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Entertainment improved on flights from Belfast to New York

Continental Airlines has extended the range of inflight entertainment options available to its passengers catching flights to New York from Belfast International airport.

An entertainment system that has been available in the carrier's business cabins since early 2007 has now been extended to economy class across the whole Boeing 757 fleet.

New facilities that economy travellers can make use of include individual seat-back screens that offer a choice of up to 25 movies, 25 television shows and 50 CDs covering various music genres.

The system, which passengers can control themselves, also features 20 video games and a Berlitz World Traveler programme that teaches foreign languages.

Barry Jackson, Continental's area sales manager for Northern Ireland, said: 'Passengers will find this new entertainment experience much more user-friendly.

'Our passengers in BusinessFirst really enjoy the new system and we are sure our economy class passengers will too.'

Belfast International airport recently revealed that the Continental service to New York was proving popular with travellers accessing connections within the US, with Orlando, Las Vegas and Miami among the most popular onward destinations for leisure passengers.

Source
 
The Belfast press is reporting that 'emergency talks' are ongoing between the airline, the Stormont government and interested stakeholders to try to retain the CO daily Belfast International-Newark link.

The service is reported to be losing money and the UK apd is the last straw according to reports.

Other reports suggest that CO might pull out of a number of secondary/tertiary European routes including some to the UK.

I wondered if the BFS route would be next to go under the spotlight, and even the BHX, because neither carry substantially more passengers than the axed Bristol-Newark route.
 
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You've compared the Belfast and Bristol Continental Airlines service on a few occasions in the past and I think you said before that Bristol flight achieved better loads than Belfast so it's hard to see how the Belfast route will survive any further culls by the airline.
 
Overall the BFS route carried more passengers than the BRS route each year though not by many - perhaps between 5% and 10% on average - but there were certainly months in the summer when the BRS route was busier. The BRS route's Achilles Heel was winter, especially January and February.

I know these months are traditionally weak for many routes from the UK but BRS was often particularly poor at those times on the EWR, and also saw only 1-2 rotations most years between Christmas Eve and New Years Day.

It doesn't look good for BFS and other reports suggest that rotations are being reduced next winter from such airports as Manchester and Edinburgh, which in the past have been good performers on the EWR.
 
[textarea]Threatened New York air route reprieved, but future is uncertain

Northern Ireland’s only transatlantic air route has been saved — for the time being.

The popular Continental service from Belfast to New York (Newark) — which is worth around £20m to the local economy — had been threatened by the huge increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD) introduced by the Treasury last November.

It meant that a levy of at least £60 was being imposed on each US-bound passenger and had travellers from Northern Ireland switching instead to Dublin Airport, where the charge is just €3.

Now, after intense negotiations between the airline, Belfast International Airport (BIA), Stormont Executive ministers and the UK Treasury officials, the route — which ferries 100,000 passengers a year — has been given a reprieve.

In an exclusive interview, Belfast International Airport’s business development director Uel Hoey said the route is being monitored closely.

“New York to Belfast service is an essential cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s current and future inward investment and tourism strategy,” Mr Hoey said.

“Not only because of the direct link to New York, but due to the extensive coverage available throughout North America via Continental’s Newark hub.

“The service continues to perform strongly in traffic terms, but now we have a blatant disparity on the level of tax being applied to Belfast compared to Dublin.

“This unfair, onerous tax comparator for long-haul flights is what we are focused upon redressing within the earliest possible timeframe.”

It is understood that Continental will be monitoring the route over the summer before making a final decision.

Boosted by the stay of execution, BIA chiefs are now hoping to set up more transatlantic and long-haul routes to Toronto, Chicago, Boston and Dubai — but the APD issue remains a huge obstacle to this progress. Dublin Airport currently handles 1.5 million long-haul and transatlantic passengers every year — and Belfast International is desperate to tap into that lucrative market.

The Executive wants Northern Ireland to be made a special case like the outlaying Scottish islands, which are exempt from the aviation levy.

As with corporation tax, it believes the province qualifies for special treatment because it borders another country that can undercut it tax-wise.

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster said she was aware of the strategic importance to Northern Ireland of the Continental flight.

“My officials have been working closely with key stakeholders to ensure that we do all we can to promote the route and encourage additional traffic,” Ms Foster said.

Continental has been operating out of Belfast for six years and has carried over half-a-million people between here and the US.

It has an 85% take-up rate and was said to be very successful until the APD issue arose.

A spokeswoman for Continental said the resolution of the issue was of utmost importance.

“We are in constructive discussions with the Northern Ireland Government to find temporary solutions to the APD taxation issue,” she said.

Background

APD is calculated by measuring the distance travelled between two airports, and then comparing the data to a list of tax bands, designated A to D, by increasing distance from London. Europe, for example, falls into Band A, and generally incurs the lowest APD. The British Airports Authority claims that the APD on Band C and D locations could force 5% of long-haul travellers to alter holiday plans.[/textarea]
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/busin ... 49723.html

At least a breathing space but it seems to hinge on Norhern Ireland being regarded as a special case by the Westminster government as regards APD.

It's a finely balanced argument.
 
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This stinks to high heaven. Why should the Continental Airlines route to Belfast be treated any differently to any other. I wonder if there is a political motive here. The Ulster Unionists traditionally back the Conservatives and the Conservatives may rely on their backing for any up and coming legislation. On the otherhand, if the government has realised the error of their ways and they feel the tax is unfair they should remove this most unfair tax for the many not just for the few.
 
As the report mentions there is a precedent with some of the Scottish islands.

