbers are up, but aircraft numbers have gone down.
"The industry is forecast to grow, but also to become greener and cleaner."
The airport is planning to expand, with passenger numbers expected to rise from nearly six million this year, to nine million by 2015.
It wants to double the size of its terminal, allow parking for 5,000 cars and have 17 flights an hour.
The World Development Movement also called for a target of an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 and 40% by 2020.


Did they slip down and take samples from Junction 20 of the M5? Visit Avonmouth Docks? After all, the 'sludge' used in shipping is so far down the distillation chart it has to be heated to be pumped on board! :ugh: They have also selected a tiny country where most people are still living in mud huts! Just a headline grabber. Try comparing it to somewhere like Joburg alone and that would be dismissed!

[airhumberside]

Are FR cutting any routes to accomodate the new ones?

[Kellycsi]

Are FR cutting any routes to accomodate the new ones?

No they are in addition to the other routes and do not start until May 2008, another based aricraft perhaps?

[WATABENCH]

Report from the BBC website on the Air France incident........
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7040968.stm

[mathers_wales_uk]

Same happened to a Blue Line a/c at Gatwick last week before it was due to fly into CWL to collect the rugby fans

[andy_smith89uk]

> In 2006 BRS had 49 flights diverted to it from other airports,
> viz CWL (25), NQY (11), SOU (7), BHD (1), BHX (1),
> BOH (1), EXT (1), LHR (1) and ISC (1).
>

Blimey, I would be pretty p!ssed off if I had been expecting to touch down on the Isles of Scilly then got diverted all the way up to Bristol?!

Exeter seems to fare particularly well for lack of diversions to other airports, i.e. absent from the "top ten" completely??

[MerchantVenturer]

BBC Bristol Points West lunchtime news reports that Bristol Airport 'has done a U-turn' with regard to its expansion plans.

The report then went on to say any planning application will now be delayed until next summer whilst a 'robust look' is taken at the environmental ramifications.

This means any planning application will now be at least two and a half years behind the original publicly-stated timescale.

One wonders whether off-the-record planning discussions together with legal advice has suggested to the airport that its grand plans would be unlikely to succeed.

Perhaps we shall now see a scaling-back of what is in the master plan.

[bristolflyer]

That is very unfortunate. The plans were never that grand in comparasion to other airports, more a functional expansion based upon needs. The surface access problem is beyond their control and down to poor local government. The current terminal will become even more crowded when Ryanair starts and due to shortsightedness on behalf of the local authority we will have our own mini Heathrow!

[BRS_flyer]

Not good at all, but certainly not unexpected, despite the fact that (as bristolflyer states) the revised master plan is not as significant a change as some would have wanted and to me at least always seemed to be very sympathetic to environmental and other concerns.

It now seems that the airport will now seek to expand as far as possible within the confines of current planning rules to enable us to get up to the projected 9 million pax per year with no expansion and then re submit a planning application, in which they can state that granting the expansion will not involve any rise in passenger or movement numbers. Unfortunately in the meantime this will involve a lot more work for my team in the terminal and probably a drop in the quality of the passengers experience. We want to try to achieve as much of this growth as possible outside of our operational peaks, but this will never be achieved while we are taking more based aircraft (FR) It is naïve however to think that the airport will stop taking on any new routes that become available because of terminal space. Lack of parking stands will prove a problem, but those are being added to and reassessed to provide more space all the time (e.g. Night parking the KLM on 16) so expect to see more of that.

[Goldilocks95]

all im bothered about is gates.....we need more of them! 8 gates are not enough and boarding gets delayed if otherflights are boarding......that and everyone needs more staff!

[bristolflyer]

The major problem from a planning perspective is the lack of road/rail access. The airport is at the mercy of the bureaucratic mess that is the South Bristol Ring Road. This is a route that is probably 15 years away. In addition there is the Barrow Gurney problem. There was money obtained two years ago to complete a bypass around the village but this was shelved. I would imagine the planners will try to squeeze money out of Macquaire to pay for some or all of the road in return for planning at the airport. The airport itself is one of the most efficent in the UK (as noted by Michael O'Leary). The geographical footprint is very small given the size of operations.

If you watch the interview given by Paul Kehoe on BBC Points West on the 10th July 2007 he stated "We need to address surface access issues before we submit our planning application".

[crackling jet]

Any more information on the elevated walkway supposedly extending down to Stand 23, that was spoken about earlier in this thread. In particular how the hell is it going to bypass the fuel farm, as it sticks out into the ramp forming a U shape between the eastern and western ramp.

Secondly is there any ramp extension on the west ramp towards the old compass / snow kit store hangar this winter,

[flyingwombats]

Cant shed any light on the walkway at the moment, Apron extension westerly end going ahead starting early in the new year. New stands, will be outside hangers and will be for the mail flights only.outside the RZ zone.

[nivsy]

Is there any news of any carrier starting up from BRS to Dusseldorf or Munich? Both these routes were utilised by myself in the past and while the Malaga service is "just luvly" last time in BRS zone needed to treck up to Londons "not so finest" LHR to get to MUC.


