BIRMINGHAM - 5

[OltonPete]

flybe

As predicted on the IOM thread the IOM-BHX flybe service changes back to a BHX based aircraft, which helps to accommodate the new Waterford service for summer 2012.

The early morning rotation also seems to operate the Hanover afterwards still leaving a spare aircraft in the morning but not so in the afternoon and evening.

SOE

Only got to fly on the ATP once on BHX-LHR BD771, standby £33 on my ?? Birthday and it was a cracking flight but it was a pleasant April day with great views of the capital on the way in. I do remember the tech issues although more so on the BA models especially on BHX-GLA.

Pete

[Skipness One Echo]

Pete, my very first flight was GLA-MAN-GLA back in Aug-91 on G-BTPC/D. It was where my flying experiences started! The Midland ATPs were rare enough in Scotland to be interesting by then!

Indeed Midland had their own handling Midland Airport Services at BHX back in thos days, MAS.

[mart901]

Yep - there was MAS and Ogden Aviation as I remember??

[OltonPete]

Source: CAA for the monthly stats the rest are estimates by using the blog and libhomeradar.

Destination followed by 2012 pax followed by 2011 in brackets then average per flight then load factor.

Most seem okay for January other than a few such as Gothenburg obviously the new times have not gone down well. Hamburg & Milan is low but if you operate Tu/Th/Fr/Su what do you expect and why would you drop Monday of all days but keep Tuesday. Frankfurt was down as no flybe this year but I would say more frequency and a smaller aircraft with a 15.30 and 19.00
arrival rather than one 17.00. It will be interesting to see what happens once the BMI A320 goes whenever that will be.

Nice to see EK back over 80% and Turkish might seem low at 65% but it is fantastic compared to previous years. Pakistan is low but this is across the board (see LHR & MAN)

BRUSSELS .................8519....(7963)...... 43 pax-......62% load factor
LARNACA ................ 2888... (3711)......160 pax..... 75%
PRAGUE................... 3104...... (211)......103 pax.....69%
COPENHAGEN.......... 5478......(5206)...... 61pax.... 58%
CHAMBERY................ 734......( 863)........41 pax.....52%
GRENOBLE............... 2086..... (1803).... 116 pax.... .74%
LYON....................... 2257.....(2055)...... 30 pax... .58%
PARIS (CDG)........... 25907....(23186)..... 79 pax.....69%
DUSSELDORF.......... 11370....(10693)...... 44 pax.... 51%
FRANKFURT........... 17641....(18806)...... 79 pax.....50%
HAMBURG................ 1046....(1329)....... 26 pax......35%
HANOVER................ 2967....(3222)....... 55 pax......70%
MUNICH................. 13064....(9948)....... 81 pax......70%
NIEDERRHEIN................. 0....( 3660)
STUTTGART............. 2126....( 1718)....... 30 Pax......39%
TEHRAN......................... 0...(3942)
CORK....................... 5354....(4669)....... 43 pax......60%
DUBLIN.................. 36634...(38535)..... 101 pax..... 56%
KNOCK..................... 2398.... (2502)...... 75 pax..... 50%
SHANNON................ 2417.....(2089)...... 42 pax......58%
WATERFORD.................. 0......( 827)
MILAN (MXP)............ 1238.....(1652)....... 33 pax......42%
KAUNAS.................. 2542.......( 0 ).........141 pax......75%
MALTA.................... 2310......(4109)..... 144 pax......76%
AMSTERDAM.......... 34055.....(31212)..... 88 pax.......70%
ISLAMABAD............. 7794.....( 9254).... 216 pax......63%
BYDGOSZCZ............. 3729......(4079).... 143 pax......76%
GDANSK.................. 2653......(2893).... 147 pax.......78%
KATOWICE............... 2453......(2394).... 136 pax......72%
KRAKOW........................ 0......(4008)
RZESZOW................. 2628......(3025)..... 146 pax......77%
FARO....................... 5758......(3571)..... 144 pax......71%
BRATISLAVA............ 3861...... (4425).... 149 pax.......79%
ALICANTE.............. 13332......(11587)... 163 pax......80%
GERONA................... 1143......( 2597).... 114 pax......60%
MALAGA.................. 9652......( 11232).. 166 pax......85%
ARRECIFE................. 7370.....(6823)..... 160 pax......80%
FUERTEVENTURA..... 3096......( 1197)..... 141 pax..... 73%
LAS PALMAS............. 4678.....(4981)...... 152 pax......76%
TENERIFE................ 13545.....(14446).... 169 pax......82%
GOTEBORG................. 566.......( 1268)...... 14 pax......28%
GENEVA.................. 11496......(12977).... 122 pax......80%
ZURICH................... 10608......(11057)...... 58 pax.....58%
ISTANBUL................. 4547.......( 3018)..... 103 pax.....65%
ASHKHABAD............. 4797.......(5721)...... 133 pax.....70%
DUBAI..................... 42834 ......(43494).... 345 pax.....83%
NEW YORK (EWR)...... 6376........( 6272)..... 118 pax.....70%

Pete

[INKJET]

Interesting stats Pete

Good to see AMS up ALC up AGP down?

FRA leakage to EMA?

[LGS6753]

What I find astonishing is that the top destination by pax numbers is not Paris or Dublin, but Dubai!!

[OltonPete]

INKJET

All three operators cut Malaga this year, Ryanair operated six fewer, Baby eight less and Monarch four less compared to 2011.

Alicante on the other hand saw Ryanair operate three more flights, Monarch two and Baby the same number per my records but it was well up. Although not too much choice to Spain and even Girona finished for two weeks and Ryanair have never done that before.

Amsterdam is certainly one service where both airlines seem to co-exist without much chopping and changing. The load factor was dragged up a bit by several KLM cancellations, which is unusual for them, some were planned and some were weather related.

LGS6753

You have picked up on one of the most surprising and that is Dublin. I will have dig back in my records but that is one low load factor and the monthly figure was poor as well. It is possible I missed some cancellations and it might well end up a bit higher but not much.

At least some recovery with the Dubai figures.



Pete

[rn750]

What I find astonishing is that the top destination by pax numbers is not Paris or Dublin, but Dubai!!

Is this an indicator that Midlanders would rather fly from BHX to Dubai for onward connection than go to London?

I think so and it shows there is a market..

Adie

[ATNotts]

Adie

It's also a reflection on the state of the Irish economy, and for cash strapped Midlanders looking for a weekend break, the high cost of things such as hotels, restuarants and booze in the Irish capital, versus others in Euroland.

As far as for onward connections in concerned, is there anyone who would rather drive to LHR, to fly direct rather than use "first world" airports such as Dubai, Munich, Amsterdam etc for their onward connections?

[j636]

have you being to DUB recently, the cost of hotels, food has dropped a lot over the last few years.

I think its more of a case people in Ireland/UK can only afford one hoilday a year and all city breaks during winter are gone.

I am almost certain MON operated a number of BHX charters to DUB last Jan, they had around 5 aircraft parked in DUB last Jan for a few days. Some conferance for somthing. THey had flights from across the UK.

[Fairdealfrank]

"Is this an indicator that Midlanders would rather fly from BHX to Dubai for onward connection than go to London?

I think so and it shows there is a market.."

You are not comparing like with like, there are no flights between BHX and LHR. It is not possible to check in luggage for a final destination and be issued with a boarding pass for the onward flight if travelling via LHR. It is if travelling via AMS or DXB, plus there is no hassle with a long car journey (usually in traffic) or multiple public transport changes, so it's a no brainer.

EK and KL in particular have taken full advantage of the facy that there are no links between most UK airports and the country's main hub. This says more about the UK government's long term lack of a beneficial aviation policy and its general hostility to one of the UK's most successful industries, than it does about the business policies of EK, KL, etc..

[jabird]

Is this an indicator that Midlanders would rather fly from BHX to Dubai for onward connection than go to London?

I think so and it shows there is a market..

Yes, but they are still mainly doing just that - connecting. Of course, given a similarly priced BHX-DXB-DEL versus EK LHR-DXB-DEL, why on earth would anyone use LHR? The airport have also claimed people are already heading out from London - and for these flights that is believable, especially as the BHX departures might also be a bit cheaper.

But FDF, why should BHX ever feed LHR by air, a route which as discussed has long gone for obvious reasons. I don't buy the line that the surface journey to LHR is worse than a connection to another airport, as you still have to go through the take off / landing cycle on a short hop. So if LHR offers a direct route somewhere, people are still more likely to take it.

And this is where I think there is still some confusion over the potential benefits of BHX's runway extension and the claims HS2 will feed it.

Can BHX add more feeder flights into other people's hubs? Sure it can - just as MAN does, but the obvious wins (AUH, DOH, ATL) wouldn't need the longer runway anyway. Can BHX support base operation to add other new long haul routes? Possibly, a few to the Caribbean and Canada west.

Could BHX ever be a serious alternative to LHR for point to point traffic? Highly unlikely.

[OltonPete]

What a difference a few days make.

Not a complete overhaul of the schedule but certainly a big change.

The second 175 appears but not in GDS as yet, so at this stage I would treat it as an intention rather than fact. However it seems they intend to give it a go against Lufthansa on the Hamburg with 175 in the timetable from 4/6/12.

Interesting to note in the week the Belfast City is seven daily with the off-peak gaps filled and they have thrown a 195 on the 10.45 departure, which seems ambitious.

Highlights some of which has been mentioned earlier this week: -

Second 175 is showing in the connections section of the flybe timetable from
June 3rd..

More 195's on Belfast City and increased frequency with Mo & Tue 18.55 dep
operating

195's and 175's on Jersey at the weekend ( the Mon/Fri 195 now does BHD instead)

Glasgow all jet service in the week (all 195's at present)

Hamburg re-timed to 12.30/16.30 (I think this is slightly better) - possible 175
wef 4/6 (not in GDS yet)

Inverness re-timed to 14.15/17.35

Monday & Friday Jersey re-timed to 10.45 from 12.00 and a Q400 again

195's on Saturday and Sunday Hanover

Milan back to the 195 with two going with two hours on a Wednesday
in high summer

Aberdeen up to four daily in the week and the Aberdeen based aircraft has
changed times from lunch to 15.30/16.00. This gives ideal BHX departures
at 06.45, 09.55, 16.00 and 18.05 but not so good arrivals 10.10, 13.20,
15.30 and 21.25. The problem will be the gap between 15.30 and 21.25.

The Hamburg 175 is odd in as much as in the week it only does that flight but
as far as I am concerned the schedule is clearly set up as BHX-STR-BHX-HAM-BHX-STR-BHX although STR still shows as the Q400.

Saturday the 175 does BHX-EDI-BHX-JER-XXX-JER-BHX and the other I can't
find what it does at present (IT such as INN possibly?)

Sunday the 175's operate BHX-DUS-BHX-DUS-BHX and BHX-BHD-BHX-EDI-BHX.

The only downside are the French routes which all revert to Saturday only
except for high summer when mid week frequencies are added. There are
Avignon, Brest, Bergerac, La Rochelle and Perpignan.

However the revised schedule is obviously deliberate with the moving of
Inverness later, Jersey earlier the 195 on the third Belfast and Hamburg
going later yet there are gaps.

One aircraft lays over from 10.05 to 15.25 - Lyon anyone? Hopefully not BRU!

This means nine overnighting aircraft or ten based if you count the one Q400
that sleeps in Dusseldorf in the week.

With the third 195 dragged into service and possibly two 175's then I would say more seats this summer than last despite the loss of some French routes.

Pete

[NorthernCounties]

Just needed to state what a dream bhx is to go through. Departed new st at 15:35 and now already in terminal 2 departure lounge. Fantastic!

[Monty Gordo]

That is one of the enigmas of BHX. In terms of logisitics it has to be the easiest airport to access: motorway links, rail links, proximity to a vast urban population and relatively close to the capital.

Why some airlines don't capitalise on these factors, if only for the comfort of their paying customers still beats me.

Let's hope that when the runway extension is complete things will improve radically.

[Jonnyf]

Flybe has based a E-195 in Glasgow dedicated to the BHX service now becoming an all jet service. Extra 70,000 seats per year to Glasgow.

[FQTLSteve]

Just received a Swiss newsletter with details of a a/c upgrade on BHX-ZRH midday service, presume this must be to A319/320 as it didn't specify, this applies from 25.03.12 so a capacity increase. During the recent half term holidays they upgraded several flights 319/320/321 I presume they along with parent LH are doing OK out of BHX?

[Jonnyf]

BHX is doing well for 2012 with capacity increases

[nigel osborne]

Re Swiss upgrade sure I read that one of the flights was going from a F100 to an RJ 100 thats hardly an upgrade.

However if this new release is further to that ,then its good news.With current load factors below 100 would be a nice surprise too:D

Nigel

[ATNotts]

Nigel:

In terms of passenger comfort, I'm afraid that the last thing swapping the F100 for an RJ100 would be is an upgrade!

Hopefully a Mainline A319/A320 is on the cards!

[nigel osborne]

AT Notts, re Swiss

Yes agree, I cannot find the mentioned upgrade at the moment either.

With summer loads for each flight averaging 60 -80 not quite sure why they would put a 100 plus seater in each day.

The A319s are fitted with over 60 business class seats and about 45 economy, so would mean business take up was exceptional. The 320/321 have more typical economy/ business seating but even more seats overall.

Nigel

[Suzeman]

The A319s are fitted with over 60 business class seats and about 45 economy, so would mean business take up was exceptional.

I think you'll find that the 60 business class seats (which you may have got from seat guru?) are the rows at the front of the plane where a flexible divider curtain is used to deliniate business class. It can be moved to suit demand on each flight.

If you are in business class, only the window and aisle seats are allocated - all the higher pitch seats in the economy section behind the curtain are allocated 6 across.

So you don't need a big business class uptake.

