Route Development & Rumours

[IanFarquharson]

Agreed happy for as many Jet 2 as possible just boarding one to AYT

 

[Ray Finkle]

Perhaps IF we get a new CEO this is something they could work on...

I do hope so as we need to get these missing destinations up and running sooner rather than later.

That said, as much as I want easyjet I do understand that it cannot come at any cost and if the numbers banded around that Ian referred to are anywhere near the truth it gives me the impression that they think Birmingham needs easyjet more than easyjet needs Birmingham. Sadly they're probably right but hopefully a new CEO could get somehow get them to meet half way.

I will add that obviously discussions between airlines and airports are of an extremely commercially sensitive nature and will not make their way into the public domain lightly so anything discussed is based purely on rumour.

 

[thunderchild]

@Ray Finkle haven’t you updated your CV yet?!

Your Airport Needs You!

 

[Ray Finkle]

@Ray Finkle haven’t you updated your CV yet?!

Your Airport Needs You!

What was Paul Kehoe reportedly earning as CEO, just over £450,000k per annum?

I'll have to see if I can afford the pay cut

 

[Brum X]

Ian it will be more than 20 in NW England next summer as it 17 at Manchester alone
and then I think 9 at LPL also I think that BHX now want to protect Jet2 as they have
committed to them

Well its about time BHX stopped getting all nice and cosy with a few airlines and OPENED THE DOORS TO EVERYBODY

 

[mullion]

Not a good idea as you stand the chance of loosing everything including the airlines that
have spent years building routes up

 

[Brum X]

Not a good idea as you stand the chance of loosing everything including the airlines that
have spent years building routes up

Dont agree with that at all, business is business at the end of the day and you need to take risks otherwise we end up like we are and going nowhere.

As Ray pointed out Easyjet carry 4.5 million pax out of BRS, Flybe under 2 million at BHX.So if i was the CEO at BHX i would let Easyjet in the front door tomorrow and it would be up to Flybe if they stayed but if they went. BYE

 

[Jerry]

As Ray pointed out Easyjet carry 4.5 million pax out of BRS, Flybe under 2 million at BHX.So if i was the CEO at BHX i would let Easyjet in the front door tomorrow and it would be up to Flybe if they stayed but if they went. BYE

Thats assuming they put in a big base? What if they only base 3 aircraft Flybe gets pushed out or cuts drastically and BHX doesn't gain anything or loses passenger numbers? I guess that would be the gamble BHX would have to take.

 

[thunderchild]

As for CDG/AMS, easyJet only offer 1 or 2 daily flights to each from MAN - doesn't really compare to the often 5+ daily flights from Flybe. I think there's enough demand on CDG/AMS to fit a daily A320 in there as well with relatively little impact on Flybe.

Judging by the long que of passengers I saw waiting to board a Vueling A321 to Orly last year demand to Paris certainly isn’t an issue! Thing is we’ll never know the reason it was pulled.

 

[Brum X]

Thats assuming they put in a big base? What if they only base 3 aircraft Flybe gets pushed out or cuts drastically and BHX doesn't gain anything or loses passenger numbers? I guess that would be the gamble BHX would have to take.

Exactly Jerry, i dont see Flybe kicking there toys out of the pram at other airports like MAN which has a similar proportion of Low cost and Legacy carriers like BHX and they both co-exist.

Obviously short term there might be some reductions but we need to think medium/long term and have BIG ambitions.

 

[Jerry]

Exactly Jerry, i dont see Flybe kicking there toys out of the pram at other airports like MAN which has a similar proportion of Low cost and Legacy carriers like BHX and they both co-exist.

Obviously short term there might be some reductions but we need to think medium/long term and have BIG ambitions.

True but you could say that at MAN the catchment is large parts of the North. I know my sister today flew with Flybe to Edinburgh from MAN and she lives in Leeds! It is quite possible that they could live harmoniously. I do wonder if in the long term a lot of the city routes that Ray mentioned BHX could try and tempt Jet2 onto and maybe that is what they are hoping to do.

