BIRMINGHAM - 6

[gilesdavies]

I have a horrible feeling the LTN-CPH route will all end in tears...

When easyJet and Ryanair compete like this on a route, it nothing ever ends well.

We will probably see easyJet throw the towel in, no longer willing to see their profits on the route erroded. Then once this happens, Ryanair will drop back to like twice daily and move it across the road to Stansted.

Then while this all happens, airlines like SAS will have cut the BHX route back to the bone!

I have heard rumours both airlines get extremely good discounts from CPH because it is considered a brand new route for the airport, as Luton hasn't seen a CPH connection in years. While the other London airports have all served the route in recent years and the discount cannot be offered.

If both airlines are getting heavy discounts on the route, when this ends. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

[getonittt]

Then while this all happens, airlines like SAS will have cut the BHX route back to the bone!


This happens all the time , CPH-BHX is predominantly a business route and the service will fluctuate during holiday periods . While the LTN-CPH battle may have an effect on the casual traveller ,companies are not going to send their employees down the M1 to save a few quid . As it is now BHX's only link to Scandinavia and flown with a star alliance member with all the connections and rewards to business travellers it will be fine .

[Daza]

July figures for SK were down as the airline stopped operating the am service into Birmingham earlier this year than in 2014. The am flight recommenced earlier this year too. During the summer both services are operated by a mix of 319/320 aircraft. This coming winter with a mix of CR9 and Airbus aircraft.
Take a look at the fares ex BHX and you will see which airline is making money. You can fill 189 seats at a rock bottom price and make nothing. Crude passenger figures are interesting but don't give a full picture as to how a route is performing. For charter and Loco airlines maximum loads are essential. For legacy airlines revenue streams are totally different it's not so essential to fill every seat and are made more complex by business and flexible economy fares and of course connections to SK long-haul services.

Sample bookings
BHX-CPH SK Dep am Tue 1st Sep returning pm Thu 3rd Sep £388.14p
LUT-CPH EZY Dep am Tue 1st Sep returning pm Thu 3rd Sep £88.60P
LUT-CPH FR Dep am Tue 1st Sep returning pm Thu 3rd Sep £71.98p

BHX-CPH SK Dep am Mon 21st Sep returning pm Wed 23rd Sep £277.54p
LUT-CPH EZY Dep am Mon 21st Sep returning pm Wed 23rd Sep £42.60P
LUT-CPH FR Dep am Mon 21st Sep returning pm Wed 23rd Sep £34.98p

Of course SK also includes free check-in and a free 23kg baggage allowance. :)

This is not a Birmingham versus Luton post its obvious that EZY and FR are having a price war and fares are artificially low.
Daza

[Daza]

Flybe will increase Birmingham-Hanover to twice daily M-F for the winter. This adds to capacity increases on AMS (5), DUS (5), GLA (8), EDI (8), TXL, STR (3) and MXP(2) for this coming winter season. :ok:
(numbers in brackets are number of flights per day M-F). TXL sees increased weekend service.
Daza

[Fried_Chicken]

With the Rugby World Cup being held next month and the South African team being based at Birmingham Uni, will they fly into BHX or travel by scheduled flight to LHR and then by road to Birmingham?

FC

[insuindi]

"Flybe will increase Birmingham-Hanover to twice daily M-F for the winter"
--> It's even better: twice daily Sun-Fri, i.e. 13/7.

[Daza]

Great :ok: Missed that one. Maybe they plan to introduce a third daily HAJ like STR from March? The first Sunday HAJ is similar in times to the midday STR.
Daza

[ssflyer]

[With the Rugby World Cup being held next month and the South African team being based at Birmingham Uni, will they fly into BHX or travel by scheduled flight to LHR and then by road to Birmingham?]
and
as Japan are based at Warwick School will they be flying into Coventry or opening up Gaydon?
SS

[ssflyer]

Posts on flyertalk state that there have been two recent 2 class substitutions for the new 3 class flights already.
Thoughts/reasons anyone-high E loads or something else?
SS

[OltonPete]

ssflyer

Earlier in the month it was due to high outbound loads and later this month due to high inbound loads, as some schools in the Midlands return next Wednesday although some are 07/09.

It will be interesting to see the final figure for August, which to be honest is a great month to start an extra frequency but apparently the loads have been exceptional at times.

July Stats

The provisional CAA stats have been updated today with Berlin, Bordeaux, Dalaman and Islamabad added for International with Bratislava increased and Newquay revised on domestic to 4019, average 65 or 83%. Berlin averaged 67 or 76% and Bordeaux even better at 74 per flight 83%. I will post the full figures in the next day or so.

Pete

[ssflyer]

Thanks OP
Looking forward to the August stats.(after the July ones-of course)
SSF

[OltonPete]

Provisional monthly passengers figures from the CAA.

Average passengers per flight - own records, libhomeradar and a BHX Bl*g

Some routes have IT pax included and have not been calculated such the Canary Isles destinations, Malta and Dubrovnik.

Not a lot to say other than a good month. I suppose you would have expected the Air India and American to show higher figures for the month of July but United only lost a few hundred pax with AA starting.


Route.................2015.........2014.....Avg.........%
BRUSSELS..........13533........9652.......70........79%
TORONTO............3167........3134......317.......93%
DUBROVNIK..........5260........5060
SPLIT......................0........4031
LARNACA.............8822........8705......192.......96%
PAPHOS..............4840........3373.......186......90%
COPENHAGEN.......3941........6106........73.......81% Fewer flights
HURGHADA...............0........1400
SHARM EL S........6991........5262.......194.......91%
AVIGNON..............818......... 512........68.......77%
BASTIA...............515..............0........64.......73%
BERGERAC.......... 2110.........1518.......75.......86%
BIARRITZ.............609..............0.......76........81%
BORDEAUX..........2665.........2545.......74........84%
BREST.................784.........1126.......65 ........74%
DEAUVILLE..........1042.............0.......40.........50%
LA ROCHELLE.......1133.........758........57........ 68%
LYON.................4677.........4371.......75........86%
NICE..................4740........5504......139........ 84%
PARIS (CDG)......40008.......36281.....118........87% - very high
PERPIGNAN......... 2743.........3076.....171........ 91%
TOULOUSE...............0.........3814.
BERLIN (TEGEL)....4171.........3622......67.........76%
COLOGNE.................0.........2757
DUSSELDORF......19655.......16956......58.........65%
FRANKFURT........32580.......30042.....131........79%
HAMBURG............3164.........3228......59.........68%
HANOVER........... .3761........ 6103......59.........75%
MUNICH.............17460.......16593.....103.........84%
STUTTGART.........7017.........7138......65.........75%
GIBRALTAR...........3892.........4149.....150........86%
ATHENS...............2814.........2428.....156........89%
HERAKLION...........2603.........2521.....145........82%
PREVEZA..............1482..............0.....185........87%
KEFLAVIK.............2315.........1604......129.......68%
AMRITSAR............4370..............0..see Delhi
DELHI ..................6110........5984......169........66%
CORK...................7026........6663.......61........84%
DUBLIN..............59268........53517.....138........87%
KNOCK.....................0..........3305
SHANNON.............3106........4712.......58........80%
WATERFORD.........1022........2361........28.......57%
FLORENCE.................0........5227
MILAN MXP...........9648........9144.......78....... 88%
ROME (FCO)..........8472......11162......163.......86% - fewer flights
TRIESTE....................0........2595
VENICE................6921.........5859.....157.......82%
KAUNAS...............2819........3205......176.......93%
MALTA.................3511........2725
AMSTERDAM........52024.......45256.....97........ 86%
ISLAMABAD...........5799........6627....223........ 65%
BYDGOSZCZ..........4617.........5108...178.........94%
GDANSK................3189........3236....177........94%
KATOWICE............3199........2875....178........ 94%
KRAKOW...............3229........3282....179........ 95%
FARO..................21770......21650....176........ 87%
OPORTO....................0.........2585
FUNCHAL...............3232........2532...180.........86%
BRATISLAVA..........4670........5054....180........95%
ALICANTE............26279......31867....189........ 93%
ALMERIA....................0........4487
BARCELONA..........25429......17132....167........89% more flights
IBIZA....................8832......13270....167........87%
MADRID.................4375............0....168........90% Fantastic
MAHON.................6649........5469....175........83%
MALAGA..............35038....... 28777...180........ 90%
MURCIA................6099.........5862...179........ 95%
PALMA................23893....... 27554...185........ 91%
REUS........................0.........2357
ARRECIFE............15255.......13819
FUERTEVENTURA..10697.........8110
LAS PALMAS........10172.........7258
TENERIFE............19822.......21043
GOTEBORG................0 ..........1350
ZURICH...............8655...........9039....80........ 82% fewer flights
BODRUM..............4233............4517...151....... 83%
DALAMAN...........10390...........8972....168....... 86% like for like
ISTANBUL..........12252...........9950....116.......74% two extra flights a week
ASHKHABAD.........3074...........4254....118.......60% fewer flights
DUBAI...............45816..........42321....369.......86%
NEW YORK JFK.....7219.................0....120.......68%
NEW YORK EWR....8108............8350....131......77%

Domestic
Route................ 2015............2014....Avg Pax....%
ABERDEEN..........10878..........12549.......61.......78% fewer flights
Belfast City........25270..........24744.......69.......85%
Belfast Int.........11629...........12541.....145.......93% fewer flights
CITY OF DERRY.........0............5132
EDINBURGH........23277...........25851...... 63........76% - 7 cancellations
GLASGOW..........20370...........21832......57........71% - 5 cancellations
INVERNESS..........4304.............4741......69........89% fewer flights
ISLE OF MAN.......3973.............4143......57.........73%
GUERNSEY..........2966..............1970......see Jersey
JERSEY..............7932..............6817......60.........7 1% extra flights
NEWCASTLE.........672...............684..... 11.........58% - just guesswork
NEWQUAY...........4019.............3964.....65.........83%

Pete

[eggc]

Forgive me if I am wrong, but 66% LF on long haul is not good and would be a worry (Air India). 68% for AA in July is also not great. August could be a more telling month with the kids off though.

[Hotel Tango]

All depends on yield management really. You can make a loss with 95% LF and you can equally make a profit with a 55% LF. Load factor alone is not indicative of profit or loss.

[OltonPete]

eggc

Leaving yield aside as I doubt few on here (me included) will have a true insight into this area, I would say 66% is low compared to some routes and airlines flying east and west but as the one airline we are discussing is Air India then some would say politics plays more a part than yield.

One thing to note is that part of July is still classed as the low season (Monsoons) and August will show very different figures. Although the service is only two years old there are very distinct patterns with the load factors - May and June bad, July poor and the rest usually good.

As for the American, I would say than 68% is very disappointing compared with other UK-US flights but without yield data it is difficult to know what the future holds for this one. Not sure if something has changed with the US market as both Manchester ATL and PHL two years ago were over 13000 in July but both low to mid 70's this year (assuming all flights operated). Of course Thomas Cook have entered the MAN-US fray and that might have distorted matters but the point is load factors are well below what they have been in the past and there are other examples.

BHX-JFK saw high fares in July and August (not usual of course) but the more worrying figure was May when fares were much lower.

Pete

[Ian Brooks]

Pete
MAN-PHL has not been the same since AstraZeneca moved their
R&D to Cambridge

Ian

[StoneyBridge Radar]

PHL has not been the same since AstraZeneca moved their
R&D to Cambridge


Plus, ATL has seen an upguage in equipment and capacity from Delta's B763ERs to Virgin's A333s. That said,boardings and yield are reported to have improved since the handover of the route to Virgin, despite the "fall" in LF. Statistics!:cool:

[ATNotts]

Looking at the raw passenger numbers, it is admirable that AA are intending to stick with BHX/JFK through the winter.

Looking at the seat maps on the AA website the pattern looks clear; good sales in the cheap seats, poor uptake in the premium economy seats, and poor take up in business. Of course it is holiday time on both side of the atlantic, so perhaps the low business take up is perhaps understandable, and the proof of that pudding will be September / October.

Taking both UA and AA into consideration, you could conclude that regional flying to the USA, that is apart from MAN and EDI, just isn't viable at any significant capacity, I guess partly because people would rather drive to LHR / MAN and take a direct flight to the final destination, than fly from the local airport and hub in JFK or EWR, especially as there is no real cost saving to be made. I hope my analysis is flawed, and that BHX (and NCL) keep their UA / AA services into 2016 and beyond.

For whatever reason the same logic doesn't apply to passengers heading east, and however much kudos is gained from chasing direct USA services, the concentration of marketing efforts ought to be more towards the (until the last few months) developing markets in Asia.

[Centre cities]

All airlines and other travel system swill have certain targets for new routes with expected growth patterns, it is pure guess work if the AA has achieved the goals that have been set by the airline.

Centre cities

[OltonPete]

Ian Brooks

I did know about that but not the date it happened or how many seats they used/paid per flight. The Figures for July 2013 were 13692, July 14 11136 and 2015 11423. This would suggest somewhere between July 13 & 14 although is this just down to CLT operating in 2014 and diverting connecting pax from one hub to another?

Expanding it further looking at EDI and GLA it does seem in general that in 2013 load factors were just higher all around but of course a lot has changed in that time with oil prices and some routes have come and gone and this is what I am getting at, has there been a sea-change with routes across the pond where the days of fill it at all costs have gone?

SBR has indicated Virgin/Delta are happy with Atlanta due to reduced costs (as discussed on MAN thread) but the fact is a few years ago an A332 or A333 would not have been flying around in July with 25% of its seats empty and a 757 with a third of its seats empty.

I guess we will find out the answers soon enough well at least with BHX-JFK as AA are not afraid to change things quickly.

ATNotts - I am still getting error messages on the AA seat-map. In general I would say with United it always seems to be PE the last to fill rather than business.


Pete

[Centre cities]

Whilst long haul is being discussed, just an indication as to how things have developed at BHX, unless I am mistaken there were 5 x 777, 2 788 and 2 x757 mid long haul today.

I bet BHX would have snatched your hand off for that a few years ago.

Centre cities

[OltonPete]

Centre cities

Correct - three Emirates two class 77W's no doubt due inbound loads, Turkmenistan 77L and the PIA was a 77W - nearly 4000 seats.

Aegean have upgraded to the 321 again as well tonight but still disappointing that it is ending earlier this end. Still as one goes (hopefully briefly) another arrives with Wizz just two weeks away tomorrow.

Winter 2015/6

Wednesday Enfidha by Thomson has been replaced with Fuerteventura making it twice weekly, as last winter's Wednesday flight had already been moved to Saturday. This in itself poses a question as Saturday's from mid December sees four based short-haul aircraft with the new Verona ski flight, the Salzburg out all day again, which makes the schedule impossible to be operated by two 757's and one 737.

Is the 787 operating cruise flights on a Saturday (Friday and Saturday are non-Thomson days)?

Pete

[oceanhawk]

Pete,
No Winter schedule as yet, perhaps another 4 weeks or so before we get it.

With regard to the Winter Saturday schedule , my guess would be that the Salzburg comes back before lunch and then that aircraft goes to Fuerteventura.
The new Verona then being a W pattern. There is no talk of using the 787 on Winter short haul. This is if course only an opinion . Positioning in an aircraft just to do a couple of flights on a Saturday does not make sense , positioning costs money. Who knows???

[OltonPete]

oceanhawk

Thank you for the information.

Apparently the Salzburg has been timed at a straight return and it was only yesterday I noticed the on-line brochure showing it out at 0600 and back at tea-time.

I was told the 787 has a full schedule from BHX this winter from the third week in December but getting hold of the non-Thomson cruise flight schedule has proved difficult.

Is there any hint about the operator of aircraft 7 next summer (if it is still happening) as it is still showing as TBA online. There have been hints at Germania and even the Norwegian.

Pete

[oceanhawk]

Pete,

I largely ignore the on line brochure information. One year a family member booked a skiing holiday in the Autumn for the forthcoming ski season at a Thomson shop and was given incorrect flight times by the agent. She informed him the Salzburg flight returned at lunchtime on the Saturday despite our crew timetable showing a W pattern through Stansted.The agent was having none of it at the time of booking. The crews will appreciate not having to position to Stansted.
I think the 787 has a full line of flying at BHX this winter, that may include a days downtime for maintenance .
I am fairly certain no extra aircraft for us next summer as a pilot bid has just been run. The company are keen on expansion using third party airlines as you have mentioned and want the in house lift capacity to be about 75/80 .% ish That means using other airlines to do the extra work / expansion. This is tour operator business and we are not informed about it. Remember Thomson Airways only provides lift capacity for the tour operator.

[BHX5DME]

This milestone was passed last Friday
Great news

[Buster the Bear]

Norwegian are considering operating to Boston and New York from 2017 and the arrival into service of the 737MAX.

[OltonPete]

Buster the Bear

Is that from an article or confidential source?

Ryanair v Norwegian

Seemlessly moving on it seems the bun fight continues next summer with Ryanair upping the ante by the look of it - Barcelona from 5/6 a week to 9 with double daily on a Tuesday and Saturday.

Malaga - up from daily to nine a week although the two flights with different flight numbers at exactly the same times on a Thursday look odd.

Malta also increased to three a week, Palma daily throughout and the winter increases on Dublin are retained for the time being.

Up between one and six flights a day depending on the day and month.

As they say..........Over to you Norwegian.

Pete

[VickersVicount]

Remember Thomson Airways only provides lift capacity for the tour operator.
plus the small number of direct online bookings which are not tour related

[Daza]

Interestng article about Thomson Airways at Anna.aero Thomson Airways planning over 20 new routes for S16 (http://www.anna.aero/2015/09/01/thomson-airways-planning-20-new-routes-s16-growing-787-fleet-serving-new-long-haul-markets-croatia-growing-tunisia-hold/)
Good to see Birmingham having the third largest number of weekly departures despite being in such close proximity to EMA, and BRS, MAN and LTN not too far away. Birmingham will be getting 5 "new" routes for summer 2016. Agadir, Alghero, Izmir, Puna Cana and Split not sure Izmir is new for TOM?
Winter 2015/6 Thomson will add a new ski flight to Verona and the 787 will be based all week.
Daza :ok:

[FRatSTN]

FR also looks to have a decent schedule at BHX for S16 with increases on some routes, most noticeably BCN and DUB when compared to this summer.

Also looks as if it will be back up to 4 based aircraft for the whole season and could potentially overtake FR's base at LPL in terms of traffic.

[Daza]

From the horses mouth BHX-New York and Boston under consideration from Birmingham. :ok:
Big Interview: Norwegian sets out strategy to make low-cost long-haul work - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2015/09/03/56469/big+interview+norwegian+sets+out+strategy+to+make+low-cost+long-haul+work.html)
Great news
Daza

[ATNotts]

From the horses mouth BHX-New York and Boston under consideration from Birmingham. :ok:
Big Interview: Norwegian sets out strategy to make low-cost long-haul work - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2015/09/03/56469/big+interview+norwegian+sets+out+strategy+to+make+low-cost+long-haul+work.html)
Great news
Daza

I don't think the city pairs mentioned in the interview are particularly serious; more so that fact that he mentioned Birmingham (and Edinburgh) by name; which I think adds grist to the mill that BHX is going to figure in Norwegian's growth plans. This suggests a short haul BHX base for 2016 is all the more likely.

[chinapattern]

I wonder if a base announcement could coincide with the launch of Tenerife and Las Palmas?

[nigel osborne]

You do suspect if there is no base announcement this month or next, probably not going to happen for next summer.

We still have some weeks to go before that, so fingers crossed.

Nigel

[OltonPete]

Tenerife and Las Palmas now bookable in summer 2016 at one weekly each, Friday for the former and Thursday for the latter.

Pete

[Daza]

Icelandair double their flights to Birmingham from 19th October.

1,2,4 and 5 From 19 Oct

FI494 KEF - BHX 0750 - 1125
FI495 BHX - KEF 1325 – 1510


1,2,4 and 5 From 25 Oct

FI494 KEF - BHX 0750 - 1025
FI495 BHX - KEF 1225 - 1510

Great news :ok:
Daza

[insuindi]

HAM-BHX Summer 2016 schedule unchanged from this summer, 6/7, with the exception of A320 instead of CRJ900 on Fridays.

[hillwalker2004]

Daza - that just looks like the same flights but timings changed due to end of BST?

[bhx bod]

As regards to timings you are correct.
The Tuesday and Friday flights are new.
Great to see our new flights this year doing well.

[Centre cities]

Unless the website requires updating the 4 per week Ice flights seem to start on the 01/02/2016.

Apart from the 2 weeks around the summer/winter change it still shows 2 per week till Feb.

Happy to be corrected.

Centre cities

[Wolverhampton]

The extra flights are planned to operate between February 1st and March 28th.

[bhx bod]

In my post I should have mentioned that the Tues. and Fri. Flights in October were for the half term holidays.
The schedule then goes back to 2xweekly until Feb,then 4x weekly until the spring as Centre Cities rightly says.
I am led to believe that it will be 4x weekly for most of the summer as well:ok:

[Centre cities]

With next summer currently showing 3 per week (an increase of one over this summer) which has been in the timetable for some considerable time.

Centre cities

[dude1882]

Nigel,

Is there a fixed amount of planes that can be 'Based' at BHX - with space been made for D8 / extra Thomson or just general expansion?

Dude1882

[nigel osborne]

Dude1882.

I believe one of the TUI planes next summer for BHX will be a non TOM plane probably either Germania or Norwegian ,but at present no airline showing.

Nigel

[adfly]

Dude1882.

I believe one of the TUI planes next summer for BHX will be a non TOM plane probably either Germania or Norwegian ,but at present no airline showing.

Nigel

Assuming the Norwegian base happens I would be putting my money on them.

[OltonPete]

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/media-information/news/2015/09/wizz-air-launches-warsaw-and-budapest/

First scheduled flight earlier today from Warsaw with Budapest tomorrow.

Of course several visits before on diversion from Luton but not a first for the Midlands as they operated schedule flights from Coventry a few years back - not too often that this has happened but hopefully they will be around BHX longer than they were at CVT.

Pete

[Daza]

Alicante is showing as a direct destination from Birmingham on the Vueling route map. Not bookable yet, let's hope it's a new destination ex BHX. :ok:
Daza

[irishlad06]

Flybe are soon to announce a double daily mon -fri and single sat and sun to Rotterdam using the dh4.

0700am and 1640pm departures from BHX.

[LAX_LHR]

Vueling start Alicante 17th June 3 weekly Mon/Wed/Fri.

[insuindi]

CAA provisional stats for BHX:
Aug '15: 1,138,325 +3.1% MoM
Rolling year: 9,995,724 +5.1%

Below UK average (4.5%) for monthly growth (and trailing all other major UK airports), but ahead of rolling year average growth (also 4.5% for the UK).

[Daza]

Timetable for the new Veuling BHX-ALC service eff. 17/6/2016

Mon VY1394 ALC 06:05 BHX 07:50 VY1395 BHX 08:30 ALC 12:05
Wed VY1394 ALC 12:25 BHX 14:10 VY1395 BHX 14:50 ALC 18:95
Fri VY1394 ALC 06:05 BHX 07:50 VY1395 BHX 08:30 ALC 12:05

Daza

[Daza]

Insuindi wrote Below UK average (4.5%) for monthly growth (and trailing all other major UK airports), but ahead of rolling year average growth (also 4.5% for the UK).

Remember BHX, MAN and EMA lost Monarch aircraft and BHX lost multiple Flybe routes, the loss of which will be felt until next spring. Winter 2015/6 is looking much stronger at BHX compared to 2014/5. In August MAN managed 5% increase but EMA lost 10%!
Daza :ok:

[MANFOD]

Remember BHX, MAN and EMA lost Monarch aircraft and BHX lost multiple Flybe routes, the loss of which will be felt until next spring

MAN was very badly hit with the loss I believe of 3 of the 11 based MON a/c from the previous summer, including some A330s. The ACL start of S15 report indicated a loss of 497,000 seats for MON at MAN which was a lot to make up for. Did BHX have 1 or 2 less based a/c?

