Wizz Air

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

I think BHX is more than just an overflow for Luton, there is still opportunity for more flights down there although it's definitely getting tight.

Many of the locos are now moving operations to 'primary airports', possibly because larger airports are realising that it's where the future growth is and are maybe offering more generous incentives. Easyjet seemed to start the trend and Ryanair look as if they are following.

I also can't see getting Wizz in as being an easy job and I'd imagine a great deal of work will have been put in by the BHX team.

The analysis of their operation at DSA is interesting, in 2006 they had just one route, now they have 10; Bucharest, Gdańsk, Katowice, Košice, Lublin, Poznań, Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw–Chopin, Wrocław.

I'd love to see BHX expand in a similar way :smile:

Have a read of the article below:

Wizz will start flights to Warsaw and Budapest from the West Midlands-based airport from September, as the airline progresses towards operating from primary airports within the UK.


The European low-cost carrier has previously flown to smaller UK airports in general, with its largest base at London’s Luton Airport, where it is the second largest carrier. The London regional airport accounts for more than a ten percent share of Wizz Air’s total network capacity, ahead of its developing bases at Katowice, Budapest and Warsaw.


Wizz switched Glasgow Prestwick for Glasgow International in 2013, and the addition of Birmingham suggests the carrier is focussing on serving larger airports and primary airports as part of its expansion.

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/bre ... gn=the-hub

 

[Brum X]

Re: Wizzair

Interesting that on there facebook page, many people are thanking Wizz for opening routes from BHX to Budapest and Warsaw with many already booked on the flights.

One lady suggested to Wizz that they start BHX-Poznan in the future.

There reply :: Maybe in the future

 

[Brum X]

Re: Wizzair

Got a feeling we will see Wizzair join Ryanair and Flybe at the old T2 ????????

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Re: Wizzair

Got a feeling we will see Wizzair join Ryanair and Flybe at the old T2 ????????

Whenever I've flown from there, there has been plenty of capacity, even in the morning rush hour.

 

[DaveBham]

Re: Wizzair

On a side note, why do they have to refer to Birmingham as 'the West Midlands Airport'?! Everyone's heard of Birmingham. Nobody's refers to MAN as 'the North West Airport' or Heathrow as 'the South East airport'.

Sooner we lose this hideously vague and soulless 'West Midlands' title and adopt 'Greater Birmingham' the better for everyone.

Rant over

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

One lady suggested to Wizz that they start BHX-Poznan in the future.

There reply :: Maybe in the future

That little wink smiley could well indicate it's possibly on the cards.

I asked them about the possibility of BHX - Warsaw about four weeks ago, they replied to sign up to the newsletter for announcements. I assumed it was a typical generic reply at the time but now we know :smile:

In the future I wonder if we'll see them take on Ryanair with Gdansk and Katowice.

Got a feeling we will see Wizzair join Ryanair and Flybe at the old T2 ????????

Whenever I've flown from there, there has been plenty of capacity, even in the morning rush hour.

Do you reckon there is enough space for them to use T2 check in desks? The Flybe desks always seem to have queues and when Thomson and Air France are in full flow it can be very busy.

 

[jfy1999]

Re: Wizzair

Got a feeling we will see Wizzair join Ryanair and Flybe at the old T2 ????????

It depends on whether they use airbridges or not. I've heard they prefer to use remote stands and have the passengers bussed to the plane.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Re: Wizzair

Do you reckon there is enough space for them to use T2 check in desks? The Flybe desks always seem to have queues and when Thomson and Air France are in full flow it can be very busy.

I think there is a shortage of check-in facilities anyway Ray which is why I always check in on-line, although this makes no difference with Ryanair.

I thought KH was bang on the nail when he was talking about moving check-in behind the railway line / NEC. IMO, all the talk of being able to service 35M pax with no expansion is a load of rubbish. You need to be able to cope with the pax load at peak-times which Birmingham struggles to do, similar to most UK airports.

Rant over!! :dirol:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

Yeah I can see it being a real tight squeeze at peak times.

Thomas Cook have seemed to use the Emirates check in desks for their morning departures, as of August they will need to be accommodated elsewhere. Norwegian only have 4 or 5 desks at the moment, if we see some expansion from them next year I assume they will need more and if we're lucky enough to get a base they'll probably need them all day. Wizz won't require much in the way of desks initially but if there are plans for expansion in the future that need will grow.

I'm probably getting way ahead of myself but if Norwegian and Wizz expand in a way that we all hope that they do then I reckon more stand space could be needed also. When the morning EK service starts space on the new pier will be at a premium until around 9-9.30am. I suppose the locos would be able to use the remotes but it depends on the agreement that was made with the residents regarding the 80's stands not being used between 23:00 and 07:00 (08:00 on Sundays). At the moment Monarch seem to use up most of the 70's stands in the early morning.

