bfs expansion

[Puma Driver]

I have been told that bfs are soon to announce a big building program. With the old blue hangars to be knocked down to allow for a new cargo ramp, and the existing cargo ramp to be used by the Royal Mail, with the GA ramp to be turned into 12 extra stands. Rumours still persist that the golden harp is inbound - how likely is this?

[babydoc]

To fly where exactly?

Belfast (x2) is pretty much saturated.

[eastern wiseguy]

To fly where exactly?
I agree that the DOMESTIC market is saturated BUT why can't the travelling punter in NI hop on an aeroplane which will fly him/her direct to a few more european destinations?EZY ex BFS to AMS seem to have healthy loads and I personally would LOVE to see some more like them! :D

[carlos vandango]

well as Mytravel lite has shunned international routes from BFS next summer, I guess its up to EZY to sew up the BFS-Europe market. I get the the impression they're not too keen either. How difficult could it be to do a couple of night Palma's and Malaga's with 4 aircraft gathering dust on the apron after 11pm?
As for the yellow harp, well maybe they'll be on the Stansted for summer. Can't see Easy doing LTN, LGW and STN!

[BELHold]

I have heard a whisper that a Canadian operator has been approached with a view to transitting through BFS on a regular basis.

[NWSRG]

Its about time BFS got some more direct European routes. With the population of NI, surely we can support services to the continent in the same way as Bristol, Southampton etc. (to quote last nights Belfast Telegraph). Also, a transatlantic service is needed. Apparently Aer Lingus were making money out of BFS to New York, but pulled back to support Dublin routes. What about someone like Continental running a 757 three or four days a week?

[glynn-kayes]

aer lingus were making a lot of money on the bfs-jfk route it was one off their most profitable routes.they went from 3 to 4 to 5 flights weekly over a period of just 18 months and the load factor was one of their best.even though it operated via shannon 4/5ths pax loads began and ended in bfs in fact a friend at seviceair<the handling agent at bfs >could not believe the decision by aer lingus management to withdraw the route

[glynn-kayes]

also bfs was dealt a horrible blow after sept 11 and ba mainline used this to pull out of northern ireland like a shot.they claimed that the shuttle service was losing money but when pax were connecting from bfs to europe and beyond with ba,their revenue management were told to allocate one pound sterling to the bfs-lhr-bfs sectors and the remainder of the fare to the onward connection no wonder they showed a loss on the route they wanted to

[controller friendly]

At last!

EZY are doin 1 a day to lgw from february, goin up to 3 from the summer plus 2 a day to ncl.
bmi baby doin man, not sure how many rotations though...
Hopefully christmas won't be cancelled this year:p :p

:D :D :D
luv & kisses
cf

[richardnei]

During this winter Futura Int'l are operating a low-cost, flight only charter from bfs to agp on Fridays operated for teleticket with a one-way fare from £69.

The flight has proved so popular that they are increasing the service to 2 a week and introduce a weekly Alicante service from early March 2002

Looks like things are looking up for BFS!!:)

[glynn-kayes]

and things are looking down for county down airport aka<belfast sh***y>with ba shi**ty express cancelling iom abz cwl an sou

[BELHold]

Looks like more apron space will be needed sooner than later, stands 13-19 already used with no "Room at the Inn" at peak times.

Perhaps the old BA compound should be put to better use, other that accomodating the pigeons it could be used for the other resident birds.

I see that Lauda as well as Tyrolean will be operating to INN this season along with LZ, AMM x 2 and MYT to the other ski resorts

[eastern wiseguy]

SUPERB NEWS!! At last the public will see the meaning of low cost on the LGW route.Hopefully the "harps" are lurking as well! While we are here a minutes silence for the city.........sorry I forgot with the routes they are losing and will lose..there will be plenty of those !! The good people of East Belfast will be pleased!:D

[richardnei]

Sound like it about time to build an additional peir or terminal 2, which they already have planning permission to build.



:)

[BELHold]

Briefing for all tenants, handling agents, service providers and staff re future developments to be held tomorrow by the BIG A himself.

Press release on Fri!

Looks like we could be coming full circle....keep it coming!

[BELHold]

Things looking even better after todays presentation.

