Route Development & Rumours

[Ashley]

The airport has done exceptionally well in planning and achieving its growth. First main investment focused on runway extension and a new tower/radar. Last two years have been about increasing the passengers numbers and we have seen remarkable growth. This is has lead to the next big investment in improving the baggage handling sytem and a new drop off car park as well other improvements. Agree with nwoody2001 regarding 2017 allowing the airlines to bed in be successful. In a fast moving unpredictable world being cautious in lean times isn't a bad thing. Think 2018 will be a breakthrough year in seeing new routes to the Far East.

 

[Paulsstrange]

And

Hi there coathanger16, is this now suggesting that delta airlines are now coming to bhx from 2017, are is this if they were and what route would be more suited to them... Andyc

Andrew there is no evidence to suggest Delta are coming to BHX at all in fact I think it's pretty conclusive they are not !. We are merely stating what we would like to see... wishful thinking !

 

[Coathanger16]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...en-both-countries-in-boost-for-global-britain

 

[Brummiegem]

Let's hope this agreement will lead to some good news for BHX in the very near future.

 

[David_itl]

Think at least 3 regional airports will do very well. Just hope the slot issues in China won't disrupt matters

 

[Brum X]

With this agreement, hopefully BHX will soon get a "proper" scheduled link with China.

 

[Brummiegem]

The slot problems in Beijing may be an issue,but I'm hoping that more than 1 city is on the BHX radar.I don't want to sound greedy,but there are business and other industries that have been calling for links to various Chinese cities.
Also could we get a cargo flight in conjunction with the motor industry?

 

[hammerb32]

The slot problems in Beijing may be an issue,but I'm hoping that more than 1 city is on the BHX radar.I don't want to sound greedy,but there are business and other industries that have been calling for links to various Chinese cities.
Also could we get a cargo flight in conjunction with the motor industry?

I think I'm correct in saying DHL take care of most of the JLR cargo traffic via EMA and MAN, happy to be corrected though.

 

[jfy1999]

Londonderry Airport is looking to secure PSO flights to a number of UK airports, London and Manchester are highest on the priority list but BHX also mentioned as a target:

http://www.derryjournal.com/news/tr...-and-hangar-plan-for-derry-airport-1-7629268?

 

[TM3]

Air India is looking at serving North America using a stopover according to the article below. Toronto - Birmingham is mentioned, as is Dulles:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/54911906.cms

 

[ethanegcc]

Air India is looking at serving North America using a stopover according to the article below. Toronto - Birmingham is mentioned, as is Dulles:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/54911906.cms

Air India have been rattling on about launching IAD for a while. Interesting they clearly see a market between BHX and YYZ, which is highly underserved with TS. If AC Rouge started as is rumoured but gone quiet, could that change the game a bit? It is possible that two new airlines starting a relatively low demand route could oversaturate it?

Anyway it is an option that AI and this forum have been talking about for a while. Depending on the frequency I think AC and AI could work on the route but only about a 2/3 weekly frequency each. If AC does not come to fruition, AI could do extremely well doing a 5 weekly YYZ add on. But then there's the dreaded travel agents. Would they still book BHX peeps on LHR and MAN AC routes rather than AI? And we are presuming that the potential routing is DEL-BHX-YYZ-BHX-DEL and not a PK style DEL-BHX-YYZ-DEL? If all these questions had the right answer, AI would do amazing in my opinion, entering a highly underserved market, where they already have a strong India-UK operation.

I do wonder though, why do no Indian airlines offer direct services between India and Canada? It isn't a range problem, so wouldn't AI have an advantage over Jet if it offered direct DEL-YYZ flights?

 

[TM3]

I do wonder though, why do no Indian airlines offer direct services between India and Canada? It isn't a range problem, so wouldn't AI have an advantage over Jet if it offered direct DEL-YYZ flights?

It says in the article that AI want to add North American connectivity by sweating their existing assets a bit more. I've also read elsewhere that the reason they haven't added Washington is they don't have the capacity to service the route. I guess they could go direct but maybe they don't have the aircraft to do that.

 

[Coathanger16]

Following the recent announcement about increases in slots between the UK and China, there's a lot of talk on the Manchester forum about new routes from Manchester to China - PVG and CAN for the most part.

Just wondering if there's been any similar rumours from BHX. I understand many of those routes to MAN have been a long time in planning and that they've just been waiting for slots to be made available. Anyone heard any rumours or have any reasoned assumptions about potential new routes for BHX.

On a different note, there's been speculation on here before about JetBlue starting flights to Europe from N.America. Equally there's been talk about whether and with what United would replace their 757's with. JetBlue's A321 compare pretty well to United's 757s:

B/E+/E
United 16/45/108
JetBlue 16/41/102

Additionally, their Business products compete fairly well - I haven't tried either but see for yourself:

If both JetBlue and Norwegian launch routes between Europe and N.America, I could see United (and Delta & American) pulling out of all but the main European hubs.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Just wondering if there's been any similar rumours from BHX

There was an interview with Mr Pearson a few months ago in which he said that they were confident of seeing a service to Beijing in 2017. Whether that is a 'proper' scheduled service or yet another series of charters he did not say.

 

[Jerry]

JetBlue has hubs at Boston and JFK within range of BHX with the A321neoLR. Though i don't think Fort Lauderdale and Orlando might be a bit to far.
Another airline that doesn't get mentioned and is the launch customer of the 737 MAX 8 is Southwest. They are already launching new international routes to the Caribbean, Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica and have a base at BWI from which they could launch routes to the UK and Europe.

 

[Coathanger16]

Though i don't think Fort Lauderdale and Orlando might be a bit to far.

Both are technically within range of BHX using the A321neoLR - though with about 250mi spare range. Boston and New York would be a great start though.

Another airline that doesn't get mentioned and is the launch customer of the 737 MAX 8 is Southwest.

I think nobody mentions them purely because Southwest haven't said anything about transatlantic flights - both Norwegian and JetBlue have. Southwest would certainly be a welcome addition though.

I fully expect the future of transatlantic flights to be low cost carriers flying A320NEO/737MAX from regional airports in Europe whilst the legacy carriers stick to the main hubs.

 

[Jerry]

Both are technically within range of BHX using the A321neoLR - though with about 250mi spare range. Boston and New York would be a great start though

I thought ETOPS meant there had to be 500 miles to spare for emergency? That's why i thought they wouldn't be in range.

I fully expect the future of transatlantic flights to be low cost carriers flying A320NEO/737MAX from regional airports in Europe whilst the legacy carriers stick to the main hubs.

Yes i believe they are the future from regional airports as with aircraft like A320neo and 737 MAX an airline like say Norwegian could base 2 to 3 planes at smaller airports and fly routes like EWR while also doing the usual spanish sun and european city routes as well without having to dedicate one widebodied to the long haul route.

 

[thunderchild]

A good week route wise - Ray should go on holiday more often!

 

[Jon Dempsey]

A good week route wise - Ray should go on holiday more often!

I'm sure Ray will agree with you !!

 

[nwoody2001]

So new airlines to BHX next year....

Cobalt Airlines - 1 new route
Fly One - 1 new route
Jet2.com - 22 new route(s)

New routes from existing carriers....
Monarch - 1 new route
Blue Air - 1 new route
Ryanair - 4 new route(s)
Thomas Cook - 1 new route

I make that 31 new routes and 3 new airlines for 2017 so far????