[Daza]

Monarch lost one aircraft but BHX lost multiple Flybe routes. I was explaining what BHX lost and why passengers in August 2015 are not up as much as some airports. I was comparing it to near-by airports that lost similar. BHX as well as the loss of one MON aircraft lost multiple BE routes too (10 I think) all multiple daily so its good that BHX had a increase in passengers at all. As always a positive figure including EK passengers up a third has been spun into a negative.
Daza

[MANFOD]

I agree, BHX seems to be recovering well from the loss of those routes, and with developments by Norwegian, Vueling and Wizzair, you should have a good winter.

AA picked up too with an LF of 76% if all flights operated and although EWR was down 4%, it was still 89% LF.

[Daza]

More good news Wizz increase BHX-WAW to 3 per week (extra Saturday flight) from 14th May 2016 :ok:
Daza

[Daza]

Less than a week after commencing flights to Birmingham Wizz not only add capacity to WAW next Summer, but add another route to Poznan from Monday 18th December. Source https://wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen348

Mon 0800 1110 0610 0730 W61907/8
Fri 0800 1110 0610 0730 W61907/8

Lets hope there is more to come :ok:
Daza

[Daza]

Iberia Express Madrid to Birmingham four times a week from 28th March. They keep coming! Bookable now :D

Mon 1035 1405 0845 1000 32S
Wed 1735 2105 1545 1700 32S
Fri 1035 1405 0845 1000 32S
Sun 1735 2105 1545 1700 32S

Daza

[j636]

Malaga - up from daily to nine a week although the two flights with different flight numbers at exactly the same times on a Thursday look odd.

Times have both been changed to all AGP based on Thursday.

I could be wrong but a flick across July and there is a load of non based flights, are they staying at 3 aircraft again?

[OltonPete]

j636

Its Ryanair who knows.

Thus far every morning has four based departures and every evening four based arrivals but in between very little. A clear case of keeping their options open me thinks.

It could easily be changed to three based with some re-timings but with over 40 away based flights as well it could be a full schedule for 4 based units. Perpignan remains the only route not on sale.

Of course this week has seen Vueling add Alicante (Palma rumoured) and Wizz have added further Polish frequencies but without directly treading on Ryanair's toes and it will be interesting to see they react in any way. The addition of Norwegian and Vueling on Barcelona of course saw an increase in frequency.

Pete

[jon01]

W15/16

The Germania Chambery Ski charters on Saturday mornings I mentioned back in May will be operated by A319s

Freebird A320s showing twice a week, I believe some of the flights will go to Ercan in North Cyprus

S16

Aegean to Athens is now bookable on Tue and Sat but with a much shorter season, 21 Jun - 27 Sep. This is better than nothing as I heard they were on the verge of dropping the route

W16/17

Thomson B787s showing to Dubai during December 2016

[ATNotts]

Aegean to Athens is now bookable on Tue and Sat but with a much shorter season, 21 Jun - 27 Sep. This is better than nothing as I heard they were on the verge of dropping the route


I'm guessing that the Greek market may find it tough next season with all the adverse publicity surrounding "migrants", even though only a tiny fraction of the islands are affected. People's knowledge of geography is sometimes not all it ought to be, and many will tar all of Greece with the same brush.

[cheesebag]

787 TO Dubai???

[LGS6753]

Freebird A320s showing twice a week, I believe some of the flights will go to Ercan in North Cyprus

Any flights to Ercan must land in Turkey first.

[bhx bod]

cheesebag,

Thomson are operating a number of flights during Dec 2016 to Dubai(DWC),to support cruises from that part of the world.
BHX plus a couple of other airports are getting these flight during the month.

[jon01]

Freebird A320s showing twice a week, I believe some of the flights will go to Ercan in North Cyprus

Any flights to Ercan must land in Turkey first.

So the flight will probably route UK - Antalya - Ercan

[cheesebag]

Thanks BHX Bod... new one on me... so potentially four departures to Dubai in one day for that month!!! :ok:

[LGS6753]

From Airline Route:

WizzAir is expanding service operations at Birmingham, with the launch of 2nd Polish link. From 18DEC15, the airline will launch 2 weekly Poznan – Birmingham route, operating on Mondays and Fridays. Planned schedule as follow.

W61907 POZ0610 – 0730BHX 320 15
W61908 BHX0800 – 1110POZ 320 15

Also

Planned Frequency increase:
Warsaw – Birmingham Increase from 2 to 3 weekly from 13th May

[OltonPete]

Loads more destinations have appeared in the booking engine some not book able others via existing routes.

Some of the connections are nonsense of course such as Birmingham to Oslo via Malaga whereas Nice and Dubrovnik are not bookable.

Pete

[ATNotts]

Some of the connections are nonsense of course such as Birmingham to Oslo via Malaga

They'll be some enthusiast, somewhere, who'll relish such a circuitous routing, and jump at the chance!!

[GayFriendly]

Both EDI and MAN also have a similar if not more extensive drop down list of destinations on the Norwegian website including Nice, Dubrovnik etc the difference of course being that they have flights to ARN, CPH and OSL to make these connections. BHX of course doesn't at present so much as i would love to see a Norwegian Base, my money is on them launching one or more Scandinavian routes and offering the other destinations in their list as connections although why you would want to fly via Scandinavia to go to Nice is beyond me.....

Blue Air are starting GLA to Bucharest, one for BHX seeing as they have successfully lured wizz in, or indeed a possible new route for wizz?

[LandingConfig]

Blue Air are starting GLA to Bucharest, one for BHX seeing as they have successfully lured wizz in, or indeed a possible new route for wizz?

Quite possible further down the line, given that Wizz just recently announced OTP-GLA. Not too long ago Wizz at GLA was similar to Wizz at BHX.

[bazzab68]

New route starting spring 2016.

Regards

Barry

[Daza]

Wizz are really expanding at BHX increased frequencies on planned routes and now two new routes (Poznan and Bucharest) in less than a month of operations. :ok:
Daza

[Daza]

Bookable on their Mobile app...

Starts 22nd May 2016, 2x weekly Sun/Wed :ok:
Daza

[GayFriendly]

Blimey I must be psychic! Great news and I think there will be more to come.....

[Daza]

Official announcement BHX-OTP on Wizz website. https://wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen351 :ok:
Daza

[LAX_LHR]

Well BHX have been busy little bees.

Another new airline in the form of Blue Air to Bucharest.

BHX really on a roll this year.

[Daza]

Never a served route then two airlines announce service within couple of days. :ok: Source Blue Air Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BlueAirSmartFlying/photos/a.383340382653.160516.127545187653/10153161498557654/?type=3&theater
Daza

[GayFriendly]

Never a served route then two airlines announce service within couple of days. :ok: Source Blue Air Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BlueAirSmartFlying/photos/a.383340382653.160516.127545187653/10153161498557654/?type=3&theater
Daza

That confirms it, I am officially psychic!! Wow BHX really have pulled out their stops have they finally reduced their allegedly high landing fees? American, Icelandair, Vueling, Norwegian, VLM, Wizz, Iberia Express and now Blue Air, 8 new airlines in 12 months is amazing. I am positive that Wizz will add further new routes (be nice to see Riga, Prague, Wroclaw?) and there is still there potential for a Norwegian base although things have gone very quiet on that front (no news is good news?) Whatever, summer 2016 is shaping up very nicely, the icing on their cake would be to see some growth in routes from our long term occupants Flybe, Ryanair and Monarch.

[Cityboy1875]

Great news for bhx more the better

[Daza]

Blue Air Bucharest is now bookable on their website
Commences Tuesday 29th March 2016

Tue 1715 1630
Sat 1000 0915

Official :ok:
Daza

[LandingConfig]

Every new route GLA is getting is being deployed from BHX...

[getonittt]

Every new route GLA is getting is being deployed from BHX...

The other routes from GLA are Vilnius , Lublin , Gdansk , Wroclaw & Katowice, and of those Gdansk & Katowice are already served by RYR. It's a shame Wizz do not have much of a base at Prague as this must surely now be at the top of the wishlist for BHX now BUD & WAW have links.

[LandingConfig]

The other routes from GLA are Vilnius , Lublin , Gdansk , Wroclaw & Katowice, and of those Gdansk & Katowice are already served by RYR. It's a shame Wizz do not have much of a base at Prague as this must surely now be at the top of the wishlist for BHX now BUD & WAW have links.

Wroclaw is only temporary. We have WRO served by Ryanair anyway.

[Daza]

The good news just keeps coming. From another forum/reliable source Turkish Airlines increase from 12 to 14 a week from 27th March 2016.
Daza

[LAX_LHR]

Turkish website still only shows 12 weekly?

[jon01]

Small Planet are now operating the MOD flights, taking over from Danish Air Transport.

Two A320 flights will operate weekly on Wednesday and Sunday to Paderborn using A320s. Initially, the Sunday flights will be by B733 until A320s are available

[Daza]

Norwegian consider Birmingham and Edinburgh to USA with from 2017 Norwegian CEO Sees USD$69 US To Europe Flights | Airwise News (http://news.airwise.com/story/norwegian-ceo-sees-cheap-us-europe-flights) :ok:
Daza

[cheesebag]

Potentially another 787 operator to BHX

[Cityboy1875]

Norw ceo said they could use 737 max

[FLYAIR10]

VLM started BHX-ANR last monday.3 flights a week.mo-wed-fri.If succesful also tue and thu might be added as from next year,as per local ANR press.

According to their website they are also offering BHX-GVA connections via ANR. I believe also BHX-ANR-HAM and WAT-BHX-ANR should be possible this way.

Fly VLM | Book now for great value flights across Europe (http://flyvlm.com/booking/#BookingSecondPagePlace:false&BHX&GVA&2015-10-09&2015-10-16&0&EUR&&1=1,2=0,3=0&)

[chinapattern]

Ryanair launching Vilnius from 29 March next year. Seems to be a direct swap for Kaunas so no real gain but it's another capital city ticked off the list. I wonder if this some sort of preemptive move against Wizz?

[BHX5DME]

Study calls for Birmingham Airport to play integral part in regional growth | The Birmingham Press (http://thebirminghampress.com/2015/10/study-calls-for-birmingham-airport-to-play-integral-part-in-regional-growth/)

[nigel osborne]

Daza,

Certainly the extra Wizz, IBX and Blue Air etc flts are great and a couple of extra TK a week if they arrive is even better.

However that's still only a small number of extra flights a week, less than 30 extra rotations a week.

We need to keep things in perspective.

Up at Manchester for example they have at least 11 new based planes arriving next year Easy Jet, Ryan Air, TCX, Jet 2 and Virgin for starters. Some rumours they may get even more.

We at BHX has a big fat 0 new based units at present next year..hopefully that will change.:uhoh:

So that's up to 60 extra rotations at Manchester PER DAY !!:eek:

Nigel

[jon01]

S16 update

It looks like Cityjet will use their new 98 seat Superjet SSJ100 aircraft on Saturday Innsbruck flights from May 2016 for Inghams, replacing Denim

The Cosmos/Avro flights to Greek Isles operated by Enter Air will probably not operate in 2016 due to the dropping of these brands by Monarch, who have stated that they are no longer using third party airlines

The extra TUI based aircraft is now showing as a Thomson machine, showing 11 flights per week. The newly announced destination, Split, is no longer showing. One flight per week is showing to Enfidha

[OltonPete]

Source: CAA Provisional Stats for the passenger figures
Average per flight: A BHX Blog, Libhomeradar, FR24
Load factor: estimated based on various seat-maps

As usual the Canary islands seem to have IT pax mixed in and Dubrovnik the same. Newcastle I don't have the number of flights operated.

Some extraordinary load factors even for August such as Brussels and of course Munich has also moved above 100 pax per flight with the introduction of the Airbus on the night-stop. Domestic was disappointing but most routes other than Jersey saw a reduction in frequencies - 20 fewer EDI rotations and Inverness was double daily in August 2014.

