Iberia

[Jerry]

What ever it is, it is still rubbish that IB are pulling out. BHX is going backwards and I am losing interest in this airport.

In fact the airport is embarrassing for a city of this size.

I think you are being a bit harsh there. BHX has a pretty good network of airlines and destinations. Yes it could be better but you can say that about most airports.

 

[Brum X]

I think you are being a bit harsh there. BHX has a pretty good network of airlines and destinations. Yes it could be better but you can say that about most airports.

But the range of airlines is slowly disappearing Jerry, CSA a few months ago, now Iberia. Sorry but my predictions for BHX in the future is bleak.

A very large city in the UK has now lost important connections to South America.

This airport and its management need to have a serious look at themselves.

 

[Jerry]

But the range of airlines is slowly disappearing Jerry, CSA a few months ago, now Iberia. Sorry but my predictions for BHX in the future is bleak.

A very large city in the UK has now lost important connections to South America.

This airport and its management need to have a serious look at themselves.

I generally think it's more of a reflection of the airlines themselves than BHX especially Iberia. They don't seem to that strong outside of London I regional UK as a hub carrier compared to say Lufthansa or even TAP Portugal.

 

[ronnoc1k8]

What ever it is, it is still rubbish that IB are pulling out. BHX is going backwards and I am losing interest in this airport.

In fact the airport is embarrassing for a city of this size.

True. When was the last time we got a long haul route?

 

[Brum X]

True. When was the last time we got a long haul route?

Not only that, but we are losing short haul airlines and routes. And I am not convinced about Aegean, that will be a 1/2 season wonder at best.

 

[Brum X]

I generally think it's more of a reflection of the airlines themselves than BHX especially Iberia. They don't seem to that strong outside of London I regional UK as a hub carrier compared to say Lufthansa or even TAP Portugal.

Manchester is a success and they are continuing Edinburgh. Birmingham should be on this list too.

 

[Jerry]

Manchester is a success and they are continuing Edinburgh. Birmingham should be on this list too.

They only serve MAN 5 weekly. Its not much compared to say LH on FRA at 34 weekly or TAP at 14? weekly, for a major hub airline I'd say.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there all, I did pose a question earlier, but nobody seems to want answer me at all.

 

[Brum X]

Hi there all, I did pose a question earlier, but nobody seems to want answer me at all.

Sorry Andy, I don't know the answer to your question otherwise I would of answered.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

I asked, how much would it cost for some private investor like Warren buffet to come in and buyout those seven councils.

 

[IanFarquharson]

I asked, how much would it cost for some private investor like Warren buffet to come in and buyout those seven councils.

The Council get paid a very good annual dividend from BHX so why would they sell their shares ?

It is similar set up at Manchester with council involvement with these councils getting a dividend from an airport in Essex too !

 

[Ryan Kirkpatrick]

Maybe EZ could add BHX to Madrid or Ryanair could add another weekly slot. Plus other Spainish airlines like Air Europa & Vueling could also add a MAD to BHX.

 

[Angie88]

I’d like to see easyjet. So much potential for them at BHX

 

[IanFarquharson]

I’d like to see easyjet. So much potential for them at BHX

We hopefully see more easyJet but it won’t happen overnight

 

[hay677]

Hi there all, so how much would it cost to buy out the seven councils.

The councils don't 'own' the airport - they have fewer than 50% shares. From http://www.airportwatch.org.uk/uk-airports/birmingham-airport/

Airport Owner: Complex ownership arrangement: 49% – 7 West Midland Metropolitan District Councils. 48.25% – Airport Group Investments Ltd. (AGIL), a limited company owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (Teachers’) and Australia’s Victorian Funds Management Corp (VFMC). 2.75% – Airport staff, through an employee share trust.

Shares are currently just over £100 each, so find how many the councils have and you know how much you'll have to give them!

 

[Silvercity]

But the range of airlines is slowly disappearing Jerry, CSA a few months ago, now Iberia. Sorry but my predictions for BHX in the future is bleak.

A very large city in the UK has now lost important connections to South America.

This airport and its management need to have a serious look at themselves.

Maybe TAP will see an opportunity at BHX now ?

 

[andrew.clarkson]

So the 7 west Midlands metropolitan District Councils own 49% of the airport, where 2.75% is staff owed, then the remaining 48.25% is owned by otpl.

 

[Brum X]

Maybe TAP will see an opportunity at BHX now ?

I wouldn't hold your breath

 

[jfy1999]

I was thinking about why this service might have failed and this Brum X post got me thinking;

A very large city in the UK has now lost important connections to South America.

So I went on the Iberia and Iberia Express websites looking at connections to South America from BHX, and found that they tend to involve a 6+ hour Madrid stopover on both outbound and return. The only one I found with less than a 6-hour wait was Lima and that was between 3/4 hours.

The waiting times for long haul connections suggest to me that the BHX service hasn't been aimed at that market, instead IBX have been going after the city break market and domestic connections within Spain.

To me this looks like a repeat of Stockholm on SAS, where the days and times were clearly aimed at leisure travellers but were very inconvenient for business travellers and onward connections.

In addition to that, leisure travellers tend to be more cost conscious. IBX were up against Ryanair, mostly on the same days too. That's not the easiest kind of service on which to turn a profit...

 

[Brum X]

So basically what we are saying is that a large UK city like Birmingham can only manage to fill ryanair planes x 3/4 per week to one of the top capital cities of Europe. That is even more depressing, I don't know whether to laugh or cry