Suzeman

[GayFriendly]

I would suggest that it is a change to an ARJ100 with the upgrade being that it is operated by Swiss themselves. I can't see them putting a 319 or 320 on with that number of business class seats but would be very nice if they did!

Any news on whats happening to Brussels Airline route, are BE taking some flights over? And I wonder what will happen to that 10.05-15.25 gap they have , lets hope they fill it with a new route and not just leave the aircraft on the ground.

Going way back to the (very interesting) nostalgia posts a few weeks back, I don't think anyone mentioned ADRIA who served LJU for a couple of seasons on a weekly scheduled basis - lets also not forget Helios (who did PFO?) and KTHY who did Ercan, both now defunct acrriers

[FQTLSteve]

Nigel I read the Swiss news in a email newsletter that I am signed up to receive and I've pasted it below:-

For your comfort and convenience, SWISS will offer an improved schedule and more seats from the UK and Ireland to Switzerland starting from 25 March 2012:

- From London Heathrow to Zurich, we have improved the timing of our midday flight:
departure from Heathrow at 11:25am and arrival in Zurich at 2:10pm.
- From Birmimgham to Zurich, the midday service will be operated with a larger aircraft
for your comfort.

From Dublin to Zurich we will add 2 additional weekly services, offering you a daily flight on all days of the week starting from 13 March 2012.

On 21 May 2012, SWISS will introduce a twice daily directly from London City to Basel. The new route and its schedule are focused on the business traveller as well as leisure traveller.

Suzeman is absolutely correct about the business class flexible dividers. I've flown on Swiss 319/320/321 they all have them, but in buisness the middle seat is kept free (as it is also on F100 & RJ100).

So as you can see the a/c isn't mentioned. I agree that F100 to RJ100 couldn't be seen as an upgrade, as the former is more pleasant from a pax point of view and doesn't provide any worthwhile increase in seating, I'll stick my neck out I think it'll be 319.

[FQTLSteve]

I see on the BHX website news section that Lufthansa have a 19% increase in pax numbers last year over 2010. That is a remarkable figure given the overall figures etc. Seems people are prepared to connect in continental hubs, as a regular LH user, I've always been aware of the very significant number of transit pax, especially at FRA & MUC, and I think LH are developing mini-hubs in DUS & HAM too? Seems LH investment and promotion of it's BHX ops is paying off. BTW Swiss seem to be developing transit traffic from BHX as well.

[revo]

In the email about Swiss shown, it says with a "larger aircraft", is the ARJ-100 larger than the Fokker 100 or does it simply mean more legroom inside the aircraft?

Revo

[Steviec9]

Just needed to state what a dream bhx is to go through.

Seconded. My north London based family now use it regularly. Easy journey to/from Euston on the train (£6ish if you book in advance) and straight into a well run terminal. My Mum prefers it to the Picc Line or Millionaire Line (Heathrow Express) out to Heathrow and it's usually cheaper to avoid LHR outbound charges.

[Daza]

Here is an interesting article. Flybe are considering operating flights on behalf of Legacy airlines a little like US Carriers do. See the link below, maybe the rumored SN flights will happen and BHX could get an AF (op by BE) LYS flight?
Flybe targets European contracts - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9090933/Flybe-targets-European-contracts.html)
Daza

[RealFish]

'...maybe the rumored SN flights will happen and BHX could get an AF (op by BE) LYS flight?'

Or maybe even BA, Dazza (not sure if that's wishful thinking or a little mischevious!).

That said they could negotiate to operate the missing Madrid service for IAG, perhaps - and the Midlands based Exec Club members could continue to get their BA Miles from BHX.

[morski]

Something slightly different, I was up on the Licky hills which is about 15 miles away from the airport when we had the nice weather earlier this week and was surprised to see the new control tower from there. Not the best picture ever as I only had a compact with me with 15x optical zoom but it gives you a good idea of the height of the new tower compared to the old one.

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/9982/various032.jpg

[nigel osborne]

DAZA

I dont share your excitement of BE possibly operating more and more flts for other foreign carriers, although sadly admit it is likely to be the way forward for thinner routes.

Nigel

[BobBHX]

Swiss

Looking at mid May, Expertflyer shows all the morning flights being operated by an F100, all the evening flights being operated by an AR1 and most of the lunchtime flights being operated by an AR1. In early June, most of the morning and lunchtime flights are operated by F100 and all the evening flights by AR1.

Looks like we will only get mainline equipment on an ad-hoc basis. I do not regard the switch from F100 to AR1 to be an "upgrade" in any way.

Border Agency

Arrived into BHX yesterday afternoon and the e-gates weren't working. I mentioned this to the passport officer and she said that they just hadn't been switched on. Unbelievable!!!

[Call Established]

I would actually rate travelling on a Swiss ARJ vs Helvetic F100 as a pleasent upgrade :} but I suppose thats personal preference!

[nigel osborne]

Call established.

Yes the ARs are better than the F100s, but thats not saying much.No CAT 3 on the RJs just one of many things you could bring up.

However with between 60/80 average load,apart from school holidays, special event upgrades, theres not enough demand for anything bigger day to day.:{

Nigel

[FlyboyUK]

ARJ is certified CATIIIB even on 3 engines. Unless for some reason those operated by Swiss aren't?

[rn750]

http://bhxflightguide.********.com/

Some great pictures from the new tower on the photo blog..

[ssflyer]

Any background information to the AWAC at BHX Friday 2nd March?
No pictures on http://bhxflightguide.********.com/ so they must be spitting feathers for missing it.
Think it was this
RAF - Sentry (http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/sentry.cfm)

[grundyhead]

Saw the AWACS approaching RW15 whilst down by Jag plant at Castle Brom!!!!

I rang my contact at BHX and they said it was a flyby whilst on route to EDI...

[chaps2011]

Just out of interest ZH102 did a go around at Manchester Friday and headed south so may have been on a training mission that included the two airports

[FQTLSteve]

Travelmole article states Flybe setting up a new regional hub at MAN and increasing frequency on key domestic routes......any news about similar at BHX, wasn't the original purpose of Terminal two designed just for such ops?

[OltonPete]

FQTLSteve

They did put out a press release re the Glasgow expansion and new Waterford service but not the increase in Aberdeen and Belfast City and it is probably too early to confirm the 175 on Hamburg without having a fixed delivery date (I also believe Stuttgart will change at the same time as it fits the aircraft pattern).

BHD is largest base for flybe aircraft although BHX will have the most aircraft attached from the end of the month although technically two aircraft will be operating for other airlines (CDG & BRU) with another over-nighting as usual in Dusseldorf (11 in total).

I am not really how they have expanded Manchester other than the Aberdeen increase and downgrading Norwich to the 328 but I did a quick count and MAN certainly has more flights and seats than BHX but I am not sure how this equates to their SOU and BHD bases seat-wise.

Pete

[chaps2011]

Don`t forget NWI/MAN is now 3 a day rather than 2 so less seats but better frequency

Ian

[GayFriendly]

BHX is not as well placed as MAN for domestic hubbing and does not have services to NWI, NQY, EXT and SOU which I am assuming BE are hoping to feed via MAN into ABZ, BHD, GLA and INV (and vice versa). I am also sure that BE codeshare with EY so another incentive to set up a hub at MAN to feed this flight.

T2 was designed for hubbing but for connections from GLA, EDI, ABZ and BFS via BHX into the European cities that BA then served from BHX (and that at the time weren't available as non stop flights from the aforementioned airports) hence the name Eurohub - there was no advertised domestic hubbing as far as I can remember altho it was probably perfectly possible to buy a BFS-EDI or GLA ticket travelling via BHX......does anyone know if BE gets much feed into its European flights from GLA, EDI and BFS via BHX - perhaps this is something they might look at although most BE destinations from BHX are served direct from these airports by other airlines nowadays

[EastMids]

Arrived into BHX yesterday afternoon and the e-gates weren't working. I mentioned this to the passport officer and she said that they just hadn't been switched on. Unbelievable!!!

Spoke to the human border agency staff member I was forced to interact with on arrival at BHX about this a few weeks ago... Apparently they only switch on the egates at busy times... :uhoh: What with the long term outright disinterest in keeping IRIS working (understandable now it's being discontinued, but not so understandable throughout a lot of late last year when it was outof service) and the huge queues that build up at times, I've always regarded the border control agency as probably the worst aspect of travelling through BHX.

Coupled with the often atrocious baggage delivery time performance in the arrivals hall - if you actually get there without any other delays what with the handling agents often not beng ready with the jetways on arival and the sometimes long queues at immigration - and then finding Customs regularly roping off the blue channel (why? I don't dare ask)even though there are EU flights arriving, I've tended to regard arrival at BHX as a less pleasant experience than many other airports.

And it doesn't really matter who is to blame - airport, handling agents, border control, customs - the net result and impression left after the event is that BHX doesn't always work particularly well on arrival

[compton3bravo]

Birmingham is not alone EastMids in being not very welcoming. As an ex-pat now living in Spain I along with practically all my friends (loosely said) and acquaintances only travel back to the UK when it is absolutely necessary. It is not a very welcoming place at all now unfortunately. Not just airports but ferry ports and train stations as well - very rarely a smile or a good morning etc.
We all find it very sad - I know things change but the UK has gone down hill a lot in my opinion. As I have said before I have not left Great Britain but Great Britain has left me. Shudder to think what the visitors to the Olympics are going to make of it.
Ah well Happy Sunday everybody - just going down to the local port for a coffee in the sun!

[ATPLwhoops]

Quite agree....I only go back to see family but only when necessary. As soon as I land in BHX I can't wait to go back overseas. no welcoming at all, it's not the place I once grew up in.

[CabinCrewe]

The main connectors ex GLA are via CWL and SOU. Can't see many specifically connecting in BHX, although the loads overall to BHX are pretty good

[BobBHX]

EastMids - couldn't agree more with your comments. Arrived in yesterday afternoon and the egates were closed. When I mentioned this to the passport officer he said it was because they didn't have enough staff to switch them on!!!!!!!

Unbelieveable, a technology that is designed to reduce the number of staff required isn't used due to staff shortages.

And yes, the blue lane was roped off.

[Monty Gordo]

Booked online Bhx - Fao this morning for Saturday's flight and was offered the chance to pre-book my seat as distinct from priority boarding. I knew it was an option on some Ryr flights, but when did it start at Bhx?

Does this now mean that there will be a) book your seats ahead of b) priority boarding and then c) the rest of us trying to get there as cheaply as possible?

[FlyboyUK]

Monty

Pre-booked seating was rolled out across the network in January

[ssflyer]

A few posts on this on the FR & SLR forum last month.
Boarding is Reserved/Priority/Rest.
Reserved seats are blocked off AND only reserved seat Pax can sit there-those empty stay empty. (loads of chat about safety procedure etc on the forums)
The last booking I did for September BHX/GRO showed 7 seats already reserved,

[getonittt]

Arrived into BHX yesterday afternoon and the e-gates weren't working. I mentioned this to the passport officer and she said that they just hadn't been switched on. Unbelievable!!!

They never work for me when they ARE switched on . At least i was allowed to jump the queue, thankfully , as we arrived just after a PIA & MON flight.

[OltonPete]

Source CAA: February 2012 531367 down 0.8% rolling 8582784 +0.3

ATM's 5729 -0.2%

Didn't see that one coming, down about 4% in real terms due to the
extra day.

There was some snow, some planned cancellations and consolidations
but what a sorry figure

Overall it was very mixed for UK airports with BFS & BRS recording decent increases, EDI & LTN modest, Manchester excellent and others not so good such as LPL and BHD.

Pete

[mart901]

Hi Im looking at flying PMI-BHX in APR with TCX, anyone know what aircraft they are using, Im assuming 757 ?

[OltonPete]

mart901

Looking at the times it is a BHX based unit and thus the 757 subject to any
late changes.

Pete

[GayFriendly]

Don't just look mart, BOOK! It would seem BHX needs all the pax it can get judged on those god awful Feb pax figures......lets hope the new/reintroduced summer routes stem a bit of the rot

[mart901]

I'm gonna mate, out with Monarch back with Thomas Cook ￡210 return in 2 weeks time,for 3 pax how good is that! Its sad if BHX is not doing great, I worked there many, many moons ago before loco's etc, very, very busy place in summer!

[sam1993]

Don't just look mart, BOOK! It would seem BHX needs all the pax it can get judged on those god awful Feb pax figures......lets hope the new/reintroduced summer routes stem a bit of the rot

Unfortunately, Olympic Holidays will not be basing an aicraft at BHX this summer following the shambles that was Skywings last year. They will be using Strategic on w-flights from Manchester on 4 days per week (Mon -Wed and Sunday) and a Small Planet on one day a week (Friday) so quite a large drop in capacity. Unlikely to help passenger numbers...

[OltonPete]

The base made no sense as they never really released that many flights for summer 2012, as most were on Thomson. The early season schedule is not much of a loss as the Skywings only started at 6 a week.

The big loss is in the peak when Skywings operated 13 weekly flights.

Due to the later May/June half-term, Thomson's 5th short-haul aircraft does not arrive until the first week in June, a good 10-14 days later than 2011.

It is a good job Baby and Monarch have increased and LH of course.

Pete

[crewmeal]

Is the Mint B757 still at BHX? Has it picked up any work at all?

[revo]

The Mint Airways 757 left mid January.

Revo

[OltonPete]

International schedule with thanks to the CAA, BHX blog, libhomeradar
and planespotters.net.

These are not too bad but with Spring Fair and half-term
I sometimes expect the February figures to be better but
weather always plays a part although not too bad this year.

Again Lyon was good and what a shame someone can't make this
pay. Nothing in the Hamburg figures to make me think flybe will be
operating this next winter with company for LH.

Great to see EK moving towards the 90% load factor again.

Gothenburg passengers and load factors are still falling which
is a worry but overall I would say typical February figures.

Cancelled routes from Feb 2011 accounted for about 11-12000
(Tehran, Weeze, Waterford and Krakow). Additions were Kaunas.