Route................ 2015........2014......Avg pax....Load Factor
BRUSSELS.........11903........8351........84...........90%
TORONTO...........2682........2482......336...........98%
DUBROVNIK.........4927........5153
SPLIT.....................0........4107
LARNACA............8366........8564......190..........91%
PAPHOS............. 4767........3524......183..........90%
COPENHAGEN......8099........7971........92..........77%
HURGHADA..............0........1853
SHARM...............6824.......5625........201..........94%
AVIGNON............1366.........721.........76..........86%
BASTIA................686............0.........69..........7 8%
BERGERAC...........3963.......2536.........73..........83%
BIARRITZ..............795............0.........80........... 90%
BORDEAUX..........2937........2800.........77..........88%
BREST................1643........1653........63...........81 %
DEAUVILLE..........1366............0.........53...........64 %
LA ROCHELLE.......1814........1359........65...........74%
LYON.................4666.........4249.......75...........86 %
NICE..................5857........7136......154...........85 %
PARIS (CDG)......33900.......31541.....115...........85%
PERPIGNAN..........3054........3499......170..........90%
TOULOUSE...............0........3850
BERLIN (TXL).......4321........4004.......70...........79%
COLOGNE.................0........3342
DUSSELDORF......18266......15446.......60...........68%
FRANKFURT........34617......30879.....140...........82%
HAMBURG............3119........3422......62............69%
HANOVER............3737........5541......60............74% Double daily in 14
MUNICH.............15651......13510....109............73%
STUTTGART.........6983........7066.....66............75%
GIBRALTAR..........3967........3606.....153............88%
ATHENS............. 2862.........2459....159............90%
HERAKLION.........2509.........3232.....157...........83%
PREVEZA............ 1804.............0.....186............87%
KEFLAVIK........... 2585.........1821....144............76%
DELHI...............13038.........6764....210............82%
CORK.................7352.........6846......64............90 %
DUBLIN.............69743........51893....140............86%
KNOCK....................0..........4215
SHANNON........... 3146..........4690.....61............84%
WATERFORD........1160......... 2588.....32.............64%
FLORENCE................0.........5570
MILAN (MXP).......8941......... 8550.....72............82%
ROME (FCO)........8863........11491....164...........89%
TRIESTE..................0......... 3149
VENICE...............7772.........6829....177...........91%
KAUNAS............. 3218..........3228....179...........95%
MALTA...............3305......... 5709....184...........97%
AMSTERDAM......52094........45496......99..........86%
ISLAMABAD.........6611..........5795....331..........84%
BYDGOSZCZ........4679..........4774....180..........95%
GDANSK............. 4651..........3252....179..........95%
KATOWICE......... 3239..........3305....180..........95%
KRAKOW.............3297..........3316....183..........97%
FARO...............23893.........24442....181..........89%
OPORTO.................0...........3061
FUNCHAL............3417..........3277....190..........89%
BRATISLAVA........4722......... 4690.....182.........96%
ALICANTE.........31311........35377.....186..........93% - no flybe
ALMERIA.................0..........4368
BARCELONA.......25683........20013.....170..........93%
IBIZA.................8913........15062.....171..........88% fewer ZB & no BE
MADRID..............4261..............0.....164..........88%
MAHON.............. 5913..........6096....174...........88%
MALAGA............35597........32830....183...........92%
MURCIA..............6454......... 5899.....179..........95%
PALMA.............27608.........35413....182...........90% no flybe
ARRECIFE..........16844.........15601
FUERTEVENTURA.10414..........8237
LAS PALMAS......10269......... 8241
TENERIFE..........21595........22116
GOTEBORG...............0......... 1488
ZURICH.............. 8420......... 8708.......81..........82%
BODRUM.............4413..........4942......170.........87%
DALAMAN..........10115........10697......157.........82%
ISTANBUL.........13466.........10710......125........80%
ASHKHABAD ........4486..........5484......125........64%
DUBAI..............64412.........48916......346........82%
NEW YORK (JFK)..8311...............0......139........79%
NEWARK.............9358......... 9762.......151.......89%

Domestic
ABERDEEN..........10608.......12119........58.........75%
BELFAST BHD.....24894........24909........71.........88%
BELFAST BFS.....11692........12717.......146.........94%
DERRY....................0..........5893
EDINBURGH........22616........26419.........61........76%
GLASGOW..........19211........19585........57.........69%
INVERNESS..........4323..........5474........70........89% double daily in 2014
ISLE OF MAN.......4484..........4832........62.........80%
GUERNSEY...........2793.........2108
JERSEY...............7987.........8122.........59.........66 %
NEWCASTLE..........349...........369
NEWQUAY...........3949......... 4078.........64.........82%

Pete

[GayFriendly]

Hi OP


Thanks for the August figures, as ever an interesting read. The BE route cuts and their effect on pax figures are noticeable, especially on IBZ, ALC and PMI, however these are offset by some good increases on many other routes, particularly the increase in DXB with the new 3rd daily.


Out of interest were any figures ever released for the Beijing flights as they don't seem to be here? I wonder what the likelihood is of these returning in 2016?


Nice to see an increase on ISB, Shaheen Air are rumoured to be starting EMA-ISB next year, wonder how PK will respond to this?

[Buster the Bear]

New route just announced from Corfu by Ryanair.

[jon01]

New route just announced from Corfu by Ryanair.


This is operated by a Corfu based aircraft on Sat and Tue mornings from 26 April 2016 until 29 Oct 2016

[OltonPete]

GF

I tend not to bother with IT flights but the Beijing figures have not been reported by the CAA this year in either the provisional or actual stats.

There is not too much to say about the August figures as you say the flybe reductions speak for themselves and I suppose you could say the American was a bit light for August and the Icelandair.

Lufthansa Summer 2016 has been updated and it appears that Cityline end regular BHX operations this year (LH2508 31/12) with Munich changing to all Airbus (in general) from 1/1/2016.

Ryanair - I have to say Corfu is a really good route to pick as the first one to Greece from BHX and maybe Rhodes is a possibility. The rest of summer 2016 is still work in progress with 4 departures every morning but could easily revert back to three. Perpignan is also released again and a slightly longer season - just.

Pete

[jon01]

September 2015 pax

1042583 +3.5%

Total for the 12 months up to Sep 2015 10030173 +5.1%

Movements down 2.1%

Dublin 65060
Dubai 58808

[jon01]

S16

SAS increasing Copenhagen flights from March 29th 2016



SK2531/2532 21:00/21:35 Mon Tue Thu Fri CRJ9


So a total of three flights on the above days, with two on Wed and one each on Sat & Sun, a total of 16 p/w

[Boeing737-8]

Is this them trying to fight back against the Luton services down the road?

[AMM626]

That or the potential of NAX entering the BHX - Scandinavia market in the future.

[Fishaman]

Kavok AN12 has just rattled the windows on the climb out of BHX, I see here - http://bhxmovements.********.co.uk/ that there is a fair EE contingency in BHX most days (Hungarian SF34/UK AN12/Bulgarian AN26) does anybody know what they are carrying?

[bhx bod]

Fishaman,the flights you speak of are mainly car parts for the JLR group.
Occasionally other freight may be brought in but it is mainly for the motor industry.

[Fishaman]

Cheers pal, I tracker her on FR but lost contact south of Prague so not sure where the eventual ARR point was. Obviously lots of LR/RR in EE!

[FQTLSteve]

Looks like MAN will get flights to China, despite those charters to BHX it looks like they amounted to nothing. Pity because I thought that both cities could support services to China.

[eggc]

Maybe they can Steve, there is nothing yet to say the BHX charters will not continue aswell.

[ssflyer]

When using the EK website for BHX bookings there is still the banner "Book First Class from Birmingham until 31st December"
However there have been frequent reports that many of the 41/2 flights are being operated by 2 class aircraft.
Anyone got the accurate figures to prove/disprove this or provide a link.
SSF

[OltonPete]

ssflyer

Not sure quite what you want. The fact is 428 seat aircraft have already operated EK41/2 on an ad-hoc basis (3 this week) and that is purely due to high economy loads as half-term approaches.

I make it 82 flights thus far on EK41/2 with 18 of them on 428 seat aircraft. The only strange aspect is that September saw 11 compared to 4 in August yet the August figures were much better. Also note, EK39 and 37 have seen downgrades to 360 seat aircraft at times This information can be sourced from the two links below

The first link will provide the aircraft by entering UAE42 in the flight number and the second link will show the specific aircraft config in most cases.

libhomeradar - easy collect aircraft information - Search in our contact database (http://www.libhomeradar.org/databasequery/)

The EK Source - Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER (http://www.theeksource.com/boeing777-300er.html)

I can't say at what point the decision is made to upgrade to 428 and what happens to any displaced first class pax. I think a lot of people realised first class was always going to be a tough ask and I for one is not surprised that any chance EK have to fill more at the back-end it would be taken up.

Pete

[ssflyer]

Thanks OP for very useful info-I am meeting (socially) some senior EK staff shortly and this info is a valuable chat subject, amongst others. From other forums it is apparent that during peak load times (summer/half term) they will switch to a 428. One assume anyone booked in F will get priority J seating and not stuffed in the middle at the back of J. Those who have already chosen the best seats in J may well get shifted... Hey Ho
SSF

[Hotel Tango]

Wouldn't be very good policy to downgrade F to J and J to Y. I would think that any F pax would be given sufficient notice and be offered a courtesy luxury limo connection to LHR or MAN (if they provide F out of MAN that is).

[chaps1954]

HotelTango
Yes they do however the evening A380 is due to go to a high
density one in January

[OltonPete]

Ryanair have issued their BHX summer 16 press release.

Headlines

25% increase

21 routes

new routes to Corfu and Vilnius (replaces KUN)

112 flights per week

Alicante double daily (only 12 a week bookable thus far)

Palma 9 a week (only August thus far)

Malaga 9 a week - all bookable

Barcelona - 9 a week - all bookable.

I assume some revision to the schedules due, as gaps still show for 4 based if indeed it will be 4 based and the August figure is excess of 112 flights which is a worry but April seems a bit less than 112.

Pete

[ssflyer]

It seems as if GRO is now dumped for ever as it is not on the schedules for BHX or EMA.
The nearest airport is now BRS who have four days of GRO flights a week and the 2016 prices are 20% cheaper than when they were running out of BHX (2011?)-does not add up...
SS

[Cityboy1875]

I see kehoe moaning about manx getting china route he should be asking is team why bhx as not been able to secure a airline we keep hearing him going on about long haul routes do something about it and stop going on

[ATNotts]

I see kehoe moaning about manx getting china route he should be asking is team why bhx as not been able to secure a airline we keep hearing him going on about long haul routes do something about it and stop going on

I don't think that a Manx 146 or Viscount would have made it to Beijing!! (at least not in any reasonable time). :D

Seriously the basic tenor of your comment is a little unfair! BHX, under Kehoe's leadership has secured Air India (daily) - a carrier that Manchester has been unable to tempt (at least not yet) and under his watch has also won AA year round on JFK / BHX. Most long haul routes are subject to bilateral agreements, so take some time to come to fruition and it may well be that the route development team has another ace up their sleeves.

Politics paid a big part in the Hainan PEK/MAN route, but I think that even if it had not, then giving it's proximity to London (being 100 miles further away from London) MAN would always have been the favourite to win the prize.

[Daza]

Paul Kehoe CEO BHX has stated there are more airlines yet to announce new service at Birmingham. Source his twitter page. :ok:
Daza

[lfc84]

https://twitter.com/Paul_Kehoe/status/657462448178511872

[Betablockeruk]

Qatar Airways adds Birmingham to UK network :: Routesonline (http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/251617/qatar-airways-adds-birmingham-to-uk-network/)

[LAX_LHR]

Great news for BHX. Been a long time coming!

[Betablockeruk]

Great news for BHX. Been a long time coming!

You'd think, but only 2 Manc messages on the subject. :}

Did they change the clocks in a different way in Brum and still all in bed?

