Bristol-5

[fanrailuk]

Seems the Lufthansa service to FRA which was due to commence on 2 June has been taken off sale completely...

:bored:

[PDXCWL45]

Seems the Lufthansa service to FRA which was due to commence on 2 June has been taken off sale completely...

:bored:
Not a surprise but a welcome boost for KLM.

[Bristol_Traveller]

FRA - that's annoying, but not unsurprising. It was on-sale yesterday, so it must have been pulled overnight. I was intending to book the first flight, but had a hunch it wouldn't be 02JUN.

I notice KL aren't planning to come back until July, which must set a precedent. With no SN->BRU and no LH->FRA, it's going to be threadbare for connecting flights for a while yet.

U2 still seem to be planning on 18MAY restart, and also not surprisingly, the first couple of weekends flights to sunny destinations are pricing up very high.

[Bristol_Traveller]

The airport's official Twitter account has said that LH have moved the FRA launch to 'later in the year'. So we'll see if that turns up again in September or October.

I guess there's always a chance that SN will come back sooner if they can find/borrow equipment to operate it. If they're thinning out schedules generally, that might make it possible.

[Brakes to Park]

FRA - that's annoying, but not unsurprising. It was on-sale yesterday, so it must have been pulled overnight. I was intending to book the first flight, but had a hunch it wouldn't be 02JUN.

I notice KL aren't planning to come back until July, which must set a precedent. With no SN->BRU and no LH->FRA, it's going to be threadbare for connecting flights for a while yet.

U2 still seem to be planning on 18MAY restart, and also not surprisingly, the first couple of weekends flights to sunny destinations are pricing up very high.

There will not be a May 18 restart. All crew are furloughed till the end of May and probably beyond.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Easy still have flights on sale in May. BRS-BCN departing 07:05 on 22MAY suggests it will / would be operated by a BRS based aircraft and crew. £360 return Friday to Sunday, if you were interested.

I guess they can wait until next week to cancel that schedule and not invoke the wrath of EU261.

[Brakes to Park]

Easy still have flights on sale in May. BRS-BCN departing 07:05 on 22MAY suggests it will / would be operated by a BRS based aircraft and crew. £360 return Friday to Sunday, if you were interested.

I guess they can wait until next week to cancel that schedule and not invoke the wrath of EU261.

The May 22 flight can not operate without crew and all crew are on the Government Job Retention Scheme until at least the end of May.

[SWBKCB]

The May 22 flight can not operate without crew and all crew are on the Government Job Retention Scheme until at least the end of May.

So who does the positioning flights? Thought you weren't supposed to work if furloughed, or is there an exemption for maintenance work?

[rog747]

So who does the positioning flights? Thought you weren't supposed to work if furloughed, or is there an exemption for maintenance work?

The Company can call you back to work off and end furlough if there is work to do -
You can also do other work (for another job/company) whilst furloughed but only if your Contract of employment permits this.

[ATNotts]

The Company can call you back to work off and end furlough if there is work to do -
You can also do other work (for another job/company) whilst furloughed but only if your Contract of employment permits this.

Furlough has to be for minimum 3 weeks, as you say you can be "unfurloughed" at any point, then "refurloughed" and that refurlough has to be a new 3 week period. There will be ways around it such as doing a ferry flight on a self employed basis I suspect, or even asking the employees to make the odd flight on the promise of making up the money in the first regular pay packet. I'm sure in their haste in bring in the very welcome furlough plan HMG has failed to close each and every loophole. I suppose it's not inconceivable there'll be Easyjey crew out there who'd even work for free if it got them out of the house!

[AirportPlanner1]

You cannot be called in on promise of future payment and I suspect neither can you be self employed to do the same work. If you’re furloughed you do no work for that organisation, full stop. The community/cultural/charity sector have been ‘volunteering’ in each others organisations. In theory aviation or any other sector could do this but I suspect the complexities of it are too great to be worthwhile, making sure a museum is in order is a bit different to flying someone else’s Airbus

[ATNotts]

You cannot be called in on promise of future payment and I suspect neither can you be self employed to do the same work. If you’re furloughed you do no work for that organisation, full stop. The community/cultural/charity sector have been ‘volunteering’ in each others organisations. In theory aviation or any other sector could do this but I suspect the complexities of it are too great to be worthwhile, making sure a museum is in order is a bit different to flying someone else’s Airbus

I am working on Monday, I will be paid, but after the end of furlough - it's just an hour's Webex training course prior to unfurloughing, so there are most certainly ways around the regulations. Work I did before furlough was announced, but after the date of commencement is being paid to me on Tuesday as part of the regular pay run. I work for a large multinational, based in UK, that has been meticulous in checking the regs., to the extend that they took longer than some to come up with our furlough package.

[LGS6753]

Training is permitted during furlough.

[Brakes to Park]

So who does the positioning flights? Thought you weren't supposed to work if furloughed, or is there an exemption for maintenance work?

Small number of management pilots not on furlough.

[fanrailuk]

EasyJet route increases from 31st August

- Paris CDG from 7 to 14 weekly flights
- Amsterdam from 12 to 20
- Edinburgh from 25 to 33
- Glasgow from 20 to 29
- Belfast International from 19 to 26

[jetstream7]

Can't see anything on their website for flights after 23rd October.

Has this route been dropped?

[MerchantVenturer]

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/brussels-airlines-cancels-route-bristol-4127444

The Bristol Post reports that the BRS-BRU route has been cancelled. It was reported in April that it had been suspended until March next year.

According to the press report Brussels Airlines is restructuring which involves a reduction of its own fleet size from 54 aircraft to 38 aircraft although the BRS-BRU route was one of those operated for Brussels Airlines by a third party carrier.

[Bristol_Traveller]

Idly checking the EZY app this afternoon, I see that the flights previously being sold from next weekend have been cancelled. Flights start being available in the app from 01JUL (which is a Wednesday, so that seems like an arbitrary date rather than a considered start date).

BRU - I can't see much enthusiasm for running BRS-BRU as a standalone point-to-point route. When I've used it, the majority of people were connecting on via SN's (reasonably-priced) European route network. Maybe someone will come run it as a codeshare with SN, much as BM did until that fell over? It seems like a very long time until things are sufficiently stable and recovered enough for that to happen.

[fanrailuk]

This route has been discontinued from the end of (whatever is remaining of) S2020

Can't see anything on their website for flights after 23rd October.

Has this route been dropped?

[Bristol_Traveller]

It looks like EZY are reopening at BFS and operating BFS-BRS a couple of times a week from 17JUN. Alongside the FR to DUB, that will be 7 flights a week.

Looking at a few days of the schedule, it appears there's a long (2+ hours) turnaround at BRS.