Monarch also operated fewer frequencies to the Canaries this February
with about 3-4000 pax implication.

Most increases and decreases were small in % terms with Turkish
the star performer. Frankfurt saw 30% less flights without flybe
but only a small drop in passengers although Paris also had less
flights but increased passengers. In fact although Star and Skyteam
operate through their hubs very differring load factors with only
Munich having similar % to the Skyteam destinations.

BRUSSELS....... 8816... 43 pax. 48%
LARNACA........ 2934... 183pax. 86%
PRAGUE......... 3408... 113pax. 76%
COPENHAGEN..... 6202... 63 pax. 62%
CHAMBERY....... 1106... 69 pax. 89%
GRENOBLE....... 1624... 108pax. 69%
LYON........... 3194... 36 pax. 70%
PARIS CDG...... 26224.. 88 pax. 73%
DUSSELDORF..... 12728.. 45 pax. 52%
FRANKFURT MAIN. 18136.. 86 pax. 55%
HAMBURG........ 1222... 32 pax. 41%
HANOVER........ 3018... 47 pax. 60%
MUNICH......... 12421.. 80 pax. 69%
NIEDERRHEIN.... 0
STUTTGART...... 2712... 37 pax. 47%
CORK........... 5866... 51 pax. 71%
DUBLIN......... 41646.. 117pax. 65%
KNOCK.......... 3242... 95 pax. 64%
SHANNON........ 2250... 40 pax. 60%
MILAN MXP...... 1406... 37 pax. 47%
KAUNAS......... 2546... 141pax. 75%
MALTA.......... 2407... 150pax. 80%
AMSTERDAM...... 35263.. 93 pax. 72%
ISLAMABAD...... 7711... 241pax. 70%
BYDGOSZCZ...... 3573... 162pax. 86%
GDANSK......... 2403... 160pax. 85%
KATOWICE....... 2108... 151pax. 80%
RZESZOW........ 2527... 140pax. 74%
FARO........... 5485... 171pax. 85%
BRATISLAVA..... 3727... 155pax. 82%
ALICANTE....... 14932.. 152pax. 78%
GERONA......... 2340... 146 pax 77%
MALAGA......... 12009.. 162 pax 84%
ARRECIFE....... 6627... 166 pax 84%
FUERTEVENTURA.. 3479... 145 pax 74%
LAS PALMAS..... 4200... 140 pax 70%
TENERIFE....... 12690.. 163 pax 80%
GOTEBORG....... 889.... 19 pax 41%
GENEVA......... 12934.. 122 pax 80%
ZURICH......... 11154.. 63 pax 63%
ISTANBUL....... 4240... 106 pax 68%
ASHKHABAD...... 4070... 120 pax 64%
DUBAI.......... 42515.. 367 pax 86%
NEW YORK EWR... 6095... 133 pax 78%

Pete

[GayFriendly]

Thanks OP for your monthly pax figures - despite the overall gloom some healthy individual figures in there. Got to give it to FR, they don't half pack them in on their East European routes.

Despite the improved LF, BHX looks still a way off a third daily DXB and EWR not bad LF but not great either

MXP always has low-ish loads so am flummoxed why ZB has chosen it as a new route?

Still, as has been said before it's not how many there are on board but how much they have paid that matters for airlines. It will be nice to see the list spiced up a bit from May/June with LIS, BCN, VCE, BER and so on added

[chinapattern]

Judging by EK's strong figures I wonder how close they are to adding a 3rd daily? EK have been gradually building up a new European departure bank. Can only be a matter of time surely? I've been trying to keep up with all the EK new route launches and upgrades to see if an A330 gets freed up but I must admit I've lost track.

[OltonPete]

chinapattern

The original rumour was the third service was due March/April 2012 but that was before the pax figures went south at the same time as Manchester's Middle Eastern flights expanded a tad.

It was then thought to be Q4 2012 but the new rumour is now 2013.

As for the A332's it depends on which rumour you believe for the number of
disposals this year, which is anything from two to eight.

However once the summer schedule commences eight A332 services are upgraded to 777/A343/5 and only two new frequencies commence, Milan in June and Rome in October which was announced this week. Ho Chi Minh starts in June as an A332 but gets replaced at the end of October and I have taken that into account.

The A332 fleet is 26 with 20 the end of year figure rumoured, which could suggest that BHX won't be getting the A332 morning flight this year. Of course it could start with a three class 773 or 77W but unlikely.

Emirates used 8 three class 77W's in February out of 58 flights, which helped with load factor a little bit.

Pete

[nigel osborne]

Announced today that Volker Fitzpatrick and Colas have won the £65 million contract to divert the A45 and extend the runway at Birmingham.

Will start this July.The diverted A45 will be 3 lanes wide with room for tram rails in the middle.Road to be complete in June 2013, and extended runway open in spring 2014.

The current runway will also be improved and resurfaced at the same time.

Both projects will run concurrently allowing earth removed for the new road to be moved to level the ground etc for the runway the other side of the current A45.

The runway extension will take the new length to 9,700ft give or take the odd foot. :D

A brand new radar system is also being installed from next month too.

So BHX will have the capacity to get to most of the World..perhaps one day the carriers too.:)

Nigel

[crewmeal]

When it's finished EK might want to bring in an A380 to celebrate the occasion.

[Flightmech]

For those interested, first FedEx 757 arriving into Birmingham for ramp training this afternoon. FDX9006 ETA 1635 N916FD. Departs to MAN 1600 tomorrow. Scheduled service begins next week.

[ATNotts]

So BHX will have the capacity to get to most of the World..perhaps one day the carriers too

I am sceptical of the business case for the extension, but look forward to being proved wrong!

I think that initially it will benefit the tour operators who will be able to serve the Caribbean and Mexico directly, even on the warmest days, and that the extension could be the deathknell for long haul ITX operations at EMA. After that, I suppose that with China getting more and more involved in the UK economy the prospect could be for regular scheduled ops. from Shanghai and Beijing.

What I very much doubt will happen is a massive increase in Transatlantic scheduled operations - the USA just ain't as important, relatively speaking, as it used to be, and it will be business travel, rather than leisure that will make or break all scheduled long haul ops.

[chinapattern]

The runway extension would offer TS the chance to do a seasonal run to YVR; something that has always been physically impossible and the only east-coast route BHX could even begin to think of attracting IMHO.

[nigel osborne]

Crewmeal ,

you would expect BHX to be very keen to announce the Emirates A380 coming in daily from the opening of the runway..unless they have a cargo airline lined up for JLR flts to China ?

They will want something big to announce and advertising its opening.

Nigel

[nigel osborne]

AANOTTS,

Andrew, yes agree with you, probably add Calgary and Las Vegas too. Problem is that with TCX and MON sharply reducing long haul,that leaves only Thomson and at a push possibly Virgin.

Nigel

[crewmeal]

Good point raised Nigel. My view on this is how much the Chinese will promote the new MG at Longbridge. So far nothing much has happened. The odd press call on a bog standard car is all I've seen so far. If they are a serious contender in the car market, then they have a long way to go. If they are successful then you would probably see direct flights to and from China, freighters or passenger jets.

The way US carriers are going I don't see anything happening at all. AA are downsizing and are in Chapter 11. United and Continental have merged and it seems BHX is hanging on to the EWR route by the skin of its teeth. That only leaves Asian and Middle East carriers. Air India have proved they're not interested and have their own financial problems. Kingfisher have all most gone to the wall. PIA are holding their own, but for how long? with the threat of being banned from European skies who knows what's next for them. That only leaves EK dominating the market. At best I think we could see a daily A380 back and forth to DXB. That may even come before the extension is complete. Then again if QR came on the scene then the chances of an A380 would diminish.

With the latest reports coming from the LH camp regarding the sale of BMI, that in itself is not good news. Slots up for grabs if the sale falls through because of our 'friends' in Brussels? Middle East carriers bidding for them? Even if the sale goes through I can't see BHX gaining anything. In my view the only way BHX would gain is if the govt of the day said that's it to any further expansion to LHR and ordered new carriers to use regional airports.

[mart901]

The issue of what the EIR a/c will do in its gap between SNN flights has been solved - its going to do an extra rotation to DUB.

[Daza]

New Dublin service details
From 1st May

Dep BHX 1000 EI3265 AT7 Dublin MTWTFSS
Arr BHX 1255 EI3266 AT7 Dublin MTWTFSS

BHX-DUB now 27 weekly flights with EI.
Daza

[ATNotts]

They will want something big to announce and advertising its opening

Well at least they've got 2 years to sort something out; I honestly can't see any necessity for a scheduled cargo operation from China, but unless thing change radically, I would be just as surprised not to see an A380 on DXB, almost certainly coinciding with the opening of the extended runway.

As for anything else of substance, as I said before, the jury is out, though I can't say I'm quite as pessimistic as crewmeal.

[nigel osborne]

Crewmeal,

Yes have to agree with most of what you said. Like you think it will take Govt action and some sweetners to get more long haul carriers into BHX in the short term.

I would say that the arrival of the Chinese premier into Birmingham, and not visiting any other regional area was a significant one.So would not be surprised to see some freighter scheds to China in the next few years.

Whats slightly worrying is China is now planning plants over there..lets hope they don't transfer everything.

Nigel

[OltonPete]

Air France ended service direct to Lyon today with no sign of a replacement.

Sunday will also see the CRJ1000 on the evening Paris despite the A320 operating in place of the usual A318 during the winter schedule.

Turkish will be daily from Sunday after another week of upgrades with the A321's appearing often.

The airport website is now showing the new Monarch routes for Sunday including Venice, Rome & Milan with Palma & Paphos restarting - a total of ten flights Sunday.

flybe Waterford starts Sunday and increase on Glasgow and Belfast City.

flybe send two Q400's out tomorrow empty to Brussels in full Brussels Airlines scheme in readiness for Sunday. SN2047/8/9 on Sunday will be operated by flybe and the other one should end up in Hanover overnight.

Sanford re-started today with Thomson and Montego Bay's turn tomorrow.

Swiss should add the RJ100 on evening flight next week in place of the F100
before the service decreases for 8 weeks to two daily from 23/4.

Little change with Lufthansa and SAS in April other than Dusseldorf should see the CRJ700 from mid-month on two of three flights until mid-June. Hamburg starts in May and Berlin in June.

Lufthansa reveal their top destinations from BHX via their German hubs: -

China boom from Birmingham Airport - Birmingham News - News - Birmingham Mail (http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2012/03/23/china-boom-from-birmingham-airport-97319-30605192/#ixzz1pyRiin13)

Aer Lingus changes are mainly in May with the extra Cork and Dublin.

On another positive note some decent business for BHX via Cargo AN12's - these were the Thursday movements.

D 0735 MEM4088 UR-CAK
A 0815 MEM4061 UR-CGV
A 0840 MEM4063 UR-CGW
D 0945 MEM4086 UR-CGV
A 1005 SWW2108 UR-CAF
D 1040 SWW2109 UR-CAF
D 1225 MEM4096 UR-CGW
A 1540 MEM4089 UR-CAK
A 1745 MEM4087 UR-CGV
D 1950 MEM4090 UR-CGV

Pete

[crewmeal]

China boom from Birmingham Airport - Birmingham News - News - Birmingham Mail (http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2012/03/23/china-boom-from-birmingham-airport-97319-30605192/#ixzz1pyRiin13)

This article is positive in itself and an excellent advert for LH. However one of the main reasons for passengers travelling this way must be due to APD. As suggested elsewhere on this forum it would be far cheaper to fly to a EU destination then onwards to the Far East. After 2013 the new charges suggest an additional £200 to a long haul ticket will only leave EU carriers benefiting from APD. Direct long haul expansion, even with the extended runway? I don't think so.

[GayFriendly]

Interesting point - BHX are going to have to do some major landing fee sweeteners to attract the big birds in, something they are not renowned for....but I can't see them wanting top open the new extension without a headline grabbing new route or airline.

Looking at it the other way, if a few popular long haul routes do take off (am thinking India, at a push Singapore and China), will there be enough connecting/point to point traffic remaining on LH/AF/LX/KL for these routes to continue with present high frequencies and aircraft used?

Good luck to ZB, new schedule starts tomorrow, new based a/c and routes, lets hope its a positive start and the beginning of further expansion of their BHX routes

[nigel osborne]

Gayfriendly,

Im told ALL airlines that start new scheduled destinations out of BHX get offered the same fees deal.

First year free, then each year a stepped increase.

90% of getting an airline to come into an airport, is down to the airline wanting the route, if it feels there is a market to make money.

Airlines therefore will not come to BHX because they get freebies , but only if they think they can make money for a lengthy period on it.


Nigel

[Firestorm]

I don't know how they dream this stuff up, but read through this article, and you will see that there is a plan to rename BHX as London Birmingham Airport. Hilarious!

Countryside planning revolution: 'new city' proposed for Midlands - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/9165205/Countryside-planning-revolution-new-city-proposed-for-Midlands.html)

[Fairdealfrank]

Quote: "I don't know how they dream this stuff up, but read through this article, and you will see that there is a plan to rename BHX as London Birmingham Airport. Hilarious!

Countryside planning revolution: 'new city' proposed for Midlands - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/hands-off-our-land/9165205/Countryside-planning-revolution-new-city-proposed-for-Midlands.html) 24th Mar 2012 22:05"

Firestorm, a new city near HS2 and BHX could do Coventry no favours. More likely is that it will be a "dormitory suburb" for Coventry and Birmingham rather than a "new city". It could just a case of more people to moan about noise at "London-Birmingham International Airport". Taking the situation at LHR for example, moaners don't neccessarily have to be under the flightpath and/or practically on the airport.

As for Coventry becoming a part of a "greater Birmingham conurbation" as suggested in the article, it already is, only it's called "West Midlands" rather than "Greater Birmingham". As the second city of the conurbation it's a similar situation to Croydon and London, or Bradford and Leeds.