[jon01]

Qatar schedule

From March 30 2016

06:45 QR035 B788 09:15 QR036 DAYS 1356
12:50 QR033 B788 15:00 QR034 DAYS 2467

[eggc]

Fab news for BHX, and testing the water twice daily aswell. More regional services to chose from :ok:

[GayFriendly]

Absolutely fantastic news and an airline we have been waiting for for a very long time, it was first announced back in 2006! 10 new airlines in 12 months, I can't ever remember a time in BHX history with so many new carriers in such a short space of time, the route development team have truly excelled. I think QR will do very well out of BHX and on Saturdays we will now have 5 departures to the Middle East. Fingers crossed that next the the Chinese charters are announced!

[cheesebag]

Great News.... We just need a couple of Norwegian Big Birds now!

[Daza]

Fantastic news 8 weekly this on top of all the other new airline announcements! What a great job PK and the marketing team have done :ok:

[Daza]

Westjet are looking to expand their European ops and mention BHX in their plans!
Link http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d978c7d8-6ea8-11e5-8171-ba1968cf791a.html#axzz3pgNDWUSf :ok:

If you can't access the pay per view site the text says ""Gregg Saretsky, chief executive, has told the Financial Times that the airline is in talks with other airports in Europe about additional services — flying from cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Rome, but also considering UK destinations including Manchester and Birmingham"
Daza

[ssflyer]

This is great news and will put pressure on EK
or will it
sample fares-mid April 16 Saturday flights,return in Business BHX/BKK
EK £2021 15h 45min each way
QR £3188 out 14h40m return best 17h10m
I don't think Tim Clark will lose any sleep
SS

[hobnobanyone]

CSA to Prague 5 weekly from next April just announced.

[BHX5DME]

Airline number 11 has just been announced.

BHX really on a roll at the moment !

[Daza]

OMG Prague too! This must be a record for Birmingham successfully landing 11 new airlines in just over a year! Prague was a gap and a lovely city. Keep 'em coming! :ok:
Daza

[GayFriendly]

Good grief, I can't keep up! A welcome return of both airline and route, which was a big gap on the BHX departure boards. CSA are continuing their LPL and EDI ops in S16, so hopefully BHX will do as well for them. Wizz might respond, I'm not sure PRG is a base for them although I bet they will be doing some offers on LTN-PRG as a result of this announcement...


I make that 31 scheduled airlines serving BHX for S16 (I have included Air Transat in that), which must be a record?


Flybe are recruiting for cabin crew for their BHX base which could mean some expansion in S16 from them, or at least additional frequencies on existing routes, I read somewhere their S16 schedule is released 10th Nov? Norwegian are also yet to release S16, new routes or (dare I say it?) a new base from them would be the icing on what is already a very tasty cake!


WestJet could be the next new airline for BHX according to media reports?

[Daza]

Gayfriendly wrote I read somewhere their S16 schedule is released 10th Nov?
I tweeted them (I finally worked out Twitter) as I want to book Bastia next summer they replied saying their Summer 2016 will be released at end of November. :ok:
Daza

[adfly]

Do Flybe ever get a schedule out on time? They were saying 10th November for ages!

[jon01]

CSA Czech Airlines - Summer 2016

Flights start on 22 Apr

17:00/17:40 Mon,Wed & Fri
18:50/19:30 Thu
20:00/20:40 Sun

A319 with 130 seats

No flight Tue or Sat

[Daza]

Source for CSA other than PKs tweet :E
CSA Czech Airlines to start Birmingham service - Business Traveller (http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/102199/csa-czech-airlines-to-start-birmingham-service)
Daza

[BobBHX]

I priced a BHX/BKK return in business for May. Ex BHX the cheapest fare showing so far is the Business Saver. That comes to £2,967. The equivalent fare ex MAN is £2,970. However, MAN also has a Business Promo which works out at £1,905.

My experience is that QR releases Promo fares on a very regular basis and I suspect they just haven't got them loaded yet for BHX.

I know which J class I would prefer at the £2k level (hint - QR have one of the best J seats in the air in a 1-2-1 layout and EK have the horrible 2-3-2 shell seats).

[BHX5DME]

Another day another new BHX route !

12 weekly Rotterdam

Ian

[mart901]

BHX doing soo well! Didn't see that one coming!

[j636]

Another day another new BHX route !

12 weekly Rotterdam

Ian

Only MAN is in drop down

[Daza]

BHX-RTM twice daily is not eff. until 5/9/2016.
Daza :ok:

[All names taken]

Don't hold your breath on RTM.

I suspect FlyBe will dip their toes in the water at MAN for a few months before realizing it ain't going to work then letting the whole thing slip quietly away.

Anyone that travels to Rotterdam knows full well the best way to get there is to fly to Schipol and get the fast train directly into Rotterdam city centre - in next to no time. The volume and frequency of flights to AMS ensures you get there at a time that suits you rather than a 2-daily RTM. Flying to AMS will also be cheaper.

FlyBe will effectively be competing against their own AMS flights.

[ATNotts]

I don't know, but I guess that with the notoriously long taxiing times at Schiphol, it could well be that the block times for services between BHX / MAN and Rotterdam could be a deal less, same also for the transfer from airside to land side that RTM. The timings from both BHX and MAN are very good for business too.

I don't know that much about public transport from RTM to the rest of the southern Netherlands, but I am guessing that the market FlyBe are going for is business traffic to cities like Breda, Den Haag, Den Bosch, and even Antwerp. With the latter, a twice daily service will prove more attractive to business travelers than the 4 x weekly VLM.

[Daza]

Another day another route This time FR to Verona
Mon

BHX 15:00 VRN 18:15
VRN 18:40 BHX 19:55

Fri

BHX 08:00 VRN 11:15
VRN 11:40 BHX 12:55
From April
Daza :ok:

[Monty Gordo]

A welcome addition but i just wish FR would give Bergamo another try. While i do not know the yields when it did operate from BHX, the service was well used and, interestingly enough, by Italian pax.

Bergamo offers the twin benefit of being a great city in itself but also just a short hop from Milan.

I live in hope...

[BobBHX]

Re my post on Tuesday, the QR Promo fares ex BHX have been loaded. The BKK business class is £1,902.

[davebham]

That's good news. No more expensive than MAN. Now for the business community to start booking BHX-Doha.

[OltonPete]

Daza

The booking engine can be manipulated to get Madrid up as well FR2082 four times a week but all sold out. I wonder if this is another flight about to be announced. I believe the flight number was Madrid - Ibiza this summer.

Verona should be a good one for summer and I would be happy for them to keep away from Bergamo as flybe are doing very nicely but in summer I suppose you could say two different markets although flybe do carry block-bookings. Fares were light at times on the BGY but Monty Gordo was right it was packed at times.

Rotterdam is a strange one in as much as the start date and I too fear it might not see the light of day.

Pete

[GayFriendly]

Nice to see FR seem to be cautiously expanding at BHX. Verona is a canny choice, Verona itself is a lovely city and is mid way between Milan and Venice with an excellent train service to both. With the days and timings it will be very easy to do a twin city break. Madrid however, can it sustain 3 carriers if FR do start? Personally I would rather see IB have a chance to bed in on this route given their connectivity through their Madrid hub. Then again Barcelona seems to be doing OK with 4 carriers although a different market to Madrid. I wonder what Norwegian's plans are at BHX, they now have competition on all their routes ex BHX and have the least frequent schedules compared to their competitors.

I wonder what tomorrow's route announcement will be, the alleged reductions being offered in landing charges is certainly having the desired effect!

[ATNotts]

I wonder what tomorrow's route announcement will be, the alleged reductions being offered in landing charges is certainly having the desired effect!

Whilst I don't think that any reductions in charges would be sniffed at by airlines, I can't see that it would be a deal breaker on it's own.

By far the biggest factors in bringing in new business will surely be demand from the travelling public (doesn't matter how low the fares are if there isn't demand) and the current comparatively low cost of fuel which makes what might be marginal routes worth a punt.

I can't see that fares have dropped all that much in the last couple of years, whereas crude prices have more than halved, so break even loads are probably lower than they would have been when oil was $100 / barrel.

[Daza]

Norwegian boss drops more hints at long-haul service from Birmingham this time to India :) Lets hope some of this "talk" comes to fruition :}
Norwegian Air poised to be granted UK operating licence - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2015/10/30/58119/norwegian+poised+to+be+granted+uk+operating+licence.html)
Daza

[Buster the Bear]

Is this news? SAS will extend its present 12 services per week to 16 from June 2016.

[jon01]

Is this news? SAS will extend its present 12 services per week to 16 from June 2016.

Old news mentioned on here a couple of weeks ago!

The increase is from 28 March 2016

[jon01]

Ryanair Madrid schedule from 1st April 2016:

13:55/14:20 FR2082/2083 1.3.5.7

[getonittt]

Ryanair Madrid schedule from 1st April 2016:

13:55/14:20 FR2082/2083 1.3.5.7 It certainly looks like a direct retaliation to the Iberia service as those are the days of the IBS operation too. The same thing happened to Manchester a couple of years ago and didn't end well. Norwegian still have their twice weekly service on days 4 & 7.

[nigel osborne]

Daza all a tad confusing.

Norwegian boss said last week that any plans for long haul from Manchester and Birmingham would be with 737MAX when they arrive from mid 2017.

Yet they will only get you to Boston New York Dubai.

So India or beyond would have to be a 787 surely, unless the MAX stops for fuel somewhere ?

Nigel

[Itchin McCrevis]

If you notice Norwegian never seem to let the facts get in the way of a good headline.

[Suzeman]

If you notice Norwegian never seem to let the facts get in the way of a good headline.

I wonder where they got that idea from...:E

[Itchin McCrevis]

I wonder where they got that idea from...

I hope for their sake they can imitate the same ability to generate cash

[purebeef]

Seems an announcement of some magnitude is due tomorrow according to pk re some airline..What that could be I am not sure.

Is it Emirates and a Super jumbo perhaps, Etihad??..a Chinese airline(China Southern) or something going to Africa.

Ps Africaada have a shop now located in perry barr..I am intrigued either way

[hammerb32]

BA10 from Bangkok looks like it's diverting in according to FR24?

[MANFOD]

You should do well this evening and tomorrow if your weather holds - MAN has put out its usual no divs notam and our weather is grotty anyway.

[hammerb32]

You should do well this evening and tomorrow if your weather holds - MAN has put out its usual no divs notam and our weather is grotty anyway.

Indeed, looks like a steady line of diversions heading north now.

[MANFOD]

Olton Pete, ref your comment on the MAN thread, what were the 4 x 777s and the 787 you mentioned. I assume they were all diverts.

[eggc]

Only 2 were diverts MANFOD, an AI 773 and a BA 772. Others were regular BHX flights.

[OltonPete]

MANFOD

No they were a mix of scheduled traffic and diverts.

T5429 was upgraded to a 77L and of course there was EK37 the other 77W plus (as well as AI & BA 777's) the usual Air India 788 (still in). Not unheard of of course as 5 747's were handled at the same time in the past but still the way handling has been cut to the bone not a bad attempt tonight.

BHX was still taking CAT 3 diversions after dropping below CAT 1 limits which is pretty good and thus far only one BHX flight lost to EDI (flybe 175) of all places.

More announcements to come

Emirates A380?

Pete

[cornishsimon]

Is FR24 correct ?
BE HAJ-BHX has diverted to EDI ?

Iv no issue with diversions for safety but is EDI the closest airport prepared to accept them ? Couldn't they divert to say BRS, CWL or EXT ?


cs

[MANFOD]

More announcements to come

Emirates A380?

Nothing would surprise me as BHX are on a roll at the moment. MAN got its Hainan flights but there appears to be no rumours of other new long haul services for 2016 apart from what's already announced - TCX to LAX and BOS. Talk of increased frequencies on a couple of routes and supposedly a 4th EK flight, but it's not the first time that's been expected.

Still, 2016 looks like being a strong year for both airports.

[Suzeman]

Is FR24 correct ?
BE HAJ-BHX has diverted to EDI ?

Iv no issue with diversions for safety but is EDI the closest airport prepared to accept them ? Couldn't they divert to say BRS, CWL or EXT ?