[devon_guy]

Will Lufthansa be starting their flights to Bristol or have they shelved them permanently?

[Flitefone]

Will Lufthansa be starting their flights to Bristol or have they shelved them permanently?

Err Lufthansa Group announced 22k redundancies today and a fleet reduction of 100+ aircraft.

unlikely that UK regions will be on the agenda currently, nor that information available From DLH now will be accurate in the medium term...

[marko1]

Will Lufthansa be starting their flights to Bristol or have they shelved them permanently?

when I last contacted the airport a few weeks ago they fully expected the airline to start operations at an undefined date.

[fanrailuk]

Wizz Air are to discontinue their KTW route.

The last flight will be Friday 17 July 2020.

Wizz have been at BRS for around 6 years serving various different routes, with KTW being the last remaining.

[MerchantVenturer]

Wizz Air are to discontinue their KTW route.

The last flight will be Friday 17 July 2020.

Wizz have been at BRS for around 6 years serving various different routes, with KTW being the last remaining.
Mentioned on Twitter apparently (according to another aviation website message board) along with the axing of some Wizz Air routes to Birmingham, Edinburgh, Doncaster, Luton and Liverpool.

If Katowice has gone it will be for the third time - Ryanair tried it from 2007 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2014, after which Wizz took it on. Loads were always high and in 2019 passenger numbers increased by nearly 18% on 2018 (to over 50,000 at 2/3 times weekly, depending on season) with an A321 replacing the A320, so it must be assumed the yield was the problem.

Ryanair has operated six other Polish routes from BRS year-round for a number of years (Warsaw Modlin, Poznan, Wroclaw, Gdansk, Rzeszow and Krakow - the latter against easyJet). They were operated until the pandemic struck and currently remain in the Ryanair booking engine but no-one can accurately predict the full effects of the post-pandemic fallout at any airport.

[MerchantVenturer]

According to a poster with close links to BRS on another aviation forum Katowice has not been axed. The apparent cancellation of BRS-KTW and a number of other Wizz Air routes to other UK airports was the result of a 'systems failure'.

[Bristol_Traveller]

The Aspire Lounge is taking bookings again from Tuesday 11th August, which I assume corresponds with some expected increase in flight departures.

The current schedule looks like it's being run with 8-9 aircraft (easy, Ryanair, TUI) plus one KL to AMS.

[MerchantVenturer]

The Aspire Lounge is taking bookings again from Tuesday 11th August, which I assume corresponds with some expected increase in flight departures.

The current schedule looks like it's being run with 8-9 aircraft (easy, Ryanair, TUI) plus one KL to AMS.

Although Ryanair kept a 4 x weekly Dublin operational thoughout the near ‘shutdown’, and easyJet resumed Belfast International in mid-June, matters only really began to show signs of stirring from the beginning of July and momentum gradually built up through the month. For example:

1 July: 10 departures (5 Ryanair, 4 easyJet, 1 Wizz Air)

4 July: 18 departures (15 Ryanair, 2 easyJet, 1 KLM)

18 July: 26 departures (16 Ryanair, 9 easyJet, 1 KLM)

25 July: 37 departures (17 easyJet, 16 Ryanair, 3 TUI, 1 KLM)

Tomorrow the number of departures is shown as 45 although one is a TUI flight to Palma. Tomorrow's breakdown is:

26 easyJet, 15 Ryanair, 3 TUI 1 KLM

On another message board it is said that easyJet will need a minimum of ten based aircraft to operate tomorrow's programme - 8 x 320, 1 x 321 and 1 x 319. This is still way down on the 18 based aircraft originally planned for this summer.

The same message board says that TUI will have three aircraft based at BRS for what is left of this summer season: 1 x 757 and 2 x 738. The original programme called for six based narrow-bodied aircraft and one based 787 for this summer. Tomorrrow represents just over 40% of the usual number of overall departures this time of year.

[bravoromeosierra]

Having myself begun to use the airport since travel restrictions were lifted, I found myself booked on relatively early morning flights. Living in North Somerset, I would have usually taken the A3 bus from Weston to BRS. Given the airport now has a large number of departures (relatively compared to other airports at least), I am surprised this bus hasn't made a comeback even if in a limited reduced timetable capacity. I know the bus was frequented by staff who lived along the route, particularly in Weston and Worle.

Incidentally it seems the buses for the A1 service are stored in a carpark on the business jet terminal side of the airfield.

[MerchantVenturer]

It does seem an odd decision to mothball both the A1 and A3 'Airport Flyer' buses until January. The A1 which is a dedicated double-decker service between the city bus station, Temple Meads and the airport at 10-minute frequency for much of it 24/7 operation is not operating. Instead the A2 from the city centre to the airport, another double-decker service at 30-minute frequency, has seen its route extended to call at Temple Meads.

This week there have been up to 48 daily flight departures and the same number of arrivals, which is around 45% of the usual number at this time of year, so it might be thought that having only 25% of the bus availability, and probably with restricted seating because of the virus, would be insufficient.

The A4 Bath Air Decker is still operating albeit every hour instead of every 30 minutes and, according to its website, Stagecoach's South West Falcon from Plymouth, Exeter and Taunton is at its full service frequency of 18/19 return journeys every 24 hours which makes the A1/A3 decision even more perplexing

On another topic, the airport announced today that it is to launch an appeal with the national Planning Inspectorate challenging North Somerset Council's rejection of its expansion planning application earlier this year.

https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/about-us/news-and-media/news-and-media-centre/2020/8/bristol-airport-intends-to-appeal-planning-decision

[yeo valley]

The Weston A3 bus as been suspended till i think next summer season.All the other bus routes has been cut back but none suspended as far as i know. The reason given from the airport was a high reduction of passengers flying.Another thing the covid 19 has to answer for. I can see why it has been done as a lot of routes has reductions or been cut out for this summer season.

[yeo valley]

It does seem an odd decision to mothball both the A1 and A3 'Airport Flyer' buses until January. The A1 which is a dedicated double-decker service between the city bus station, Temple Meads and the airport at 10-minute frequency for much of it 24/7 operation is not operating. Instead the A2 from the city centre to the airport, another double-decker service at 30-minute frequency, has seen its route extended to call at Temple Meads.

This week there have been up to 48 daily flight departures and the same number of arrivals, which is around 45% of the usual number at this time of year, so it might be thought that having only 25% of the bus availability, and probably with restricted seating because of the virus, would be insufficient.