Quote: "Interesting point - BHX are going to have to do some major landing fee sweeteners to attract the big birds in, something they are not renowned for....but I can't see them wanting top open the new extension without a headline grabbing new route or airline.

Looking at it the other way, if a few popular long haul routes do take off (am thinking India, at a push Singapore and China), will there be enough connecting/point to point traffic remaining on LH/AF/LX/KL for these routes to continue with present high frequencies and aircraft used?"

GayFriendly, regretably direct long haul flights ex-BHX are unlikely at this time:
(1) endless APD increases threaten any potential viability as it deters discretionary (e.g. VFR) traffic;
(2) there is relatively little transfer traffic at BHX;
(3) there are overlapping catchment areas - BHX is stuck between MAN and an eventually to be expanded LHR;
(4) any non-LHR direct flights by Asian carriers (or BA/VS for that matter (highly unlikely of course)) would probably do MAN before BHX;
(5) KL, LH, etc., appear to have the shortest routes sown up and EK is mopping up the long way round.

If any long haul carrier comes to BHX after the runway extension, would expect it to be QR or EY, but it is unlikely that they have a stomach for a fight with long-established EK.

[BHX2FRA]

I notice that the LH flights operated by bmi to Frankfurt have been using a 319 since the weekend - previously a 320. Anyone know whether this is a permanent change for the summer timetable or a temporary change?

John.

Addition:
Just noticed that the 320 en-route from MAN this evening returns to BHX and the 319 from BHX returns to MAN so it was probably a swap for maintenance/refit reasons.

[chinapattern]

Regarding direct BHX-China servicess; if the potential for a flight was there shouldn't we be seeing more direct flights to China now? If one looks at the amount of flights that leave the UK for the US and compare it to the amount that leave direct to China there is a vast difference. Yes, there are more options to China via European hubs, the Middle East and Asia but Air China just about manage to fill an A330 out of LHR so why should BHX do as well and/or better?

[BobBHX]

I was one of the many delayed at BHX on Saturday morning due to the fog. I was waiting in the Servisair lounge for the 09:00 to FRA. Several times a member of staff representing UA/CO came in and updated the passengers bound for EWR on the position of their aircraft (PIK) and the likely departure time. At no time was tehre any update for the FRA or DUS passengers. I had to find out what was going on from the LH app on my phone. Finally when the plane arrived the ground staff did their usual trick of getting passengers to the gate long before they were ready to start boarding. Then it took them 30 minutes to board a 735. LH really should change their handling agents (or are the others just as hopeless?).

BTW I noticed an LH E95 parked on a remote stand on Saturday and it was still there on Monday afternoon. Anyone have any idea what happened?

[dionysius]

Bob, on the subject of calling forward pax to the gate early, I am afraid this is due to the pressure that the airlines place on handling agents to achive "on time departures", and as you state "it took 30 mins to board a 735", this last statement sums up the reasoning behind servisair and other GHA's calling pax forward early as boarding the aircraft via an airbridge can take a long time, especially as more often that not the cabin crew are content to let pax block the aisle while the take time to put various items in the overhead lockers and then remember that their daily newspaper is up there !!

So please have a little patience with the handling agents and just take the time to watch the boarding routine in the aircraft aisle next time.;)

[787Heaven]

@dionysius What an offensive and utterly stupid thing to say!!! What do u expect the cabin crew to do? Get a whip out and make people sit down as quickly as possible? Passengers have their own minds and should take responsibility for their own actions! It's people's own selfishness that causes blockages in the aisles and if you are an expert on this matter then I would love to hear how you suggest how we get people sat!!!??? UTTER DRIBBLE!

[TSR2]

Passengers blocking the aisle does not seem a very good reason for calling passengers to the gate a long time before boarding commences.

[Daza]

787Heaven said @dionysius What an offensive and utterly stupid thing to say!!! What do u expect the cabin crew to do? Get a whip out and make people sit down as quickly as possible? Passengers have their own minds and should take responsibility for their own actions! It's people's own selfishness that causes blockages in the aisles and if you are an expert on this matter then I would love to hear how you suggest how we get people sat!!!??? UTTER DRIBBLE!


Simple, board aircraft from the rear by seat row. The problem now is may airlines have priority boarding, allocated seating etc. I remember boarding large numbers of passengers on 767s/A300 etc in this way and I do remember Brittania using this method even for 757.
Can I add that by getting everyone to the gate early means they can get hold of the inevitable wonderers and stragglers that would potentially further delay an already delayed departure (In this case due to fog).

[Jonnyf]

First Budapest flight left today, hope the route is continued for winter season

[BobBHX]

@dionysius: I take more than 100 flights a year. I know how long it takes to efficiently board an aircraft, even after making allowance for passengers blocking the aisle. 30 minutes is far too long for a 735, even by Servisair's standards.

If the pressure is to achieve on time departures, why don't the gate agents actually start boarding earlier? I know that there are times when a late inbound will result in a delay in boarding, but the ground staff at BHX always seem to delay the start of boarding.

@Daza: I am afraid that the wanderers and stragglers are likely to still delay things as they seem incapable of looking at monitors or hearing calls for them over the PA. There is a very good chance they will be in the departure lounge bars. In any event, any missing pax will only be identified once everyone at the gate has boarded. All the more reason for starting boarding early.

[Monty Gordo]

Flew into BHX this morning from Fao with Ryr and was disappointed that it was no more than half full.

However, was mightily pleased to see six ZB arrivals scheduled within a space of 1hr 15 mins. Was even more surprised walking through to departures to see the enlarged Monarch section chock-a-block with queuing passengers backing to the arrivals area....

Lets hope it is working for ZB with their new routes.

[OltonPete]

Monty Gordo

Monty it was the first Thursday flight of the season and the first week of it increasing from 2 to 3 weekly so I assume that this was part of the reason.

BMI Baby now have four aircraft based with Barcelona restarted today, Rome and Palma tomorrow as part of 13 flights! Lisbon restarts Saturday

Turkish Airlines not only daily but regular A321's at present.

Lufthansa seem flexible with Frankfurt with the A319 reappearing again today and a tech delay left a 195 on the ground for four days with the afternoon Munich service operating as a CRJ9 since it went tech.

Pete

[Monty Gordo]

Thanks for you comment OP, it did look very busy at the Monarch end today. I know it is early days, but is there any likelihood or indication that some of these services might benefit from a frequency improvement?

[groundhogbhx]

BobBHX

Passengers are called to the gate to get them ready for the anticipated boarding time. There are times when this can't be met and you have to wait a little longer. Various reasons include cabin crew dragging their feet with their checks, extra cleaning due to the mess left by inbound passengers, airline rules not permitting boarding and fuelling, technical problems occurring at the last minute, the list goes on and on. These can not be factored in so you need to call the flight so that you are ready on time.

In your case I would guess that due to holding the aircraft required either fuelling, or more fuel than anticipated. LH do not permit boarding and fuelling, so until it is finished you have to sit and wait.

As for updating you, what did you want to hear? UA could tell their passengers the a/c was in PIK and would be able to give about an hours notice of it arriving. Your a/c would probably have been over BHX going round in circles with acars keeping LH updated so their system would have rolling updates for your smart phone app. Apart from an airport radar screen and FR24 on the internet the people on the ground wouldn't have a clue what was happening as many crews seem to be allergic to calling up and giving updates, no matter how good or bad the groundstaff are they are not psychic and can't give updates they don't have. Add on non stop phone calls asking for updates from other departments and airlines and you will appreciate the conditions the staff have to work in.

[chinapattern]

Have Thomson reverted back to their own 767's for the summer or is it still the ex-FCA bird doing the long haul runs?

[BobBHX]

groundhogbhx

If ground staff representing UA can tell their pax that the plane was at PIK why can't the ground staff representing LH tell their pax that the plane was actually at LGW and would be arriving at BHX within X minutes? I was simply making the point that certain ground staff went out of their way to ensure that pax were kept updated on the delay and others made no effort at all.

I do not have an issue with the delay and, as I have said, I was able to track progress online. However, there were many people on the flight with long-haul connections who would have been anxious as to what was happening (as it turned out, there were at least three connecting flights where the pax had to overnight in FRA). It would have helped if the ground staff had given them some idea of what was happening.

[LGS6753]

Olympic Holidays has signed a deal with Aegean Airlines to provide flights on key routes this summer.

Among the first routes announced is Birmingham to Cyprus.

The first Aegean Airlines departure for Olympic Holidays is on 4 May.

[spottilludrop]

Was in brum myself and the monarch flights were chokka, never seen it so hectic.

[Hotel Tango]

Saw an article in the Solihull News about residents in residential areas close to BHX getting miffed about cars parking " inappropriately" waiting for arriving passengers at the airport. It then went on to quote a Birmingham Airport spokesman claiming that they have ample car parking spaces which are reasonably priced. I fell off my chair laughing. Listen to me Birmingham Airport Spokesman, the reason you have ample parking spaces is because your parking fees are EXTORTIONATE and in a time when we all have to tighten our belts the public are not willing to feed your GREEDY pockets. Furthermore, I don't see any airports here in Europe (including the majors) charging to collect and drop off passengers. Get real Birmingham!

[OltonPete]

BMI Baby restart Lisbon tomorrow after a few years absence adding to Rome today and Barcelona Thursday. Also Murcia, Faro & Palma return as well.

Parking

I have to agree with Hotel Tango re the reason for the plentiful parking, personally though I don't mind paying a quid to pick-up/drop off but what I do find objectionable is the length of time you get in the short-stay.

If parking is plentiful then bring back the £1 in the long-stay rather than preying on the innocence of some hoping that they will exceed the 10 minutes and then use the pathetic excuse that it is to ensure that the short-stay does not become log-jammed, which of course it does because the ******* removed the £1 for an hour in the long-stay. The airport have admitted parking is plentiful so what it is the problem, don't bother I know the answer.

Pete

[groundhogbhx]

BobBHX

The UA staff were exactly that, employed by UA to look after their 6 flights a week. The LH staff are employed by Servsair and have passengers from many airlines going to many destinations to try to look after. Read what I wrote, they can only put out the information they have, just because LH are able to update the information on your app it doesn't mean that the same information has been fed back to the BHX groundstaff. The phones would be ringing non stop, the telex machine would be churning out all kinds of messages non stop, automated messages update the systems others have to be read a processed. If you want to see how hard it is to keep track and find out information at times like this you should go and see for yourself. These people are put under extreme pressure at times like this and get no praise for giving 110% until things calm down and get paid very poorly for the responsibility they take on every day, thanks to the race to the bottom started by the loco's who want cost not quality.:(

[RealFish]

I agree expensive and anxiety inducing - hence people will hang around residential areas.

I'm not sure what pressure the runway extension will place on Long Stay parking as one of the car park makes way for the extended taxi-way, and can understand that the airport will need to ensure sufficient space for travellers.

Perhaps, though, the local authority as a condition of future planning approvals should insist that the airport (as a considerate neighbour) offer a reasonable amount of free parking time for drop-off. 15 /20 mins is typical in other countries (I noticed that Nice offered 30 mins 'Kiss and Fly' parking time - but life is different down there. Clearly passengers need a lingering good-bye before going back to their wives / husbands!!!).

[nigel osborne]

Realfish re parking.

All the trees by the new ATC tower were removed, as thats where the new car park is going,extends behind the Tristar Hotel and sadly swallows up the field behind. .:{

For information although the actual main contractors don't start the road/runway work till July.They have just finished pegging out the line of the road diversion, snakes just behind where the first set of runway lights are in the field opposite the airport, comes out by the Clock Pub.

Nigel

[call100]

@RealFish............I doubt the local authority would do anything about the CP charges. As major shareholders they wouldn't want to give up the income. It's the CP's that give the airport the profits that enable the dividend payouts...;)

[Hotel Tango]

My view is that they might actually increase their income if they reduced their charges since this would motivate more people to use the facilities. Having said that, I still don't accept that a charge is made simply for a quick drop-off or pick-up. I certainly cannot recall having seen this anywhere else but the UK. It comes down to pure greed by the airport authorities who set the charges (and their commission) together with NCP.

[ElBogster]

Hotel Tango,

It isn't just BHX that charge rip off drop off fees, I travel in and out of Edinburgh on a regular basis and they charge similar fees to BHX. If my memory serves me correctly East Midlands also have similar drop off charges. I try not to use drop and go and get dropped off at Birmingham International Train Station and use the air rail. If you are picking up you have 20mins free (but i've never seen anyone around so you'd be unlucky to get ticketed).

Essentially it's just a very easy way for the airports to make money, it would be interesting to see how much they do make as at BHX I've seen people charged over £30!!!

As OP pointed out the most frustrating thing is the abolishment of the long stay charge £1 for an hour.

El Bogster

[Hotel Tango]

Bogster, yes I know, which is why I said in my post above that I've only seen it in the UK. The Glasgow incident some years back served as yet another great excuse for the greedy airport managers to squeeze yet more out of passengers so that they can earn their performance bonuses at the end of the year!

[Monty Gordo]

Maybe it is the advent of the lo-co's but over the past 20 years or so we, the paying public which support the airline industry have ceased to become passengers, but have become customers; and the lo-co's and the airports offer us as little as they can get away with.

The airports' returns for their parking charges, when considered against the cost of implementing them, must be marginal. It would be interesting to see what would happen if one of the airports broke the mould and set out reduced, minimal or free parking for drop offs/pick-ups.

But there again, these thick-skinned animals tend to hunt in packs...

[Unijet]

Does anyone know how the new ZB routes to Rome and Milan are getting on loads wise?

[Jonnyf]

Do not know about loads but a few of the Milan services have been using A321's instead of A320's but do not know if this for pax load or pre assigned aircraft.

[justplanecrazy84]

With all the rumours of EK upgrading to a A380 to Bhx flying around recently, what are the chances of this happening? and when could we see it happen?

