Bristol Airport - General Thread

[TheLocalYokel]

Where is the land that the airport owns outside it’s boundary ?

In the master plan published in 2006 (which is still to be updated) it is stated, "The area of land within the current operational boundary at BIA covers 176 hectares. The airport company also owns a further 10 hectares immediately to the south of the airport (Cornerpool Farm")."

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol Airport plan on flights is opposed by council

The airport wants to increase the number of night flights a year by 1,000

www.bristolpost.co.uk

Bath & North East Somerset Council that formally objected to BRS's expansion planning application is now objecting to the DfT regarding the airport's application to be level 3 slot co-ordinated throughout the year instead of between 0600 and 0700 in summer (BST) only which is the case at the moment.

The particular aspect they object to is removing the seasonality of the night time movement restrictions. There would be no additional night time movements in a year but the summer limit of 3,000 and the winter limit of 1,000 would become 4,000 irrespective of season.

In recent years the summer total has often been close to or above the 3,000 limit, with some years seeing the need to borrow from the previous or next winter season, but that then carries penalties and anyway only a small percentage of winter movements can be transferred in that way. The 1,000 limit for winter is much too generous (compared with the parsimonious summer limit) and is never anywhere near approached.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

What Bristol Airport has said about reopening as flights resume

The airport's main terminal has been closed since the beginning of April

www.bristolpost.co.uk

Local rag piece about BRS plans when the airport reopens to regular passenger traffic.

 

[kraktoa]

Just thought i will help someone trying to get refunds from BA. My sept flight to Peru from Gatwick was cancelled and I was expecting that. Called their refund line and boy was it a shambles.

When you use the choice for refund the phone line just switches off. Frustrated for the 25th time and looked online for a solution. Found a solution on the internet that I think I must share with anyone caught in the same situation.

When you are asked to make a choice on their telephone menu, do not choose the refund option. Go for any other option. That takes you to a person who you tell that you want a refund. Sorted in 10 mins.

Refund in my account within 24 hrs. This is my second cancellation with BA in 2 years ina row. Always had quick refunds.

Now on to tackle the EZY company for a refund. Flight still not cancelled to Sardinia in July so will wait until that is announced.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I watched bit of the local BBC News 'Points West' at teatime. They carried a report of the latest situation at BRS with a reporter at the airport. My wife had seen a report on the lunchtime edition so I looked out for something on the teatime show.

The raison d'etre for going to the airport today was the return of easyJet to commercial flying from the airport with flights from and to Belfast International this afternoon.

As there are only three scheduled arrivals/departures today (easyJet, Loganair and Ryanair) the airport is using the security zone normally used by cabin staff. The main security area is expected to reopen next month.

Some outbound BFS passengers were interviewed and the camera showed some pictures of the measures being taken to deal with the coronavirus. Dave Lees, the airport CEO says he is optimistic about the summer, speaking of the possibility of 'air bridges' to some countries.

 

[8mileshigh]

I have just dropped off a family member for the easy Belfast flight. Almost a ghost town compared to what it used to be, few people and hardly any cars, too many empty spaces to chose from. The main terminal has reopened for flights with limited facilities, passengers only allowed in, at least it is a start towards recovery and

 

[8mileshigh]

Apologies the last few words dropped off the page, should finish off with”fingers crossed that it will continue to improve “

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol Airport's CEO gives update on its future and jobs

The airport is expecting around 2,000 passengers today as more flights resume

www.bristolpost.co.uk

Article in today's local rag reporting on interview with Dave Lees, BRS CEO. A summary of some of the points:

1. The CEO is confident about the airport's future but it is not immune to job losses.

2. He calls for more government support mentioning rate and APD relief.

3. It will be years, not months, before the aviation industry recovers.

4. 2,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport today, well below the 30,000 a day usually seen at this time of year.

 

[superking]

I did see his interview on the tv and i thought he gave a good interview. It seemed like was a honest talk and not a bull _ _ _ _ one.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Aviation charity receives first donation from Bristol Airport

A charity set up to provide support to people in the aviation industry has received its first major donation from Bristol Airport. Aviation Action was formed in May and provides a range of support including well-being and mental health coaching, furlough and redundancy guidance, CV writing and...

www.bristolairport.co.uk

This press release concerns a donation that the airport has made to a charity that supports people in the aviation industry.

However worthy that undoubtedly is, I noted what was no more than a throwaway comment in the press release where the airport said that BRS is the fifth largest airport outside London. In terms of passengers numbers it's the fourth largest. Only MAN, EDI and BHX are larger.

BRS overtook GLA last year with CAA stats showing passenger totals at the end of 2019: BRS 8.960 million, GLA 8.843 million. The gap had increased by the end of February this year (the last month where passenger numbers were unaffected by the virus) to BRS 9.011 million, GLA 8.824 million in the rolling 12 months.

We've discussed before BRS's practice of publishing lower passenger numbers than the CAA, because it says it doesn't count certain types of passenger that the CAA does count (under 2s have been the only type in this category that BRS has ever mentioned publicly, so far as I'm aware). Typically, the BRS figures will be circa 100,000 fewer than the CAA's each year. BRS never acknowledges CAA stats milestones either, such as last August when the airport handled over one million passengers for the first time in a calendar month. It's own stats for last August which were never published probably showed a total of just under a million.

Now the airport appears to be downplaying its place in the pecking order of UK airports.

Most airports are anxious to show the world that they are as busy as possible even to the extent of including inbound diversion passenger numbers as their own despite clear CAA notes that they should be allocated to the original intended destination.