Nivsy

[brs planespotter]

had heard a whisper that lufthansa regional using crjs may do it.suprised easyjet havent,rgds brs planespotter

[birdscarer]

There would be no point in a London route at this time. Maybe with the introduction of advanced self check-in desks and the reduction of security queues from this winter, it could be possible but any route to London now would not succeed for those reasons IMO.

[marlowe]

Ok if you had a london route at what airport would you like it to land at? Lhr not gonna except a prop operation, LGW to far out as is LTN and STN, LCY maxxed out at peak times ie. early morning/late afternoon/evenings the very times that you would want to be running the flights, and good old Southend to far east to be of real service to the london commuter to the south west of england. Also just wouldnt be financially viable!!!!!

[bristolflyer]

You would be better off running a helicopter service to Battersea heliport! On a more realistic note might the merger of GB Airways and Easyjet see this route (TFS) continuing under the Easy brand?

[flyingwombats]

Two and half hours on the motorway, Bristol is far to close to run a viable and profitable link to London.. :ugh:

[Lulsgate]

Bristol to Oslo ->April 2008, Check out SAS website!

[BRS_flyer]

On a more realistic note might the merger of GB Airways and Easyjet see this route (TFS) continuing under the Easy brand?Easyjet have indicated that they will continue to operate GB as a BA subsidy until 29/03/08 so I would be suprised if the sheduled stopping of the BRS service this winter would be affected. The merger does however give EZY the chance to seriously compete in markets (Canaries, Greece, Cyprus) which have up till now been very much the domain of the charter operators. EZY state that the GB airways operation will be fully integrated by winter 08 and so hopefully we will see TFS return at that time and maybe some 320/321 based at BRS for the busier routes. More info on the GB/EZY merger can be found here http://www.easyjet.com/common/img/easyjet_gb_airways_acquisition.pdf

[robbie d]

First Choice Winter 08/09 now on sale.
There are NO LONG HAUL destinations available from Bristol (according to there website).
Interesting news if true!!!

[ADC2604]

Well FCA have already indicated that they would like to base a B787 at Exeter -

[birdscarer]

What is with all this 'pinning your hopes' crap!? Tell you what-if we were a small crappy airport doing 1, maybe 2 million passengers a year then yes I would say we were hoping for a miracle! But I hardly think 7 million passengers is pinning our hopes on anything! I would say all the other regionals are dead in the water in comparison are they not? First Choice are not the only airline ordering 787's and I really feel sorry for you if you think First Choice were going to be BRS's saviours! Muppets! :ugh:

[flyingwombats]

Heard... first choice now basing entire 767 fleet at Plymouth..:=

[WATABENCH]

EXT wont be getting a 787 before BRS, the reason no longhaul is that this winter seasons longhaul hasnt sold, both POP and SFB arent even 50% sold yet. So the only people to blame is the punters....they all moan like mad that theres no longhaul from BRS, it gets put on and no bugger wants to book on it, summer seems to do ok though, but a classic case of USE it or LOSE it!
Get yourselves booking on that CUN and SFB asap, also theres a 7 month delay on the 787s so FCA will continue on with the 767's with nothing affected, I think BRS 787 is still high in the minds of TUI travel but birdscarer is right, FCA arent going to be BRS saviours, theres a lot more too it than that.

[MerchantVenturer]

Hello WATABENCH.

The transatlantic destinations have been chopped around a bit which doesn't help potential punters.

We started with Sanford, Puerto Plata and Varadero. Now this winter Varadero has been dropped and next summer so has Puerto Plata (so far as I can see) to be replaced by Cancun (with Sanford being the only original destination remaining).

The poor bookings seem strange given that the Sanford and Puerto Plata route commencement dates were brought forward from last May to last February because, we were told at the time, of the very strong bookings.

I chat with a lot of people though my local sporting club connections and I never cease to be amazed how many of those who use the airport do not know Bristol has long haul charter flights or even the daily EWR.

The EWR service was not particularly well patronised at first, although this year passenger numbers have increased markedly. The lesson might be that a carrier has to persevere (if it can stand the financial strain of course) to get the BRS long haul market up and running.

Considering that most short and medium routes out of BRS seem to be almost instant successes it does seem contrary that l/h struggles relatively.

I suspect that too many people have become so used to using LHR and LGW for their l/h scheduled and charter respectively they don't give BRS a thought.

The BRS management is certainly banking on the 787 if its master plan is to be believed.

I quote from it, Detailed discussions between BIA (Bristol International Airport) and Boeing and with the airlines that have placed orders for this aircraft (Continental and First Choice) lead us to be confident about its ability to serve the long haul market from BIA. Information provided by Boeing indicates that the aircraft will have the capability to serve destinations on the west coast of America and Capetown, removing any effective constraints on the long haul market.

[Standard Noise]

I suspect that too many people have become so used to using LHR..........they don't give BRS a thought

Or that seats on COA are a bit scarce at times and some of us have to use the craphole at the eastern end of the M4.:ugh:

[ADC2604]

EXT is my local but BRS is next in line....I personally would fly from London as I do not want to be cramped up in a B757 for how ever many hours.