If it did go to EDI, probably for operational reasons - plenty of murky stuff around tonight

Met Vis at 2250

BHX =50m

EDI = 6000m
BRS =300m
CWL =50m
EXT = 4000m but most facilities not open at this time of night

EMA =1200m
LTN =50m
LPL= 200M
MAN = 1900m but no divs accepted
LBA =500m

[Bagso]

CREDIT ROUTES ONLINE

CAAC on 02NOV15 posted Beijing Capital Airlines' application for 1 weekly each Beijing - Birmingham and Hangzhou - Birmingham from Apr 2016

[purebeef]

Are we confirming that BHX have secured 2 new routes to China?????

[chaps1954]

MANFOD did forget one Shaheen from MAN and EMA to Islamabad


Ian

[Bagso]

They 'appear ' to have applied!

[purebeef]

Well if it comes off, then what a result. I know they have started a route out of Copenhagen and are working very hard at expanding the international network. Well done BHX

[purebeef]

No beijing capital airlines have started from Copenhagen...i know bhx have routes to Denmark, read my posts.. and pk has confirmed it is beijing capital airlines from april 2016:ugh:

[purebeef]

Yes and a delegation from that city was in Birmingham last month. Beijing Capital airline is owned by Hainan too...No reason why it would not come off

[kieb92]

Have Thomson added a further based aircraft for 2016?

Several days currently require 7 aircraft at times:

Sunday morning:-

Larnaca 0600 (New)
Kefalonia 0600
Palma 0605
Malaga 0620
Kavala 0630
Heraklion 0720
Faro 0735

BHX had 5 short haul based aircraft, 6 was announced during the summer and now some times require 7. All have Thomson flight numbers.

[jon01]

The Thomson Larnaca flight on Sunday morning for S16 is on Monarch

The 6th based Thomson short haul aircraft is still not confirmed as the schedule is work in progress. Some of the flights for the extra based aircraft appear to be getting the chop at the moment

[kieb92]

I think the Thomson schedule is still being updated.

Monday - requires 7 based:

Marrakech/Bodrum both depart 17:55 so one will need to go

Wednesday - Same situation with Palma/Enfidha

Thursday - The following depart afternoon

Sharm el Sheik
Lanzarote
Burgas
Paphos
Gran Canaria
Heraklion
Ibiza

My guess is the Lanzarote will be Monarch?

Saturday - Alghero has been replaced with a Girona flight.

[nigel osborne]

Purebeef all,

The application for next years Chinese flights are once again for charters not scheduled. That needs further high level talks to further deregulate.

The flights are for the same Chinese tour company as the previous 2 years.

The only odd bit is the application allegedly for an April start this time.

The tour company specialises in short season tours normally no more than 2 months.

Hence our 2 months worth last 2 years in Jul/Aug. So we may get a shorter season than the details currently suggest. If not an extra bonus :ok:

Nigel

[jon01]

CSA Czech Airlines - Summer 2016

Flights start on 22 Apr

17:00/17:40 Mon,Wed & Fri
18:50/19:30 Thu
20:00/20:40 Sun

A319 with 130 seats

Flight times have now been amended:

12:30/13:10 Sun & Mon
17:00/17:40 Wed & Fri
19:20/20:00 Thu

OK662/663

[TSR2]

Hence our 2 months worth last 2 years in Jul/Aug.

On the other hand it could mean a longer season next year.

[nigel osborne]

TSR2.

Yes fingers crossed for a full summer season May to end of Sept..we shall see.


Nigel

[OltonPete]

kieb92

I too have seven based on several days but it is only the one flight and the times match another destination. It seems that they are hedging their bets on bookings and the lets say the delicate situation in some parts of the Europe/North Africa. Disappointing to the see the 787 disappear up north again for the Scottish summer holidays as it is not reciprocated for the English school holidays.

jon01

The Thomson holiday and flight only site shows TOM7780 for the Larnaca on a Sunday but the times are very similar to the ZB schedule. However the 6th based recently went from TBA to all Thomson flight numbers and I can't believe they would have changed their mind at this early stage.



Pete

[Daza]

It looks like FR have confirmed BHX-MAD
Ryanair adds Madrid and Verona routes to Birmingham schedule - Birmingham Post (http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/ryanair-adds-madrid-verona-routes-10388639)
Hope 10 a week isn't overkill?
Daza

[Daza]

Thomson have put their Long-haul and Florida 2016/7 on sale
PUJ continues after its Summer 2016 start.
CUN, MTB are twice weekly
BGI is weekly (plus P&O have a dedicated BGI flight too)
SFB has a short season in March and April 2017.
So with PUJ up on 2015/6 :ok:
Daza

[Daza]

The Dubai cruise flights have also been added but are not yet on sale.
Fortnightly from Monday 28th December 2015-Monday 28th February 2016 which makes 6 flights in total.:ok:
Daza

[Daza]

On closer examination (its not easy as you have to trawl brochures and online booking system). The Dubai world flights are weekly on Monday from Late December to March :ok:
Daza

[canberra97]

As P&O Cruises are to base their VENTURA in St Lucia from November 2016 to March 2017 expect to see some flights ex BHX to St Lucia during that period along with other UK regional departures similar to those already offered to Barbados.

[FFHKG]

DAZA

Below is the Thomson schedule from MAN... interesting reading as Birmingham seems to think it can be bigger player than MAN in the view of certain management guys at the airport

Breakdown of Thomson expansion for Winter 2016/2017

Montego Bay increase from 2 to 3 weekly
Sanford from 0 to 4 weekly
Mauritius new bi-weekly
Phuket new bi-weekly
Dubai world central up to 2 weekly
Puerta Vallerta increase from 1 to 2 weekly

So, up to 9 new weekly long haul flights per week next winter, that's a pretty hefty increase and a strong vote of confidence in the MAN market.

[OltonPete]

FFHKG

If you are going to use other airports information on another airports thread at least check the information before posting it.

Sanford is one month only and is an increase from two flights to four otherwise the passengers that flew last Tuesday must have been dreaming on their Dreamliner and the ones who thought they were travelling next Tuesday had better find something better to do. Just check the Thomson flight online schedule.

As for "Birmingham" what do you mean, it is a city and it does not speak as a single entity so I assume you mean the CEO of the airport and I doubt that is what he said exactly, all I could find was an ill-advised rant.

Probably just upset or irritated at Manchester over-shadowing (deservedly in the main) the excellent work he has done at BHX in the last 12 months.

As for Thomson, BHX can't complain as it is looking like two based 787's in 2016/7 at times, more dreamland than Dreamliner.



Pete

[LAX_LHR]

Olton,

I'm not standing up for the post by FFHKG (I'm not sure what the post was trying to achieve to be honest), but, the Thomson online brochure, and travel shops agents seem to show/say that MAN-SFB will be 4 weekly all winter, not just one month.

LGW-SFB will be 2 weekly all winter with BHX-SFB having an extended season into November and early March re-start.

[OltonPete]

LAX_LHR

Just not showing for me - Manchester Tuesday only, 4 flights in November and this matches the packages section with BHX showing nothing for Sanford next November but Bridgetown starting earlier. I am on a stand-alone computer and it has repeatedly given the same results unless of course it is still waiting to be fully loaded.

There gain I heard a rumour that the EK A388 was loaded into GDS from May 2016 on EK40 but I can't find that either.

I know airline APPs can give different results to stand alone computers but perhaps more time is needed. Last outbound BHX Sanford is Sunday and I am sure it was supposed to operate at least another week and Manchester is showing next Tuesday and inbound Tuesday week.

Pete

[jon01]

Have Thomson added a further based aircraft for 2016?

Several days currently require 7 aircraft at times:

Sunday morning:-

Larnaca 0600 (New)
Kefalonia 0600
Palma 0605
Malaga 0620
Kavala 0630
Heraklion 0720
Faro 0735

The Sunday Larnaca has been moved to a pm departure, but now a Thomson flight replacing Monarch seats and the Sunday pm Enfidha slot is now replaced with a new Thomson Arrecife flight

So it is 6 short haul aircraft required at present

[nwoody2001]

As announced on other forums/threads, Flybe announce new route:


BHX - Knock, Ireland, commence on the 28th March, year round service, operating 6x weekly!


Flybes summer schedule due to be announced tomorrow ...

[Daza]

More good news!
Lets hope RTM and NOC are just a taster! Hopefully we should know tomorrow! For me personally I hope STR will continue 3 daily (my family and me use it a few times a year) and that BHX keeps its increases on DUS EDI, GLA HAJ etc. I think they may try MXP three daily too. :ok:
Daza

[Daza]

Flybe have uploaded their summer 2016 timetable

For Birmingham So far
ABZ 4 daily weekdays 2 Sat 3 Sun upon summer 2015
AMS as per winter up to 5 daily up on summer 2015
BIA Sunday from 29/5 No change
BHD 6 daily 3 Sat and 4 Sun no change on summer 2015
EGC Sat am from 28/5 More flights peak season
TXL twice daily Mon-Wed-Fri once daily Tue, Thu, Sat and Sun up on summer 2015
BIQ twice weekly new Thu flight from Sun 29th May up on summer 2015
BOD 4 a week Mon, Wed Sat Sun one less than Summer 2015
DUS remains 5 a day Mon-Fri 2 each on Sat and Sunday up on summer 2015
EDI remains 7 daily 3 Sat and 5 Sun up on summer 2015
GLA remains 7 daily Sat 2 and Sun 5 up on summer 2015
GCI twice daily 1 Sat and 1 Sun no change
HAJ twice daily Mon-Fri and 1 Sat and 1 Sun up on summer 2015
INV once daily no change
IOM once daily no change
JER three daily Mon-Sat Sun 2 no change
NOC Daily NEW
LRH starts earlier on Sat from 2/4 (more peak season) increase on summer 2015
LYS remains daily
MXP as I suspected 3 daily a weekday afternoon departure added so now 19 week up on Summer 2015
NQY remains daily
CDG remains 6 daily Mon-Fri 2 Sat 4 Sun (combined with AF)
RTM twice daily 1 Sat 1 Sun from 5th Sep NEW
STR remains 3 daily 1 Sat 2 Sun up on summer 2015 Up on Summer 2015

No BES or DOL on sale so far.

Daza

[jon01]

Flybe S16

Knock is showing as a daily flight

Two IT's to Salzburg and one Kefallinia on Saturday with the Kefallinia moved to a 05:45 departure

[Daza]

jon01 wrote Knock is showing as a daily flight
It has been amended now Sunday was showing via EDI. Once weekly Avignon is also missing.
Daza

[jon01]

Flybe S16 update

Brest (4pw) and Avignon (3pw) are showing

[OltonPete]

At present the change is modest and although more flights and seats than summer 15 the fact only 5 E-jets showing and 7 based Q400's has tempered the increase.

However I suspect there will be changes as I could not find a single scheduled 195 flight on the few dates I checked but the charter EFL is bookable and I assume CDG with be updated to the 195.

Fleet wise I could only find 9 175's (5 BHX & 4 MAN) but that again might change and of course with so many bases I simply could have missed them as I only checked BHX & MAN and a couple of EDI & BHD flights.

It has been posted on another thread more to be released later in the month. Rotterdam will make a 13th aircraft based if you count the Dash in Dusseldorf 5 nights a week.



Pete

[ib26uk]

Going to Glasgow in April to see a theatre show, came online yesterday to check flight times for Saturday 23rd, very disappointed in there not being a lunchtime flight to Glasgow, only early morning or late afternoon / early evening

Does anybody know IF that is it?, any chance Flybe will add a few more flights in the middle of the day on Saturdays? say about Lunchtime to 3pm?

I really dont want to have to go fly up via Edinburgh

[jubilee]

Don't know if it's any use to you. East Midlands Dept. 12:35.

Regards, J

[ZULUBOY]

Going to Glasgow in April to see a theatre show, came online yesterday to check flight times for Saturday 23rd, very disappointed in there not being a lunchtime flight to Glasgow, only early morning or late afternoon / early evening

Does anybody know IF that is it?, any chance Flybe will add a few more flights in the middle of the day on Saturdays? say about Lunchtime to 3pm?

