Winter Ski

[alphagolf]

Just thought it would be interesting to see what if anything changes this Winter Ski season compared to last!

A quick glance around this year has the following:

flyBE

Lleida in Spain

bmibaby

Geneva in Switzerland
Chambery in France

Austrian Airlines

Innsbruck in Austria

BH Air

Sofia in Bulgaria

Can't see anything from SnowJet this winter!

Anyone got any others?

alphagolf

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Last winter the weekly ski charters (16 in total) were as follows:

Saturdays
Thomas Cook A320 Salzburg
Thomson B 757 Salzburg
Balkan Holidays A320 Sofia
Titan Boeing 733 Chambery
Thomson Boeing 757 Geneva
Thomson Boeing 757 Chambery
Thomas Cook A320 Grenoble
Thomson Boeing 757 Verona
Thomson Boeing 757 Sofia

Sundays
Thomas Cook A320 Turin
Thomson Boeing 757 Turin
Thomson Boeing 757 Toulouse
Small Planet Boeing 733 Chambery
Flybe Embraer 195 Geneva
Flybe Embraer 195 Toulouse
Thomas Cook A320 Kittila

In addition there was a total of 31 weekly scheduled rotations by easyJet to Geneva, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Lyon, Grenoble and Toulouse, with Ryanair also serving Girona at 3 x weekly that also gives access to some ski destinations.

easyJet seems to have the same programme as last winter including 18 x weekly to Geneva, with 4 x daily on both Saturdays and Sundays again.

Ryanair though has axed its winter flights from BRS to Girona.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Further to my previous post, I've looked at the BRS website programme for winter 2011/2012 (not always completely accurate in my experience) and there will be 13 weekly ski charters, down from the 16 of last winter.

Currently shown are:

Saturdays
Innsbruck (1)
Salzburg (2)
Sofia (2)
Chambery (1)
Verona (1)
Geneva (1)

Sundays
Toulouse (1)
Chambery (1)
Turin (1)
Lleida (1)
Kittila (1)

Reductions from last winter are:
1 Toulouse down from 2; 1 Geneva down from 2: 1 Turin down from 2; 2 Chambery down from 3 and no Grenoble (1 last winter).

Additions to last winter are:
1 Lleida and 1 Innsbruck (neither flown last year).

The flights are on behalf of the following holiday companies though, of course, not all use every flight: First Choice, Thomson Ski, Crystal, Neilson, Inghams, Balkan Holidays and Ski Esprit.

All these companies operated last winter but the following which also took seats on some ski charter routes in 2010/2011 appear not to be back this winter (for whatever reasons): Ski World and Snowjet which took space on Chambery Saturday flights and Alpine Elements and Mark Warner Travel which were the only two companies to use the Sunday Geneva. No doubt the absence of these companies accounts for the reductions in the Chambery and Geneva routes.

As I said before, easyJet is maintaining last year's schedule to these ski destinations:

Geneva 18 x weekly; Toulouse from 4 x weekly to daily at different periods in the season; Salzburg, Innsbruck, Grenoble and Lyon all 2 x weekly.

 

[Aviador]

That's still a good offering despite the reductions although it just goes to show the Ski trips are often the first holiday to be sacrificed when times are hard.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

BRS winter ski 2011-2012

A further update which now appears to be the final line-up.

Weekly Charter

Saturdays in order of arrival

Innsbruck (Austrian) A321
Geneva (bmibaby) B 733
Salzburg (Thomas Cook) A320
Salzburg (Thomson) B757
Sofia (Balkan) A320
Geneva (Thomson) B757
Chambery (Thomson) B757
Verona (Thomson) B757
Sofia (Thomson) B757

Sundays in order of arrival

Toulouse (Thomson) B757
Chambery (bmibaby) B 733
Turin (Thomson) B757
Lleida (Flybe) E195*
Kittila (Thomas Cook) A320

* equipment not shown in Mayfly but the assumption of E195 equipment is based on last winter when Flybe operated this type on weekly ski charters to Geneva and Toulouse from BRS.

The above gives 14 weekly ski charters which is two down on last winter. Toulouse, Turin and Chambery each see reductions of 1 x weekly and Grenoble is not operating.

New ski charter routes are Innsbruck (reintroduced from past winters) and Lleida (new airport and therefore new route).

