Helvetic Airways

[TheLocalYokel]

March passenger figures, Helvetic BRS-ZRH

CAA stats show that 866 passengers used the service in March 2013. I make it that 14 rotations (28 legs) were flown which gives an average load of 31, down on December's average load of 35 when I last reported the figures.

31 gives a load factor of 36.5% which doesn't seem great on the face of it though we don't know the average fares or how many sat in the front of the cabin.

In March 2012 when the route was a joint one with CWL the total number of passengers from the two airports was 839 (554 from BRS and 285 from CWL) so at least this is a slight improvement and the extra expense of carrying on to CWL and landing twice at BRS has been removed.

The route has increased from 3 x weekly to 4 x weekly from April and surprisingly, in view of the usual ultra efficiency of the BRS management, the large adverts for the route at the airport and on some Flyer buses still shows it as 3 x weekly, or did up until yesterday anyway as I saw at first hand.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

May 2013 passenger figures

CAA stats show that 1335 passengers used the route between Bristol and Zurich in May, which is an average load of 37.1, load factor 43.6%.

Although this is about the highest average monthly load since the BRS route began 18 months ago, the load factor remains stubbornly below 50%.

The passenger numbers are up 89% on the BRS-ZRH leg last year when there was also a CWL leg, albeit this summer the route operates 4 x weekly compared with 3 x weekly in summer 2012.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

June 2013

1394 passengers used the BRS-ZRH service in the month making an average load of 41 which so far as I can remember is the best monthly figure yet.

I'm not sure whether the F100s are still 85-seaters to take account of the airline's Viva! business class product or whether they've reverted to 100 seats.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A Helvetic Fokker 100, registration HB-JVH performing flight 2L-440 from Zurich (Switzerland) to Bristol,EN (UK) with 66 passengers, was climbing through FL210 out of Zurich when the crew noticed smoke in the cockpit, stopped the climb at FL220 and returned to Zurich for a safe landing on runway 16 about 30 minutes later. A galley oven was identified as source of the smoke.

The flight was cancelled, the passengers were rebooked onto other flights.

Full report at: http://www.aeroinside.com/item/2797/hel ... oking-oven

The incident occurred last Monday (15 July). Decent passenger load. I understand the flight came in to BRS several hours later on a replacement aircraft.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

1394 passengers used the BRS-ZRH service in the month (June 2013) making an average load of 41 which so far as I can remember is the best monthly figure yet.

The good news is that July beat this comprehensively.

CAA stats show that 1944 passengers used the route, an average load of 54. This was an increase of 97% on July 2012 although this year there are four weekly rotations compared with three in 2012. It's still a big increase even taking the extra rotation into account.

 

[ljm104]

I noticed the other day that Helvetic codeshares with Swiss on their BHX-ZRH route, opening up the whole Swiss network. I wonder why the same agreement is not in place on the BRS-ZRH route as, presumably, it would give loads a huge shot in the arm? It would be great to see a few more long haul choices in addition to KLM/Air France.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I noticed the other day that Helvetic codeshares with Swiss on their BHX-ZRH route, opening up the whole Swiss network. I wonder why the same agreement is not in place on the BRS-ZRH route as, presumably, it would give loads a huge shot in the arm? It would be great to see a few more long haul choices in addition to KLM/Air France.

My understanding is that a route must be at least 6 x weekly for Helvetic to feed into the Swiss network. If anyone knows otherwise please correct me.

The Helvetic website doesn't appear to be showing booking availability for any route yet after the end of October. I seem to remember that in 2012 the winter schedule and booking facility for the BRS route was available by mid July.

 

[User0001]

I noticed the other day that Helvetic codeshares with Swiss on their BHX-ZRH route

Im not sure if Ive got the wrong end of the stick, but, Helvetic does not serve BHX nor does it appear on the Helvetic website.

Could it be that what you are seeing is the Helvetic F100 operating for Swiss on the actual Swiss flight?
Swiss use Helvetic to operate 1 BHX flight and 2 MAN flights in the summer (MAN reverts back to an all Swiss A320 on all 3 flights in winter and BHX an Avro100 and A319).

May explain why you see Helvetic at BHX and the connections on the Swiss network?