The A4 Bath Air Decker is still operating albeit every hour instead of every 30 minutes and, according to its website, Stagecoach's South West Falcon from Plymouth, Exeter and Taunton is at its full service frequency of 18/19 return journeys every 24 hours which makes the A1/A3 decision even more perplexing

On another topic, the airport announced today that it is to launch an appeal with the national Planning Inspectorate challenging North Somerset Council's rejection of its expansion planning application earlier this year.

https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/about-us/news-and-media/news-and-media-centre/2020/8/bristol-airport-intends-to-appeal-planning-decision
Im glad they are going to appeal,i just had worries they would not have done and this was due to covid 19. Wait and see what happens now as it wont be a quick fix what ever way it goes.

[Bristol_Traveller]

It does seem an odd decision to mothball both the A1 and A3 'Airport Flyer' buses until January. The A1 which is a dedicated double-decker service between the city bus station, Temple Meads and the airport at 10-minute frequency for much of it 24/7 operation is not operating. Instead the A2 from the city centre to the airport, another double-decker service at 30-minute frequency, has seen its route extended to call at Temple Meads.

My perception is that the A1 is used more by incoming visitors to the area, and those have probably not returned at any great level so far. Most of the "locals" know that the A2 is pretty much the same journey time, picks up in more places and costs less. First Bus operate the A2 as a commercial route, but the Airport operates the A1, so probably stands to lose money on it if it restarts too early.

[MerchantVenturer]

The A1 and A3 Airport Flyer bus services are currently suspended until January 2021. As B_T points out the A1 and A3 are airport-run services albeit operated for them under contact by First West of England using First staff and double-deckers (A3 single-deckers) that are painted in a dedicated airport livery. The A2 is a commercial service operated by First WoE with its double-deckers painted in a different airport livery to the A1 and A3.

The A2, being a public service, is no doubt operating using the government COVID funding to bus companies whereas the A1 and A3 probably don’t qualify being airport-operated services.

A recent press release stated that the A1 and A3 drivers had been moved to other First services whilst these routes remain suspended. Furthermore, some of the airport’s own drivers who operate the airport’s onsite buses (car parks, staff etc) have been taken on by First to operate regular buses around the company’s network in a temporary move until next March.

That would presumably mean fewer car park buses within the airport complex.

My experience over many years is that the A1 picks up and drops off most passengers at Temple Meads for rail connectivity. In normal times it operates six times every hour in both directions for much of the 24-hour period, supplemented by First’s A2 at half-hourly intervals that doesn’t normally call at Temple Meads but serves other parts of the central area.

For many years the A1 has provided through rail ticketing to and from the airport. Currently that service also seems to have been suspended meaning that anyone arriving at Temple Meads by train will have to seek out the temporarily diverted A2 and pay separately, assuming there is room with the number of seats on the bus reduced by 50% because of COVID.

The A1 double-deckers do experience peaks and troughs in their loading, partly because of the peaks and troughs in flight arrivals/departures at the airport. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to see an A1 leave the airport or Temple Meads fully loaded with some passengers waiting for the next one.

BRS is obviously nowhere near its normal airport passenger throughput at the moment; there are today, for instance, 52 departures across seven airlines including 31 by easyJet which is just under half the usual overall daily number at this time of year. Even so there must still be a significant number of passengers travelling through the airport - last August saw over one million passengers using the airport for the first time in a calendar month. I’m intrigued to know how two buses per hour with reduced seating capacity because of COVID (the A2s) are coping without the assistance of at least some of the normal six A1s per hour.

Perhaps many more passengers are using private transport to reach the airport which would be a bit of an own goal for the airport.

In part of its planning application submission the airport laid great stress on increasing the percentage of passengers using public transport, with guaranteed rates of increase each year on pain of penalty. It also said that the current network and frequency would be maintained, with more bus services planned including new on-demand bus services to Clevedon and Nailsea and an increase in frequency of the A3 (Weston Flyer).

Obviously no-one could have anticipated the COVID situation but to withdraw the airport-operated bus services to/from the airport until next January might not be the best PR move the airport could have made, especially when at least three of the five commercially operated routes are operating (I'm not sure what's happening with the A5 'village bus' or the South Wales National Express route 216) and at a time when the airport has announced its intention to appeal against the local authority’s rejection of its expansion planning application.

[yeo valley]

Is the service from Plymouth and all points running. If its running would think a reduced service.

[jaycee10]

Is the service from Plymouth and all points running. If its running would think a reduced service.
Yes it is running, saw one this morning at 05:35 on the Cumberland basin heading towards the airport. Later on there were others on the M5, heading towards Bristol. No idea of the timetable though

[cuthere]

As stated above, the Southwest Falcon from Plymouth/Exeter to Bristol Airport/Bristol is running, and running to its full timetable.

[MerchantVenturer]

During the week 3-9 August there was a total of 320 airline departures at BRS, and broadly the same number of arrivals although some TUI flights might have returned empty as they were the first of the truncated season.

In summary easyJet operated 193 departures, Ryanair 98, TUI 13, KLM 7, Blue Islands 4, Wizz Air 3 and Loganair 2.

Ryanair operated to 33 of their originally planned 34 destinations in August and their 98 departures represents 70% of the 140 weekly departures that should have flown had Covid not intervened.

easyJet should have flown 396 weekly departures this month so the 193 they actually flew last week is just under 49% of that total. They suspended some of the much higher number of destinations they operate compared with Ryanair.

A number of the Ryanair and easyJet routes saw reduced frequencies from the original timetable.

[bravoromeosierra]

As per the KLM website and an announcement from BRS on their Facebook page, KLM will be using the B737-700 on their daily flight for the remainder of the month starting Thursday.

[Bristol_Traveller]

KL's up-guaging to the 737 looks a bit awkward now that NL has fallen off the safe travel list. I wonder how that's going to affect loads next week to FR and NL.

[Welshtraveller]

Why has today’s flight to Madeira been delayed 24hrs? Thanks.

[fanrailuk]

Why has today’s flight to Madeira been delayed 24hrs? Thanks.

According to EZY it’s delayed due to high winds in FNC which is “beyond operational limits” there

[TOM100]

odd others got in and Jet2 still operating......

[richardwpprn]

odd others got in and Jet2 still operating......

Perhaps EZY didn’t have flight crew with enough confidence at this tricky airport when it’s a bit windy.

[HH6702]

Boeing / airbus and different companies will have all different levels of operating limits for winds etc

[TOM100]

I guess - quite unusual to see an airline just cancel a whole days operation (various UK airports) with out reassessing the situation.

[VentureGo]

Boeing / airbus and different companies will have all different levels of operating limits for winds etc

TAP Air Portugal and British Airways are both operating Airbus a/c (A320N, A320, and A319) into Funchal today as scheduled.

(ref. FR24)

[Welshtraveller]

I guess - quite unusual to see an airline just cancel a whole days operation (various UK airports) with out reassessing the situation.

