bmi moves to Belfast Harbour
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Went there yesterday on lates, landed where I should for a change, and made the intersection, Tower says "Oh you're practicing for City then are you", fair comment I suppose. This then brought it all to our minds so we looked at the perf books (in a A320 yesterday) and it seemed all OK. R/W 1821m long (I believe that was the figure) so about 70m shorter than the x-vector at BFS, which is fine, but no mucking around searching for the nice touchdown, just plonk it down. Other couple of interesting "facts/statements" from some of the locals over there:
1. 60% or so of the pop. of NI, live within 15 miles of BHD, much more than within 15 miles of BFS.
2. The ILS is APPARENTLY having an upgrade to CATIIIA by late this yr, before winter.
Bus. pax should love it, much closer, but some of the staff aren't quite so sure, they are all very happily installed around BFS.
Cheers, Safe Flying
Kiwi1
1. 60% or so of the pop. of NI, live within 15 miles of BHD, much more than within 15 miles of BFS.
2. The ILS is APPARENTLY having an upgrade to CATIIIA by late this yr, before winter.
Bus. pax should love it, much closer, but some of the staff aren't quite so sure, they are all very happily installed around BFS.
Cheers, Safe Flying
Kiwi1
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Suspect Belfast's popularity(?) as a training route will diminish somewhat...
MAN-BHD is in the pipeline, according to Austin Reid (makes sense I 'spose)
Cat 3 not likely till next yr - and then you know how long it takes for work like that to get finished. Anyway, in FG I'd prefer to have BFS as an alternate to BHD than the other way around!
More needed is a parallel taxiway - big backtrack = delay & pain ITA
Am more annoyed about loss of the Hilton at Templepatrick as the crew hotel - nice place..
MAN-BHD is in the pipeline, according to Austin Reid (makes sense I 'spose)
Cat 3 not likely till next yr - and then you know how long it takes for work like that to get finished. Anyway, in FG I'd prefer to have BFS as an alternate to BHD than the other way around!
More needed is a parallel taxiway - big backtrack = delay & pain ITA
Am more annoyed about loss of the Hilton at Templepatrick as the crew hotel - nice place..
Join Date: Aug 2000
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TBI got too greedy charging bmi £9+ per passenger against £3 for Go and Greasy!
Glad to see they paid for it with a 14p fall in the share price today!
Reliably informed that only the B737 will have weight restriction out of BHD and that 320 can happily carry round trip LHR fuel plus a full load of pax out of BHD.
With Catlll in autumn it will be a good operation - just think of the savings on diversion fuel as BFS becomes the No.1 instead of GLA!
Glad to see they paid for it with a 14p fall in the share price today!
Reliably informed that only the B737 will have weight restriction out of BHD and that 320 can happily carry round trip LHR fuel plus a full load of pax out of BHD.
With Catlll in autumn it will be a good operation - just think of the savings on diversion fuel as BFS becomes the No.1 instead of GLA!
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Hey Anne ! what makes you think that BFS would accept you in the event of not getting in to the Harbour? Rumours like that have already circulated ! windy ...too foggy ? BMI ? try dub or gla! From a scource high up as well !! 
Apron might be too full to accept you back except in an emergency
[ 04 August 2001: Message edited by: gul dukat ]
Apron might be too full to accept you back except in an emergency[ 04 August 2001: Message edited by: gul dukat ]
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Surprised by this announcement. Local residents I believe where assured that only turbo props and the 146 could use the City Airport due to noise restrictions. As I fly into BHD frequently and having lived 25 years close to there even with the opening of the new terminal surely there still is a problem with congestion. Is the Airbus and 737 quetier now than the 146 even with a reduced power setting
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Busta
Whilst i don't agree with such pettiness on the grounds of safety,we'll not even start talking about attitudes here!
Stated earlier bmi are charged £9 per passenger while EZY & GOE a much smaller amount.If bmi got the same reduced service as the others then maybe they would have something really to moan about.
bmi have really thrown their toys outta the pram on this one.Why didn't they move last year?Would they be moving at all if there wasn't a big bright,shiny new terminal waiting for them,which incidentally,another airline,not doing so well at the minute, helped finance?