New ski charter carriers this winter compared with last are bmibaby and Austrian though the latter has featured in the past. Titan and Small Planet appeared last winter but not this.

Scheduled

easyJet has maintained its winter ski programme this winter from previous winters with Geneva 18 x weekly; Toulouse from 4 x weekly to daily at different periods in the season; Salzburg, Innsbruck, Grenoble and Lyon all at least 2 x weekly.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Looking at the CAA stats for February shows how strong the ski market is at BRS.

On the Geneva route BRS was the third busiest airport in the UK. Only Gatwick, Heathrow and Luton carried more passengers.

Gatwick 94,627
Heathrow 84,504,
Luton 34,937
Bristol 23,174
London City 21,054
Manchester 19,533
Liverpool 19,216
Birmingham 17,051
Stansted 16,654
Edinburgh 15,248
Leeds-Bradford 11,412

All other airports were below 10,000 - most considerably below or no route at all.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winter 2012-2013

There is a significant drop in the number of weekly ski charters this winter.

Two winters ago there were 16 weekly and last winter there were 14.

This winter there are only nine - see below - the lowest number for many years,

Saturdays

Innsbruck (Austrian) B 738
Chambery (Thomson) B 757
Salzburg (Thomson) B 738
Sofia (Balkan) A 320
Geneva (Thomson) B 738
Verona (Thomson) B 757

Sundays

Turin (Thomson) B 757
Chambery (Jet2) B 733
Lleida (Flybe) E 195

Missing from last season are, on Saturdays: 1 x Geneva (flown last year by bmibaby), 1 x Salzburg (flown by Thomas Cook) and 1 x Sofia (flown by Thomson); on Sundays: 1 x Toulouse (flown by Thomson) and 1 x Kittila (flown by Thomas Cook).

The other carriers are as last season except for the Sunday Chambery where Jet2 replaces the now defunct bmibaby.

The scheduled flights (mainly easyJet) to the ski destinations continue to provide a strong offering with well over 30 weekly rotations to Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Toulouse and Zurich.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The ski charter programme for 2013-2014

It's one more than last winter, the difference being a third Chambery flight involving a new airline to BRS so far as I can remember - Germania.

Chambery has seen a number of carriers in recent winters not otherwise regularly appearing at BRS including Titan, bmibaby, Small Planet and Jet2.

The scheduled flights (mainly easyJet) to the ski destinations continue to provide a strong offering with well over 30 weekly rotations to Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Toulouse and Zurich.

I've reproduced the charter winter ski programme for the previous three winters that has seen weekly flights drop from 16 in 2010-2011 to 14 the following winter to 9 last winter and now 10.

The main reason seems to be the non-involvement of Thomas Cook and also such destinations Salzburg, Turin, Sofia and Geneva being reduced in frequency, with Grenoble, Toulouse and Kittila disappearing from the programme altogether, albeit some of these destinations are operated by easyJet.

On the plus side new destinations at Innsbruck (also operated by easyJet) and Lleida have appeared.

2013-2014

Saturdays
Innsbruck Austrian A320
Salzburg Thomson B738
Sofia Balkan Holidays A320
Geneva Thomson B738
Verona Flybe E195
Chambery Thomson B757
Chambery Titan B733

Sundays
Turin Thomson B757
Lleida Flybe E195
Chambery Germania B733

10: Chambery 3; Innsbruck 1; Salzburg 1; Sofia 1; Geneva 1; Verona 1; Turin 1; Lleida 1

2012-2013

Saturdays
Innsbruck Austrian B738
Chambery Thomson B757
Salzburg Thomson B 738
Sofia Balkan A320
Geneva Thomson B738
Verona Thomson B757

Sundays
Turin Thomson B757
Chambery Jet2 B733
Lleida Flybe E195

9: Chambery 2; Salzburg 1; Innsbruck 1; Sofia 1; Geneva 1; Verona 1; Turin 1; Lleida 1


2011-2012

Saturdays
Innsbruck Austrian A321
Geneva bmibaby B 733
Geneva Thomson B757
Salzburg Thomas Cook A320
Salzburg Thomson B757
Sofia Balkan A320
Sofia Thomson B757
Chambery Thomson B757
Verona Thomson B757


Sundays
Toulouse Thomson B757
Chambery bmibaby B 733
Turin Thomson B757
Lleida Flybe E195
Kittila Thomas Cook A320