I agree. I would love to understand EasyJet’s thought process. Apart from the cancelled Easyjet flights all of the other flights landed with no problems.

[SWBKCB]

I would love to understand EasyJet’s thought process

The thought process is easy - you avoid disruption to the rest of your programme by not having planes and crew out of place.

[TOM100]

The thought process is easy - you avoid disruption to the rest of your programme by not having planes and crew out of place.

Yes but the other airlines didn’t ? I would also imagine they have a few spare aircraft kicking around at the moment....,,

[planedrive]

Perhaps EZY didn’t have flight crew with enough confidence at this tricky airport when it’s a bit windy.

What a load of rubbish. EasyJet are one of the biggest operators at Madeira. Stop trolling.

[TOM100]

What a load of rubbish. EasyJet are one of the biggest operators at Madeira. Stop trolling.

I agree the comment is tongue in cheek but I am really curious why TAP, BA, Jet2, Jetair, Transavia, Binter et al could all operate on time in and out yet U2 cancelled their whole day’s operation in the morning ?

[PDXCWL45]

I agree the comment is tongue in cheek but I am really curious why TAP, BA, Jet2, Jetair, Transavia, Binter et al could all operate on time in and out yet U2 cancelled their whole day’s operation in the morning ?
Because Easyjet are a lot more cautious. In general they seem less willing to risk the disruption to their operations compared to other airlines

[SWBKCB]

Interesting comments - no idea how accurate the data is!

Bristol stands out. Of all of easyJet’s airports, it is its ninth-largest – but its third most profitable, with almost €69 million.

Bristol had the highest profit margin, with the LCC responsible for nearly 60% of the airport’s seats in this time period. Its network of routes there is similar to Gatwick: a wide mixture of domestic, leisure, sun, and business destinations

anna aero - easyJet’s most profitable airports revealed using RDC’s Apex platform (https://www.anna.aero/2020/09/25/easyjets-most-profitable-airports-revealed-using-rdcs-apex-platform/)

[ATNotts]

Interesting comments - no idea how accurate the data is!



anna aero - easyJet’s most profitable airports revealed using RDC’s Apex platform (https://www.anna.aero/2020/09/25/easyjets-most-profitable-airports-revealed-using-rdcs-apex-platform/)

RDC appear to use a lot of supposition and extrapolation to come to their figures; that doesn't make them inaccurate, but analysts and accountants can make figures say what they want them to, and there will be a lot of variables, such as when and if fuel was hedged, and how much an airline really pays in airport fees (not the data base of published costs) that RDC appear to use as their calculation tool.

Whatever my thoughts and observations they appear to believe they are a reliable source.

[fanrailuk]

Seems support for airport expansion is waning in the current climate...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-54521637

[MerchantVenturer]

Seems support for airport expansion is waning in the current climate...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-54521637

There is nothing new in this. The Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority (B&NES) altered its political complexion radically at the May 2019 local elections changing an overall Conservative majority to an overall Lib-Dem majority. The newly constituted council was against Bristol Airport expansion from the outset. The Lib-Dem councillor who wants the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) to alter its stance on supporting the expansion is merely echoing climate change-based anti-expansion comments made frequently by her council colleagues since they were elected.

North Somerset unitary authority (NSC) in whose area the airport is situated also lost its overall Conservative majority at the May 2019 local elections to be replaced by a ‘rainbow council’ consisting of Lib-Dems, Greens, Labour and Independents, with the greatly reduced number of Conservatives in opposition. Some of the new councillors had previously expressed opposition to Bristol Airport expansion.

A perusal of the 235-page report submitted by the NSC planning officers to their planning committee councillors prior to the planning hearing, in which the officers recommended approval with conditions, shows that most of the other councils in the extended city region were, like Weca, in support of the planning application (Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Sedgemoor and Somerset County - Mendip made no comment).

I’m not aware of any of these councils changing their attitude, whether in support or in opposition, since the planning application was rejected by NSC in February this year with the rejection confirmed the following month.

There is an argument that the future of a regional facility such as an airport should not be left solely in the hands of just one council in the area.

I believe that an appeal to the national Planning Inspectorate will be in the best interests of the city region and its hinterland. The matter will be investigated thoroughly, objectively and impartially by a professional planning inspector who, unlike many councillors, will have no pre-conceived ideas, local pressures, prejudices or ingrained opinions. An appeal of this nature will involve a public enquiry.

The planning inspector can decide the outcome of the appeal himself or herself but with this one it’s likely that the secretary of state will ‘recover’ the appeal and make the final decision himself, with the planning inspector’s recommendations taken into account but not binding.

My ears are not completely closed to the views of anti-expansionists. I respect their right to hold them and indeed can empathise with some of their arguments, and whilst on balance I disagree with their main thrust I don’t support expansion at any cost. Improvements need to be made in a number of areas including those recommended by the NSC planning officers.

As someone who has used BRS a lot over many years and who lives near the flight path a few miles from the airport I will be entirely comfortable with whatever a planning inspector decides or, as the case may be, recommends to the secretary of state because I will be confident that it is based on legal and planning guidance and principles.

This could run and run because even if the planning inspector or secretary of state allows the airport’s appeal, and the appeal process won’t be quick, legal challenges would likely follow from opponents.

Pre-pandemic the airport had projected that its current 10 mppa cap would be reached or nearly so by the end of 2021. It’s obvious that won’t now occur for several years which provides more breathing space for the airport to wait out the appeal process.

[OltonPete]

There is nothing new in this. The Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority (B&NES) altered its political complexion radically at the May 2019 local elections changing an overall Conservative majority to an overall Lib-Dem majority. The newly constituted council was against Bristol Airport expansion from the outset. The Lib-Dem councillor who wants the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) to alter its stance on supporting the expansion is merely echoing climate change-based anti-expansion comments made frequently by her council colleagues since they were elected.

North Somerset unitary authority (NSC) in whose area the airport is situated also lost its overall Conservative majority at the May 2019 local elections to be replaced by a ‘rainbow council’ consisting of Lib-Dems, Greens, Labour and Independents, with the greatly reduced number of Conservatives in opposition. Some of the new councillors had previously expressed opposition to Bristol Airport expansion.

A perusal of the 235-page report submitted by the NSC planning officers to their planning committee councillors prior to the planning hearing, in which the officers recommended approval with conditions, shows that most of the other councils in the extended city region were, like Weca, in support of the planning application (Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Sedgemoor and Somerset County - Mendip made no comment).

I’m not aware of any of these councils changing their attitude, whether in support or in opposition, since the planning application was rejected by NSC in February this year with the rejection confirmed the following month.

There is an argument that the future of a regional facility such as an airport should not be left solely in the hands of just one council in the area.

