easyJet

[TheLocalYokel]

Changes have appeared for the EZY W17/18 schedule. A few notable changes are:
VCE goes daily as of mid-February 18! This year it has been 6x weekly in Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct and 4x weekly the rest of the year
BFS goes to 18x weekly as of Feb 18. This year it has been 17x weekly throughout the year.
PRG is 6x weekly in March 18 (daily over the Feb holidays) in comparison to 4x weekly (5x weekly for the holidays) this year
New routes to ARN and ATH both at 2x weekly over the winter.
Loss of RAK at 2x weekly (route ends October 2017)
Therefore, the first week of March 2018 sees 264 departures to 46 destinations which is 18 more departures a week than the same week in 2017.

Many thanks for that, Severn.

Venice Marco Polo With Ryanair's 4 x weekly, that will be 11 x weekly from mid February next year.

Belfast Int Often have comments on such forums as the Dried Plum about the paucity of Belfast, more often than not from the Irish side. This small increase is welcome but there seems scope for more. There was a time when Ryanair was operating to BHD against easyJet's BFS, and FR only pulled out the year they axed all their BHD services. NCL is another that has been cut back, this time to ridiculous proportions with the days that see 3 rotations operating in the afternoon or evening. It's been like that for two or three years.

Marrakech

This one baffles me. Ryanair operated it until 2011 before easyJet picked it up commencing December 2013 (they started Keflavik at the same time).

In 2014 easyjet carried 29,889 passengers; in 2015 30,627; in 2016 32,601.

Flights were 2 x weekly throughout each year with easyJet until this summer when from June it dropped to 1 x weekly, having originally been axed from the summer 17 programme altogether.

Looking at 2016 as a whole flights operated on Tuesdays and either Fridays or Saturdays depending on the season. Tuesday was A319 and Fri/Sat A 320 except for Jan-March when it was 2 x 319s per week. The 32,601 passengers gave an average load around 156 which showed an approximate load factor of 92-93% throughout the year taking into account the mixed fleet of 319s and 320s.

The latest CAA monthly stats for BRS show that in June this year the by now once weekly route (Tuesdays) carried 1195 passengers, average load 149.4, load factor 95.7% on the 156-seat A 319.

With loads like these a scratch of the head is the natural reaction to it being first scaled back and then axed. Yes, I know that yield is what counts but one would think that easyJet with its great experience in such matters would be able to get that right given the obvious market. There must be some other reason(s) that are not immediately obvious.

The same must surely apply to Milan MXP. It seems such an obvious destination to bring back after many years of easyJet absence. There is only the niche, almost in-house for Leonardo, bmir MXP and Ryanair's 3 x weekly to Bergamo.

Incidentally, TOM announced a weekly summer Marrakech route not long after easyJet commenced operations to RAK but withdrew it from sale before it operated.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

My wife and I used easyJet the Tuesday before last to GLA - EZY405 departing at 1620. Yesterday we returned to BRS on EZY406 - the 1800 from GLA.

Both flights arrived a few minutes early and we experienced what we've become used to on numerous easyJet flights over the past 15 years - efficiency. There was nothing with which we could seriously find fault.

Both flights were on a A319 and both were sold out. In fact, when I checked the outbound flight the day before we departed the sector was showing £95 and a bit later 'sold out'. The return to BRS was asking £144 for the sector - nine days before the flight!

We booked several months ago and paid something like £23 per person for the northbound and around £40 for the southbound - the other southbound flights on that day were in the £20s per sector at the time we booked.

Given that some people were clearly prepared to pay these later high fares as the sectors were sold out it does suggest that more 320s at BRS would be sustainable (currently 7 x 319 and 7 x 320) and the number of BRS-GLA-BRS sectors might be increased. BRS-GLA does operate 4 x daily on some days but reduces in the peak summer. BRS-EDI is up to 5 x daily on some days but again reduces in peak summer.

Incidentally, our northbound aircraft had already operated BRS-MRS (Marseille)-BRS and BRS-LRH (La Rochelle)-BRS before flying BRS-GLA-BRS and then went to Faro and back in the evening. Yesterday's southbound did BRS-GLA-BRS; BRS-BCN-BRS; BRS-GLA-BRS; BRS-ALC-BRS.

The airline certainly got its money's worth and hats off to them for keeping to time.

 

[Marko1]

EasyJet launch their spring 2018 schedule next Wednesday

 

[TheLocalYokel]

EasyJet launch their spring 2018 schedule next Wednesday

It seems a strange concept to launch just half their summer's offering each year around this time. As we discovered this year with BRS the schedules, routes etc after the end of June are often different from those of the early summer.

Every year I say that I wonder how many punters easyJet loses to other airlines when it comes to passengers wanting to book flights in July, August and September but having to wait several months before that period is put on sale.