I appologise for any mistakes (if any) this is all new to me. :O

[Invicta DC4]

Possibly 2013, but improvements need to be made to the taxiways by widening some of the turns and the Fire Service Cover needs to be upgraded to name just two conditions that need to be met first. A380 service is not dependent on the runway extension however.

[Ringwayman]

Turnround times:

BHX: EK39 arrives at 1235 EK40 departs 1415 = 100 mins for B77W
MAN: EK17 arrives at 1225 EK18 departs 1410 = 105 mins for A380

Not all that sure that introducing A380 at BHX will have that great an impact on the schedules unless you want to allow an extra 20 minutes if it was to be a 2-class variety with around 80 extra seats each way to process?

[Invicta DC4]

The normal EK Gate at BHX has a double airbridge. Taxiway improvements are needed for regular operations I understand on the runway exit/entrances where the turn is 90 degrees.

[justplanecrazy84]

Thanks for all your replies!

Surely the extension would have improved taxiways to handle such aircraft?
Also wasn't the international pier built so it could handle the A380 and similar sized aircraft?

[Invicta DC4]

The International Pier has 3 stands that can accommodate the A380 (please correct me if I'm wrong on this). Only one has a double airbridge, but the others can be fitted with extra airbridges if and when required.

Regarding 2 Class/3Class Ops, BHX will get the 3 Class Service next (in the UK) probably before A380 ops commence and timing will be dependant on aircraft availability.

[chinapattern]

The international pier can handle up to seven widebodied aircraft at a time and as such I thought all the stands were the same size. As far as I'm aware though stand 54 is the only one with designated A380 markings. Both that stand and one next to it (52?) have double airbridges but like you say and extra one can be attached to the other stands if the need ever arose.

Also United have made changes to their winter timetables and as of yet BHX remains unchanged, still showing as 6 weekly, which is good news. I did notice however that MAN's new IAD service will drop to x5 weekly for the winter.

[OltonPete]

easyjet

Not as good as previous years but better than nothing.

At its height this last winter Geneva was ten a week and it is currently
released from 15/12/12 at just six weekly. No Tuesday service and the
rest is as follows: -

Monday - Friday 12.15 arrival BHX and 12.45 departure.

Saturday in 15.10 out 15.40

Sunday in 11.20 out 11.50.

Grenoble is also reduced from 2 a week to weekly

Saturday in 17.05 out 17.10

The Monday - Friday aircraft matches with the Luton schedule

chinapattern

I must admit I was half expecting EWR to drop to 5 weekly. Loads were not great this winter at times but on the positive side business was usually sold out although I realise that checking the seat map is hardly an exact science and you never know how many are upgrades and staff travel.

As for Manchester five weekly IAD is not bad and actually a net increase on United flights compared to the last two winters under Continental. The cut in Manchester - Newark last winter paid dividends on load factors, as there were very few empty seats.

Unijet

I have not heard anything specific in respect of Monarch but some good loads in general but it is Easter. Post Easter until the end of May will be interesting as Monarch have already dropped FUE for that period and reduced other Canaries routes compared to the original schedule release.

Pete

[giblets]

If I recall, when the A380 came to BHX for the new pier opening, it was payload restricted, so suspect full on operations won't start until the runway has been lengthened.

[Invicta DC4]

The A380 was only payload restricted to a normal 777 load just in case there was a late switch back to the 777 for any reason. The A380 actually took off with a 12kt tailwind just so it could be photographed against the new pier. No problems with runway length to Dubai.

[FQTLSteve]

When BMI ownership goes from DLH to IAG on 20 April what will happen to the flights op for LH to FRA (and MAN also)?

Will BD still have the same code share arrangements and vice versa....important for Star members.....do they get to stay with Star or do they have to transfer to One World etc? Not heard anything about this issue much.

[worcsbert]

BD will be leaving Star alliance on 18th April.

[worcsbert]

UA loads this winter were up on last year. On a daily basis UA limit the amount of upgrades in the front cabin and all in all the front cabin pax figures increased. Staff travel was mainly in the rear cabin as the US staff dont realise the charge for BF is the same (don't tell them either!!)

Keep an eye out over the summer for possible UA additional movements:ok:

[justplanecrazy84]

Could they increase to 2x daily or would they upgrade the aircraft first?

Also does anyone have any info on why the VS 747 diverted in to bhx this morning??

[splash&dash]

VS747
After 2 go arounds at MAN due to wind shear, diverted to BHX as low on fuel.

[worcsbert]

UA unlikely to go double daily due to lack of connecting traffic. MAN average 50 connections per day due to inbound feed BHX average about 10.

[justplanecrazy84]

VS747
Cheers splash&dash :ok:

UNITED
So it would more likely be an upgrade in aircraft out of the two?
If so what would do you think they would upgrade to?

[GayFriendly]

Folks up the road on the EMA thread are speculating a return of an EZY base.....perhaps just idle chatter as no one seems to know whats going on with WW. I hope BHX have got a Plan B in the event that WW do cease operations after the summer schedules, surely that would be the time to give EZY the offer they can't refuse? Although I do hope that WW carry on as under a new owner they could find their groove again

ZB apparently launching 10 new routes this winter (I assume thats spread over all its UK bases), lets hope BHX gets a couple. My money is on SZG and perhaps SSH, although with EZY GVA reductions and uncertainty over WW maybe they will launch GVA

[jamesferns]

Cannot see any more ZB expansion taking place, surely they just dont have the capacity at present and their losing a couple more a 300 and a 757 later this year, so unless they get more aircraft there just not in a postion to expand

[revo]

I believe the 10 new routes for the winter are the Italian routes they have launched this summer, although they have been operating since the end of March they are technically "new" for winter

Revo

[chinapattern]

Despite initially set to be an A330 all season Air Transat is showing an A310 1st, 8th and 15th May switching to an A330-200 for the 22nd and 29th May and then to an A330-300 5th June through to 4th Sept reverting back to the A310 until the end of the season with the last flight showing 16th Oct. So no major change from last summer, just that the A330-300 will be more common type but hardly significant as they only have one more extra seat.

[kgoodall]

They are supposed to be phasing out the A310 over the next 3 to 4 years and going with all A330s.

I'm actually on the first flight arriving on the 2nd of May from Toronto. Its much easier driving from Ottawa to Toronto and then flying to Birmingham (i'm originally form Coventry) than going with Air Canada from Ottawa to Heathrow and getting the underground then train to Coventry carrying bags, kids etc...

It'll be my first trip with Air Transat so i'm looking forward to seeing what they are like.

[worcsbert]

If UA were to expand it would be to a 767-200 with 30 businessfirset 49 economy plus and 156 economy seats. I can't see it happening though, more chance of a ORD flight happening next year

[Skipness One Echo]

The B767-200s are going soon alas.

Am I correct in remembering that when Continental tried BHX-EWR twice daily with the additional CO32 / 33, profits collapsed?

[worcsbert]

sorry typo, I meant 300
:ugh:

[Centre cities]

I wouldn't get too excited about United double daily or 767's. My guess is that extra movements mentioned previously are Olympic related only. Perhaps the cancelations early July are related also.

Centre cities

[chinapattern]

I hope this doesn't breach the rules in advertising another forum but over on the Skyscrapercity pages their is a lovely shot of the Virgin 747 parked up at the international pier. Worth a look.

[nigel osborne]

Chinapattern,

Very dissapointing ,Canadian Affair just don't seem to like BHX.. 99% load factor last year, and bussed some up to Manchester they couldn't fit in... and they turn out the same capacity this year :confused:

There is a didfference with the A330-300s, that being 1 less seat abreast so more comfortable seating than the 200s.

Nigel

[crewmeal]

I found this from Midlands Today - April 1984, enjoy.

Birmingham Airport - New Terminal & Pier 04/04/1984 Part 1 / 2 - YouTube

[call100]

That brought back memories.....I did a 14 hour day and the day before.
:zzz::zzz:

[Hotel Tango]

Yes, and all those great views of the ramp since replaced with shops, shops, shops........and more shops, and an artificially lit cattle pen! :yuk:

[Skipness One Echo]

So how long was it before much of that structure was demolished to build the Eurohub? Under ten years? So much hope and optimism back in those days, sky was the limit.

[potash]

Emirates began with 2 leased PIA aircraft: Jalil (http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=149217)

[OltonPete]

A couple of interesting and what turned out to be ironic quotes, the obvious one about passengers having a good view of aircraft, which eventually BHX managed to turn into a virtual impossibility in T1 until the new pier was built.

The other was the opening had only a few teething problems or something similar. I always wondered if they actually did build a cellar within the airport boundary!

Okay a slight exaggeration but when we went to view the facilities before it opened we were politely told that the cellar for the bars had been difficult to place and how right they were. The word was that it was forgotten originally and only added later with a 3-500ft run for the beer (can't remember the exact length). Pipe cleaning was interesting as well as changing a barrel, especially explaining to the customer the time it would take.

How do you design four bars without a cellar or if they did why was it such a distance from the main bars, costing a fortune in wasted beer during cleaning the pipes (before you ask it was not put back).

Despite passenger figures were low at 1.6 million in general between 1979 and 1985 and as a youngster not having much insight into the future of aviation, still my fist thought when seeing the terminal from the inside, was where was the rest of it and it was not that surprising it didn't last in it's original format for too long. By 1989 I had long left but I would imagine things were getting tight for seating etc.

Here are the CAA figures before during and after the terminal was built: -

1979 - 1.608 million
1980 - 1.602
1981 - 1.535
1982 - 1.161
1983 - 1.161
1984 - 1.740
1985 - 1.701
1986 - 2.216 +27%
1987 - 2.272 +26%
1988 - 2.876
1989 - 3.431 +19%
1990 - 3.618
1991 - 3.396
1992 - 3.827
1993 - 4.202
1994 - 4.943
1995 - 5.328

Pete

[chinapattern]

So how long was it before much of that structure was demolished to build the Eurohub? Under ten years? So much hope and optimism back in those days, sky was the limit.

Less than that as Eurohub opened in July 1991. Does anyone recall how long it to to build? Working on two years would have meant that the smaller pier of the main terminal could only have been in operation for about five years or so. It's strange to think that when Eurohub opened it made the Main Terminal look quite dated externally and yet it was only 6 years old.

04/04/1984 was actually the day I was born; shame I don't remember my first flight (an Orion A300) to Palma but I was only 18 months at the time. Pity we never got a glimpse of the old bi-plane model that hung from the ceiling on the first floor in that video; I was always fascinated by that thing.

[AdamG1]

What were the destinations flown when the terminal was opened?

Adam

[Fairdealfrank]

Midlands Today - April 1984

Great bit of footage, anyone notice the BD desk with the "London" sign over it in the background of shots of the check-in area?

BHX-LHR flights: we're unlikely to see the likes of those again.

[call100]

Pity we never got a glimpse of the old bi-plane model that hung from the ceiling on the first floor in that video; I was always fascinated by that thing.
The original idea was to have a Spitfire hanging there......It was ditched as certain people thought it might have upset the Germans....:rolleyes:

[wet wet wet]

Pity we never got a glimpse of the old bi-plane model that hung from the ceiling on the first floor in that video; I was always fascinated by that thing.

It's a replica of a Blériot XI monoplane that was built by Humber in Coventry in 1909, although it has an genuine Humber engine. You can still see it at the Midland Air Museum at Coventry Airport.

[justplanecrazy84]

What are the chances of seeing Air India back at BHX or even Jet starting flights to india?

Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't the flights to india popular with good loads?

[ATNotts]

justplanecrazy84:

Chances are probably somewhere around zero - or perhaps a little less than that!

[nigel osborne]

Flights to India,

Well Jet have already stated Manchester will be their next UK airport ,no time scale though.

Air India have had plenty of opportunity to return to BHX but seem to have also lost interest.

Generally in long haul BHX will do well to hold onto United.Emirates and PIA seem are pretty safe.

Nigel

[justplanecrazy84]

I thought the numbers were good with the flights from BHX to India?

[groundhogbhx]

Yes if you count the transit pax.

[ATNotts]

justplanecrazy84

Doesn't matter how good the numbers are, if the passengers want to pay two halves of nothing for their seats a legacy carrier simply won't make a profit, there need to be a mix of front end and back end passengers and the BHX/India market is pretty well 100% leisure.

However, as with all things Air India - if the Indian government, for political reasons wants a BHX link, then be sure AI will have to provide one!

[justplanecrazy84]

So politics has a big influence on airlines and where they fly?

Thanks for all your replies they are helping me learn and understand more about the aviation industry which has always been a very big interest of mine. :ok:

Oh and sorry if bug anyone with any silly questions. :O

[RealFish]

The conspiracy theorists are all of a twitter over the sonic boom heard this evening over much of the Midlands

I liked this from the BBC

Birmingham Airport dismissed suggestions the sound could have been caused by a sonic boom as a plane came in to land.

Now just how long is the runway extension? Or are they fitting arrestor gear so that an A380 won't have to bother slowing down on approach?

[justplanecrazy84]

Now that would be interesting for passengers! lol

[Guest 112233]

Nah! As we conspiracy Theorists have always said there's an Aurora parked around the back of the "Clock's" car park - "They" were just a bit hot and high on the approach.

Or !!!!

Someone's just got a temporary hand/eye throttle co-ordination problem vis a vis another's finger fumbling with a simple number like say 7000.

That second 0 after the 7 is actually quite useful.

Or !!!!

Was it Sword swallowing or Sabre rattling - I always get the two mixed up - A bit like numbers (the proper phrase is discalculic).

Bring back 4321 as a setting for that Cockerel Crow (Enough of my squawking). Funny thing ergonomics.

CAT III

[nigel osborne]

Realfish. Know you were only joking :ok: however on a serious note

Arrestor bed for BHX would be out of the question..cost nearly £2 million and regs say airports that use them have to keep a spare one in a hangar to replace if ones already been used.