I believe that an appeal to the national Planning Inspectorate will be in the best interests of the city region and its hinterland. The matter will be investigated thoroughly, objectively and impartially by a professional planning inspector who, unlike many councillors, will have no pre-conceived ideas, local pressures, prejudices or ingrained opinions. An appeal of this nature will involve a public enquiry.

The planning inspector can decide the outcome of the appeal himself or herself but with this one it’s likely that the secretary of state will ‘recover’ the appeal and make the final decision himself, with the planning inspector’s recommendations taken into account but not binding.

My ears are not completely closed to the views of anti-expansionists. I respect their right to hold them and indeed can empathise with some of their arguments, and whilst on balance I disagree with their main thrust I don’t support expansion at any cost. Improvements need to be made in a number of areas including those recommended by the NSC planning officers.

As someone who has used BRS a lot over many years and who lives near the flight path a few miles from the airport I will be entirely comfortable with whatever a planning inspector decides or, as the case may be, recommends to the secretary of state because I will be confident that it is based on legal and planning guidance and principles.

This could run and run because even if the planning inspector or secretary of state allows the airport’s appeal, and the appeal process won’t be quick, legal challenges would likely follow from opponents.

Pre-pandemic the airport had projected that its current 10 mppa cap would be reached or nearly so by the end of 2021. It’s obvious that won’t now occur for several years which provides more breathing space for the airport to wait out the appeal process.

Might need the expansion quickly if the Jet2 timetable is correct and the app.

Pete

[MerchantVenturer]

There have been some strong rumours about a BRS Jet2 base in the past week or so. It looks as though they had legs.

[BHX5DME]

32 (THIRTY TWO) routes from Jet 2

[Flying Wild]

32 (THIRTY TWO) routes from Jet 2
As a matter of fact, Thirty Three destinations. First flight is to ACE on 1 April.

[fanrailuk]

Official news release here;

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays flies into its tenth UK base – Bristol Airport (https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/about-us/news-and-media/news-and-media-centre/2020/11/jet2com-and-jet2holidays-flies-into-its-tenth-uk-base?fbclid=IwAR3Odb2ueteIq8QL5ubQjKYFxrgUtHsknIRatTIQPEv_F9 qU7ZmsOdgfQs0)

[leadinghand]

handling agent or self handle??????

[Flying Wild]

handling agent or self handle??????

Probably a handling agent to start with. It's a massive chunk of money buying all the GSE to support just 3 aircraft. When BHX and STN opened, they used handling agents for the first year or so.

[leadinghand]

is it just swissport at bristol?

[caaardiff]

https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/392310/jet2-announces-bristol-as-tenth-airport-base

Really good interview this morning, with several digs at the competition, mostly likely mainly TUI and discreetly pointing out tthe differences between each company and their recent performance.

[_aax1]

Probably a handling agent to start with. It's a massive chunk of money buying all the GSE to support just 3 aircraft. When BHX and STN opened, they used handling agents for the first year or so.

They used a handler on the ramp but their own staff for check-in/gate at both start ups

[caaardiff]

is it just swissport at bristol?

Swissport and DHL. DHL are tied in with Easyjet and not entirely sure if that permits them to handle anyone else at the moment. Front of House will be self handled, can see Swissport taking on the Ramp.

[Flying Hi]

56 flights a week at peak with 3 aircraft is going some. Even 4 would mean every aircraft doing 2 rotations a day, so not sure how they'd cope on 3. Draft in reserve?
Ground equipment - cant see Jet2 having a problem with providing their liveried gear to BRS. I:m sure any potential opposition to this has been sorted commercially before they signed up.

[Rt Hon Jim Hacker MP]

I don’t see J2 using third parties unless they have to. It’s what differentiates them from the rest of the pack. They are already talking about how many new jobs this will create.

[inOban]

I seem to remember that jet2 move to selfhandling when the base has 7 or more a/c.

[BSARTL]

Do jet2 self handle FOH & use ground handers for BOH (ramp) or provide complete self handling at certain UK airports? As aboard in Spain it is FOH only & ramp is provided by ground handling companies like aviapartner. I see jet2 are advertising the role station manager for BRS, this seems a bit excess considering if they could to use Swissport for FOH/BOH ground handling. It would be great to see Jet2 to come in with their own ground handling, or if Ryanair self handle with Blue handling. As I think under the current situation Swissport would not be to handle all their service providers including Jet2, after the mass redundancies across the UK including BRS. I know a big what if especially if the summer schedules from FR, TUI, KLM, U2 & Jet2, etc do or don't materialize but lots of based units to handle there. Just a thought for a few.....

[LBAflyer22]

Jet2 provide fully integrated ground handling at most UK stations. FOH/BOH split as you suggest I think is only provided in Scottish airports, Belfast & NCL I believe.

Spain is not entirely accurate. There are many stations that are fully self handled, PMI, ALC, AGP to name the three of the top of my head. TFS maybe a further one too.

[fanrailuk]

Jet2.com are adding the following routes for S22...

Bodrum BJV - begins 5 May 2022 at 1 weekly
Alicante ALC - begins 29 April 2022 at 3 weekly
Dubrovnik DBV - begins 30 April 2022 at 1 weekly

[irishlad06]

Looks like Jet2 will deploy similar handling to its Scottish and NCL bases. passenger interaction points will be employees employed directly by Jet2.com.
dispatchers
cabin crew
passenger services

below wing (baggage sortation and ramp) will be outsourced) to a 3rd party handling agent which makes sense as it is only a 3/4 aircraft base initially so the numbers aren’t there for it to work as a fully self handled base. If they grow to say 7 aircraft then I can see them take it all in house maybe within a few years. This will depend on how their relationship is with whoever the handling agent is.

[MerchantVenturer]

It’s been reported this week that the Planning Inspectorate will begin work next month on Bristol Airport’s appeal against the rejection of the airport’s planning application by its local authority, North Somerset unitary authority (NSC).

The planning application sought permission for new infrastructure to allow the airport to handle 12 mppa together with associated requests to raise the current 10 mppa passenger cap to that level and to rationalise but not increase overall its night movement noise restrictions. The main feature of the process will be a four-week public enquiry reportedly to be held in July next year.

BRS originally projected that it would reach 12 mppa by 2026 but now believes that the virus effects have probably delayed that until 2030. The airport was allowed by the Planning Inspectorate to enter further submissions based on the new scenario which the Planning Inspectorate judged to be ‘exceptional’. NSC has opened a public consultation based on the airport’s new submissions.

The airport submitted its original planning application to NSC in December 2018 but it was not until February 2020 that the authority’s planning committee met to determine the application which was rejected. Because the rejection was contrary to the recommendations of its own planning officers who recommended approval the authority’s standing orders dictate that the decision had to be ratified at a later planning committee meeting which was done in March 2020.

