VLM Airlines

[Ray Finkle]

Might as well give them their own thread.

Belgian regional carrier VLM airlines, has celebrated its inaugural flight to Waterford from Birmingham Airport.

The first scheduled service to the south east of Ireland, which will operate daily returns four times weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, was greeted into Birmingham with a water-arch salute on arrival.

Arthur White, CEO of VLM Airlines, said: “We are delighted to offer direct services between Birmingham and Waterford four times a week. Not only will this route be attractive to Birmingham’s thriving Irish community, but it will help create more tourist traffic for this stunning part of south east Ireland. Furthermore, Birmingham Airport’s excellent international network will improve global access for businesses in the Waterford region.”

VLM Airlines crew with Tom Screen, head of aviation development at Birmingham Airport (second in from the right).

Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham Airport added: “VLM Airlines’ new service to Waterford is a very welcome addition to our network of flights to Ireland and we’re delighted to see this route launch today.

“Offering same day returns, we expect this service to be popular with business travellers, as well as those visiting friends and relatives, due to the strong links that exist between the two regions.”

Welcoming news of the first flight, Dan Mulhall, Irish Ambassador to the UK, commented: “As a Waterfordman and a regular visitor to Ireland’s oldest city, I am delighted to learn of the continuation of flights from Birmingham Airport to Waterford Airport. I hope that this new service will encourage more and more people from Britain to sample the attractions of heritage-rich Waterford City and its hinterland – the scenic Copper Coast and Ireland’s Ancient East.”

VLM Airlines will operate the Birmingham – Waterford service, using its fleet of Fokker 50 aircraft.

Tickets are available through http://www.vlmairlines.com or via tour operators and travel agents.

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/med ... m-airport/

 

[jfy1999]

I see from the picture that I made a mistake about the livery, OO-VLJ has gained VLM titles since I last saw.
How long will this route last? I guess VLM are in better shape than Flybe were when they dropped it.

 

[jfy1999]

Fascinating variety from VLM. All their flights have so far been operated by OO-VLJ

 

[Ray Finkle]

Waterford now bookable through the winter, it looks to be the same frequency

 

[Ray Finkle]

New route to Antwerp from October. I believe it's 3x weekly.

I'm on my phone at the moment so maybe someone could check the schedules?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Antwerp will be 3x weekly on Mon, Wed and Fri's.

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/med ... p-service/

 

[Brum X]

Antwerp will be 3x weekly on Mon, Wed and Fri's.

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/med ... p-service/

Great news to see another new destination for BHX.


This should do well and hopefully a popular route. Well done VLM :smile:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Timings for Antwerp:

ANR 11:35 BHX 12:05 VG171
BHX 14:30 ANR 17:00 VG172

BHX - Geneva is also bookable on the VLM website although the flight is an extension of Antwerp and takes 4 + hours including 35 mins on the ground in ANR.

 

[nwoody2001]

now that BHX is one of only 3 airports of the VLM network to have more that one route, the other being Antwerp and Hamburg, do we think there is a possibility that VLM could be a contender to expand out of BHX to serve niche low density routes.... in my head I'm thinking Londonderry and Rotterdam??? just a thought....

 

[Ray Finkle]

Wasn't Rotterdam/Eindhoven served back in the day? I seem to remember it operating on a small aircraft but can't remember who it was?

 

[jfy1999]

now that BHX is one of only 3 airports of the VLM network to have more that one route, the other being Antwerp and Hamburg, do we think there is a possibility that VLM could be a contender to expand out of BHX to serve niche low density routes.... in my head I'm thinking Londonderry and Rotterdam??? just a thought....

That sounds like the sort of thing they would be good at. I hope Antwerp is a big success

Wasn't Rotterdam/Eindhoven served back in the day? I seem to remember it operating on a small aircraft but can't remember who it was?

Could it have been KLM? According to an "Airports of the World" history of Eindhoven they used to fly ATRs out of there.

 

[Brum X]

Wasn't Rotterdam/Eindhoven served back in the day? I seem to remember it operating on a small aircraft but can't remember who it was?

If i remember right folks, it was Sun Air. The same Sun Air that was supposed to operate BHX-Gothenburg.

 

[Seasider]

I think it was Base A/L with an EMB120.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Thanks, that definitely rings a bell :good:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Antwerp is now up and running on Mon, Wed and Fri. If things go well Tue and Thur should be added next year.

VLM Airlines begins Birmingham to Antwerp service

 

[jfy1999]

VLM seem to have cut right down on the Antwerp service over Christmas with no flights scheduled since Friday. Waterford is unaffected and Antwerp is showing on the BHX website as 3 weekly next summer. Despite the Bruges Christmas market it seems the route is yet to meet expectations

 

[Daza]

Im guessing a mid-day arrival into BHX three days a week is not great for business travellers, the loads have been quite poor (less than 25%) even with VLMs high fares I fear this route is going to struggle.

 

[nwoody2001]

well all you have to do is look at the November passengers. Assuming the route operated 3x weekly over November, its managed 245 pax. That equates to a LF of 20.4%, or circa 10 people a flight!!!

That's not to say a route cant be profitable. its a small plane and those 10 pax a flight could be paying pretty high process, but its always going to be a struggle!

look at WAT, they managed 809 pax for a 4x weekly flight. that equates to a LF of circa 50.5% and so those planes are carrying 25 pax a flight!

 

[Daza]

nwoody2001 wrote

That's not to say a route cant be profitable. its a small plane and those 10 pax a flight could be paying pretty high

Im guessing those F50s don't owe them much either? I would imagine they are relatively inexpensive to operate? i hope the route continues it could maybe do with some marketing. I have never been to Antwerp but I read its a lovely city with jewellery industry very much in common with Birmingham. An am arrival to Brum Mon-Fri and a pm departure to ANT Sun-Fri would suit business but with such poor loads would it warrant the capacity? I have family in Wexford who used BE WAT and now drive to DUB as the VG WAT fares are very high.
Daza

 

[Brum X]

Antwerp

Apparently VLM has removed from sale Antwerp from March 2016 :sad: