Blue Air

[nwoody2001]

Edit..... Damn the Blue Air website has caught me out, my apologies.... it would appear that there are flights between CLJ and OTP and as such some of the flights on their website are not direct with some BHX-CLJ-OTP and BHX-OTP-CLJ....

The actual DIRECT schedule is as follows:

Birmingham to Cluj-Nappoca (3x weekly)

CLJ 10:00 – BHX 11:30 (Flight OB3752) (Mon, Wed, Fri)
BHX 12:15 – CLJ 17:15 (Flight OB3752) (Mon, Wed, Fri)

From Dec 16th (737-400)


Birmingham to Bucharest (3x weekly)

OTP 07:45 – BHX 09:15 (Flight OB151) (Tue, Sat)
OTP 15:00 – BHX 16:30 (Flight OB151) (Thu)

BHX 10:00 – OTP 15:20 (Flight OB152) (Tue, Sat)
BHX 17:15 – OTP 22:35 (Flight OB152) (Thu)

From Oct 30th (737-400)

 

[Ray Finkle]

Easily done, their website isn't the clearest.

Still great to get Cluj though

 

[Brum X]

Great to see expansion from Blue Air at BHX and another new route. Great stuff

Now is this the expected news or just a little teaser ????

 

[Ray Finkle]

Now is this the expected news or just a little teaser ????

There is/was to be an 'announcement or two due in the next few weeks', no other details were given. Whether Alba Star counts as one I don't know as they've been up and running for a few weeks.


I don't take what is said on social media too seriously but a few people have asked Blue Air about Birmingham-Iasi and Birmingham-Bacau. The reply for both was "Hopefully soon ".

Maybe more to come from them next year?

 

[Brum X]

There is/was to be an 'announcement or two due in the next few weeks', no other details were given. Whether Alba Star counts as one I don't know as they've been up and running for a few weeks.


I don't take what is said on social media too seriously but a few people have asked Blue Air about Birmingham-Iasi and Birmingham-Bacau. The reply for both was "Hopefully soon ".

Maybe more to come from them next year?

Sorry to bring the EU referendum into this news but if we BREXIT next week, will there be a need for so many flights to eastern europe in the near future as im assuming most of these flights are VFR traffic.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Sorry to bring the EU referendum into this news but if we BREXIT next week, will there be a need for so many flights to eastern europe in the near future as im assuming most of these flights are VFR traffic.

Ask both campaigns and get two wildly different answers

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

Seems as if Cluj will be on a 189 seat 738.

There's a press release on the BHX website, I'm on my phone so can't copy it

 

[Ray Finkle]

Blue Air Launch New Route to Romania's Second City from Birmingham

Romania’s largest hybrid carrier, Blue Air, has launched three times weekly flights from Birmingham to Cluj, the second largest city in Romania.

The second route follows in quick succession from the airline’s inaugural Bucharest launch which was celebrated in March this year. This route has been such a success that frequency will increase from two to three flights per week from the start of winter.

Served by a 189 seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the carrier will fly to the city of Cluj on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 16th December 2016 as follows:

Depart Cluj 09:30 / Arrive Birmingham 10:45hrs

Depart Birmingham 11:30hrs / Arrive Cluj 16:45hrs

Seats can be purchased via www.blueairweb.com and prices start from only £19.99 one-way including taxes and charges.

Tom Screen, Head of Aviation Development at Birmingham Airport, said: “Blue Air has had a very successful few months at Birmingham Airport flying thousands of passengers to and from the Romanian capital city of Bucharest.

“We are delighted that they are already introducing this second route to Cluj. The city is a cultural and historic centre home to universities, vibrant nightlife and landmarks dating to Saxon and Hungarian rule. We look forward to seeing the carrier continue to go from strength to strength here at Birmingham Airport.”

Tudor Constantinescu, Chief Commercial Officer at Blue Air, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce our second route to Birmingham starting in December this year, as we expand the network from our newest base at Cluj-Napoca.

“The growth of tourism and trade between the UK and Romania, and especially Cluj-Napoca which recently has rapidly been emerging, means we have no doubt that this new route will be another success. Cluj is a charming city, the second most populous in Romania, situated in the heart of Transylvania and the central point for seven nearby cities.

“We look forward to continuing working closely with Birmingham Airport to ensure the longevity of this new service.”

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk...oute-to-romanias-second-city-from-birmingham/

 

[richard winterbourn]

Ah Cluj, i remember it well.... How Europe has changed, i was in Cluj about 30 years ago during the time of the infamous Caucescu regime. I was a youngish campaigning journalist at the time and was leading a humanitarian convoy taking 76 tons of both food and clothing to a town called Siret on the Russian border. We had to stay the night in what we thought was the only hotel in Cluj before we had to cross the Transylvanian mountains. It was not a pleasant experience, the hotel had no hot water, no restaurant and very little by way of comfort. We had to wedge the artics together at night to ensure that they were there in the morning.

And now, from December a three-times-a-week service to BHX with Blue Air.