Record summer season for 2003 anticipated with lots of new routes including Luxor.

Oh and BFS T2 is going ahead albeit in a phase by phase kind of way.

A little vague at times however confirmation that a couple of new operators have signed on the dotted line.....pint of GOLDEN HARP did I just hear someone say?.....oh and we can get one of those in the fantastic new bar opening tomorrow.

[Puma Driver]

Just heard today that BMI may be going to start a BFS - MAN service. I must admit it would be a suprise after BMI moved the bulk of their services to BHD, I thought there was bad blood between BMI AND BFS.

[mcdonnellluke]

Hello
I presume that this will be a BMI baby flight rather than bmi regional or bmi mainline as this has been rumoured for some time and it is also rumoured that MAN will be baby's next base.
luke

[richardhall99]

looks like FLYbe will stop the BHD service....i suppose it was nice while it lasted..a bit of variety after ba's domination...did any1 ever fly with gill airways..they were great werent they.....werent afraid of any1.....and as for RE ducking out like pretty childish....

just a bit of stupid info but wen gill were fighting with BA and won the BHD route i was part of the team that brought its downfall..well a little bit with letters in the paper..trade and industry dpt involved.....did u know that air wales were going to do a CWL-MAN-NCL service then BA stepped in with a direct flight...pretty bad aint it......and then they pulled out practically straight away...did u c the flight times!!!!!

[t3953]

Aer Lingus loads of 4/5ths ex BFS to the States????

I really dont think so! I worked for EI in several sections including res and max they would carry on a very good day would be 50 and it was almost always low fare leisure tickets which brought very little revenue to the airline and bere in mind that after landing in SNN these pax split into smaller numbers onto BOS,ORD,LAX and BWI. It was very popular with the BFS locals who used the service a lot (i mean once or twice a year to visit the relatives and such) but not enough to keep it going especially considering they had to use one whole cabin crew just to operate snn-bfs-snn for the day and the flight deck crew who had to be driven to BFS the night before, overnight and then fly the plane all the way to the states and back again with yet another lovely 2 1/2 hour drive afterwards back to DUblin airport.
Having said all that, it would be a great service to reintroduce maybe for the summer but I doubt the airline could support it in a similiar manner all year under its new business plan!

[Ringwayman]

did u know that air wales were going to do a CWL-MAN-NCL service

They did operate CWL-MAN but failed to make a success of that route and withdrew it after a few months operation.

[richardhall99]

I know they operated the CWL-MAN service but with NCL link up on the end of that Im sure that they could of made a success of it......all they needed was the right flight times and I reckon that they could of done well with it....did you see the CWL-NCL flight times!!!

[BELHold]

Press release yesterday announcing Eastern to commence ABZ-BFS early next year!

[Tower Ranger]

Or was that ABZ-BHD?
BEL you don`t really believe all you hear at these briefings do you? Whatever happened to the " Freeport " or exedos sorry " Genessis " projects and T2 is surely just an extension. Hey , maybe I`m wrong , it won`t be the last time.

[eastern wiseguy]

eastern airways (www.easternairways.co.uk) Tower Ranger a quick check of the web site states Belfast International and BFS.Perhaps they are mistaken? :confused:

[Puma Driver]

In todays Belfast Telegragh Albert Harrison welcomes Easterns arrival. Its BFS boys!

[BELHold]

Tower Ranger

Normally just a pinch of salt...........but this one tasted just right!

Merry Christmas!

[richardnei]

Just looked at the easyjet booking system on their website and discovered a number of routes have had there frequencies cut during weekdays.

Summer 2003

BFS-LTN 5 DAILY
BFS-LPL 6 DAILY
BFS-AMS 1 DAILY
BFS-STN 5 DAILY
BFS-BRS 1 DAILY
BFS-GLA 4 DAILY
BFS-EDI 3 DAILY

BFS-NCL 2 DAILY
BFS-LGW 3 DAILY

TOTAL - 30 DAILY DEPARTURES

Although in the easyjet press release for the Newcastle and Gatwick routes from BFS they stated they will be operating 68 return flights a day during the summer

so is there more routes and frequencies still to come?

richardnei

[hushkit77]

Great to see Eastern into BFS. Great company. Happy New Year to all and long may more routes continue into Aldergrove!!