 

[ljm104]

Thanks for that. I hadn't realised Helvetic had some of its f100s out on wet lease to Swiss. One would hope that there might be an opportunity for a codeshare in the future, although at current loads its hard to see frequencies increasing

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The Helvetic website is still showing no booking availability for any of its routes after the end of next month.

Does anyone know if ZRH-BRS was the only route it operated last winter in its own right (as opposed to those it operated on behalf of Swiss)?

 

[alphagolf]

The Helvetic website is still showing no booking availability for any of its routes after the end of next month.

Does anyone know if ZRH-BRS was the only route it operated last winter in its own right (as opposed to those it operated on behalf of Swiss)?

Don't know the answer as to whether BRS was the only route operated in its own right, but on the BRS airport website it is suggesting travel to Zurich this winter for Ski holidays and operating 3 times a week. Surely they wouldn't do this if the route was not continuing through the winter.

I have emailed Helvetic customer service, so will update once I have received a reply!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Don't know the answer as to whether BRS was the only route operated in its own right, but on the BRS airport website it is suggesting travel to Zurich this winter for Ski holidays and operating 3 times a week. Surely they wouldn't do this if the route was not continuing through the winter.

I have emailed Helvetic customer service, so will update once I have received a reply!

On the BRS website 'Search for a Flight' I entered seven consecutive days in November for BRS-ZRH and received the reply that there were no direct services on any of the days, although availability was shown via AMS with KLM.

I also did a control sample for a date in October to make sure the 'Search for a Flight' was working and I received the Helvetic flight details.

Will have to await your reply from the airline for confirmation one way or the other.

Talking of wintry matters, I note there are eleven Santa flight departures to Lapland scheduled from the end of November until Christmas Eve, departing alternately every other day/every third day, not that I'm suggesting that Helvetic will be involved with these. From memory that's more than last year.

 

[alphagolf]

Have received an email reply today:

Thanks a lot for your message and your interest in Helvetic Airways.
At the moment we are still working on our winter schedule, which should be ready within the next two weeks.
Once the new schedule is ready it will be published on our website.

Kind regards,
Andrea Fegyversova
Guest Relations

Doesn't give an indication of what routes will be operated, so its going to be a case of wait and see.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Many thanks alphagolf.

Maybe there is some negotiating going on between airline and airport(s).

If there is to be a winter service they're leaving it a bit late. Some punters will probably already have made other arrangements, at least for the first part of the winter.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

August 2013

Slightly disappointing figures for August.

1668 passengers travelled between BRS and ZRH giving an average load of 49, down from July's 54.

Nevertheless passenger figures were up 85% on August 2012, although last year there were three weekly rotations compared with this summer's four.

Still no sign of any booking availability for the coming winter on Helvetic's website for any of the routes currently operating this summer, incl BRS.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A poster on the DP said today that he had received an email from Helvetic saying they are still working on the winter schedule which should now be ready for publication by the end of this month.

The date seems to be slipping and I imagine some wanting to fly to Switzerland in the early part of the winter might by now have looked elsewhere.

Finger's crossed that the BRS route will actually operate. When I looked again yesterday none of the Helvetic routes were showing booking availability after the end of October (ie those operated by Helvetic in its own right, not the ones their aircraft operate for Swiss).

 

[conns757]

on sale for winter from mid dec 2 pw - short term operational issues with summer 14 looking good.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

on sale for winter from mid dec 2 pw - short term operational issues with summer 14 looking good.

Many thanks, conns.

Helvetic website now reflecting this with 2 x weekly from 13 December.

Fridays: arr BRS 1400 and dep 1445
Sundays: arr BRS 1850 and dep 1935

 

[TheLocalYokel]

September 2013

1722 passengers were carried in the month giving an average load of 48, down slightly on August's 49 and July's 54.

However, this represents an increase of 85% on September 2012 albeit last summer there were three weekly rotations compared with this summer's four.

 

[alphagolf]

Summer 2014

Helvetic have released Summer 2014 flights from Bristol to Zurich, flights operate 3 x Weekly on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

At least the flights have be released for sale well in advanced compared to the release of the Winter 2013 flights.