As i said, how times have changed. I want to be one of the first to visit Cluj, again, just to experience the renascence of Romania -- or Rumania as it was then...

 

[Barry Beeth]

A country of contrasts, you've either got a Bugatti or a Dacia, nowhere in between! I'm a veteran of Bucharest, not a place I'm longing to go back to - Transylvania, on the other hand...
Great result for BHX, hope it works out!

 

[nwoody2001]

I still expect there to be growth before Xmas with blue air. I appreciate that OTP has competition from Wizz, but I find it of that the airline opperatecthe same no. of flights/capacity to Bucharest as it does Cluj

 

[thunderchild]

New route to Larnaca next year.

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk...016/09/blue-air-announces-flights-to-larnaca/

 

[nwoody2001]

Indeed. from a single route, Blue Air are starting to have quite a nice little operation at BHX for summer 2017....

BHX-OTP = 4x Weekly (Tu,Th,Sa,Su)
BHX-CLJ = 3x Weekly (Mo,We,Fr)
BHX-LCA = 3x Weekly (Tu,Th,Su)

In the space of a year, going from 2x weekly flights and 1x route, to 10x weekly flights with 3x routes is pretty good. This means that next summer, in the 8 months from March to October, Blue air will provide circa 125,000 seats into BHX or circa 190,000 seats annually if frequencies remain throughout winter....

Long may it continue. With Hubs/Bases at Bacau, Lasi and Turin as well as Bucharest and Larnica which are now operated out of BHX, it will be interesting to see if we get much more out of Blue Air. Good to see Brexit hasn't scared off all the eastern European airlines!!!

 

[jfy1999]

Times now on the Blue Air website

LCA 0715 BHX 1030
BHX 1115 LCA 1800

Good to see them expand and start to fill in the quiet mid-morning period.

 

[JF57]

Also doing LARNACA. A challenge for Monarch?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Very good news and excellent timings to make more use of the mid morning quieter period. Good to see Bucharest go up to 4x weekly too.

Definitely competition for Monarch and I wonder if Cobalt Air will be put off as they were said to be in talks?

 

[JF57]

Very good news and excellent timings to make more use of the mid morning quieter period. Good to see Bucharest go up to 4x weekly too.

Definitely competition for Monarch and I wonder if Cobalt Air will be put off as they were said to be in talks?

Cobalt reliability has been awful so not much of a threat unless they improve. Think I have seen some Blue Air flights with long delays as well on LCA boards.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The full press release.

Blue Air Announces Flights to Larnaca

Blue Air, the largest Romanian carrier that started operations earlier this year from Birmingham Airport, is adding another route to its network. The airline will start flights to Larnaca on the south coast of Cyprus from March 2017.

Having only started in March 2016 with a twice-weekly service to Bucharest, on the success of this it then announced a second route to Cluj-Napoca, the capital and heart of Transylvania, commencing in December this year. Larnaca, a popular destination, will mean that Blue Air has 10 flights a week from Birmingham Airport.

Flights will leave Birmingham Airport each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 1115 hours arriving in Larnaca at 1800.

Tom Screen, Head of Aviation Development at Birmingham Airport, commenting on the new route said: “We are delighted that Blue Air is offering another route from Birmingham Airport. The airline has gone from strength to strength here offering low cost fares to popular destinations.

“Larnaca has much to offer holiday makers. It is known for its palm fringed sea front and has brilliant diving opportunities, including the M.S. Zenobia ship wreck. With flights three times a week it’s now so easy to get to this sun destination from the Midlands.”

Tudor Constantinescu, Chief Commercial Officer at Blue Air, said: “We are thrilled to announce our latest route to Birmingham, this time operating from our Larnaca base and commencing on 26 March 2017. With the new addition, we are now linking Birmingham to three Blue Air bases – Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca and Larnaca – that highlights our commitment to the West Midlands’ gateway.

“Passengers on the new route from Cyprus will be delighted with our top-quality service that includes a free hot meal and full beverage bar including wine served onboard. I am confident Birmingham-Larnaca will be just as successful as our other flights to the UK and this will further enhance our position across the country!”

Prices start from £37.99 one way including all taxes and non-optional charges and can be booked at www.blueairweb.com

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk...016/09/blue-air-announces-flights-to-larnaca/

 

[nwoody2001]

sounds like a pretty impressive service with warm food and drinks included in the price! Just like the good old days...

 

[nwoody2001]

Blue Air Summer Schedule 2017 from BHX (26.03-28.10) ...so far....

Monday
12:15 BHX-CLJ (0B3751)

Tuesday
11:15 BHX-LCA (0B5152)
17:15 BHX-OTP (0B152)

Wednesday
12:15 BHX-CLJ (0B3751)

Thursday
11:15 BHX-LCA (0B5152)
17:15 BHX-OTP (0B152)

Friday
12:15 BHX-CLJ (0B3751)

Saturday
10:00 BHX-OTP (0B152)

Sunday
10:00 BHX-OTP (0B152)
11:15 BHX-LCA (0B5152)