They were no longer the big fish at BFS & they are now moving somewhere were they will be!
I only hope it doesn't spell the end for BE, not that the powers at BHD would care now.
Whilst i don't agree with such pettiness on the grounds of safety,we'll not even start talking about attitudes here!
Stated earlier bmi are charged £9 per passenger while EZY & GOE a much smaller amount.If bmi got the same reduced service as the others then maybe they would have something really to moan about.
bmi have really thrown their toys outta the pram on this one.Why didn't they move last year?Would they be moving at all if there wasn't a big bright,shiny new terminal waiting for them,which incidentally,another airline,not doing so well at the minute, helped finance?
They were no longer the big fish at BFS & they are now moving somewhere were they will be!
I only hope it doesn't spell the end for BE, not that the powers at BHD would care now.
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bmi had been investing heavily in lounges, new offices etc at BFS and had, by far, the largest volume of pax and cargo out of BFS. They have been negotiating for more than a year for lower fees but to no avail. Its not a question of throwing toys out of pram but hard, logical business decision making. It was TBI who thought they could continue to screw bmi and are now realising what a mistake they have made - certainly their shareholders will be asking questions!
Those who know bmi from inside will also know that "shiny new terminals" mean little when it comes down to brass tacks. Look at bmi in MME or LBA!
My sympathy goes to the bmi employees who will have to struggle through the city traffic to get to BHD each day.
Those who know bmi from inside will also know that "shiny new terminals" mean little when it comes down to brass tacks. Look at bmi in MME or LBA!
My sympathy goes to the bmi employees who will have to struggle through the city traffic to get to BHD each day.
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Controller Friendly, no/yes I meant the other Runway at BFS orientation north - south (approx), at 90 degrees to the 25/07 runway. Comments regarding no more training anymore are about right, BFS excellent for it, taught you about managing your speed and height after being sppon fed at LHR (well certainly taught me after I stuffed it up a few times, the normal high/fast ).
However on we go. Bit tired this a/noon, been to CFU last night, on a charter that left on-time, and got back within 5 mins of schedule, after 10 mins in the hold at BIG, that never ever happens to me, so quite pleased !
). However on we go. Bit tired this a/noon, been to CFU last night, on a charter that left on-time, and got back within 5 mins of schedule, after 10 mins in the hold at BIG, that never ever happens to me, so quite pleased !
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You got back from CFU just in time, mate - we got back 1hr late and I have slept for just about 24hrs..
Can you go fatigued on a day off?
If BFS will only accept us in emergencies then we will just have to jolly well declare one and let them worry about the paperwork - speshly since we'll only have 800kg of alternate fuel on board...
Can't use DUB as an alternate to BFS/BHD, or vice versa (I think)
[ 09 August 2001: Message edited by: AffirmBrest ]
Can you go fatigued on a day off?
If BFS will only accept us in emergencies then we will just have to jolly well declare one and let them worry about the paperwork - speshly since we'll only have 800kg of alternate fuel on board...
Can't use DUB as an alternate to BFS/BHD, or vice versa (I think)
[ 09 August 2001: Message edited by: AffirmBrest ]
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BHD runway is in a terrible state with slippery concrete slabs left over from WW11! Hence the concern. If it rains in any great amount we aquaplane regardless of the given state of the runway. IT IS NASTY.
As far as the weather factor, I have been flying in and out of there several times a day for years and have only had to divert once, so low vis and cloud are not a problem, ask Controller Friendly she will tell you, although rather begrudgingly!!
If BE get its act together then the BMI move may actually assist the LCY route as any delay or tech problem on the bus may cause passengers to move to the LCY flight. BE is also placing a spare 146 in BHD with crews on standby.
I would like to think that this is good planning from EXT, but somehow I doubt it!!
As far as the weather factor, I have been flying in and out of there several times a day for years and have only had to divert once, so low vis and cloud are not a problem, ask Controller Friendly she will tell you, although rather begrudgingly!!
If BE get its act together then the BMI move may actually assist the LCY route as any delay or tech problem on the bus may cause passengers to move to the LCY flight. BE is also placing a spare 146 in BHD with crews on standby.
I would like to think that this is good planning from EXT, but somehow I doubt it!!