I guess the truth is NO-ONE really knows what is happening with BRS and all we can is sit back and wait.

[MerchantVenturer]

Hello Standard

Yes, the CO flight seems to be getting very popular now. Didn't you find difficulty, or was it impossibility, getting a seat recently?

In its first year though my son used it several times and there were numerous empty seats on some of the flights - and the CAA stats then confirmed some of the monthly pax figures were not that good.

That's why I made the comment about persevering with a route if the carrier is able to do so.

Hello ADC

I'm the opposite to you, and I suspect to the majority of passengers, in that I dislike wide-bodied aircraft.

I prefer the intimacy of a single-aisle and there is also a greater statistical chance of getting a window seat.

I've lost count of the times I've been stuck in the middle rows of a 747 for hour after hour. It's like riding a lift or a big room with tiny windows you can't see out of.

[Standard Noise]

MV - Going for 4 days next month and was told that my chosen dates were unavailable. Problem is, my leave had been booked for months, as had my wife's and we couldn't change. Now, if I'd stayed for 8 days, there wouldn't have been a problem but then that couldn't be classed as a weekend break.
2 returns from LHR + car parking + diesel (for a Discovery) + hassle of the M4 journey from mid-Ciderset = far worse than paying Conti a few quid extra to go from Briss.
Still, better planning wouldn't go amiss.
ooops, shouldn't say that in my line of work!:}

[flyingwombats]

Which Lo Co will be first to TFS, Easy with there purchase of GB Airways , or the other Lo Co, which already operate this destination from LPL and EMA..

[crew the screw]

Prepare to say Cheerio to the Air Southwest base @ Bristol!!

Once again they have proved not to be a forward thinking, ambitious Airline but a wee shrinking one. Announcement due today!

Have to feel sorry for the Lads and Lassies up there in Brs..

Crew:sad:

[Bristol_Traveller]

Bristol to Oslo ->April 2008, Check out SAS website!

Woo.. oh, uh.. ok. Three times a week is good, and 2 hours to Oslo is pretty darned good too. However, the flight times are bizarre. BRS-OSL lands just before midnight, and OSL-BRS leaves at 7pm.

Annoyingly it would have worked out just perfectly (midnight arrival at OSL notwithstanding) for a trip to Oslo .... I had three weeks ago. D'uh.

What are the bets it gets pulled before it launched to put the aircraft in to cover a Dash-8?

I've given up hope of expecting a decent flight schedule to FRA or MUC now... a hope that sinks ever deeper each time I just miss the RailAir coach from LHR to Reading, which in turn means me waiting hours with drunk people on Reading station at 10pm on a Friday night.:(

[jaypla]

I read in a german forum, that bristol- SXF is coming back for the summer? Has anyone news about it?

[flyingwombats]

Easyjet doing Berlin SXF all winter except wednesdays Check Easyjet web site

[MerchantVenturer]

I've just had a look at the easyJet web timetable and it shows BRS-SXF as daily throughout the winter.

However, having experienced in the past that the web timetable is not always entirely accurate I always look at the web booking page and this is showing bookable daily flights for the winter period, except in January when there are no flights on some Tuesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays.

Wednesdays seem to be available unless they have changed things and not yet put them on the timetable/booking engine. I will have to keep an eye on this because I anticipate using the service again sometime in the winter.

The Bristol evening newspaper carried a couple of airport stories this week.

The first concerned the airport's hosting a tourism conference and an airport spkesman said that 54% of the passengers on the CO EWR service now originate from the USA. This is a remarkable turn-around because it was the US end that initially caused difficulties with building up the route.

The airport also said that between 30% and 50% of passengers on services from such places as Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid and Stockholm are overseas visitors to the UK.

This is no doubt a riposte aimed towards the anti-expansionists, one of whose arguments is that Bristol Airport caters mainly for local people going abroad on holiday.

The other news item reported that the £7.5 million alterations to the departure lounge will begin next week and take sixteen weeks to complete.

They will include the security area extension, taking airside some of the current landside areas and the provision of two more catering outlets in the departure area - a fish bar and a table-service restaurant.

[birdscarer]

and the provision of two more catering outlets in the departure area - a fish bar and a table-service restaurant. I wonder if this is on top of the Burger King/Food Village transfering Airside or instead of? A Fast food outlet Airside would work really well so hope BK stays.

[caaardiff]

Anyone heard anything of the BRS-KEF-YHM route announced on the GSM thread? Planned on 737-800

[MerchantVenturer]

I happenened to watch the ITV West teatime news today and they did a trailer of some of the events they will be covering this coming week in their main teatime news programme.

They will be at BRS looking at the work that is about to commence in the terminal and (this was the intriguing bit) also for a 'major announcement' at the airport during the week.

I hope it is not simply confirmation of the PPRuNe post that a weekly charter flight will commence next summer to 'Toronto' Hamilton via Keflavik using a Globespan B 737.

[WATABENCH]

Too right MV, although a Toronto service is always welcome, I wouldnt call a weekly service on a 738 via Keflavik as major...but then media wouldnt be media without hyping things up i suppose, will be a welcome route return though.