Nigel

[ZULUBOY]

Times have changed for my in-laws flights from Berlin on the 5th June returning on the 10th. They now arrive in Brum at 18:25. On their return flight they arrive back in Berlin at 21:55.

We're booked to fly to Berlin on the 21st July and this seems unaffected so not sure which period has changed.

[GayFriendly]

Zuluboy - Looks like Sat flights stay as 1305 departure ex BHX, Sun-Fri are re-timed to arrive BHX at 1825 depart 1905, I am booked to go in both July and August the later times do not really suit me but there we go. I think it was originally booked for these times when the route was launched then changed - when I booked a few weeks ago it was daily at 1305 so this re-time can have only recently happened. I wonder how bookings are shaping up as there is still an awful lot of low fare availability throughout Jul and Aug when I last checked.....

[Suzeman]

Arrestor bed for BHX would be out of the question..cost nearly £2 million and regs say airports that use them have to keep a spare one in a hangar to replace if ones already been used.

Think you are getting arrestor wires and an arrestor bed muddled up...

Suzeman

[justplanecrazy84]

Does anyone know if BHX are taking any diversions from gatwick??

[revo]

Nothing so far, most have gone to other London airports

Revo

[justplanecrazy84]

Thanks revo!

[GayFriendly]

Interesting article on anna aero website about EDI - out of its top 12 routes in terms of pax volume, nine are domestic with BHX proudly being the airports busiest non-LON route (288,955 pax in 2011) :ok: LHR accounts for 1.27 million pax, no wonder it is streets ahead of BHX in pax!

The future of WW is looking ever more bleak, very depressing posts on WW thread, it really would seem that there is now no potential buyer, based on that it is far more likely that it will be bye bye baby this winter - it must be a very worrying time for those who work there. Unlike many I have had nothing but good service from WW I have flown with them a number of times from BHX and will be sad if they do indeed end up biting the dust

[CabinCrewe]

Equally, Im not sure how sustainable and attractive it is to have most of your top routes as being domestic. As over time these will get erroded with high speed rail etc.

[OltonPete]

March was up 631139 +1.6 Rolling year 8592661 +0.9 - Source CAA

Better than nothing I suppose

City Airline - Seems to end 1/5/2012.

With falling pax numbers, the change of ownership and schedule changes
this is not surprising.

easyjet

Next seasons Geneva has changed already reduced from 9/10 to 6 it is now 8/9 a week with Tuesday the only day it doesn't operate and the third Saturday service like this last season operating only at certain times.

Pete

[justplanecrazy84]

If Bmibaby do bite the dust it would obviously leave a fairly big hole a bhx (and other airports) that will need to be filled. Who would possibly fill that hole?

[mutleyshriek]

Ezy Belfast to Birmingham twice daily from oct 22nd.

[Daza]

Hi all,
It does make me wonder if this is to replace WW BHX-BHD? :(
Maybe EZY will step in on more routes if Baby doesn't find a buyer? :)
Daza

[FQTLSteve]

Just been on the bmi reservations. Showing BHX-FRA in May and June as code share bmi flights op by LH. Flights are 3x A320 and 1x 737-300. I was surprised that they would still be code shared since from 20 Apr bmi leave Star and LH ownership etc. Can anyone give an explanation (same with MAN-FRA as well), and does anyone know what they will do with the a/c and crew frred up???

[chinapattern]

If WW were to cease operations I'd like to think EZY would step in; perhaps launching a few flights from existing bases such as NCE, LIS, FCO and perhaps MAD to test the waters before setting up a new base.

[chaps2011]

MAN/FRA is now only 2 flights a day by BMI and 2 DLH (1 b737 and 1 A321]
MAN/MUC is now fully DLH

Ian

[JonEMA]

Hi,

Sorry for off topic nature of this post....

Many of you quote UK CAA Airport Passenger Statistics in your threads so here is a tool that you might want to use so save downloading and manipulating spreadsheets .

Aviation Analytics - UK CAA Analytics (http://www.aviationanalytics.com/caa-passenger-demo.asp)

Cool tool for exploring UKpax data and has city, country and region roll ups etc...

Updated monthly with history to 2007

Totally free…no registration…..start at the “How to tab”

Let me know what you think....

[potash]

Budget airline brings a boost for Birmingham


EasyJet will launch its first year-round service from Birmingham with the start flights to Belfast.

Initially, it will offer a daily service between Birmingham and Belfast International, but this will increase to 12 flights a week from October 29. Flights will go on sale on April 23.:ok::O

[Burpbot]

Hardly a boost! It will just further dilute the route till it kills off the competition, and will then ramp up the fares! But who cares as right now it's a cheap ticket!!

[Daza]

Easyjet probably smell blood!
Flybe BHX-BHD is very well established and is operated up to 7 times a day during the summer. If BMIBaby don't survive then 12 weekly flights to BFS from the winter schedule will be replacement, not extra capacity.
Daza

[Guest 112233]

Thank you: Jon this is a facinating tool for analytical useage.

Anyone who has not yet had a go at using this facility - Give it a try - It does not replace OP's analysis but may actually increase its value.

A great find.

CAT III

[GayFriendly]

Great news! Never thought I would see EZY launch an all year round route from BHX, way to go :ok: I will be making a booking as soon as tickets are available on Mon, Belfast is great for a night out

Perhaps this is a testing of waters in view of the fact that the future of WW is looking extremely shaky, I have always thought that EZY would be a fantastic addition to the roster of airlines at BHX and there are quite a few WW routes (and non!) that would easily fit into their network should WW cease to operate.....I am probably making 2+2=5 but it would be great to see more orange tails at BHX (ideally in addition to babys)

[GayFriendly]

FR to launch Warsaw Modlin from EMA in Oct and TOM has announced the 787 will take over EMA-SFB and EMA-CUN next year....so what is happening to long haul TOM routes from BHX I wonder?

[Skipness One Echo]

Interesting strategic move as up until now, BE and EZY have steered clear. EZY are also going onto IOM-LGW. Perhaps they feel an opportunity?

[crewmeal]

Flybe BHX-BHD is very well established and is operated up to 7 times a day during the summer.

Flybe of course will fly to the harbour airport BHD, while I suspect Easy will use International BFS.

[chinapattern]

TOM has announced the 787 will take over EMA-SFB and EMA-CUN next year....so what is happening to long haul TOM routes from BHX I wonder?

Perhaps they're playing safe to start with and picking the bases with longer runways? Either way, not a good sign that the only airline at BHX who have ordered the plane many believe to be it's saving grace have chose to base it somewhere else! I guess long haul with be staying 767's for a while longer. Out of interest how many 787's are TOM expected to receive next year?

[ATNotts]

So, EMA gets 787 operations before BHX. What are the implications? Very little I suggest.

Comparing the 787 with the 763, so far as I can see the seating capacity is little different, and I honestly doubt your average bucket and spade passenger would care whether they were being loaded on to a 767, 787, or for that matter 707 - so long as it gets them to their 2 weeks in the sun. You only have to look at the number duped into flying on that instantly forgetable mob that were used by Olympic Holidays last summer from BHX.

Surely from an enthusiasts basis it's a new (soon to be come very common) type and lots of new reggies to spot - but apart from that, frankly, no big deal.

I don't know, but I suspect that BHX will have a 763 based throughout the summer of 2013 operating to long and medium haul destinations. EMA I suspect may not, so their long haul ops may be on a 787 that positions in and out to operate the SFB and CUN.

I'd say, wait until the BHX runway extension is completed and see the balance of power, long haul ITX wise, gravitate westwards!

[ATNotts]

Interesting that, if as is being assumed, EZY are moving on this route because Baby are allegedly shaky, they have not announced a simlar route to EMA?

Does that give a hint as to which of the majors might being diving in at BHX, should the worst happen with Baby?

[FQTLSteve]

It's good news to see that EZY are introducing a new route to BHX. But I'm not sure it is the first all year service. If my memory serves me well I'm sure the GVA-BHX winter service was operated through the summer only 3/4 years ago, can anyone confirm this, I'm very sure that they did?

[kasuga]

Strong rumour :ooh: doing the rounds at BHX is that TCX may move their op to EMA at the end of the summer ??

Also TOM may be changing handling agents at BHX :confused:

[GayFriendly]

I'd say, wait until the BHX runway extension is completed and see the balance of power, long haul ITX wise, gravitate westwards!


I think that this could be (assuming the long haul IT market stays fairly resilient) where the BHX runway extension comes into its own. Someone pointed out on another thread that the 787 can't operate non stop with a full load from BHX on present runway length. Hopefully it is a case that TOM will introduce it when it will be worth doing so - interesting to see that BRS is also not going to see the 787 for a while, another runway restricted airport.


But I'm not sure it is the first all year service. If my memory serves me well I'm sure the GVA-BHX winter service was operated through the summer only 3/4 years ago


Yes I think you're right it certainly operated for a couple of summers, daily I think? Perhaps a freudian slip on the part of the EZY PR team indicating that BHX-GVA was never intended to be a permanent year round operation when it started?!


Does that give a hint as to which of the majors might being diving in at BHX, should the worst happen with Baby?


I sincerely hope so if the worst does happen. Interesting to see on the LPL thread that both FR and EZY are making cuts there this summer allegedly in favour of MAN, is the wheel turning full circle? I think that given the right deal back in the day EZY would have plumped for BHX over EMA, it was all down to cost and the need to offer £1 flights, with those days gone thanks to APD, fuel costs etc perhaps BHX is now in with a chance with EZY?

[OltonPete]

JonEMA - Cheers for the link, I have e-mailed them to see if they can save me some time.

GayFriendly - Ryanair Modlin was a shock, definitely expecting BHX.

I flew easyjet (Swiss) GVA - BHX one August and it was originally listed as daily but it did drop to four weekly and was packed but still a decent service provided, so Belfast is not the first all-year-round route.

Would loved to have been in on the meeting when BFS-BHX was decided

BHX-FRA Still showing as BMI through next winter but I assume will change in due course

kasuga

Well EMA can't keep two aircraft occupied in winter in a market now even more swamped with the likes of Jet2 etc so putting BHX's aircraft there as well seems like madness. However you only have to look at Thomas Cook's financials to show that any crazy idea is possible.

Even if BMI Baby was closed it would hardly help Thomas Cook in winter but consolidating on one Midlands airport might make financial sense as long as you choose the right airport.

Closing BHX and not increasing EMA by much might be an option but you risk just handing the competition the year-round market.

Swiss - Drops to two daily from Monday until 7 May but then the afternoon operates off and on until 15 June. This has happened at least once before in the past and again it was the lunchtime service that was affected. However this is an improvement as the whole period between 23/4 and 15/6 was affected originally.

Pete

[ATNotts]

kasuga

For the life of me I cannot see why TCX would pull out of BHX to EMA, or for that matter why TCX would abandon EMA for BHX.

Thomas Cook are a tour operator that simply couldn't afford to dump either airport and leave the market to the other big player - TUI (in the guise of Thomson). Tour operators these days market flying with their own in-house airline as a plus point for booking with them, so even if TCX were to remove their base at BHX they would maintain a very large presence at the airport, operating as "W" patters, perhaps from EMA - still, myself, I think the clue is in the word "rumour" on this one.

[groundhogbhx]

Why would TOM be changing handling agent? There is plenty of time to run on the contract and they are more than happy with the service they get. I seem to remember this one starting up last time the contract was up for renewal stating that they were changing then and nothing was further from the truth. More wishful thinking?

[OltonPete]

ATNotts

Totally agree, the only way I could see it happening is if they bought seats for their packages from Monarch schedule during the winter (a lot of overlap other than Banjul & Egypt) but this would be a risky strategy to do it wholesale, as pax might book it themselves with ZB next time round .

One or two flights and it might be worthwhile if it meant that they cut a few aircraft here and there but who knows what TC are thinking at the moment.

Pete

[EI-BUD]

Easyjet is in a good position to expand. If bmibaby disappear Easyjet would be ideally placed to fill their shoes at Birmingham. Easyjet likely to recognise the uncertainty that exists around the Midlands in the last few weeks especially since the news of the number of bmi lay offs came out.

[justplanecrazy84]

Recently booked a holiday through Thomas Cook and fly out from BHX Saturday the 15th of September. On the paper work i noticed that i'll be flying with monarch and not TCX themselves is this normal? as i've always flew on TCX aircraft when i've booked in the past.

[nigel osborne]

Justplanecrazy.

The Thomas Cook brochure used to show a lot of its flights subcontracted to other carriers. This happened few years back for us to Rhodes.

Nigel

[ib26uk]

easyJet - BHX/BFS - Anybody know the flight times?

This is great news as I have to be in Belfast in November so this has come at a great time for me - also as much as I love flybe - It will make for a change

[Jonnyf]

MON-FRI

Depart BHX at 8:40 and 19:20 for BFS

SAT

Depart BHX at 8:40 for BFS

SUN

Depart 18:00 for BFS

Belfast times

MON-FRI

Depart BFS at 7:10 and 17:50 for BHX

SAT

Depart BFS at 7:10 for BHX

SUN

Depart BFS at 16:30 for BHX

Flight Time 1hr 10 min


Departs

[birmingham]

The biggest impediment to Birmingham's development in the foreseeable future is the shocking performance of the new combined search area and on the way back the UK Border Agency. I've used BHX for 20 years and have always preferred it to heading South but lately it has been atrocious. I'm serious, you would need to look at the place with very rose tinted glasses to have anything good to say about the place. Unfortunately responding to criticism in BHX's case means explaining to you why you are wrong and they are right.

[Coconutty]

You would need to look at the place with very rose tinted glassesAt around 20:30 Hrs this evening, put those specs to one side,
and watch the light display from the new BHX Tower,
marking completion of the first phase of the works,
complete with "Olympic Rings" :ok:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/coconut11/BHXOlympicTower.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/coconut11/Coconutty.jpg

[nigel osborne]

Can someone please explain, why there is all this Olympic fanfare at BHX, when there are no events in Birmingham and no known charters for it either to BHX ?.

Could fully understand the Olympic gateway airports LHR,STN,LGW,LTN who are getting all the flights and visitors , justifiably throwing such an event.


Find it all a bit embarrassing,like we are gatecrashing a party we were never invited too ? :O

Nigel

[Flying Wild]

Both the USA and Jamaica are conducting training camps in Birmingham. I'd also heard that a certain 747 might be flying in to BHX during the games.

[justplanecrazy84]

A certain 747??? :)

[Suzeman]

Can someone please explain, why there is all this Olympic fanfare at BHX, when there are no events in Birmingham

But there is Olympic Football in nearby Coventry :8

but then I guess all the fans will fly in there rather than BHX :E

[JSCL]

Will someone care to clarify that just because the Olympics are in London, Birmingham can't celebrate them? Allow me to break the news, it's a country-wide event (sort of) - it's not just about London :)

I have a feeling it's this kind of attitude that will mean the Olympics will just pass us by and most people who aren't in/around London will forget it ever happened.

[Suzeman]

Very interesting story

Birmingham Airport boss says Heathrow runway claims ‘a con’ : Birmingham Airport News Stories (http://www.uk-airport-news.info/birmingham-airport-news-230412.html)

23.04.12

Claims Britain's economy requires new runways in the south-east are a ‘con’ that an industry dominated by BAA will not question, according to the boss of Birmingham Airport. Paul Kehoe said that at the same time as Heathrow's owner BAA is claiming that the lucrative Chinese market only wanted to fly to the west London airport, he was in Chengdu talking to Chinese airlines that were happy to consider any entry point into the UK.

BAA said last week that foreign airlines were ‘ready to vote with their feet and base new flights outside of the UK because of a lack of Government policy supporting aviation’, highlighting a survey showing that 86% would put on more flights to the UK if additional take-off and landing slots were available at Heathrow. However, Mr Kehoe said his experience at a conference in China last week was that ‘taxes and visas are a problem, but the Chinese said they would be happy to come to Birmingham: they see the UK as an important market and don't care how they get here.'

He also took issue with Heathrow's claim to be a unique ‘hub’ airport, one that can provide routes due to the volume of connecting traffic. He said: ‘Only 30% of its traffic connects. It is just a very big, successful airport. Is it positioned to be a world hub? For US traffic yes, for Europe going east and everyone else, no. A con is being perpetrated and it's time we held BAA to account. Even if there was a third runway, where is runway four? Where is the extra capacity you say Britain needs?’

He said few airport executives would speak out because they were either owned by or linked to BAA, or rely on British Airways, whose interests at Heathrow are closely connected.

[Skipness One Echo]

He said: ‘Only 30% of its traffic connects. It is just a very big, successful airport. Is it positioned to be a world hub? For US traffic yes, for Europe going east and everyone else, no. A con is being perpetrated and it's time we held BAA to account. Even if there was a third runway, where is runway four? Where is the extra capacity you say Britain needs?’

That's 30% of traffic at risk if connectivity withers then. Ever wondered how LON-NYC is so cheap, well it's because 30% of traffic is connecting and driving capacity up and price down. Europe - US is a market worth being in, London is on the Greenwich Meridian, between the US and Europe. It's a market worth being in, stating the obvious here but worth mentioning.
London isn't a feed on Europe going East as much as it was due to the rise of the ME carriers in the Sand Pit. His last point sounds post pub. I wonder how much this commercial genius is on?

[groundhogbhx]

Did anyone else see the fireworks display that went with lighting up the Olympic rings?

Don't worry you didn't miss anything and the rings are in white instead of their proper colours. If any of my hard earned money has been spent on that I want my money back, it was PATHETIC!!:mad:

[Monty Gordo]

Thank you for pointing out that you are not one of the 'little Englanders'. I agree with you entirely, there is every reason for Birmingham and its airport to celebrate the Olympic Games. Remember, Birmingham itself unsuccessfully but bravely tried to host these very same games some 20 years ago.

Birmingham is a major city with an international reputation, it is right and fitting that it should recognise what will be the biggest sporting even not only in this country but the entire world in 2012.

And for those who moan that the rings are only in white; we are in a period of austerity, white is good enough for me and I am sure most other right-minded people.

Having said all that I do hope both the US and Jamaican squads do either fly in directly to BHX or at least their presence in the city is recognised by some form of air traffic.

As to a certain 747, this would in any case be a closely guarded secret but it has been here before and could come again...

Some of you on here can't help but knock, look at the bigger picture please....

[Invicta DC4]

The Olympic Rings are the exclusive property of the IOC, so displaying them in their correct colours needs authority from the IOC. This apparently, has caused problems elsewhere around the country.

[nigel osborne]

justplanecrazy.

You sure about that 747..now ??

Nigel

[OltonPete]

As usual the monthly passenger figures from the CAA with load factors and average pax estimated from libhomeradar (although with flybe it was haywire in March so guess work), a BHX blog and planespotters.net for configurations.

Remember some flights only started at the end of the month and inbound loads would have been light. Lyon went out with a 74% load factor, the long-haul flights recovered load factor wise although most slightly down on 2011 and TK continues to soar up 116%.

Cities up DUS +11, CDG +13, HAM +19, HAJ +18, MUC +20, STR +17, ORK +16, NOC +19, SNN +17, AMS +8, GVA +14. Some had bigger aircraft but hardly any with frequency increases.

BRUSSELS....... 9983... 43 pax. 49%
LARNACA........ 3258... 181 pax. 85%
PAPHOS..........474....119 PAX 55%
PRAGUE......... .4195.... 117pax. 78%
COPENHAGEN..7194... 71 pax. 60%
CHAMBERY....... 1106... 60 pax. 76%
GRENOBLE....... 1624... ..97 pax. 62%
LYON............... 2726... 37 pax.. 74%
MONTPELLIER....309...77 PAX 41%
NICE..............2533...115 PAX..77%
PARIS CDG...... 30428... 88 pax. 75%
DUSSELDORF....16069.. 47 pax. 55%
FRANKFURT ....21827.. 89 pax. 59%
HAMBURG........ 1827... 44 pax. 56%
HANOVER........ 4230... 50 pax. 66%
MUNICH......... 14145... 77 pax. 67%
NIEDERRHEIN.... 0
STUTTGART......3091... 35 pax. 45%
BUDAPEST.........500.....125 PAX.66%
CORK........... ....6864... 55 pax. 77%
DUBLIN......... 49038.. 123 pax. 68%
KNOCK............ 3563... 105 pax. 70%
SHANNON........ 2917... 47 pax. 65%
WATERFORD.....293....21 PAX..27%
MILAN MXP...... 2715... 48 pax. 48%
ROME FCO.......1299..108 PAX..65%
VENICE............754....94 PAX..54%
KAUNAS......... 2492... 156 pax. 82%
MALTA........... 2744 ... 152 pax. 81%
AMSTERDAM.....40531.. 98 pax. 75%
ISLAMABAD......10287...302 pax 86%
BYDGOSZCZ...... 4458... 159 pax. 84%
GDANSK......... 2808..... 153 pax. 83%
KATOWICE....... 2855... 143 pax. 76%
RZESZOW........ 2752... 152 pax. 81%
FARO........... ..8459.... 176 pax. 87%
LISBON..........217....108 PAX 73%
BRATISLAVA..... 4371...156 pax 83%
ALICANTE....... 17643.. 176pax.. 92%
ALMERIA...........585..146 PAX..68%
BARCELONA.......304...76 PAX..51%
GERONA......... ..3060.. 139 pax 74%
IBIZA...............330....55 PAX..29%
MALAGA......... 16624.. 166 pax 87%
MURCIA..........1102..110 PAX..61%
PALMA............2282..114 PAX..61%
REUS............... 484...81 PAX..42%
ARRECIFE....... 8022... 174 pax 87%
FUERTEVENTURA..4613..165 pax 83%
LAS PALMAS..... 3840... 148 pax 74%
TENERIFE....... 15156.. 180 pax 88%
GOTEBORG....... 1202.... 24 pax 53%
GENEVA......... 12787.. 125 pax 81%
ZURICH......... 12787.. 66 pax 66%
DALAMAN.........456.114 PAX.53%
ISTANBUL....... 4240... 121 pax 71%
ASHKHABAD.....5155... 152 pax 82%
DUBAI.......... ...45531.. 367 pax 87%
NEW YORK EWR..7644..141 pax 84%

Pete

[justplanecrazy84]

Nigel.

It wasn't that i didn't believe it, i just wanted to know what 747 and now i have an idea what 747 has anyone got anymore info??

[BHX5DME]

27 April 2012
Claims by BAA that Heathrow Airport is the only answer to forging new air links with China have been further dismissed by Birmingham Airport following a successful visit to the Far East for talks with a number of airlines.
During a three day visit to the Chinese city of Chengdu for the Routes Asia conference, the Airport’s management team, led by its CEO, Paul Kehoe, spoke to airlines about the market potential, particularly highlighting the level of trade between this region and cities across Asia and the demand for direct flights.
There is also a great cultural link between China and this part of the UK and the city of Birmingham has a twin status with the city of Guangzhou in Southern China.
Commenting on the visit, Paul Kehoe, the Airport’s CEO, said: “We hear so much from BAA about the UK losing lucrative new routes because of the capacity constraints at Heathrow but the South East isn’t the only solution. Our runway extension will allow aircraft to fly direct from China, bringing investment to the region, and giving airlines and passengers an alternative to battling with London’s congestion problems.
“We now need the UK Government to endorse Birmingham Airport, when it releases its Aviation Policy Review later this year, as a national airport that can offer a rapid and cost effective solution to the aviation gap.”
Routes Asia 2012 is a major networking event designed to bring airlines and airports together. Birmingham Airport had the largest Airport stand at the event and demonstrated strong trading links with China by showing a film about the partnership between the Airport and MG Motors a company owned by Shanghai Automotive.
MG Motor’s MD, William Wang, recently supported a Birmingham-Shanghai route, stating there was serious need for direct flights between Birmingham and Shanghai for business passengers, the Chinese community living in the West Midlands region and the thousands of students that come to Birmingham each year from China to study.
Since 2003, after London, Birmingham has attracted more Chinese investment projects than any other UK city, receiving £76.59m in capital investment and creating 596 jobs during this period. In 2010, Birmingham received £8.68m in capital investment from China.
Paul Kehoe continued, “Birmingham Airport currently handles nine million passengers a year but can take double this number today with its current infrastructure. With the runway extension, this will progressively grow to 36m by the year 2030.
“Our runway extension is already under construction and will be complete early in 2014. The UK Government has said there will be no additional runway capacity for flights into London; it is therefore critical for airports such as Birmingham to deliver direct long haul flights and this kind of positive commercial discussion paves the way for that to happen. With more direct flights regional airports will play an important part in rebalancing the UK economy and allowing the Midlands to benefit from trade links to emerging markets like China.”

[Serenity]

Not just LHR that has links to China and the Far East, LGW has China Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, Vietnam Airlines and others coming soon!
BHX may like these connections and I don't deny that there may be potential, but the London area still has the focus from abroad first.

[OltonPete]

Released today with very little news although Chambery is not mentioned from BHX.

Most frequencies on domestics are maintained such as four daily Aberdeen, seven daily Belfast City and 6/7 EDI & GLA.

The usual reduction in Hanover with the morning service just Wed & Thu and Hamburg five a week but of course on the 175 along with double daily STR.

One usual winter reduction that is not happening is the Milan, it stays daily in November (nothing to do with ZB?). Also Monday - Saturday it is the 175 and this aircraft comes from the afternoon DUS which surprisingly is now showing as the 195!

GLA in the week is all jet with 175 visiting some days at lunchtime (195 Mon/Fri with the newly based GLA 175 coming in on Tue-Thu).

EDI also get at least one E175 based in the winter but operating SOU.

The BHX base seems to remain as 3 x 195's, 2 x 175's and 4/5 x Q400.

Waterford is four weekly in the winter - M/W/F/Su.

Pete

[justplanecrazy84]

If /when Bhx does start serving direct flights to asia, what airline would it most likely be covering those flights?

[Daza]

In light of Flybe planning services from EMA does anyone believe that Flybe may expand their route network from Birmingham? WW routes to BCN, LIS, NCE, GVA, NOC could work with smaller BE aircraft with increased frequency. Flybe seem to have little interest in expansion at Birmingham only adding one new route for many years.:(

[scott737]

Daza

My view is that it's all about risk. I should imagine Flybe think there is little chance of Baby continuing at EMA and so are effectively staking a claim at some of their 'preferred' routes, which appeal to both business and leisure traffic, with no direct competition (assuming Baby folds). BHX is, of course, entirely different. Baby routes at BHX for which there is no competition (those you mention, excluding GVA) offer greater risk, with the exception perhaps of NOC (and even that has Ryanair at EMA). I can't see Flybe desiring to take on the likes of LIS and BCN which I think would be new destinations for them when there's easier pickings at a nearby airport instead.

I'd have thought that BCN certainly would have been a natural addition to ZB and perhaps LIS too.

As with you, I sincerely hope a buyer for Baby will be found so all of this remains simply talk.

Scott

[ATNotts]

Daza

Flybe has waded in to the EMA market and will surely be offering a proper daily business service on the routes between EMA and Scotland, Amsterdam and Paris.

The routes you have mentioned are all essentially leisure routes, currently operated on a less than daily basis (I suppose that BCN could be deemed a business route but given the state of the Spanish economy at the moment whether a daily service could make money is open to discussion). Flybe's business model these days is more scheduled business and leisure based.

It would be great if Flybe did take on some or all of these routes, but I doubt they will consider it until the fate of BMI Baby is resolved.

[getonittt]

WW routes to BCN, LIS, NCE, GVA, NOC could work with smaller BE aircraft

They might do , but if they plan to cherry pick the best 2 routes WW have (AMS & NCE) as well as BCN and work it into their plans for W12/S13 don't you think they will be overtrumped by another player? :hmm:

[GayFriendly]

Canny old EMA, well done to them for striking a deal with BE and finding a replacement routes that could be lost if WW shuts down. Like AT Notts, I would doubt that BE will take on any WW routes from BHX, concentrating instead on much easier business pickings at EMA, an airport where there is a gap in the market for the kind of high frequency business/hub routes they specialise in. BHX already has these services, operated in the main by legacy carriers. The routes that would be vacated by WW are in the main low frequency leisure which for reasons I cannot fathom never seem to do well at BHX.

So, in the (sadly) ever increasingly likely scenario that WW is shut down in October, i'm afraid as it stands I don't see any obvious candidates for their routes - LIS, NCE, BCN, PRG and NOC I think are the only ones WW operate exclusively from BHX and will therefore more than likely be lost - but being positive, BE do fly to NCE from SOU and NOC from EDI and LBA. NCE also seems to do well on load factors from BHX. And BE did step onto WAT pretty quickly when that went vacant. ZB who have been in expansion mood at BHX maybe for BCN and LIS? Of course it would be so very nice if EZY stepped ito the breach but IMO I think that is unlikely.

What worries me is that PK and his team seem so utterly focused on the runway extension and getting a long haul route to China that the bread and butter of short haul will yet again take a hit at BHX with the loss of another carrier (not BHX's fault I know) and no one in the wings to take over lost routes and pax - unlike EMA who already seem already well prepared for the sadly seemingly inevitable.

[andy mach 1]

BE picked up MAN-NOC after WW pulled out, possibly look at ex BHX?

[OltonPete]

Quite a week

Lufthansa started Hamburg today double daily.

Aer Lingus increased Cork to three daily today (Mo/Wed/Fr) and yesterday
they started their first BHX - DUB adding to the three daily mainline service

Air Transat returned albeit the A310 for 3 weeks before the A330 takes over

Yesterday saw the first ever scheduled service to BHX - Heraklion, which was operated by Monarch and they also started their two a week Dubrovnik. Bodrum started today earlier than last year and increased from two to three a week.

Thomson sprung a surprise of sorts with the 4th aircraft arriving Tuesday and it was the 757 and not the 738. The latter is due June making it the 5th short-haul based aircraft.

flybe start Almeria Sunday week on behalf of Airtours which was one addition that slipped past me.

Charter flights will still be down due to the lack of Skywings and the Olympic Holidays schedule all on Thomson or Monarch until the 30th May.

BMI Baby

Very sad if this is indeed the end and if it is, Amsterdam is one route I expect to be filled quickly. Remember Aer Lingus Regional had flight numbers for Knock this summer before switching the aircraft to the above mentioned Dublin.

My thoughts are with the Baby employees and passengers and hope that IAG do the decent thing for all concerned and at least maintain the schedule (if possible) to the end of September.

Pete

[GayFriendly]

TOM have flights bookable BHX-RAK next summer weekly on Thursdays starting 2/5/13, 1755 out, arrive back 0215 TOM262/263. I know this route was canned after being on sale for a short time this year but they must think there is demand to have it bookable again for next year. Lets hope it lasts this time! Catania still in drop down list but no flights listed or bookable. It would also seem that there are no flights to the Dom Rep from BHX, surely this must be the first time in quite a few years that this destination is not available from BHX?

On a slight tangent, I remember Havana being advertised as a TOM destination from BHX maybe in 2010 or 2011? Did these flights ever operate I never remember seeing anything more about them apart from an advert? There is no mention of Havana from any UK airport in the current TOM timetable. I think Cuba (Varadero) could be a destination on the cards from BHX once the runway extension is finished.

[Cazza_fly]

My thoughts are with the Baby employees and passengers and hope that IAG do the decent thing for all concerned and at least maintain the schedule (if possible) to the end of September.



All bmibaby (and bmi for that matter) flights will operate the full summer 2012 schedule. This brings into it all flights until the 31st October 2012. After this, things are still ofcourse unplanned...

[OltonPete]

GF

I seemed to have forgot to post the Thomson 2013 summer schedule!

Yes RAK is back and should operate.

There are some other slight changes, Pula goes twice weekly and seems to have taken the Verona slot on Saturday. FUE is added on Saturday afternoon but making all five aircraft out to late evening yet Girona goes early evening so I expect some changes.

Sunday sees NBE on Thomson metal which means Malaga is displaced and is shown as operated by Monarch.

Hurghada operates next summer on a Monday and a Dalaman is added Tuesday evening

Long-haul - MBJ, CUN and SFB which is the same as now.

I agree Cuba could or should be one for the future.

I think there have been some winter changes with some days just two aircraft operating. Monday SSH has become Hurghada but SSH does operate Thu, Fri and Sat. Luxor I am sure was bookable and is still in the drop-down but I suppose one can understand that one not coming back just yet!



Pete

[groundhogbhx]

Should be 4x75 and 2x73 for S13

[oceanhawk]

Summer 2013 should see another 738 added to Bhx at the expense of a 757. So i think you should see 3 x 757 , 2 x 737-800 and a 763 for part of the week doing long haul.
On a seperate note, East Midlands will be all 738 from next summer onwards and Newcastle will also be seeing more 737 's too.

[FQTLSteve]

Monarch have announced 2 new services from BHX with immediate effect both 2x weekly to Dubrovnik & Heraklion. They will also operate these new services from LGW at x3 and x2 respectively. Good news for BHX it seems Monarch are investing.:O

[Keyvon]

Monarch have announced these routes to DBV and HER months ago, along with Milan, Venice, Rome that have already begun operating by the end of March.

[GayFriendly]

So it would seem official, BBC News and the Baby thread reporting that Baby will cease all flights in Sept, from June all BHD flights plus BHX-NOC and BHX-AMS and a whole host from EMA are canned due to a/c leases expiring. The vultures are already cherry picking routes, so even if a buyer is found at the eleventh hour, how will the airline carry on? Confidence in them after this announcement will be shattered. So, following on from the BE news yesterday, ZB are now ramping up frequencies on BHX-AGP, PMI, FCO, ALC and introducing BCN. Also opening new base at EMA to serve WW bucket and spade routes.

Commercially speaking EMA has done very well out of this as an airport with two new based carriers in two days both of which enrich its airline portfolio. BHX am sure will see some more ZB expansion on the back of this and surely now this is finally the open door needed for EZY to step in/take over other former WW routes? This is a snippet from the ZB press release announcing the new base:

Monarch managing director Kevin George said: "In light of recent industry
changes, opportunities have opened up in the market. It has become clear that
the Midlands will be underserved as a region in the future, and that there is a
lack of quality carriers to serve customers travelling from the area.

"As
an airline with over 40 years heritage and a stronghold in the Midlands already,
the expansion of our existing services from Birmingham and the launch of
operations from East Midlands makes perfect sense for Monarch, and accelerates
the strategy we announced last year to focus on the development of our scheduled
operations into key leisure destinations across the Mediterranean, the Canaries
and North Africa."

Speaking personally, I am gutted that this has happened and my full sympathies go out to all the hard working Baby staff, I have had nothing but excellent service and flights from them and it is very sad to see the once illustrious British Midland/BMI name disappear. IMO it would seem to me as an outsider that they have been well and truly shafted. Good luck one and all and I will make sure that I get one last flight with you guys over the summer. A very sad day indeed :(

[bazzab68]

All

After WW impending demise.. Will we see Easyjet move in? After the announcement of BFS I can see them launching away based a/c from a number of routes and eventually, possible in time for summer 2013 a base.

I can also see Aer Lingus regional changing the mid morning Dub to Noc ASAP especially as this is what it was destined to be before WW ramped up Noc flights.

Good to see ZB expanding and taking BCN over and ramping flights up on Med routes..

Good luck to all WW employees.

And over the coming days n weeks we see the bhx marketing team doing some work on replacing WW at bhx

Regards

Barry

[Centre cities]

It appears that the only major routes not covered at Birmingham are Lisbon, Prague and Knock.

It will be no suprise if the gap in the EI Shannon flights changes from Dublin to Knock.

Easy have already announced Belfast.

Monarch have announced Barcelona

That leaves Lisbon and Prague (possibly Ryanair).

Amsterdam could be left with KLM unless Flybe give it a go.

A sad situation with Baby.

Centre cities

[hammerb32]

Really sad news re Baby, used them on a few occasions and always had a good experience, hopefuly some expansion from flyBE, Monarch and dare we dream of Easy will open up some opportunities for those affected

[Jonnyf]

Knock, Lisbon, Nice, Prague Will be unversed When Baby closes. Hopefully get these filled quickly.

Lets Hope Easy step in or further Monarch but doubt much with aircraft availability.

Barcelona now with Monarch so least this gap has been filled quickly

Could see Amsterdam being done by EZY and Nice which is a new EZY base.

Could see Lisbon on a Flybe 195 few rotations a week but not seen much from Flybe for a good while except Waterford.

Most likely Aer Lingus Regional will move the extra Dub rotation to NOC.

[GayFriendly]

Agree with all the aforementioned route suggestions (come on EI move that ATR to NOC!) but think that PRG and LIS could potentially remain unserved. FR did serve PRG from BHX but had a spat with charges and haven't come back on the route. Wizz have a base there but thats wishful thinking

NCE could be an EZY contender being a base? LIS is a new EZY base too.......could this be a chance for that route. I hope and pray that the BHX marketing team are very hard at work courting EZY as I don't see all the gaps being filled by others at the moment. If they don't come, well there will be more unhealthy gaps in the BHX short haul network just when it was beginning to look a bit more patched up. With the unrelated to WW losses of LYS and GOT thats quite a few routes (and more importantly) pax gone.

The other thing to come out of this which could be seen to be worrying long term is that BHX now shares all its scheduled based operators with EMA, not just FR - I hope this doesn't mean a thin spreading and rationalisation of routes across the two which to a certain extent has happened with FR. On key routes there is solid demand for flights from both, its the more leisure orientated ones that could be a problem (am thinking BE French regional routes that could be cheaper to operate from EMA?) It is of course no coincidence that BE, ZB and now FR have significant ops at MAN who own EMA through MAG....this must mean landing fee deals at EMA?

[Jonnyf]

Easyjet is also now the only Scheduled carrier to Geneva in W12. Could we see capacity increase from them or could we see a new carrier operating through the winter to Geneva as competition? A very popular winter destination.

[chinapattern]

What have the loads for LIS and PRG been like? Really hope someone picks NCE up, have flown it a few times and the loads have always been excellent. I agree that EZY is the most likely candidate but could AF be interested in expanding their new base?

I hope that the BHX team are doing all they can to get some carriers on these routes; forget about China for a while and start being a bit more realistic. Would love to see EZY step in now and launch NCE, LIS, PRG, AMS and perhaps MAD aswell?

[GayFriendly]

forget about China for a while and start being a bit more realistic


Hear Hear!! :D Not that BHX shouldn't have lofty ambitions but taking your eye off the daily bread and butter (especially when one of your based carriers goes belly up) at the expense of spending millions trying (desperately?) to attract a weekly A340 with Chinese writing down the side is madness. If they are not in positive talks with EZY right now, as well as already based BE, ZB and FR then shame on them. EMA has bounced back almost immediately in terms of routes at least - at BHX apart from ZB taking on BCN nothing has happened.....yet?

LIS, NCE, PRG therefore outstanding at the mo with AMS left to KL (who might increase rotations?) and NOC hopefully to be picked up by EI Regional (many on the NOC thread see that as a certainty)

[GayFriendly]

and now Jet2 announce eight new routes from EMA (albeit nothing that isn't available from BHX apart from NCE at the mo) and one additional based a/c in Summer 2013, I can't keep up! 5 new based a/c and two new based airlines in the space of as many days. EZY conspicuous by their absence. Come on BHX!


EMA to Dubrovnik, Menorca, Nice, Ibiza, Larnaca and Gran Canaria and ski routes to Chambery and Geneva

[Mr Airtours]

Looks like we will be busy at EMA, long time coming. Nice to see Monarch will be finally here, along with a bigger Flybe operation, oh and more Jet2 :D I hope BmiBaby staff will find new jobs at EMA :ok:

[OltonPete]

The 10.00am ATR72 Dublin service has already been withdrawn from GDS and the Aer Lingus booking engine. It ends Friday 8 June.

I suspect Knock will be in as quick as the IT department can manage it.

Per the Monarch thread Tuesday next week has been mooted for the more route announcements.

It does seem to be an opportunity for easyjet but I suppose they can't just magic aircraft from nowhere but Belfast brought forward would be a start. However if they are interested in BHX the 2nd week in September might be possible.

Pete

[chinapattern]

Per the Monarch thread Tuesday next week has been mooted for the more route announcements.

I wonder if these the new planned winter destinations? Have heard rumours of Madeira being launched from BHX. What I'd like to know is where the extra aircraft are coming from; BHX will be getting another x2 frames. I wonder if the planned retirement of the A300's, 757's and the one A320 could be delayed yet again? Of perhaps they'll pick up the rest of the ex TOM/First Choice airbus fleet.

[Jonnyf]

LIS and PRG load factors have been in the high 70%'s low 80%s.

[AirGuru]

ChinaPattern, i also raised the same query in the MON thread a few days ago. The new base at EMA is 1 AC, and they are also operating flights on behalf of TOM at LBA next summer, along with the BHX increases. So to be honest, i dont know where the aircraft will be coming from ?
It has been rumoured that the potential contenders for MON are BHX, LBA, EMA and CWL.

[Jonnyf]

Cosmos website showing new routes from Birmingham

BHX-Funchal 2 x weekly starting October 15: ZB 982
BHX-Grenoble 3 x weekly starting December 15: ZB 5418
BHX-Munich 4 x weekly starting September 21: ZB 5464 [2 x weekly September + October]
BHX-Sharm El Sheik 2 x Weekly starting October 18: ZB 472