Belfast argues it's particularly disadvantaged because of its proximity to Dublin where the passenger tax is minimal.

However, if Belfast is granted a special dispensation other airports could come forward with (to them) equally valid reasons for being treated more favourably than their peers, and not just in air passenger duty.

Some might say they operate in poorer areas and thus need assistance, for example.

Once the state starts artificially boosting limited sections of the industry the result can be what was never intended or envisaged.

I'm a firm believer in the notion that the market should decide the winners and losers and not just in aviation.
 
[textarea]APD to be axed on Belfast – New York route?


The Chancellor George Osborne has personally intervened to try to save Northern Ireland's only direct air link to the United States, the BBC reports. It says that a deal on Air Passenger Duty that would exempt the transatlantic route could be announced this week. The route is seen as vital for promoting trade and inward investment.

The tax could have lead to the withdrawal of the daily service between Belfast and New York. It adds £60 to an economy fare and £120 to a business ticket, but the tax out of Dublin airport is just €3. Continental airlines fly from both airports and have been absorbing the tax cost in Belfast in order to avoid passengers simply opting for Dublin, which will cost them £3.2m this year and mean the route is no longer viable.

The BBC says 'industry sources' had indicated that Continental was poised to announce the end of the route from January next year, but held off due to the ongoing work at the Treasury to reach a solution. Mr Osborne, urged on by Secretary of State Owen Paterson and executive ministers, has personally overseen negotiations on a deal that should save the route.

The tax cost to Continental is to be removed. The Scottish Highlands and Islands already enjoy an exemption from the tax, but Northern Ireland's exemption will be more limited and will not apply to short-haul flights.

Source[/textarea]
 
Re the last post, Chancellor Osborne has now confirmed that the long haul APD rate for direct flights from Northern Ireland airports will fall from the current £60 (£120 premium cabins) to the short haul rate of £12 (£24).

It will be interesting to see if this really will save the CO BFS-EWR route.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15072772
 
United were about to axe flights to Belfast.

£3 million per year is one hell of a subsidy.

I wonder what will happen three years from now, surely that amount of money cannot be sustainable long term?

A rescue deal has been agreed to prevent US airline United ending its daily service between Belfast and New York.

Financial assistance, believed to be in the region of £9m over three years, will be provided.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37060489
 
A few alarm bells ring about this service.

Firstly, how this will be funded, when government is making huge cutbacks, to spend £9m on a flight seems frivolous.

Secondly, the fact this flight needs £3m subsidy per year to survive shows it isn't long for this world. That's £3m on top of any revenue the flight does make. 3 years and this flight will be gone, no way those figure are sustainable from any side and will come to an end.

To be honest, loss making routes like this just need to be put out of their misery, this subsidy is the equivilent of life support. I don't like to see any air route cut, but this flight is being maintained for civic pride only, and that's not a way to run a route....
 
That is ridiculous and should not be allowed to happen. Im sure if the West Midlands Combined authority gave Delta £3 million per year for the next 3 years, they would be at BHX tomorrow.
 
I don't know how they manage to get around EU state aid rules with this. If a route is not commercially sustainable it should go unless a private company that owns the airport or airline is daft enough to run a loss by supporting it. Can't see any shareholders allowing that.

BFS-EWR was on the verge of being axed in 2010 when the BRS-EWR route was ended, both flown by Continental, now part of United of course. The UK government allowed the NI Government to charge short haul APD rates on it to try to preserve it. That obviously hasn't worked and now all UK tax payers are subsidising the route because the Westminster government makes a block grant to N Ireland financed by tax payers from right across the UK.
 
And that's the thing, it's already got an unfair advantage compared to the rest of GB in the form of lower APD. Now it's got this £3m per year subsidy.

Where was all this funding when Air Asia X announced they couldn not serve MAN due to APD. Where is this £9m to get a China route to BHX?

I'm sure the guys at NCL may raise a few questions about this....
 
And that's the thing, it's already got an unfair advantage compared to the rest of GB in the form of lower APD. Now it's got this £3m per year subsidy.

Where was all this funding when Air Asia X announced they couldn not serve MAN due to APD. Where is this £9m to get a China route to BHX?

I'm sure the guys at NCL may raise a few questions about this....

Exactly, i was thinking NCL straight away. But then again NCL is in the North East of England, no wonder people in that region feel angry and feel that they are not important.
 
Of course, the word "subsidy" makes UA break out in a fevered sweat if they hear that EK, QR or EY get any and go apoplectic!
 
Birmingham asked for £250,000 to help promote the run of charters and advertise the airport across China, they were refused.

Maybe something for Mr Javid to be aware of as i noticed he appears to be "optimistic" about Birmingham's future.
 
Birmingham asked for £250,000 to help promote the run of charters and advertise the airport across China, they were refused.

It does smack of unfair rules.

I know Paul Kehoe went apocalyptic when he thought MAN had received £12m to get Hainan in, but that was a range of tourism activities about promoting the whole of the north and north west to the Chinese audience, it was never ever £12m singularly for the Hainan airlines route.

This BFS fund seems to be directly funding the UA route, which, under scrutiny may be illegal and could be challenged, but of course, we cannot jump to those conclusions just yet as we don't know the full details.

If people had believed Paul Kehoe about Manchester then it could have been the start of something bad, so it's only fair I afford BFS the same courtesy.
 
Exactly, i was thinking NCL straight away. But then again NCL is in the North East of England, no wonder people in that region feel angry and feel that they are not important.
Didn't get a subsidy to keep it going when CO axed the BRS-EWR route and that's in the south, although not in the south east where most of the big money goes.
 

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