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

richardhall99

Not sure where you get the impression the flybe. will be pulling off the NCLBHD route. To my knowledge flybe. have no intention of just rolling over and letting easyjet have all the spoils. There are many areas where flybe have a distinct advantage over easy.

- The fares on this route are already low and with the offer flybe. had before christmas of flying free to Belfast I would not say that flybe would be any more expensive that easyjet, they are certainly not acting as if they have a monopoly.

- easy's flights will not be going into BHD.... BHD being much closer to the centre of Belfast and more convenient for business/leisure users alike.

- easy will certainly not have 5 flights a day!

It is worth remembering that flybe. are still operating the BRSBHD route a good year and a half after the arrival of GO, completing strongly on price and service and coincidentally easyjet have now reduced the schedule from 2 flights to just 1 a day for summer 2003.

This must be the first time Easy have rolled over because the competition is too hot!

:D :D :D Long may it continue!

[eastern wiseguy]

lets see what the punters prefer......will it be a dash 8 or a crj (will they still have pilots?)...or will BE just do what they did when GO came on the STN route from BFS and cleared off? We await with interest..REAL COMPETITION for a company which milked NI for years...my money is on the orange ones!!

[CaptAirProx]

Uncle Monty, not having researched this I maybe wrong.

flybe's fares maybe higher than easy because at the moment flybe must be getting the loads to sell the higher priced seats.

easy is new on this route so has many cheap seats to fill unti lit grows for them.

Easy may take some of flybe's pax, which will then free up more seats at the cheaper price bringing flybe's "percieved" prices cheaper again. This will then take customers away from Easy and the cycle will start all over again. Until of course the route really pickes up once easy have managed to advertise massively and a new market develops. Then both carriers will be full. Here's hoping!

Regarding load factors, I rarely am not that bored in my job to read the Disposition Reports of our fleet daily. Perhaps Jobs-a-goodun could enlighten us as he probably has a better idea from where he is standing?

P.s just looked at the fares and for comparable flight times and dates the fares are not quite as wide apart as you suggest.

flybe = 68.70
Easyjet = 46.40

Still one is more than the other but easy aren't flying till April so only time will tell?

[eastern wiseguy]

AirProx...a reasonable point I suppose..but I DO look at loads and if we take LPL or GLA as a f'rinstance we see that the Easy figures are CONSISTENTLY high.Largely I would suggest because of clever marketing and low fares(percieved).Flybe are not known as a low fare operation and are streets behind in the advertising stakes(speaking as a man in the street)and it will be with interest as we watch the battle develop.If I were a former member or owner of Air Belfast(remember how you moved to BFS "to satisfy customer demand"then scuttled back to the docks when they rolled over?)I would be watching with more than a little "schadenfreude" at the forthcoming bloodbath...futures bright ...futures Orange!!

[CaptAirProx]

Eastern, regarding advertisement. Watch this space.................We may not be as orange as orange but I am led to believe that sky blue is going to be painted in some choice places come the new year both in Belfast and England.

[Jobs-a-Goodun]

I have no doubt that Easy will gain passengers on the NCL-BFS route as they do have very attractive fares - as any operator on a new route has.

However I would imagine that for the business user the schedule is not suitable. Leaving at 0710 from NCL and having to return on a flight leaving BFS at 2125 is not what most business passengers do. For this reason I believe that Easy will expand the market and not simply take all of flybe's passengers.

Again there is the noted fact that flybe operate into BHD which is already going to be more attractive for the majority of business passengers wanting to access the centre of Belfast.

As for Mytravellite, well again I have no doubt that they have attractive fares but their schedules on the BHXBFS route require them. Departures from BHX of 1005 and 2125 and returns of 1135 and 2255. I'd certainly want it cheap if I had to arrive into BHX at 5 minutes to midnight! (oops time now amended!)

[eastern wiseguy]

Jobs....if your logic is correct,and,based on the number of pax between the two cities then BRAL should be running a shuttle service into BHD from GLA(they don't)and LPL(but they shut that one down didn't they?An opportunity for Flybe?)The simple fact remains that not ALL business is carried out in the city centre ..that people do like to have access to all of NI and that BFS is still the PREFFERED airfield(facilities are superior in every way from runway length to services).As to taking from 2235 until 2355 to reach BHX from BFS not even one of Flybe's dash 8's would take that long.:D (and I just checked!).