14: Geneva 2; Salzburg 2; Sofia 2; Chambery 2; Innsbruck 1; Verona 1; Toulouse 1; Turin 1; Lleida 1; Kittila 1

2010-2011

Saturdays
Salzburg Thomas Cook A320
Salzburg Thomson B757
Sofia Balkan Holidays A320
Sofia Thomson B757
Chambery Titan B733
Chambery Thomson B757
Geneva Thomson B757
Grenoble Thomas Cook A320
Verona Thomson B757


Sundays
Turin Thomas Cook A320
Turin Thomson B757
Toulouse Thomson B757
Toulouse Flybe E195
Chambery Small Planet B733
Geneva Flybe E195
Kittila Thomas Cook A320

16: Chambery 3; Salzburg 2; Sofia 2; Turin 2; Toulouse 2; Geneva 2; Grenoble 1; Verona 1; Kittlila 1

 

[TheLocalYokel]

2014-2015

Looking at next week's Mayfly the weekly ski charter programme is as follows:

Saturdays

Chambery Germania B 757*
Geneva Thomas Cook A321
Innsbruck Austrian A320
Sofia Balkan A 320
Verona Jet2 B 733
Salzburg TOM B 738
Geneva TOM B 738
Innsbruck Austrian F 100

* Germania doesn't appear to operate B 757s

Sunday

Turin TOM B 757
Chambery Germania A 319
Lleida Flybe Q 400

11: Chambery 2; Geneva 2; Innsbruck 2; Salzburg 1; Sofia 1; Verona 1; Turin 1; Lleida 1


This is one more flight than last winter. Compared with then Chambery drops from 3 x weekly to 2 x weekly and both Geneva and Innsbruck increase from 1 x weekly to 2 x weekly.

The axed Chambery flight was flown by Titan last winter. Jet 2 will make a welcome return to the winter ski charter programme replacing Flybe on the Verona. Thomas Cook also returns to the BRS ski charter programme after dropping out three winters ago.

Saturdays will see seven Geneva rotations when the scheduled network is taken into account ( TOM, TCX and easyJet x 5). easyJet will provide over 30 ski rotations each week with Geneva top of the list with 21. Other easyJet destinations are Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lyon, Toulouse and Grenoble. There will be no Zurich this winter with Helvetic pulling out.

 

[big g]

Just to add that Flybe will be operating 2xQ400 on the Sunday leaving 20 mins apart for a brief period in the season.

 

[tpm]

Certainly hope the snow situation is going to improve a little, flew into Geneva on Sunday and it was the lushest green as far as the eye could see, poor skiers

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Certainly hope the snow situation is going to improve a little, flew into Geneva on Sunday and it was the lushest green as far as the eye could see, poor skiers

I found a web site that lists the current ski conditions in Europe and most of the resorts seemed to be open for skiing. I've never been brave enough to venture onto skis so I have no idea whether the fact that a resort is open for skiing means it's good skiing conditions or merely barely adequate.

With BRS's usual big ski programme the tour operators, airlines and the airport will clearly be hoping that it's not a poor season.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winter Ski Charter Flights 2015-2016

Mayfly is showing the following timetable for this season's ski charter flights.

Saturdays

Chambery Thomson B 757
Geneva Thomson B 757
Geneva Thomas Cook A 321
Innsbruck Austrian A 320
Verona Jet2 B 733
Sofia Enter Air B 734
Salzburg Thomson B 757
Innsbruck Austrian A 319

Sundays

Turin Thomson B 757
Chambery Titan A 320

Total 10: Geneva 2, Chambery 2*, Innsbruck 2, Verona 1, Sofia 1, Salzburg 1 and Turin 1.

* On some Sundays there was an additional Sunday Chambery flight operated by a Germania A 319 via Southampton

This is one fewer than last winter with no Lleida flights on Sundays that have been operated by Flybe in recent years on behalf of tour company(s).

As last winter there will be seven Geneva flights on Saturdays with easyJet operating five.

This winter Thomson and Titan replace Germania on the Chambery flights and Enter Air replaces Balkan on the Sofia. Austrian will operate a A 320 and A 319 to Innsbruck whereas last winter they operated a 320 and a F 100.

All in all there will also be well over 30 weekly scheduled flights to ski destinations, mainly by easyJet to such places as Salzburg, Innsbruck, Toulouse, Grenoble, Lyon and Kittila. Basel is a new route for easyJet this winter and Wizz Air commences a 2 x weekly Sofia on 11 January 2016.