Maybe this rumoured new loco pier has this in mind?

 

[Brum X]

Re: Wizzair

Do you reckon there is enough space for them to use T2 check in desks? The Flybe desks always seem to have queues and when Thomson and Air France are in full flow it can be very busy.

I think there is a shortage of check-in facilities anyway Ray which is why I always check in on-line, although this makes no difference with Ryanair.

I thought KH was bang on the nail when he was talking about moving check-in behind the railway line / NEC. IMO, all the talk of being able to service 35M pax with no expansion is a load of rubbish. You need to be able to cope with the pax load at peak-times which Birmingham struggles to do, similar to most UK airports.

Rant over!! :dirol:

A few of us are having a Rant today, now your turn Ray ?????? LOL

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

A few of us are having a Rant today, now your turn Ray ?????? LOL

You'll get nothing from me, I'm chuffed to bits with what's happened at BHX this year (although I agree with all the comments re the terrible events in Tunisia).

I can't wait to see what Norwegian have planned for BHX in S16 and I have a feeling that this is just the start for Wizz. It's great to be pondering whether BHX has enough check in desks and stands for the potential expansion.

I do however have one eye open as history tells us that good news for BHX is traditionally followed by bad news.

For now though I'm loving it

I also think there will be one more announcement before the year is through, we'll see

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

Some impressive stuff at the Budapest Air Show :smile:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6vGSIukups[/video]

 

[BHXsupporter]

Re: Wizzair

Crikey! Impressive control. At several points it looked like the pilot was lining up on the towers in the Dam Busters! Surely not everyone must have known about the flight so imagine some thoughts looking up and seeing an aeroplane so close to the Danube / Parliament Buildings!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

I'd love it if BHX could do something similar on Sept 14th, although without the wind. I think it would have to put us back to #1 water arch :smile:

Skip forward to 2:50 if you don't want to watch an A320 land and taxi.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI1YqA5lbw[/video]

 

[BHXsupporter]

Re: Wizzair

All those E numbers! Do they wash off?!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Wizzair

I hope so, that plane sure does look pink when it emerges the other side

 

[nwoody2001]

really interesting article with regard to the future of Wizz and explores how they could compete with Ryainair....

An interesting ready given the fact the BHX has now joined to list of airports which play host to both

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/ ... urope.html

 

[Ray Finkle]

Interesting stuff.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Wizz have planned for BHX in the future :smile:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Budapest has just become bookable for S16, still at 2x weekly but the days of operation change to Wed & Sun. The timings however look so much better.

BUD 10:45 BHX 12:25
BHX 12:55 BUD 16:30

Warsaw isn't bookable as yet.

 

[nwoody2001]

Now this month sees the launch of Wizz out of BHX, and with a brand new Loco-cost carrier launching their ‘first new routes out of Birmingham’ with Budapest and Warsaw, there is major hope for some good expansion from them in the future.

They are the largest carrier out of Doncaster, and rumours have it that Luton is now too full and constrained to accommodate their expansion plans. Therefore, this is BHX’s to step up to the challenge.

Looking at DSA, Wizz currently offer the following 10 routes connecting DSA with eastern Europe. Only 3 of these routes are currently served out of BHX, Gdansk and Katowice with Ryanair and Warsaw with Wizz themselves. Having looked at DSA’s July CAA Stats, it truly goes to show the potential for growth out of BHX.

Apologies for the data below, the pax figures are their july pax loads but their timetable is based on September, the website does not look at previous months.
1. Bucharest (2x weekly) - 2985 Pax
2. Gdansk (5x weekly) - 7407 Pax
3. Katowice (5x weekly) - 7603 Pax
4. Kosice (2x weekly) - 2853 Pax
5. Lublin (2x weekly) (Not yet started)
6. Poznan (4x weekly) - 6052 Pax
7. Riga (2x weekly) - 5026 Pax
8. Vilnius (3x weekly) - 4129 Pax
9. Warsaw (3x weekly) - 4327 Pax
10. Wroclaw (3x weekly) – 4393 Pax
TOTAL JULY PAX - 44,775 Pax
(31 Flights / 62 Rotations a week)

Annually this equates to circa 500,000 pax annually!!! Now I do not expect Wizz to announce 8 more routes on the date of their launch from BHX, and granted, we only have 4 flights a week verses DSA’s 31 flights a week, but it goes to show, that if BHX get on the right side of WIZZ, the growth potential is amazing, and all within quieter times of the day and utilizing away based aircraft!!!

Some interesting food for thought, especially as BHX must be hoping to leave the 10,000,000 Pax number behind and head straight for the 11,000,000 number now….