I really dont want to have to go fly up via Edinburgh

You could also try the train. I use that option often and it's £30 return at certain times

[LandingConfig]

Going to Glasgow in April to see a theatre show, came online yesterday to check flight times for Saturday 23rd, very disappointed in there not being a lunchtime flight to Glasgow, only early morning or late afternoon / early evening

Just now there's a 1240 departure, don't know why there isn't one in April. Also, strange how there's only 2 flights, it's currently something like 7x daily during the week.

[OltonPete]

Credit: CAA for Monthly Passenger Figures
Average pax per flight: Libhomeradar, a BHX Blo* and my own records
Load Factor: Estimated based on airline websites and various seat-maps

Getting to be an onerous task with schedule and IT pax mixed together, late aircraft substitutions etc. Therefore any flybe route is often based on what should have operated but many 175 flights were replaced by Q400's during the last three months.

Route.................2015.......2014.....Avg Pax.......Load Factor
BRUSSELS..........15401.......12787.......78................ 70%
TORONTO............2075.........1946.....208................ 86%
DUBROVNIK..........5244........ 4603......?.. ....IT pax included
SPLIT......................0.........3118
LARNACA.............7880........ 8021.....188.................91%
PAPHOS..............4629.........2984.....165............... ..85%
COPENHAGEN......10543........ 9988.....101.................75%
HURGHADA................0........ 1371
SHARM................6128........ 4075.....175.................82%
BORDEAUX............2394........2396......70................ .80%
LYON...................4351........3839......73............. ....84%
NICE...................4667........ 5718......146................82%
PARIS (CDG).......33726.......25108......103................83%
PERPIGNAN...........1252.............0......157............. ..83%
TOULOUSE...............0......... 3360
BERLIN (TXL)........4298.............0........72...............81%
COLOGNE..................0........3097
DUSSELDORF.......19707......19310........57...............65 %
FRANKFURT.........29294......29536.......127...............7 8% - 5 cancellations
HAMBURG.............2770........2677........53.............. .64%
HANOVER.............3215........ 5883........54...............69% 50% fewer flights
MUNICH..............17242......15877.......105.............. .79%
STUTTGART..........7182........6628........69............... 78%
GIBRALTAR...........4011........ 3542.......154...............89%
ATHENS...............1933........1590.......138............. ..82% ended 23/09
HERAKLION...........3123........3372.......174.............. .88%
PREVEZA..............1512............0........189........... ....88%
BUDAPEST............1488............0........149............ ...83% commenced 16/9
KEFLAVIK.............1947.........305........137............ ...72%
AMRITSAR............5584............0
DELHI..................4972.......6327........176........... ....69%
CORK..................6655.......5942..........59........... ....83%
DUBLIN..............65060......58170........136............. ..83%
KNOCK.....................0........2614
SHANNON............3016........3976.........58.............. ..87%
WATERFORD..........761........1887.........22............... .45%
FLORENCE................0........3646
MILAN (MXP)......10479........8656.........76................86%
ROME (FCO).........7663.......9951........153................88%
TRIESTE...................0.......2235
VENICE................6373.......5541........152............ ...82%
KAUNAS...............2969.......2593........165............. ..87%
MALTA................3236.......5702...........?............ .IT PAX included
AMSTERDAM....... 51616.....48605.........111..............87%
ISLAMABAD..........4692.......6228.........335.............. 85%
BYDGOSZCZ.........3175.......4605...........?............... .not all pax returned?
GDANSK...............3118.......3074.........173............ ..92%
KATOWICE...........2833.......3252.........177.............. 94%
KRAKOW..............3216.......2844.........179............. .95%
WARSAW.............1541............0.........154............ ..86% commenced 15/9
FARO................21819......20569.........182............ ..90%
OPORTO..................0........2475
FUNCHAL............2913........3439.........182............. .85%
BRATISLAVA....... 4573........3155.........176..............93%
ALICANTE.........27181.......32473.........172............. 86%
ALMERIA.................0........4559
BARCELONA......23885.......13286.........166..............90 %
IBIZA................7692.......12560.........151........... ...77%
MADRID.............4246.............0.........163........... ...86%
MAHON.............5904.........5627.........174............. .85%
MALAGA...........32919.......25576.........191............. 95%
MURCIA.............6128.........6436.........180............ . 95%
PALMA.............20519.......25097.........189............. 89%
ARRECIFE.........14574.......13991........... ?.......IT Pax included
Fuerteventura...10045........8001............?.......IT Pax included
LAS PALMAS......8770.........7620............?...... IT Pax included
Tenerife (TFS)..20501.......19886............?...... IT Pax included
GOTEBORG.............0.........1356
ZURICH.............8065........9435............79........... .. 80%
BODRUM............3904........4550..........150............. 74%
DALAMAN..........8980........9896..........150.............. 80%
ISTANBUL........13115.......11066..........131............. 85%
ASHKHABAD .......3016........4905............89.............47% has improved
DUBAI.............58808.......46033..........327............ . 80%
NEW YOR JFK.....6966.............0..........116............. 66%
NEWARK............8374........9033..........155............. 92%

Domestic
ABERDEEN.........10828......11864........... 60.............77%
BELFAST CITY...21248......23596............60.............75%
BELFAST (BFS)..15993......13052...........140............ 90%
DERRY....................0........4132
EDINBURGH.......24157......25787.............65............8 3%
GLASGOW.........20152......20862.............57............7 2%
GUERNSEY ....... .1490.......1902...........JER & GCI figures suspect
INVERNESS.........4102.......4239.............68............ .88%
ISLE OF MAN.......3574.......3652.............53.............67%
JERSEY..............3344........6331............???
NEWCASTLE..........777........783...............9........... ..30%
NEWQUAY...........3070.......3253.............51............ .66%

Pete

[nwoody2001]

Thanks for this OltonPete, some great looking loads there, and great to see our newer routes improving!!!


We have the October figures due out tomorrow so will be interesting to see how the routes above establish!

[VickersVicount]

Ooft why is JFK so low?

[ATNotts]

Ooft why is JFK so low?

Especially since the EWR figure is so high. I would guess that it's down to the fact that AA have been on the route for six months, and UA are well established in the market.

I hope that AA stick with it, but it would only take a hike in fuel costs to make them take a hard look JFK-BHX.

What I think is striking, is that as much as people bang on about how important transatlantic routes are, at least regionally, routes to the east are very much more sustainable and therefore it is absolutely right that BHX (and other airports) put so much effort into attracting Asian services.

[LandingConfig]

Ooft why is JFK so low?

EDI's figure is similar. Anyone know what MAN's has been like?

[MANFOD]

EDI's figure is similar. Anyone know what MAN's has been like?

MAN's figures for JFK include DL and TCX as well as AA. I originally calculated an overall LF of 92% which was based on 209 seats for AA in the revamped B767 J class version. However, some flights were the older config. so I think 90% overall is a reasonable figure for the combined 3 airlines.

Looking at seat plans I would suggest DL had a slightly higher LF than AA with their 171 seats B757 - both flights were invariably busy - but I've no idea about TCX loads with their 3 x weekly service and 322 seats on each.

[nwoody2001]

I suppose in a very simplistic sense, its a case of AA coming into the party after years of UA having the monopoly on the market. Consequently, if they want in, they will have to commit!


Whilst UA has a 92% LF and AA has a 66% LF, in simplistic terms, what that does tell us id that 15,340 pax travelled between BHX-NYC, a massive increase on last year. Also if the load balanced out, that would give each airline a LF of just short of 80% which again is pretty healthy.


In very simplistic terms, this shows that there is a market to sustain both routes, but if AA wants to increase their market share, they have to either a) tempt loyal UA pax over to AA or b) increase the number of pax coming to BHX in the first place... I hope the latter wins out!!

[nigel osborne]

NWOODY

Wonder if our AA loads stay this poor whether they will go seasonal.

I note the fares at the time of the 66% were low too so little room for manoeuvre.

However one crumb of comfort, the UA loads are now up to where they were before AA started. Lets hope therefore AA can start to build and significantly improve in the next few months.

Nigel

[ssflyer]

A difficult question perhaps but can anyone identify the loads by flight.
Difficult-made worse by aircraft substitutions?
SSF

[ATNotts]

NWOODY

Wonder if our AA loads stay this poor whether they will go seasonal.

I note the fares at the time of the 66% were low too so little room for manoeuvre.

However one crumb of comfort, the UA loads are now up to where they were before AA started. Lets hope therefore AA can start to build and significantly improve in the next few months.

Nigel

Going seasonal would kill the route. I suspect that, as I mentioned earlier, so long as fuel costs are not an issue, AA will give the route time to develop, but I fear for it's future were there to be a price shock. Of course, what we don't know, is whether AA's pricing strategy is to get decent revenue on the seats they sell, rather than working like busy fools and slashing fares.

[nwoody2001]

I agree ATNotts


Going seasonal would only go to shun the business travelers which are needed to make the service work. Business travelers need consistency and frequency if they are to shift their allegiance from one airline to another. if AA were to only operate on a seasonal basis, then why would business or regular travelers switch between the two? you would stick with the airline that operates all year round and collect the airmiles... not go from one to the other unless there is a major difference in product and service (which we know there isn't)


if AA want to complete with UA, then they need to bed in a compete on the long-haul (no pun intended)... so we just have to see if AA have the stamina... I hope they do!

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

They've successfully grown the market as we can see, the first winter season in a UK regional transatlantic route would likely be a loss maker, surely that has been factored in?
Oddly enough American's presence also reminds people that United offer a direct routing as well, so oddly enough it can be a win for the airport if both carriers can find a mature niche. UA have not managed to grow the market beyond that one daily whereas at EDI they're up rto three daily in summer so good to see someone else trying to crack it.
Of course we're not far from having to replace those B757s and that's an issue for all UK regionals that can't support a year round B788. Where's there's a will there's a way though

[cheesebag]

Just wondered what the actual cost per mile difference is between flying a 788 across to the likes of BHX rather than the aging 752's ?

[nigel osborne]

Cheesebag,

Unfortunately the 787s have twice as many business class seats to fill than the 757s ,so doubt they would use those into BHX.

Nigel

[hammerb32]

Not sure Nigel, it's very difficult to get a business class seat with United in the summer, even out of season they appear to have good demand. Not sure how AA is getting on, sure I remember someone saying AA have a good cargo contract from BHX which would allow it some consistency in revenue whilst it beds in.

[OltonPete]

ssflyer

I have seen some splits and without doubt EK37/8 is the most consistent throughout the year. If there are low loads as you might expect EK41/2 is the one but EK39/40 is the rumoured A388 in the future yet in May and June it would have difficulty filling an A321 let alone an A388.

I can't wait to see the October figures for EK as they were supposed to have been light at times but I assume the batteries ran out of the CAA calculator or they forgot to upload the new version of PDF or their Excel subscription ran out - it is not very often they are two days adrift of the estimated dates but perhaps a sign of things to come.

Skipness One Foxtrot

United loads at first dived but have recovered incredibly well and the BHX - USA market does seem to have been stimulated by competition but whether this has been done at the expense of fares I can't be sure. American were priced low in May and then went to what I would describe as normal until they dipped in October.

United seemed to have reduced their fares but not by nearly as much but I suppose as they have been in the market for years this was always going to be the case.

I thought the AA would have carried more when the fares were lower but they have tried to vary them a quite bit recently and worryingly I picked up a cheap fare for late June 2016, which I know for fact they won't make a cent on (and I mean that literally) but the days either side (Wednesday and Friday) were extortionate and I assume it is just their yield management at work.

Like others have said, I just hope they have patience.



Pete

[ssflyer]

OP
"October figures for EK as they were supposed to have been light at times"
We will see but half term was in late October and they were over booked on many flights with pax being offered cash/upgrades to move to later flights.
SS

[GHI]

I've flown on both of these flights in the last 6 months, each one going out economy and coming back business.

The United flight has a lot of legroom in economy with an on demand screen in the seat back and quite a nice business seat. The business cabin was full and there were a handful of empty seats in economy.