The airport launched its appeal in summer 2020.

The appointed planning inspector could decide the outcome of the appeal him or herself but because of the nature of the application it’s likely that following the inspector’s enquiry the matter will be ‘recovered‘ by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (currently the Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP) in order to make the final decision himself. He would take account of the planning inspector’s recommendations but is not bound by them.

Therefore it’s likely that no decision will be made until at least the latter part of next year and, if it goes in favour of the airport, subsequent legal action by opponents might well delay matters further.

[fanrailuk]

Some changes afoot for Summer 2021 with easyJet at BRS:

SVQ and VIE seem to be cancelled with immediate effect

The two cancelled routes are not lost as they are still served by Ryanair.

[fanrailuk]

New routes; easyJet Summer 2021

Santorini JTR - 1 x weekly (Monday) - starts 31 May
Mykonos JMK - 1 x weekly (Friday) - starts 28 May

(...as always subject to change due to many factors)

[MerchantVenturer]

Lufthansa - Frankfurt

Announced today that it will return from 28 June this year operating daily on BRS-FRA, reportedly using E190 aircraft.

LH970 FRA 1020-1100 BRS (Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun)
LH970 FRA 1630-1710 BRS (Tue, Thu & Sat)
LH971 BRS 1230-1500 FRA (Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun)
LH971 BRS 1750-2020 FRA (Tue, Thu & Sat)

Lufthansa had been due to reinstate the FRA route from the end of March last year at 2 x daily (single daily Saturdays) but the pandemic put an end to that plan. With overseas travel still facing continuing uncertainties I wasn't expecting a return of Lufthansa this year. It's very good news for BRS.

[Cloud1]

Interesting slots there - 1.5hr turn for an Embraer certain days and 40 mins the others. I can some schedule changes on the horizon when things settle

[SWBKCB]

Similar to the NCL schedule, so presumably some logic at work!

[MerchantVenturer]

https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/about-us/news-and-media/news-and-media-centre/2021/3/loganair-boosts-uk-regional-connectivity

Looks as though it's an extension to Loganair's BRS-ABZ route.

[bravoromeosierra]

Wonder if they are really keeping a direct flight and the indirect flight to Aberdeen (at similar times), or whether the direct flight will get binned off. Both are showing on sale for now.

[fanrailuk]

TUI to drop 5 routes from BRS after this summer season;

ALC, CHQ, FAO, GRO, SID

Holidays may still be available to some destinations using other airlines seats.

Seems the Jet2 effect has begun.

[FRatSTN]

Interestingly at Stansted they've dropped 4 routes but added frequency on 4 others. Maybe frequency over network coverage is TUI's approach to Jet2 expansion. Lets face it the latter flies to most key destinations at least 3 or 4 times a week, if not daily. One of the reasons I've never flown with TUI personally is you're often more restricted to 7 or 14 night stays.

[MerchantVenturer]

fanrailuk

There are 14 fewer weekly TUI flights shown for August 2022 than for Augist 2021 which suggests a reduction of one based aircraft. The present timetable for summer 2022 seems capable of being operated by four narrow-bodies and one wide-body.

Apart from the axed routes there are reductions in frequency to Antalya, Dalaman, Hurghada, Palma and Pula.

Of the axed routes Jet2 isn't flying to Chania or Sal, nor to Hurghada or Pula of those routes showing reductions in frequency. Other airlines do fly to these axed/reduced TUI destinations except Sal and possibly Chania, depending on Ryanair's plans for summer 2022.

Whillst on the subject cof Ryanair there is no Malta route from BRS this summer, nor from CWL nor EXT. In fact, Malta has been removed from the BRS Ryanair dropdown list. Ryanair's nearest Malta routes are from Bournemouth and Birmingham. South West England and South Wales have no Malta connectivity with any airline for the coming summer at the moment.

[yeo valley]

With the MLA route not operated from BRS that is more years i care to remember . I wonder what the reason is for this.

[marko1]

Every day has at least 5 short haul departures - fri for example - ibz , mah , tfs ,cfu and skiathos plus 787 to cancun. I reckon the other routes could be re scheduled in.

[fanrailuk]

Lufthansa launch has been pushed back to 16 July…

Subject to change I’m sure.

[fanrailuk]

The public inquiry appeal by Bristol Airport is due to open at 10.00am on Tuesday 20 July 2021 - and is currently estimated to be sitting for around 40 days.

[fanrailuk]

Eurowings to start PRG service from 31 October 2021 at 3 x weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri)

Source; https://zdopravy.cz/eurowings-budou-letat-z-prahy-nove-do-jedenacti-mest-miri-hlavne-proti-smartwings-a-ryanairu-84722/ (in Czech)

Link from Wikipedia.

[fanrailuk]

EasyJet to MLA starts 9 July 2021

Twice weekly - Mondays and Fridays

[EI-BUD]

It's in the app Mon Fri and Sun.
They'll be joining easyJet on similar frequency.
Won't be surprised if Ryanair jump in for good measure ...

[MerchantVenturer]

easyJet has operated between BRS and PRG for well over a decade. In recent years prior to the pandemic the frequency was daily/6 weekly year-round depending on year or season. In 2019 easyJet carried 97,500 passengers on the route (CAA stats).

The next 12 months or so show a lesser frequency in the booking engine than in pre-pandemic years but frequency is gradually increasing next year:

From 20 July 2021 then August to October 3 x weekly
November and December 2021 4 x weekly
January 2022 2 x weekly
February and March 2022 4 x weekly
April to June 2022 5 x weekly
July and August 2022 6 x weekly
September 2022 5 x weekly

In the coming winter two of the days (Fri and Sun) due to be operated by Eurowings each week are also operated by easyJet according to the airline's booking engine.

[PPRuNeUser0176]

Aer Lingus to operate A320 x5 weekly from 1 August.

[MerchantVenturer]

First flights leave today from the new Jet2 base at BRS - to Palma and to Mahon.

[Buster the Bear]

Bristol airport to offer Dubai and Seychelles.

Seychelles will be in easy reach of West Country travellersFlights will be operated on a seat-only basis sold via the trade. They will run over the next Easter and early May bank holiday.
Departures from Bristol will be on 8, 18 and 28 April for nine days in the Seychelles or 10 days in Dubai.

The airport has struck a deal with Air Seychelles and Air Charter Service, which will operate the flight using a single-aisle Airbus A320neo. The 150-seat aircraft will fly non-stop to Dubai and then continue to Mahe.
It will offer a Premium Club cabin, an Economy Space offering - which includes a blocked middle seat - plus a standard Economy class.

