Route Development & Rumours

[hay677]

Does the Sukhoi Superjet have the legs for Samara to Birmingham?

Hadn't heard of the airline but quite some news if it happens!

Checking wikipedia they are due to get the new Irkut MC-21 soon which should have enough legs!

 

[Nethercote2019]

As always I’m pleased to see any new routes... BUT. I do hope this isn’t the ‘going east route’ that has been mentioned for a while ....

 

[Coathanger16]

Does the Sukhoi Superjet have the legs for Samara to Birmingham?

The standard version doesn't, but there is an LR version that could.

if it happens.

That's the key part! Maybe it's just because I hadn't heard of this airline, but I highly doubt it'll happen.

 

[smithy108]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1212996428315996160

While these services would be nice to have, this airline looks to be in poor financial position and recently dropped services to China returning B777 aircraft to lessor. If any got off the ground then would it last?

 

[nwoody2001]

its worth noting where this news has come from....

This is official and not a rumour in so-far that the Russian Air Ministry has indeed granted IrAero consent to fly 4x weekly between Moscow (but I don't know which airport), Samara and Zhukovsky. A few points of interest to consider....

• Zhukovsky is right next to Moscow and is a low-cost alternative to Moscow so I cant see them operating both Zhukovsky and Moscow Routes.
• They have indeed be granted permission from Russian Air Ministry but we have no idea is similar permissions existing from our end? ACL? CAA?
• IrAero is an established Russian Carrier but based in Irkutsk in Eastern Russia. They don't have bases in any of the above mentioned airports.
• IrAera has recently taken control of 3x 772s from former Russian Airline VIM which went backrupt a few years ago with recent press articles suggesting they were to be used by IrAero to launch new flights between Moscow and China.
• The previous VIM airlines also applied for slots at BHX back in 2016 but that was just before Russian/Western relations had reached a new low with the likes of BA and Easyjet pulling all routes from Moscow.... https://www.aviationnews-online.com/airline/vim-avia-to-fly-to-manchester-and-birmingham-in-the-uk/. Obviously these routes never come to fruition.

Interestingly the same report offering consent for the Birmingham Route also approves the following:

• Moscow - Inchuan, China (3x weekly) IrAero
• St Petersburg – Hefei, China (3x weekly) IrAero
• St. Petersburg - Inchuan, China (3x weekly) IrAero

I would therefore assume that IrAero are looking for a new base, either in Moscow (Moscow or Zhukovsky) or Samara and this application is them hedging their bets of which they go for. Its unlikely that is any of the above come to fruition, it will be a max of 4x weekly, which if its 4x weekly Moscow flights with onward connections is something I would sniff at... but alas, that's a big IF and its very early days!

 

[Brum X]

Birmingham - Moscow would be a great route to have. There must be wealthy russians in other parts of the country other than just the South East. Wizzair operate LTN-Moscow which isnt a million miles away from BHX.

However it's a bit of a dodgy airline and BHX and dodgy airlines don't turn out well

It's a BHX news story and gets us all talking, just how it used to be in the good old days, lol

 

[nwoody2001]

anyone have subscriptions to CAPA?

https://centreforaviation.com/news/...19-order-on-europe-service-permissions-965743

 

[Jerry]

While these services would be nice to have, this airline looks to be in poor financial position and recently dropped services to China returning B777 aircraft to lessor. If any got off the ground then would it last?

Only time will tell but Russian airlines do seem lately more interested in the UK. Personally I wouldn't get to overly excited but if it did happen they'd be nice additions even short lived to the route map at BHX.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Obviously details are still very sketchy but the rumour a couple of weeks ago was that they will be after the Birmingham - India traffic transiting through Russia.

Interesting one to watch.

 

[Ash]

If you know a little Russian, have a look into the approval document from Rosaviatsiya (Here), it is clear what market IrAero is targeting. You will find they applied and received approval for also the following routes:

Moscow-Amritsar 4pw
Zhukovsky-Amritsar 4pw
Samara-Amritsar 4pw

If it does materialise, expect a 777. They acquired three 777-200ER which they intended to use for Russia-China tourist flights, however this plan fell apart and now the aircraft have been sitting idle for a while.

See here: http://www.rusaviainsider.com/russian-airline-iraeros-boeing-777-project-comes-another-halt/

If I had to guess, this looks to me as if they cannot cancel the leases on their remaining 777s and are looking for a high volume route to operate so they can recoup some of their losses instead of sitting the aircraft idle, and somebody pointed out the Birmingham-Amritsar market to them!

 

[GliderPilot]

i’ll reiterate what Nethercote2019 said in that i really do hope this isn’t the route going east that was suggested a while ago

 

[thunderchild]

Aerosvit, Air Slovakia, Armavia, Air Shylet, Akal Air, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan......do I really need to say anymore?

 

[thunderchild]

Air India are a bit like Alitalia always on the verge of going broke but somehow survive nothing to to do with state subsidies or national pride and prestige of course though.

I read Etihad are interested in buying a stake so going by their track record it could be the kiss of death for Air India.

 

[IanFarquharson]

As always I’m pleased to see any new routes... BUT. I do hope this isn’t the ‘going east route’ that has been mentioned for a while ....

Its the one I hinted at a few weeks ago !

 

[Nethercote2019]

Its the one I hinted at a few weeks ago !

Oh dear.... I was hoping for something more..... perhaps I should’ve known better !
On a different subject-
rumours elsewhere of easyJet new routes announcement next week
But NOT specific on ANY airport

 

[Ray Finkle]

rumours elsewhere of easyJet new routes announcement next week
But NOT specific on ANY airport

More planned for BHX but not sure whether it will be included in next weeks announcements, lets hope that things have been sorted.

Although I'd love to be proven wrong I wouldn't expect much more than a route or two.

 

[Coathanger16]

Although I'd love to be proven wrong I wouldn't expect much more than a route or two

On top of BFS, GVA, EDI & GLA?

5 years ago we had BFS and GVA was only seasonal. For BHX to possibly have 5 easyJet destinations is stellar really!

 

[rollo]

Given the trials and tribulations over the years at BHX if Easyjet are adopting a slowly, slowly catch a monkey type policy that's fine by me.

 

[Brum X]

More planned for BHX but not sure whether it will be included in next weeks announcements, lets hope that things have been sorted.

Although I'd love to be proven wrong I wouldn't expect much more than a route or two.

To be honest Ray where we was just 1 year ago, to get an extra x 2 Easyjet routes I for one would be very happy. It shows more commitment in BHX.

 

[Brum X]

The x 2 routes I would like considering where we are with Flybe would be year round flights to Milan and Berlin.