I've long been intrigued by the BRS tendency to hide its light under a bushel. Perhaps it takes its lead from the city whose name the airport bears, a city that has an enduring reputation for keeping a low national and international profile and operating beneath the radar. John Betjeman noted that characteristic as long ago as the 1950s when writing about his love for the city. Then again, it's probably an idiosyncrasy of people from the area generally who often like to self-deprecate. To many in the Bristol region the grass is always greener over the hill.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bristol Airport to cut workforce by nearly a quarter

The airport has seen passenger numbers drop significantly in recent months

www.bristolpost.co.uk

Some specifics from the press article:

1. The airport directly employs around 400 people and is beginning consultations with a view to making 23% redundant.

2. Passenger numbers have plummeted with 874 passengers handled in May this year compared wth 870,000 in May of last year.

3. The airport said its position was “unsustainable” given its ongoing fixed costs and it would make a “very significant” loss this financial year.

4. The airport will be significantly smaller in 2020 and 2021 with predictions that it will take at least three years for passenger numbers to recover.

5. It is expected that passenger throughput will be under three million this year (in 2019 it was nearly nine million).

6. 2021 is expected to see between 6.5 million and seven million passengers, a figure last seen in 2015.

 

[superking]

The radio report on BBC Bristol spoke to Dave Lees and he said they were looking at 4oo staff redundant all employed by Bristol Airport. They were talking to unions. There was no time scale mentioned. I feel sorry for staff affected. It sure is and will be hard times for quite a few years to come with the big firms feeling the pinch more than any one.

 

[Marko1]

Hence the reason we got to get back flying asap

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Hence the reason we got to get back flying asap

If they did manage to get to seven million in 2021 that would be nearly 80% of the 2019 figure which, given the circumstances and a number of doom-laden 'forecasts' for the aviation industry, would be good going in my book. 6.5 million (the lower projected figure) would still be over 72% of 2019.

I think the airport now has two months left in which to to decide whether to appeal against the local authority rejection of their planning application which would have allowed the passenger cap to be raised from 10 mppa to 12 mppa. Depending how quickly the industry recovers from the Covid-19 effects they could realistically be looking at nearing 10 mppa by 2024 (2/3 years later than originally projected pre-Covid).

 

[superking]

Well it just goes to show you cant beleive every thing you hear or see. The news report about staff being made redundent at the airport is looking up to 400 staff going. Well the 2 local tv local news quoted up to 100 staff.With what was said mid day puts worry and stress into workers it could affect. I dont feel safe now reporting news as it might not be true,and i dont want to put stress or worry into staff.I will say sorry for the tv station,but i think that should come from the media.I feel so bad that i might have causer worry and stress.

 

[superking]

On tonights show they talking about 3 mil pax for the next 2 or 3 years.I hope that is right. It will take a long time to get back to where we were before this covid19 kicked in.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

On tonights show they talking about 3 mil pax for the next 2 or 3 years.I hope that is right. It will take a long time to get back to where we were before this covid19 kicked in.

If they only handle three million passengers per annum in the next 2-3 years the airport company would have a real problem, as would the UK aviation industry generally if BRS's 60%-plus fall in passenger numbers continued for the next 2-3 years and was typical of the industry across the board.

The Post report contains this extract:

Bristol Airport said it expected passenger numbers to fall to fewer than three million this year - down from 10 million normally - and next year levels would be closer to those seen in 2015 and 2016 at between 6.5 and seven million.

The Post has got the 10 million wrong but they've probably put that bit in themselves to try to put the airport's 'fewer than three million this year' projection into some sort of context.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Well it just goes to show you cant beleive every thing you hear or see. The news report about staff being made redundent at the airport is looking up to 400 staff going. Well the 2 local tv local news quoted up to 100 staff.

76 staff redundancies apparently refer to those directly employed by the airport. The below report also mentions 167 Swissport reduncancies so it might be that the 400 figure was the estimated total of the airport's own staff, Swissport's and other companies at the airport.

Incidentally, Bristol Live (Bristol Post) is still using photographs of the airport that must be at least ten years' old - a Continental Boeing 757 is shown on stand.

Union warns Bristol Airport job losses will leave a 'huge economic hole'

Nearly 250 jobs are at risk at Bristol Airport after demand for air travel plummets

www.bristolpost.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Stansted Airport is to launch an appeal to the national Planning Inspectorate re its local authority's decison to reject its planning application last January. The expansion would have enabled the airport to handle 43 mppa, an increase on the current 35 mppa cap.

As with STN, BRS has six months in which to launch an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate re North Somerset unitary authority's rejection of its expansion planning application. The rejection occurred on 10 February but because it was contrary to the council's own planning officers' advice their standing orders dictate that the decision had to be ratified at a subsequent planning committee meeting.

The ratification was made just over a month later in March. I'm not absolutely certain whether the six months runs from the date of the original rejection or that of the ratification. Common sense would suggest the ratification meeting which means the airport would have until about the third week in September to decide whether to appeal but the law doesn't always deal in common sense. If it's six months from the original rejection date the airport would have to make its appeal decison in the next three weeks.

 

[kraktoa]

Returned to the airport at mid day yesterday after 4 months. Few observations

Pleasantly surprised to see so many passengers returning and going out with their large suitcases walking along the main road

The tall fencing on the road from the OTB to the Main terminal has disappeared.

Short term car park was full.

Multi story car park appeared close to full

New bus station and drop off, pick up point. With its own enclosed waiting area and toilets. It’s underneath the multi storey.

The airport camera van monitoring speed limits and unauthorised parking is back in operation.

New Uber parking near silver zones. Lots of drivers milling around. They have 1 hr free parking....shock horror...revenue for the airport there