Shaun Browne, Bristol’s head of airline relations, said: "This is a truly exciting project for Bristol Airport, opening up our region to new destinations is one of our primary goals.
"We continue to work with Air Charter Service and Air Seychelles with the vision to offer other exciting destinations for the future.”
Charles Johnson, Air Seychelles’ chief commercial officer, added: "We are delighted to be operating this exciting flying programme in conjunction with Air Charter Service – one which marks our inaugural operation from Bristol Airport.

“We operated many flights with ACS last year as they helped our aircraft to keep on flying throughout the pandemic.”

[MerchantVenturer]

The public enquiry will begin tomorrow (20 July) at Weston-super-Mare Town Hall and will be streamed live on YouTube.

It is projected to last for around 40 days but there will be a break between 16 and 27 August, and a week's recess commencing 20 September.

The main participants including the airport and the council have already submitted their proofs of evidence to the three planning inspectors conducting the enquiry.

Because of extremely limited capacity at the Town Hall members of the public with an interest in the subject but not participating in the enquiry are encouraged to follow it online and not in person. Evidence to the enquiry will be given either in person or via virtual platforms.

[MerchantVenturer]

The planning enquiry into BRS's appeal over the rejection of its planning application by its local authority last year ended today. The airport wants its passenger cap of 10 mppa raised to 12 mppa with associated infrastructure enhancements.

The three planning inspectors from the national Planning Inspectorate who held the enquiry have been delegated by the previous secretary of state (Robert Jenrick) to determine the appeal themselves. The new secretary of state (Michael Gove) has not indicated that he will 'recover' the appeal to take the decision himself.

No timescale has been given by the inspectors as to when their decision will be announced. The local news media speculates that it will be around the end of this year. The lead inspector said today that this planning enquiry had been an unusually long one - 36 sitting days since 20 July although there were breaks for holidays and the inspectors only sat from Tuesday to Friday each week. The enquiry was streamed live on the Internet.

[cloudey]

does anyone happen to know whether Easyjet will be including Mykonos in their 22 schedule?

I seem to be able to book Santorini from April 22 but Mykonos is not bookable. Does this definitely mean it's been dropped? Or do they release different parts of their schedule at different times?

Thanks

[LGS6753]

EasyJet plan to base a 17th A320 at Bristol in Summer 22

[MerchantVenturer]

17 was also the base size in summer 2019 - ten A320s and seven A319s.

Currently peak summer 2022 seems to be two A321s, twelve A320s and three A319s - so no more aircraft than in summer 2019 but more seats.

[MerchantVenturer]

Three planning inspectors have allowed Bristol Airport's appeal against North Somerset Council's rejection of the airport's planning application to increase its planning cap to 12 mppa with associated infrastructure development.

This follows a 36-day planning enquiry held last year.

[Blackfriar]

Cue wailing and gnashing of teeth from the ecoloons infesting North Somerset Council.

[PDXCWL45]

Cue wailing and gnashing of teeth from the ecoloons infesting North Somerset Council.
They have said that they'll look at grounds for appealing the decision.

[MerchantVenturer]

As expected one of the opposition groups has launched a legal challenge in the High Court against the Planning Inspectorate's decision to allow Bristol Airport's appeal against North Somerset Council's decision to reject the airport's planning application to increase its annual passenger cap to 12 mppa with related infrastructure expansion. The group believes the three planning inspectors erred in law in coming to their decision.

North Somerset Council will not challenge the decision. The leader of the council said that a legal challenge would carry 'a high level of risk' and result in 'significant further costs'.

He went on to say, 'A legal challenge through the High Court can only be successful if the inspectors can be shown to have erred in law. Unfortunately our disagreement with the inspectors' conclusions on the planning merits is not a relevant ground for challenge'.

[SealinkBF]

Flying from BRS on Tuesday. With easyJet! What could possibly go wrong?

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2022-09-06/chaos-at-bristol-airport-as-passengers-face-massive-queues-to-board-flights


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/travel/news/bristol-airport-apologises-for-frustrating-long-security-queues/ar-AA11vDAD

Not all doom and gloom in this article...

[BristolexFlyer]

Aegean to Athens, 2 x weekly A320neo from 27th March!!!

Unexpected addition! Along with Corendon, SunExpress and Swiss added to the portfolio.

Kind Regards

BristolexFlyer

[LGS6753]

https://www.travelmole.com/news/jet2-boost-bristol-flight-schedule/

including a seventh based aircraft

[Severn]

Bristol Airport expansion granted at High Court (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-64465440)

Good news for the airport today, hopefully the end of a long-running saga.

[CabinCrewe]

Nice to see a bit of premium at BRS for a change with new 1903 and Escape lounges opening later in the year. Can actually be sometimes good value. Wonder if airlines will use for J pax?
Interesting 1903 brand is ‘adults only’

[GAXLN]

Nice to see a bit of premium at BRS for a change with new 1903 and Escape lounges opening later in the year. Can actually be sometimes good value. Wonder if airlines will use for J pax?
Interesting 1903 brand is ‘adults only’

And they are being run by a Manchester Airport subsidiary company

[arfortune]

Disappointing to discover TUI are pulling long haul flights in 2024. No reasons given beyond ‘we’ve reviewed our programme’, but we’ve had to swap to Gatwick.

[fanrailuk]

Looks like Corendon are reducing their AYT service from BRS just 1 x per week from 3rd June (currently 2 x per week)

[sealo0]

Bristol seems to be getting their act together

https://www.business-live.co.uk/ports-logistics/bristol-airport-invests-over-60m-27786844?utm_source=businesslive_newsletter&utm_campaign=south_west_newsletter2&utm_medium=email&pure360.trackingid=b68e5497-dcf4-49a5-900d-50668988309a

[Wurzel72]

Wizz-Looks like Wizz Air are leaving BRS as the last Katowice is on the 5th November. I wonder if they will be back?

[GayFriendly]

Apparently they're pulling all services from EDI as well. Wonder if BHX and LPL will see cuts or Wizz disappear?