[carlos vandango]

Flybe have sucessfully seen off Go on the BRS route. Go have now reduced its frequency. I would say the main reason for this is timing. In the morning there are far more people leaving NI than coming in. That's the way its always been. If you want to scoop the market you gotta leave BFS or BHD before 0800. If Easy want to influence the LGW market they'd better come up with a much better timetable than the current one too.

[Tower Ranger]

Has anyone heard how the pax figures on the Mytravellite Bfs-Bhx are doing , last I heard it was about 70 each way.

[controller friendly]

And there weren't many , sorry that should be any, that left BHD before 0800 this morning...........some things never change:rolleyes:

[higher]

WELL AT LEAST FLY BE AND BMI GOT TO TRY OUT A REAL AIRPORT FOR A CHANGE :cool: :cool: ;)

[Uncle Monty]

Carlos

There are three daily flights showing for summer on the ezy website (same as before).

[Tower Ranger]

Hi CF, I trust you enjoyed your trip to Lhr today from the city.
You see sometimes we have our uses, I did ask but apparently the red carpet is away being shampooed. Lots o Love TR....

Higher ..... oh dear!

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Carlos:

Flybe have sucessfully seen off Go on the BRS route. Go have now reduced its frequency

My understanding is that BRS BFS is 3 time daily during the week:

07.05, 15.15, 21.35 = 444 seats daily

and twice daily at weekends:

07.05, 17.50 = 296 seats daily

in the summer schedule.

It would appear to me that an early morning and mid to late afternoon service between the two exists in the summer schedule as it does in the winter schedule.

Doesn't seem like anyone has been 'seen off' really. Regardless of the flight times and Cat3 conditions at either end ;)

Cheers

WWW

[carlos vandango]

OK fair point, my EZY source was misinformed..no surprise there then as they change the game plan by the week! What has CAT 3 at either end got to do with it?
Nevertheless the fact remains that if the big Easy want route domination in BFS they'll have to start such routes at 0700 from BFS not the other way round. When they do, then maybe Flybe will have problems.

[CaptAirProx]

Yeah and I think what Carlos was implying earlier was that Flybe were billed to drop the route if easy started as easy always win.

What has happened is a slight reduction in easys plans for the summer as opposed to the winter. This does proove his point that flybe can sometimes maintain a route on a turboprop against a jet to BFS.

[Puma Driver]

The golden harp is confirmed as coming to BFS in the near future and will operate 3 european routes.

[tallseabird]

Is this linked to the 'Ryanair to Blackpool' thread

Is this good news for Servisair?

[mcdonnellluke]

Hello
How can it be confirmed if no annocement has yet been made? and also any idea of what these routes are likley to be? If BOH was one of them it could scare Buzz of the route just as with PIK, but one of these routes could be Blackpool as rumoured elsewhere possibly on a 1 flight per day frequency
Luke

[Puma Driver]

Trust me, Ryanair are coming to fly 3 european routes Paris,Brussels and Frankfurt, no domestic routes are planned, cant disclose how I know.

[richardnei]

I was informed that last month ryanair was talking to Aviance about getting check-in desks and handling at BFS.

Also Aviance have recently advertised for both Passenger Services and Ramp Agents at BFS.

At last some european routes from Aldergrove.:o

[babydoc]

Anything's possible but...

Ryanair is fond of using BFS talk to put pressure on DUB when it wants to.

And Puma Driver was the one telling us a couple of months ago that EZY were dropping STN and BRS. Let's hope it's not the same source.

Who knows for sure. Probably only MOL.

[Puma Driver]

Babydoc the source this time is rock solid - its going to happen.

[BELHold]

Any idea of the proposed frequency, timings.

Be good to see the International Pier getting a turn but they will have to move a couple of freighters that seem to have taken up residency down around 24 25.

Interesting summer ahead, looks like double parking, I think Agnis might need a hand.