AA are flying quite old planes on this route cabin interior wise, it's a long time since I've flown transatlantic without a seat back screen, these had a few screens in the middle of the cabin showing a programme of films. In business I think the seat was the one before the current one AA are replacing. The interior also looked and felt old.

Regardless of this > 50% of the extra capacity between NYC and BHX has been filled in six months.

One of the other results of this is it appears the United flights have reduced in price since AA introduced this competition. I remember a couple of years ago rejecting this United flight and going to Heathrow as an economy ticket was nearly £300 more plus I'd have had to stay an xtra day because of the flight times.

I think there is quite a lot of unserviced demand for flights to North America from BHX and like for like or even paying a bit more I'd always choose BHX over going from Heathrow, but there is a lot of choice a couple of hours drive down the M40 when you are getting old equipment/poor connections/no direct flights.

[nwoody2001]

CAA numbers are finally out, not looked into it yet but great figures........

October 2015
921,150 (+5.0%)

Rolling Year
10,074,224 (+5.1%)

If we retain that 5.1% Year on Year growth, that would put BHX on 10.2m PAX for 2016... a nice number....

[getonittt]

If we retain that 5.1% Year on Year growth, that would put BHX on 10.2m PAX for 2016

I would be hoping for more than that for 2016 considering the large amount of new services and increases on existing ones.

[nwoody2001]

im sure we will, remember until March 2016, our figures will still feel the impact of the Flybe and Monarch cuts that took place earlier this year. Once they are out of the way, growth should continue to increase...


Some interesting and impressive figures out regarding Long-Haul

Air India
(Delhi/Amritsar) = 11,096 (+83%) – Impressive

American Airlines
(New York JFK) = 6,257 (n/a) – Disappointing/Slow LF

Emirates
(Dubai) = 57,530 (+27%) – Not bad as capacity went up just under 30%

Pakistan International
(Islamabad) = 5,906 (+7%) – Even this has grown, it’s been a while!

Thompson
(Cancun) = 4,941 (+120%)
(Sanford) = 2,830 (+24%)

Turkish Airlines
(Istanbul) = 13,337 (+27%)

Turkmenistan
(Ashkabad) = 3,669 (-29%) slowly recovering, LHR = 927pax (-53%)

United Airlines
(New York Newark) = 8,341 (-1%) – As if AA never happened!!!!

To my mind, some impressive figures…. I just find it frustrating that we carry 27% more pax direct from BHX to that famous family tourist spot of Ashkabad than we do to Florida!!!!

[Fairdealfrank]

im sure we will, remember until March 2016, our figures will still feel the impact of the Flybe and Monarch cuts that took place earlier this year. Once they are out of the way, growth should continue to increase...


Some interesting and impressive figures out regarding Long-Haul

Air India
(Delhi/Amritsar) = 11,096 (+83%) – Impressive

American Airlines
(New York JFK) = 6,257 (n/a) – Disappointing/Slow LF

Emirates
(Dubai) = 57,530 (+27%) – Not bad as capacity went up just under 30%

Pakistan International
(Islamabad) = 5,906 (+7%) – Even this has grown, it’s been a while!

Thompson
(Cancun) = 4,941 (+120%)
(Sanford) = 2,830 (+24%)

Turkish Airlines
(Istanbul) = 13,337 (+27%)

Turkmenistan
(Ashkabad) = 3,669 (-29%) slowly recovering, LHR = 927pax (-53%)

United Airlines
(New York Newark) = 8,341 (-1%) – As if AA never happened!!!!

To my mind, some impressive figures…. I just find it frustrating that we carry 27% more pax direct from BHX to that famous family tourist spot of Ashkabad than we do to Florida!!!!


Excellent results for Elmdon! Suspect that most pax listed for ASB are headed to/from ATQ and DEL.

[BHX5DME]

Qatar Air Mulls Gatwick Route as Heathrow Flight Upgraded to 787

November 18, 2015 — 8:57 AM GMT

Qatar Airways Ltd. is examining the business case for its first flights to London Gatwick airport as well as services to Ireland as the second-biggest Gulf airline plots its next moves for expansion in the British Isles.

With slots at London’s crowded Heathrow hub tough to come by, flying to Gatwick would be the next best option for adding seats to the U.K. capital, Richard Oliver, country manager for the U.K. and Ireland, said in an interview.

Qatar Air this week boosted capacity at Heathrow, where it has six daily flights, by dropping its 40-business-seat Airbus Group SE A319 service to Doha in favour of a Boeing Co. 787 with 254 seats. Away from London, it’s looking at serving southwest England and possibly another Scottish airport, Oliver said.

“We still see huge potential for growth in Britain,” Oliver said. “There’s a stable economy, a valuable currency and a firm market.” While Qatar Air’s first deployment of a 787 to the U.K. will cut business berths on the flight by 18 versus the A319, the switch, made Sunday, will still boost revenue, he said.

Flights to Ireland, among options under review, could target either the capital Dublin, competing with Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways PJSC, or Belfast in Northern Ireland, a location not yet served by any of the three leading Gulf carriers.

Sales on a new route to Birmingham, which starts in March with eight weekly flights, are ahead of expectations, according to Oliver. He said he’d ideally like to offer triple-daily services there, as well on Qatar Air’s Manchester and Edinburgh routes, to match the three waves of departures from the Doha hub.

Bigger wide-body planes may also be deployed in other Heathrow slots, Oliver said. It’s unlikely the carrier will add to its two Airbus A380 services given the size of the superjumbo fleet, which is six strong, with four on order

[Fried_Chicken]

A Wizz A321 is expected to visit next week on a publicity flight, from & to Luton. Will this co-incide with more announcements as it seems a strange thing to do?

FC

[jon01]

S16 update

Blue Air - The twice weekly service is showing as a B737-400

Eurowings - A320 on all Dusseldorf services except Sat from Oct, Friday Hamburg changes to an A320 from 1APR and Sundays an A320 from Oct

Lufthansa - Munich all services by A319 except for the weekend pm flight (E195)

Monarch - Based aircraft are 6 x A321 and 2 x A320

Thomas Cook - Based aircraft are 3 x A321 plus 1 x A320 from Smart Lynx

Thomson - 7 x based aircraft on most days. Saturday Verona is now a 'W' at lunchtime, so 8 different aircraft on Saturday, with an extra FUE added Sat pm. Monday am Palma on Evelop added from 30May

[Hotel Tango]

Interesting. No doubt this will come with a reduced frequency, probably 2 flights a day. The CRJs average about 66% at best now. I can't see 3 A320 rotations per weekday making any money.

[LTNman]

Wizz A321 from Luton is on its way

[nwoody2001]

...but why? We have no Wizz flights due today...

[TBSC]

Press flight. Will return to LTN at 1750 UTC.

[David Sharpe]

Read an interesting article on anna.aero recently regarding Flybe and it's position at UK Airports based on this month.


It appears that Birmingham is still the top base when looking at monthly seat capacity changes, but is only ahead of Manchester by just over 500 seats (Birmingham seat capacity is down by 2.1% with Manchester growing by 9.1%) Overall seats for Birmingham for the month were listed at just under 116,000 (I assume this is based on both arriving and departing seats ?)

[nwoody2001]

to those of you who have not seen the article referred to be David Sharpe above, a link can be found below:


Flybe to open Doncaster Sheffield base but will close Bournemouth for S16 (http://www.anna.aero/2015/11/20/flybe-to-open-doncaster-sheffield-base-but-will-close-bournemouth-for-s16/)


A very interesting read and goes to show the state of flux Flybe are currently in. In fact when you consider that Flybe were operating 9 routes more this time last year compared to this, i'm amazed the drop in seats is only 2.1%!!!


what will be interesting is to see a similar exercise for summer next year. According to their summer schedule, the number of flybe flights per week in summer will increase between 15-20%, although with the use of the smaller E175 and Q400 to replace the A195s used this year, means the increase in the number of seat wont be as large, but I still expect it will be circa 10-15%.


I don't know how that increase compares to the MAN summer schedule but im confidence next year will be a better year for flybe at BHX than 2015 was!

[111KAB]

FINCHANNEL.com - Another record month as Birmingham Airport handles over 900,000 passengers in October (http://www.finchannel.com/index.php/business/travel-news/item/52390-another-record-month-as-birmingham-airport-handles-over-900-000-passengers-in-october)

[FQTLSteve]

Will BHX secure a Chinese service? All that work with charters and then MAN gets all of it, I would have thought with the manufacturing connections that BHX would have got something. BTW I'm not knocking MAN.

[chaps1954]

FQTLSteve
But don`t forget MAN have been working for about 10 years on
the routes so in due respect.
BHX is in the same position as MAN was about 20 years ago
and it will come but not all at once or I hope not because that is
the point where it can all go t*ts up because too much happens at once
and you loose the lot.

Ian

[PPRuNeUser0176]

BHX not been very accommodating to FR668, been trying to depart since 22.33 and BHX say must be on finals by 00:00 or they won't accept. Now they are going to depart for BHX and divert to EMA. Going to return to stand as some passengers wan't to off load now.

It's like MAN with it's diversions policy, over here when the main runway is due to close they would never close it and turn traffic if crosswind couldn't be used.

[ATNotts]

Will BHX secure a Chinese service? All that work with charters and then MAN gets all of it, I would have thought with the manufacturing connections that BHX would have got something. BTW I'm not knocking MAN.

Clearly we can't expect that overnight China will go from being served only from London, to being like the Gulf, and served comprehensively from airports across the UK.

Given that China will continue to increase in economic and business importance over the next decade or so, then I'm sure BHX will get scheduled Chinese services, and what has happened with China and BHX / MAN has only happened, in reverse with India. We don't know at present what the coming China charters season will produce, but there's no reason why growth shouldn't be on the cards, despite the new MAN services.

At least now BHX has a facility which can compete on a level playing field with MAN and London - leaving aside political meddling.

[OltonPete]

EI-EIDW

????

BHX is probably one of the most accommodating airports in the UK - usually 24/7 350 days of the year and takes what diversions it can logistically cope with even when coaches are an issue.

The other 15 days are annual closures for runway and general maintenance (November and first week of December) where the contractors get the runway from 23.10.

I would say 00.00 is over generous as last night was final scheduled night closure of the year and I believe penalties might apply for late handover.

Now if you want to talk about CAT 3 ILS on runway 33 that might be more contentious but I don't want to go there.

Norwegian Madrid - Third frequency added back next summer.

Thomas Cook winter 2016/7 Seems to be two based for the first time with Banjul doubled with Hurghada added plus Larnaca and Paphos.


Pete

[Bagso]

The MEBs are much more hub orientatet that is a totally different market.

I would have thought that cities in China are more point to point although clearly there are "some' hubbing opportunities.

With flights into London and now potentially multiple routes into Manchester is Birmingham somewhat squeezed ?

[nigel osborne]

Hi Bagso

Re your;

<< With flights into London and now potentially multiple routes into Manchester is Birmingham somewhat squeezed >>

Spoken like a true Manchester enthusiast :O

I think with the West Midlands powerhouse now being formed we will be the next in line for Govt special treatment :ok:

BHX are confident of a much larger charter programme to China next year (we shall see)and likely imo BHX and probably EDI will get schedules in the coming years too.

Nigel

[Guest 112233]

Quote:

"Now if you want to talk about CAT 3 ILS on runway 33 that might be more contentious but I don't want to go there."

I have wondered about this one. OK the 33 LOC is at the 15 end of the facility, has there been a lot of remedial work, drainage etc or in the taxiway Loop.

The 33 GP, again looking at the pictures: a lot of work, was done re the extension; in the "Ground plane" of the antenna array. I realise it takes months for the "ground" settle both geologically and in terms of its electrical conductivity in relation to the propagation of radio waves to stabilise

As an alternative query: has the extension with its lengthening of the LDA's at both ends, especially 15' meant that its economically advantageous to accept CATIII operations only at the 15 end with consequent operational limitations by virtue of tail wind imposed on operators.

I worked in Sheldon and it was very possible to get 100 Metre vis (not a measure of RVR) with a 15 knot northerly wind.( Micro climate varies a lot)

A quizzical CAT III