View Full Version : bmibaby - New Base = Cardiff
jetstream7
3rd Jul 2002, 08:08
So it's confirmed - bmibaby's second base will be Cardiff
2 B737 to be based from this Winter - no news on confirmed routes, but expected to be similar to existing EMA routes
Further news on this BBC link :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/wales/newsid_2087000/2087630.stm
and this bmibaby press release...
http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/press/release.asp?ArticleID=38
fokker70
3rd Jul 2002, 09:18
Watch the dogfight between Bristol and Cardiff, Easyjet are a strong competitor and will not let Baby 'take' the market - surely this will just split the existing market at Bristol :confused:
brabazon
3rd Jul 2002, 09:25
So how much of Go's traffic from Bristol is originating in the Cardiff area?
How many more UK regional airports can become bases for low cost airlines? No one has tried the North East yet - Newcastle anyone?
Fraudsquads
3rd Jul 2002, 10:09
Good luck WWW, I hope this doesn't have a negative effect on trade.
teifiboy
3rd Jul 2002, 10:50
Good luck to BMI Baby at Cardiff.
Do you think South Wales has enough of a catchment to support a low cost operation though?
Electric Sky
3rd Jul 2002, 11:13
Good choice!
Cardiff is well away from any existing bmi british midland base, nearest being Manchester so it will have little impact on mainline.
With the planned expansion of the EMA base and the development of Cardiff I wonder where baby will get all these 737-300s from?
GO BABY!!
ES ;)
great news for CWL. Its about time that we saw some sensible prices for scheduled fares. CWL is in a great position to catch pax from the Midlands as well as South Wales itself. All it could do with is a decent road link to the M4. Good luck to them. PS I wonder if it'll make an attactive proposition for any existing CWL based crews:D
reverserunlocked
3rd Jul 2002, 12:38
As a Cardiff lad, I'd say that CWL is a great place to base a low-cost carrier.
For low-cost the only option is Bristol at the moment and anyone who's ever made the journey from Cardiff to Bristol will know what a pig Bristol Airport is to get to from South Wales. The airport's out on the other side of the city down little country lanes and Bristol traffic isn't known for moving fast.
The catchment area will take in South-West and Mid Wales, so I'm sure there will be enough traffic to sustain it. If you've ever tried to squeeze yourself into one of KLM's Fokker 50's from CWL to AMS you'll know that there's no shortage of people who want tp travel through the Welsh Capital.
Let's hope that if the low-cost traffic is sustained and grows steadily they'll speed up plans to make the airport more accessible by road and rail.
vpcaptain
3rd Jul 2002, 12:57
about time too, cardiff was dying a death over the last 3 years with loss of jmc, b a pulling out etc. ,
glad the new md has got his finger out to stop the rot.:)
Wee Weasley Welshman
3rd Jul 2002, 16:54
Fraudsqauds - thanks for the concern.
I must say I was far more worried 6 months ago when it was rumoured easyJet were looking at CWL. That would have been serious competition for BRS. As it is - No problem.
As many have pointed out - the catchment areas are quite well seperated.
Another low coster in the region will lead to more advertising and stimulate more general interest in taking a flight somewhere. Good news all round. Good luck BMIBaby at CWL! :)
WWW
fadec_primary_channel
4th Jul 2002, 08:20
Concerning your last post, why is bmibaby less of a worry for you at CWL versus the threat posed by EZY, to ops at BRS??
Ta:)
stalling attitude
6th Jul 2002, 15:23
Baby's fares will have to be quite a bit cheaper to to attract people from the west country because apart from the extra fuel involved in driving past bristol to cardiff ( about 55 miles ) it costs the best part of a bloody fiver to get into Wales over that damned bridge.
egffztzx
7th Jul 2002, 17:47
it costs the best part of a bloody fiver to get into Wales over that damned bridge.
- but it's FREE to leave! :)
Wee Weasley Welshman
7th Jul 2002, 19:08
fadec - If ezy had moved into CDF in a big way they could have had a money bleeding contest with Go at BRS and won.
BMIbaby just isn't well established enough to do this and Sir Michaels pockets aren't deep enough to outbleed the combined Ezy/GO company.
Doubtless they will take BRS traffic. But not a critical amount.
Is the crewroom mumbling that I hear. Personally I know too little about the business to be able to opine with anything approaching insight.
Cheers
WWW
there was a rumour recently that EZI had been to CWL but was unable to get the landing fees down to a price which suited them. With so few regionals left without a low cost operator on-site, I wonder if BMI are paying a premium for starting this operation?
Young Paul
9th Jul 2002, 11:07
I doubt it. I expect that the bmi negotiating team were more persuasive.;)
Ace Rimmer
10th Jul 2002, 10:18
The new MD at Cardiff is a shrewd cookie make no mistake
Not only that but he's the only bloke I know that knows ALL the words to American Pie...in the right order...when pissed
Skid
I believe not, something to do with the Welsh developement fund, or something of that nature.
Keep those shoulders back Lovely boy, Lovely boy