 

[Aviador]

The Jet2 Verona, is that a charter on behalf of a tour company?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The Jet2 Verona, is that a charter on behalf of a tour company?

Yes, it's on behalf of Crystal Ski. Jet2 did the route last winter too. Prior to that Thomson Airways operated the route for many years (Crystal and Thomson are part of the TUI Group of course).

Jet2 has operated ski flights to Chambery from BRS in the past and also some winter sun routes, all on behalf of tour companies.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Winter Ski Flights 2016-2017

It's the same programme and carriers as last winter although some of the aircraft types have been altered , viz:

The Thomson Salzburg was a B 757 last winter
One of the Austrian Innsbruck was an A 320 last winter, both A 319s this winter
The Enter Air Sofia was a B 734 last winter
The Titan Chambery was an A 320 last winter

Saturdays

Chambery Thomson B 757
Salzburg Thomson B 738
Geneva Thomas Cook A 321
Geneva Thomson B 757
Innsbruck Austrian A 319
Verona Jet2 B 733
Sofia Enter Air B 738
Innsbruck Austrian A 319

Sundays

Turin Thomson B 757
Chambery Titan A B757

Total 10: Geneva 2, Chambery 2, Innsbruck 2, Verona 1, Sofia 1, Salzburg 1 and Turin 1.

The ski charter programme has dropped slightly in recent winters - it used to be up to 17 x weekly.

However, this is no doubt partly due to the increased scheduled flights to airports that are either primarily ski destinations in winter or give access to ski holidays, viz:

easyJet: Geneva 22 x weekly; Barcelona 9 x weekly; Basel 4 x weekly; Toulouse 4 x weekly; Venice MP 4 x weekly; Vienna 2 x weekly; Pisa 2 x weekly; Innsbruck 2 x weekly; Grenoble weekly; Lyon weekly; Salzburg weekly; Turin weekly

Ryanair: Bergamo 3 x weekly; Venice MP 2 x weekly; Bucharest weekly

Wizz Air: Sofia 2 x weekly

I make that 61 weekly scheduled flights each week in the ski season.

 

[ethanegcc]

Winter Ski Flights 2016-2017

It's the same programme and carriers as last winter although some of the aircraft types have been altered , viz:

The Thomson Salzburg was a B 757 last winter
One of the Austrian Innsbruck was an A 320 last winter, both A 319s this winter
The Enter Air Sofia was a B 734 last winter
The Titan Chambery was an A 320 last winter

Saturdays

Chambery Thomson B 757
Salzburg Thomson B 738
Geneva Thomas Cook A 321
Geneva Thomson B 757
Innsbruck Austrian A 319
Verona Jet2 B 733
Sofia Enter Air B 738
Innsbruck Austrian A 319

Sundays

Turin Thomson B 757
Chambery Titan A B757

Total 10: Geneva 2, Chambery 2, Innsbruck 2, Verona 1, Sofia 1, Salzburg 1 and Turin 1.

The ski charter programme has dropped slightly in recent winters - it used to be up to 17 x weekly.

However, this is no doubt partly due to the increased scheduled flights to airports that are either primarily ski destinations in winter or give access to ski holidays, viz:

easyJet: Geneva 22 x weekly; Barcelona 9 x weekly; Basel 4 x weekly; Toulouse 4 x weekly; Venice MP 4 x weekly; Vienna 2 x weekly; Pisa 2 x weekly; Innsbruck 2 x weekly; Grenoble weekly; Lyon weekly; Salzburg weekly; Turin weekly

Ryanair: Bergamo 3 x weekly; Venice MP 2 x weekly; Bucharest weekly

Wizz Air: Sofia 2 x weekly

I make that 61 weekly scheduled flights each week in the ski season.

How do you find out the times of the OS ski flights for MAN? Thank you.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

How do you find out the times of the OS ski flights for MAN? Thank you.

I'm not sure I can help there. I obtained the BRS details from the Bristol Airport Mayfly.

http://www.bristolairportspotting.co.uk/spotters-tools/mayflys/

I don't know if MAN has a similar publication.

 

[big g]

Just to add that OS will occasionally be an A319/A320 mix.

 

[superking]

i think I'm correct in saying the flight to Bulgaria with bh air is not listed. is that flight not operational this year,they were advertised as operating.