[carlos vandango]

Well, Paris and Brussels could work. Believe it when I see it though. Bit like Easyjet's monthly BFS-AGP rumour. Been wittering on about it for well over a year now. A summer Blackpool would actually be a corker...always was a good Flybe route in summer and that's why they charge £260 rtn for it.:cool:

[eastern wiseguy]

Carlos Vandango wrote


good Flybe route in summer and that's why they charge £260 rtn for it


Thus demonstrating the comittment to low fares across the Irish Sea !!:rolleyes: or milking he public for every penny:-< . Perhaps a BPL route WOULD be a good idea ....but let's have some EUROPEAN routes

[tallseabird]

I've decided that this is all someones idea of a good laugh, just because Puma Driver says 'Trust me' (by the way do you know what a Jewish gold seller says when he means f**k o** - trust me!) doesn't actually mean anything - this is a rumour network after all.
A lot of peeople seem to have difficulty making 2+2 add up. "Aviance have recently advertised for both Passenger Services and Ramp Agents at BFS" - Aviance have recently found out that their Easyjet contract is going to expand significantly and they are cracking at the seams as we speak. Why would Ryanair speak to Aviance about getting check-in desks? They could potentially talk about handling but from what (rumours) I have heard MOL will tell the handling agent the day before the flights start.

Now what do we know about Ryanair and Belfast - TRUST ME, nothing!

[carlos vandango]

Eastern wiseguy,
yes £260 is ripping the ass out of it BUT...people are prepared to pay it! Simple laws of economics with relatively inelastic demand in summer for BHD-BLK. People are willing to pay this for a point to point service. Personally, I'd go to liverpool and get the train but that'll still cost about £100 and add 3 hours to the journey. Aviation is not a charity.

[eastern wiseguy]

yes £260 is ripping the ass out of it

Carlos we at last agree......:o

[Puma Driver]

tallseabird may know nothing about Ryanair and Belfast but the contract has been signed - as I said trust me.

[tallseabird]

A 'contract' - now that explains everything!

Is that a contract to approach the airport management every couple of months to see if they can get another free lunch

How come you are the only one who knows

[Take up the Hold]

First RYR route from BFS will be BOH operated by

BUZZ

[tallseabird]

Yea, just heard that myself - is that Puma Driver has been talking about all along?

[eastern wiseguy]

Seems that RYR a k a Buzz may NOT now be offering BFS ......tried to book tonight and all flights unavailable!...curious no?

[Puma Driver]

tallseabird have to admit the Ryanair take over of Buzz was news to me, my info was only related to european routes, as far has I am aware Ryanair have no plans for domestic routes from BFS, but I guess the take over of Buzz may change that, at least I hope it does having booked flights to BOH with Buzz.

[eastern wiseguy]

Further to KLM’s announcement on Friday regarding the sale of buzz to Ryanair,an immediate decision has been made to cancel the buzz contract with Bournemouth Airport. As a result of this, all Buzz flights from Bournemouth, which were due to launch on 30 March 2003, have been taken off sale.

from ryanairs site(via Departures Beckham)

So which European routes does MOL mean then? Hardly Hahn ...he doesn't even go there from DUB .
What about Stansted,Beauvais,and Charleroi?
over to you Puma Driver

[owc]

In tonights Belfast Telegraph Albert Harrison says that BFS is about to announce a new new European destination, also does any one have any ideas about the new bmi baby route.

[Tower Ranger]

OWC

AND YOU BELIEVE ;)

[controller friendly]

Love the new icons!

Been far too busy giving the orange and travel communities something to talk about lately than to be on here(No thats not political, I only wish it was!!!!)
And we'll not even talk about getting stuck at Heathrow for 7 hours!:(

Has Puma Driver got any idea when the harps are arriving? It's just I've a little football tournement to go to near to Paris in May and it would be awfully handy to fly outta BFS:D

Lets start a really good rumour, what about the shamrocks, any sign of them coming to give bmi a run for their money on the LHR route?:cool: :p :cool:

[higher]

Ive got a feeling puma driver is right on this one i can smell it in the air something big is going on at BFS question is what???? any 1 no?????:confused: :confused: :confused:

[tallseabird]

It's gone very quiet round here - anything to report???