Call Established

"Even though UKJet are using Viking aircraft like Air Scandic did last summer, hopefully this year the company will have managed to work out a reasonable schedule. SCY took on more contracts than they had aircraft for, and did not leave in any downtime for aircraft in the event of a tech problem which caused the monstrous delays"

I think the programme for this unit shows approx 11 rotations a week at the mo with the BD A320 flying the most. I recall seeing all day Thursday free and some of the say Wednesday with 2 or 4 sectors on the other days. Only a couple of night flights also.

EastMids

I gather there's another former MK 9G- registered DC-8 with a white fuselage, yellow engines and a yellow tail at Filton right now. Hope its not going to deliver via EMA - the last one caused far too much trouble!

Andy

Lite

A major problem for Scandic last summer was that they had taken on more contracts from Kosmar, MyTravel & Excel than they actually had aircraft for. On top of this, they took on contracts for football & adhoc charters which further added to the chaos that ensued. The airline had two dedicated Viking aircraft at EMA plus a real mixture of 757s which came in from France, Greece, Scotland & Slovakia if I haven't also missed a few out. With sensible timing, I don't doubt that UKJet will be able to utilise the MD-83 far more effectively.

As far as I'm aware regarding the information desk doing boarding calls, this is due to work being done on the airport's PA system. Some of those microphones were falling off of the walls or hanging by a thread. The pessimistic among us think that it's a way for the airport to get info desk staff to do more work, but they already have a huge amount of work to do, so it will impede on their jobs & results in calls being put out incorrectly. Hopefully the new system will be up-and-running shortly.

bmibaby.com

I really don't think that the airport or Kosmar (the main tour operator using SCY flights last year) knew quite what they were getting into when they signed up to have Air Scandic operating their flights. Considering the bad reputation they gained, it's unsurprising Kosmar are trying to reboost their image by using bmi Airbuses to operate the bulk of their flights, although surprising that the airport would even consider allowing those MD83s back.

jmc757

Aren't all the flights brokered by Excel Aviation anyway? Kosmar may well have said they don't want a fiasco like last year, but they still went to Excel Aviation to get the seats.

Interesting to see that Kosmar have now been purchased by Excel/Avion Group.

EastMids

UK Jet MD-80 SX-BSW, the former Viking/Scandic SE-RDH, was at BHX today with engine cowls open and engineers peering inside... Tech already??? Colour scheme is almost as bad as the same aircraft had last year - last year, small red "Air Scandic" titles, this year slightly larger blue UK Jet titles. Supposedly its positioning into EMA this weekend and will be on the washpan for a day for cabin crew evacs.

HJupiter

Tech already? Surely hope this isn't the case! As for the colour scheme, I preffered last years to be honest. I'll try and get some infomation on when it's in at EMA, I thought it would only be a matter of time before it turns up on a remote stand up here or something.

HJupiter

thomsonfly.com

I'm unsure whether it will be a 767 that EMA will have over the winter, considering that TOM have a lucrative longhaul & Hadj contracts over the winter where these aircraft are far better put to work. I'd suggest that either another 757 or potentially one of the "new" 737s is more likely.

HJupiter

Well SX-BSW is was still tech last night so the likeleness of it coming up to EMA today I'm not sure about. Just have to wait and see.

HJupiter

Lite

Does anybody have any indication how the new Ryanair flights are doing, and predictions for proposed new routes?

Flyboy543

Lite - maybe not the best indication of how their doing, but the majority of the new routes have around 150 or so bags in the hold so you can work out the sort of pax numbers from that

Any official details I find I will post when I know

Flyboy

Lite

Thanks Flyboy543. The baggage issue at Ryanair is quite an interesting one, as everyone I spoke to prior to "paid-for-checked-in-luggage" were incredibly pessimistic, but overall the transition has been pretty smooth. There's occasionally the odd computer hiccup or pax who had "no idea" of the policy, but it seems to be a nice little revenue earner for FR and keeps the queues moving. My concern is the number of hand baggage which is being taken through, largely because there is no definitive control over checking weight, particularly for those who checkin online.

I do hope they will expand at EMA, because the routes genuinely seem to attract a wide range of passengers, and the airport has been noticeably busier since the two based aircraft arrived.

foxile

Would be very good for me if they did Porto.

phil_2405

I've heard all the new Ryanair routes are performing well.

The airport definitely seems busier in the last week or so with the charter summer season beginning. Pax numbers should be on their way back up!

Lite

Whilst all expansion is good, and the airport is definitely recovering from last year's loss of bmibaby traffic, it seems a tremendous shame to look at easyJet. Something inside of me wishes that they would either expand or expand from DSA allowing EMA to get on with attracting new clients. Despite EZY being a force to be reckoned with on their routes, they are something of an enigma for a LCC; no aggressive expansion & limited use of existing assets.

Ryanair on the other hand have barnstormed into the airport & long may it continue. Any new routes when announced I think are certainly going to include more Eastern European ones, also potentially more French/Spanish ones (I'd love LEI personally!)

Binder

Lite,

Its really quite simple. Easyjet can earn more money by placing their new aircraft in Europe rather than East Midlands.

The operation at East Mids has an important, strategic role to play. Please don't feel sorry for them!

Binder

phil_2405

I always think Ryanair at NEMA will grow to the level currently seen/announced for Liverpool.

thomsonfly.com

phil_2405

That would be a very exciting prospect, and certainly there is a need for increased flights to Eastern Europe, Spain & Italy from EMA which Ryanair would no doubt be able to provide. How many based aircraft are they up to now at LPL? Certainly would be nice to see flights from HHN since bmi regional pulled off of the EMAFRA route.

Are the new self-service machines now up & running? Been over a month since I was last at EMA and the lime green check in machines certainly did stand out.

submariner

For info, LPL currently have 5 RYR based, with another 2 arriving in October.

paul atkins

hey all read in a local paper today that Bmi Baby are going to increase flights from nema with several new routes to be announced cheers paul