BA CityFlyer

[TheLocalYokel]

BRS press release announces the return of BA to BRS, this time in the guise of BA CityFlyer. There will be four summer-only routes beginning in May to Ibiza, Palma, Malaga and Florence (which is a brand new route for BRS).

https://www.bristolairport.co.uk/ab...-centre/2017/2/british-airways-flights-return

Excellent news.

British Airways Flights Return to Bristol
Created: 9th Feb 2017

British Airways is to start flying from Bristol Airport again with the launch of four new summer-only routes to popular European sunspots.

From May the airline will begin direct flights from Bristol to the popular Spanish destinations of Malaga, Ibiza and Palma and to the Italian city of Florence.

They will operate on modern Embraer 190 jet aircraft, with spacious cabins and two abreast seating so every customer can have an aisle or window seat.

The new return flights will operate once a week at weekends.

British Airways last flew from Bristol in 2007 when the regional airline business was sold to Flybe.

Luke Hayhoe, British Airways’ general manager commercial and customer, said: “We are very excited to be returning to Bristol with four very popular routes. Customers can once again enjoy competitively priced flights to the sun direct from their doorstep with British Airways to those destinations they tell us they want to fly to. We look forward to a busy summer at Bristol.”

Basic each way fares from Bristol to Palma from £45, to Florence and Ibiza from £49 and to Malaga from £59 are available to book on www.ba.com

Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Airport said: “We are delighted with today’s announcement which will see the iconic British Airways brand returning to Bristol Airport. It will be the first time an airline has operated a scheduled service between Bristol and the Italian historic city of Florence which we are sure will prove very popular. These additional flights to Palma, Florence, Ibiza and Malaga offers passengers in the South West and Wales region further choice of scheduled flights for the summer season. We look forward to working with British Airways on the new routes and further enhancing the services available from Bristol. “

 

[BRSregular]

The MD at BHX said something along the lines of we are confident this is the beginning of a long-term growth plan with the airline.

The same wasn't said in the BRS press release so do we think this will be 4 routes for the summer only at BRS, or the start of something bigger all year round?

 

[ethanegcc]

Great news for Bristol!

 

[Foxlimayankee]

It's all to keep the aircraft busy on weekends due to reduce LCY ops, possibly even LCY being closed. During the week aircraft are fully utilised. There may be more in the future, but can't see any major expansion and will likely only be weekend flights. BA are in the business of LHR/LGW, and point to point business traffic from LCY. They are not in it for leisure flights competing with lo-co's, that's where I think Vueling come in.

 

[forest1979]

It's all to keep the aircraft busy on weekends due to reduce LCY ops, possibly even LCY being closed. During the week aircraft are fully utilised. There may be more in the future, but can't see any major expansion and will likely only be weekend flights. BA are in the business of LHR/LGW, and point to point business traffic from LCY. They are not in it for leisure flights competing with lo-co's, that's where I think Vueling come in.

Yes I had read this. I can't see vuelling rocking up but maybe wrong. There have been a few discussions about vuelling on this forum, in fact I had wondered previously if the airport had cited Florence as a destination with vuelling. Of course they are established at CWL and BHX

 

[Marko1]

I can see ski flights a possibility

 

[Jerry]

The MD at BHX said something along the lines of we are confident this is the beginning of a long-term growth plan with the airline.

The same wasn't said in the BRS press release so do we think this will be 4 routes for the summer only at BRS, or the start of something bigger all year round?

Probably just for the weekend while LCY as i can't see them wanting to effect Vuelings routes out of CWL.

 

[andrewgreen]

its not going to effect vueling out of Cardiff as they dont fly to Florence ( or Pisa ) and cant see either being supported from there in the near future .
Maybe some good contacts have been made with IAG with this announcement which could make Vueling more likely at Bristol ?

 

[kraktoa]

Does anyone know who will be handling the BA flights? Swissport?

 

[Brum X]

Good to see BA back at Bristol

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I agree with those who say this is an exercise to use aircraft at summer weekends. I don't think we shall see BA mainline at BRS. Whether the CityFlyer programme expands in subsequent years obviously depends on aircraft availability and how the routes perform, particularly compared with other UK airports from which CityFlyer is beginning to operate.

It does seem from the remarks of Conns that this was the airline the airport had hoped would begin operating a year beforehand.

 

[kraktoa]

Is it correct to put out a press headline that BA is to resume flights when in reality it is a subsidiary of BA that is operating these flights? BA cityflyer does not have the same ring as BA i suppose.
If Openskies were to operate out of Bristol would they call it BA?

In 2007 BA had its own branded kiosk, check in staff and livery at BRS? Not sure if cityflyer have the same livery as BA. Former BA staff have moved around the port but some old faces are still in employment at BRS in other company roles. Wonder if they will be rehired. I recognised an air sterwardess from BA pre 2007 just last week in EZY uniform. Wonder if she will change jobs soon.

 

[Jerry]

Not sure if cityflyer have the same livery as BA.

I believe they do have the same livery. Yes they are a subsidiary but they still are part of BA and it says British Airways on the aircraft. To the average person on the street they will not see any difference between BA mainline or BACF they will see it as just BA.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

BA CityFlyer is a wholly-owned subsidiary of British Airways which itself is of course owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG). CityFlyer does operate in BA livery.

When BA operated from BRS it was never BA mainline. Initially it was Brymon which itself became a wholly-owned subsidiary of BA. About nine years later BA merged Brymon with British Regional Airlines to become BA Citiexpress and a few years after that the airline became BAConnect (BACon).

Brymon, BACx and BACon all operated out of BRS as BA with BA flight numbers and in BA livery. When BACon was sold to Flybe in 2007 the BRS base of five E145s was closed. I think some of them have since found their way back to BRS with bmir.

I don't think that CityFlyer uses BA flights numbers (CJ?) so in that sense some people might question whether it's really BA they are flying on but for all intents and purposes it is: it's just not BA mainline.

 

[Jerry]

I don't think that CityFlyer uses BA flights numbers (CJ?)

I just looked on fr24 and they do use BA flight numbers.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I just looked on fr24 and they do use BA flight numbers.

OK. Thanks for that, Jerry.

 

[ethanegcc]

I just looked on fr24 and they do use BA flight numbers.

Yep, I second that

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Flight Times

All Saturday flights and all times local:

Florence-Bristol-Florence: 1105-1225: 1310-1625

Malaga-Bristol-Malaga: 1330-1515: 1600-1940

Palma-Bristol-Palma: 1415-1545: 1630-1955

Ibiza-Bristol-Ibiza: 1310-1440: 1525-1850

The timings are pretty good in my view: no early morning departures or late evening arrivals at either end.

 

[BRSregular]

Better timings than at BHX. Some rumblings of discontent can be seen on their forum (despite one member calculating these routes will make 47 new routes for the year!). Their Malaga flight lands at 2:25am apparently, although I haven't checked this.

 

[kraktoa]

Thats approx 10,000 extra passengers for Bristol 2017. Need much more for 8 million target. Like many dreamliner loads.