[BristolexFlyer]

Ryanair to base a 5th aircraft at Bristol this winter with new routes to Porto and Venice.

kind regards

BristolexFlyer

[fanrailuk]

Ryanair to base a 5th aircraft at Bristol this winter with new routes to Porto and Venice.

kind regards

BristolexFlyer

These are new for winter - not totally new

They have been operating all this summer

:ok:

[Wurzel72]

These are new for winter - not totally new

They have been operating all this summer

:ok:
They dropped Gdansk and Warsaw Modlin though

[marko1]

They dropped Gdansk and Warsaw Modlin though

Gdańsk resumes mid March as does Warsaw for a short pre Easter series once a week

[Seljuk]

EZY will base a 18th aircraft next summer
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-airport-easyjet-announces-two-8941323

[pabely]

Not a Multistorey like Luton so put out quickly.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-67674897

[fanrailuk]

Lufthansa are ending their FRA service from 3 Feb with all flights off sale (LPL is also off sale from 2 Feb)

Source: SeanM1997 (X)

[fanrailuk]

Lufthansa are ending their FRA service from 3 Feb with all flights off sale (LPL is also off sale from 2 Feb)

Source: SeanM1997 (X)

Some Ryanair changes for S24 are;

- FR to CGN ~ last flight 30 March
- FR to RIX ~ last flight 30 March
- FR to SOF ~ continues year round
- FR to CPH ~ begins 31 March (3 weekly)
- FR to FUE ~ begins 1 July (2 weekly)
- FR to PRG ~ begins 4 July (2 weekly)
- FR to TIA ~ beings 2 April (2 weekly)

[Cosmic Wind]

It’s a multi story exactly like Luton’s. Hope the insurance is topped up!

[davidjohnson6]

I've been looking at CAA airport data.. and keep getting the message that BRS is going through something of a growth spurt in passenger numbers.

I know Easyjet, Jet2 and Ryanair all have substantial operations at Bristol, and that LHR isn't *that* far away. However, I'm puzzled as to why the AF-KL group considers KL flights to Amsterdam as sufficient but is not flying AF to Paris as well.

I get that going up against (up to) 5x daily Easyjet is formidable, but there is clearly a sizeable point-to-point demand to Paris and there is relatively little network carrier capacity at Bristol for long-haul connections given Bristol saw 10 million pax in the last 12 months.

Anyone able to say why AF have not re-opened or should not re-open a route to CDG ?
Answers on a postcard...

[GrahamK]

I've been looking at CAA airport data.. and keep getting the message that BRS is going through something of a growth spurt in passenger numbers.

I know Easyjet, Jet2 and Ryanair all have substantial operations at Bristol, and that LHR isn't *that* far away. However, I'm puzzled as to why the AF-KL group considers KL flights to Amsterdam as sufficient but is not flying AF to Paris as well.

I get that going up against (up to) 5x daily Easyjet is formidable, but there is clearly a sizeable point-to-point demand to Paris and there is relatively little network carrier capacity at Bristol for long-haul connections given Bristol saw 10 million pax in the last 12 months.

Anyone able to say why AF have not re-opened or should not re-open a route to CDG ?
Answers on a postcard...
Shortage of aircraft/crew at Hop would be my guess

[Mooncrest]

Leeds Bradford has enjoyed a continuous multi-daily service to Amsterdam since 1976, when Air Anglia took on the route from British Airways. Effectively , LBA-AMS has been flown by the same operator since then, from Air Anglia, Air UK, KLM UK and now KLM City hopper, now a part of the same KLM-Air France empire. 48 years in and LBA doesn't see the Air France side of the partnership either! Jet2 fly to Paris a few times a week, no multiple daily flights and not daily. I'm not sure Jet2 are that serious about the route. It's not that many years since British Midland flew LBA-CDG up to three times a day. And Brussels too.

[davidjohnson6]

In 2023, Leeds had 4 million passengers, while Bristol had 10 million.
Easyjet have demonstrated FAR more people currently fly point-to-point or self-connect between BRS and Paris compared to between LBA and Paris. If Jet2 were seeing super-strong demand for LBA-CDG flights, they would likely do something about it. Maybe there is latent unfulfilled demand from Leeds to Paris... but it's quantity is somewhat unknown.
Remember, CURRENT market demand, verified by what people actually pay and not what they just say. Not what it was 17 years ago - bmi cut their LBA-CDG route in February 2007
In the last 10 years, LBA pax has grown by 20 % while BRS pax has grown 62 %

If you were a network planner working for Air France....out of BRS and LBA, which new UK route would you consider a safer bet ?

[GAXLN]

In 2023, Leeds had 4 million passengers, while Bristol had 10 million.
Easyjet have demonstrated FAR more people want to fly point-to-point or self-connect between Bristol and Paris compared to between Leeds and Paris. If Jet2 were seeing super-strong demand for LBA-CDG flights, they would likely do something about it.
Remember, CURRENT market demand, not what it was 17 years ago - bmi cut their LBA-CDG route in February 2007
In the last 10 years, LBA pax has grown by 20 % while BRS pax has grown 62 %

If you were a network planner working for Air France....out of BRS and LBA, which new UK route would you consider a safer bet ?

Just my two penny worth, but I would go as far as to say neither is particularly attractive. EasyJet competition makes BRS-CDG a bit of a basket case for Air France in respect of local yields and for long haul too many people still prefer to go to Heathrow for a direct flight to their destination. Air France have had a long on-off relationship with Bristol but re-establishing the route is clearly a challenge for the airport. In respect of LBA-CDG, the Air France planners are probably more interested in frequency and capacity increases on MAN-CDG. If Transpennine trains are working well and the M62 is behaving itself Manchester is readily accessible from a large part of West Yorkshire. Now if road access to LBA could be improved and it did not have some issues with weather, it might be a different matter. It is far lower risk for AF/KL to add frequency and capacity on LBA-AMS than start LBA-CDG. AF only serve CDG from LHR, BHX, MAN, NCL and EDI so perhaps, with their Dutch partners serving many, many more, that is all they feel they need.

[caaardiff]

There seems to be a decline in connecting traffic at BRS overall. BMI to MUC and FRA, recently replaced by LH who have since dropped the route. AF to CDG and Brussels Airlines to BRU, all no longer. BRS is probably seeing the same issue with traffic leakage to LHR as CWL is with BRS. I would imagine a middle eastern carrier would do quite well out of BRS, or Turkish being the main suspect.

[LBIA]

Leeds Bradford has enjoyed a continuous multi-daily service to Amsterdam since 1976, when Air Anglia took on the route from British Airways. Effectively , LBA-AMS has been flown by the same operator since then, from Air Anglia, Air UK, KLM UK and now KLM City hopper, now a part of the same KLM-Air France empire. 48 years in and LBA doesn't see the Air France side of the partnership either! Jet2 fly to Paris a few times a week, no multiple daily flights and not daily. I'm not sure Jet2 are that serious about the route. It's not that many years since British Midland flew LBA-CDG up to three times a day. And Brussels too.

Capacity to Paris from Leeds this summer is quite big compared to previous years.

Jet2 are actually increasing frequency of its Leeds - Paris CDG route from 4x to 5x weekly Boeing 737-300's.
​​​​​​Ryanair will be operating between 3x & 5x weekly on the Leeds to Paris Beauvais route using Boeing 737-MAX8's