 

[Jerry]

It's probably a marketing ploy. They may believe that by releasing it in 2 segments people will buy more than if they released all at once.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Belfast International

Some comments on the Dried Plum suggest that BRS-BFS is poorly served with someone saying that because of poor easyJet timings a colleague flies to Ireland via DUB (airline not stated but would have to be Ryanair or Aer Lingus Regional both of which actually leave BRS for DUB after the first easyJet flight to BFS on M-Thur) but comes back via BFS with easyJet.

Unless the colleague flies on a Friday or at weekends I can't see why he/she would do that.

This is the current easyJet BRS-BFS schedule:

Mon dep BRS 0700 - arrive BRS 0940; 1635-1915; 2000-2245

Tue/Wed 0700-0940; 1915-2200

Thurs 0700-0940; 1645-1930; 2000-2245

Fri 1310-1550; 1645-1930; 2000-2245

Sat 0710-0950

Sun 1310-1550; 1645-1930; 2000-2245

Mon-Thurs doesn't seem too bad to me, neither does Sunday for a Sunday. I wish BRS-NCL timings were as good. Am I missing something?

 

[kraktoa]

If you are going for the Belfast Friday evening pub scene then the sat morning flight is a ridiculous time.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If you are going for the Belfast Friday evening pub scene then the sat morning flight is a ridiculous time.

I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Marko1]

Some good positives for next years early summer schedule. Cph and Bilbao both increase to 3 x weekly . Rest of summer released next week

 

[Marko1]

Nice also sees increases and I'm fairly positive there are others in there too

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Summer 2018

Athens and Stockholm will continue through the summer at 2 x weekly for both, the same as this winter when they begin which confirms their year-round status in the original press release.

No Marrakech next summer. The winter axing seems to be permanent although RAK was a late announcement for summer 17 after it appeared to be discontinued. Keflavik ends at the end of March - it will be 3 x weekly in December, February and March and 2 x weekly in November and January. So no summer route to KEF next year with WOW pulling out.

There is a press release on the BRS website about easyJet's early summer 2018 programme. It's really just a generalised advertisement but I've re-produced it below.

https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/ab...s-and-media-centre/2017/9/easyjet-spring-2018

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

easyJet puts its Spring and early Summer Flights on Sale for Bristol
Created: 20th Sep 2017

Flights available to book up until 24th June 2018

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has put its flights for spring and early summer 2018 on sale this morning meaning that thousands of flights from Bristol are now on sale up until 24th June 2018.

Over 8282 easyJet flights are set to take place to and from Bristol between 25th March 2018 and 24th June 2018 providing more than 1429116 seats for passengers to enjoy their spring getaways.

Over 24201744 seats are being launched today across the entire easyJet network so customers can look forward to low fares by booking early.

Customers can look forward to a number of routes to destinations such as:

Bristol to Cyprus Paphos from £58.49*
Bristol to Faro from £28.49*
Bristol to Barcelona from £24.99*
Bristol to Naples from £30.49*

Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Commercial Manager, said:
“We’re really pleased to be putting our spring flights from Bristol Airport on sale for our passengers today, allowing them to book early and take advantage of our lowest fares to great spring destinations.

“easyJet is the UK’s leading airline and we have been committed to Bristol airport for over 15 years. We are proud to have carried more than 45.1 million passengers in that time.”

easyJet operates 64 routes from Bristol airport, offering up to 656 flights per week. The airline is proud to offer passengers with low-fared flights and friendly customer service.”

For more information about the new flights or easyJet’s network from Bristol visit www.easyJet.com

 

[Marko1]

There is some definite increases so far - Pisa goes 8 weekly pula 2 x weekly Bilbao 3x weekly Copenhagen 4 x weekly. Even increases in Newcastle . Only weird one again no Amsterdam on Wednesdays and I would have thought Rome would have increased

 

[TheLocalYokel]

There is some definite increases so far - Pisa goes 8 weekly pula 2 x weekly Bilbao 3x weekly Copenhagen 4 x weekly. Even increases in Newcastle . Only weird one again no Amsterdam on Wednesdays and I would have thought Rome would have increased

Good to see CPH increasing - it was reduced 2-3 years ago and Bilbao was dropped in 2004 and only returned in 2015, at first as summer-only.

AMS is currently 'no Wednesdays' and I remember it was shown thus for the peak summer season this year and then Weds were added.

Rome is like CDG - rammed most of the time, especially in summer and could no doubt stand 2 x daily for much of the week in summer, probably every day in fact, in so far as loads are concerned. easyJet never increases them - no doubt down to a fear of reducing yield - yet this summer and next they operate Barcelona 2 x daily every day of the week. You would think that Rome and Barcelona would be similar draws for passengers.

TFS is 4 x weekly in March, April, May and June next year. I think that this year it was then dropped to 3 x weekly in peak summer.

We know that early summer 17 started off in a peculiar way as far as routes and frequencies were concerned with some added later. Peak summer then seemed less than early summer on some routes until some of those were then increased.

The way things are shaping up that 15th aircraft might be needed, at least from late June onwards.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Summer 2018

I've looked at June 2018 and, taking Friday 8th as an example, the first batch of departures numbers 15 and I can't see that any is operated by an aircraft from another base. Timings suggest they are all 'out and backers'. This would indicate that a 15th aircraft will be based next summer.

0600 Catania
0605 Palma
0605 Malaga
0640 Murcia
0650 Faro
0700 Amsterdam
0700 Alicante
0700 Lisbon
0700 Newcastle
0705 Krakow
0710 Barcelona
0715 Tenerife
0715 Edinburgh
0720 Pisa
0735 Geneva

This year the corresponding Friday saw 14 departures - it was shortly after the 14th based aircraft had arrived.

Monday 4th June 2018 sees 14 departures in the first batch. The corresponding Monday this year saw 13.

Good to see that NCL is now operating an early morning rotation and two later in the day on Fridays instead of three in the afternoon/evening as has been the case in recent years, although the morning rotation only starts in June. So it will then be possible to do a day trip on Fridays as well as Mondays.

 

[Marko1]

Summer 2018

I've looked at June 2018 and, taking Friday 8th as an example, the first batch of departures numbers 15 and I can't see that any is operated by an aircraft from another base. Timings suggest they are all 'out and backers'. This would indicate that a 15th aircraft will be based next summer.

0600 Catania
0605 Palma
0605 Malaga
0640 Murcia
0650 Faro
0700 Amsterdam
0700 Alicante
0700 Lisbon
0700 Newcastle
0705 Krakow
0710 Barcelona
0715 Tenerife
0715 Edinburgh
0720 Pisa
0735 Geneva

This year the corresponding Friday saw 14 departures - it was shortly after the 14th based aircraft had arrived.

Monday 4th June 2018 sees 14 departures in the first batch. The corresponding Monday this year saw 13.

Good to see that NCL is now operating an early morning rotation and two later in the day on Fridays instead of three in the afternoon/evening as has been the case in recent years, although the morning rotation only starts in June. So it will then be possible to do a day trip on Fridays as well as Mondays.

Looking at the seats maps for Friday am I make it 9 xa320s and six 319s - 319s to Catania, Malaga, faro, Newcastle , krakow and Geneva. Rest a320s. So we also look as though we will have an increase in seats as well

 

[Jerry]

With it looking like Wizz leaving or at least scaling back at BRS does anyone think EZY will pick up the dropped routes? Sofia 2 weekly on a A319 maybe? Would they leave Warsaw to Ryanair or operate the days Wizz did?

 

[Marko1]

It would be a natural fit tho I would doubt it. EasyJet is not big in Eastern Europe and has in the past operated to Budapest warsaw and gdansk. Only Prague and krakow remain. I would of thought Ryanair may snap up Sofia and of course they already fly to Warsaw. As for Katowice if that goes krakow is not too far away

 

[TheLocalYokel]

easyJet does operate Sofia from MAN and LGW, and also from EDI in the ski season. BRS has a weekly Sofia in the ski season - operated by an Enter Air B737-400 in recent winters for tour operators.

Marko points out easyJet's cool attitude to Eastern Europe from BRS. If they or Ryanair did begin Sofia I have no doubt the loads would be very high, as they are with Wizz on the route, but yield is always the important factor. easyJet or Ryanair might find the route profitable but they might make more money using the aircraft elsewhere.

Wizz has shown that Warsaw can stand two carriers in terms of passenger numbers (Ryanair at 4 x weekly to Modlin and Wizz challenging to Chopin at 2 x weekly after Ryanair had established the Modlin route). Both routes show extremely high load factors - into the 90s% each month. Finding people to occupy seats doesn't seem to be the problem for either airline; it's either yield, a fear of Brexit or a combination of a number of reasons, whatever they might be.

When Ryanair began Krakow against easyJet's established route the latter's very high load factors held up and Ryanair enjoyed similar ones from the word go. Thus far carriers continue to operate (7/8 x weekly between them according to season). It has to be hoped that both airlines are comfortable with their profitability.

 

[Marko1]

Peak summer has been released this morning. Not a lot of difference so far. Weds ams remains unavailable and tfs reduces from 4 - 3 per week. What is strange tho is that frequencies increase on a number of routes from the 3 rd week of august - work in progress or another aircraft ?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Peak summer has been released this morning. Not a lot of difference so far. Weds ams remains unavailable and tfs reduces from 4 - 3 per week. What is strange tho is that frequencies increase on a number of routes from the 3 rd week of august - work in progress or another aircraft ?

Strange about the third week in August. I would have thought a 16th aircraft is unlikely to arrive towards the end of the school holidays.

With Ryanair axing routes this winter previously advertised, although I'm not aware that BRS is affected, and reportedly having pulled all of summer 2018 from booking availability (across its entire network), next summer might be something of a lottery so far as wondering what will eventually occur - not just with BRS and not just with easyJet/Ryanair. The Monarch situation might play a part at some airports too, although not at BRS.

Then there is Brexit and the value of the pound although if interest rates increase that normally stiffens the pound against most currencies.