 

[Brum X]

True but you could say that at MAN the catchment is large parts of the North. I know my sister today flew with Flybe to Edinburgh from MAN and she lives in Leeds! It is quite possible that they could live harmoniously. I do wonder if in the long term a lot of the city routes that Ray mentioned BHX could try and tempt Jet2 onto and maybe that is what they are hoping to do.

But as much as i like what Jet2 have done, BHX should not be relying on one airline becouse we know what can happen, we need to broaden our horizons. Also Jet2 appear to be tied down very much with Jet2 holidays and if they dont have the latter in places like Lisbon, Nice, Berlin, Athens it looks as if they dont start flight only operations so we could be waiting a long time.

 

[mullion]

There was a big bun fight at Manchester a few years back over Madrid, 3 airlines started
and by the end of the summer we had lost 2 and 1 had cut back over half the flights
and it has now taken several years to to get the traffic back so don`t wish for everybody
to start as will end in tears for the airlines and the airport

 

[Brum X]

There was a big bun fight at Manchester a few years back over Madrid, 3 airlines started
and by the end of the summer we had lost 2 and 1 had cut back over half the flights
and it has now taken several years to to get the traffic back so don`t wish for everybody
to start as will end in tears for the airlines and the airport

But the same happened at BHX, 3 Years ago we had no flights to MAD and then overnight we had Iberia/Ryanair/Norweigan/Monarch. However we still have Iberia and Ryanair, it is sometimes about taking a risk but we still have a net surplus of +2 compared to 3 years ago when we have ZILCH

 

[58terminus]

But as much as i like what Jet2 have done, BHX should not be relying on one airline becouse we know what can happen,

I agree.So why are we making comparisons with Easyjet at BRS and Flybe at BHX and saying if Flybe are forced out so be it? Easy over 50%,Flybe around 15%.
Despite their erratic route planning in the last few years they have maintained multi frequency routes in competition with the likes of Air France,KLM and Lufthansa. Most UK airports are dependent on one airline and BHX is not one of them but we are not LGW or MAN and never will be.

 

[Ianbutty]

BHX needs stability more than anything. Sadly rapid growth seems to be followed by steady losses which we are experiencing now. What I cannot fathom is why no CEO? Only reasons I can think of:

Noone interested.
Noone any good
Restructuring to ease the post out of the business
Incompetence
All of the above.

They need this sorted. They have a good development team and commited staff but the CEO post has coincided with a lengthy period of route loss, airline withdrawals and the whole Primera business.

Airlines run routes where money can be made. And that is the case at BHX. But like all major businesses their sustained success is also built on how the routes stand up to competition; value for money (can I get the same custom someplace else); the deal anf deal maker; and long term growth.

Someone needs to get in therw look through the notes and minutes, work out what the....has happened, who is on the cards for joining us and be realistic in aiming for sustained steady growth that meets the needs of the economy, business and tourists (in bound as much as out bound). And dont think HS2 will delivery the goods. Read an HS2 document the other day which concluded 150 people a day would use the people mover between the new station and the airport. Compared with over 1500 to Birmingham International. Ouch.

As for rumours, I have none. But I will say that Easyjet and Flyby are coexisting very well at Southend. It can work and I think we owe a lot to Flybe who have been our most loyal operator through thick and thin. Just hope they can turn everything around and remain as such.

 

[Ianbutty]

BTW.....Ray, just get that CV in. I'll do your Master Plan for you.

 

[Jerry]

But I will say that Easyjet and Flyby are coexisting very well at Southend.

But at Southend it isn't really Flybe it's Stobart Air the owners of the airport branded as Flybe so they are probably making sure they don't clash. If BHX could get that sort of relationship going then that could be beneficial.

 

[BHXsupporter]

BTW.....Ray, just get that CV in. I'll do your Master Plan for you.

And it's content? ...we've been waiting for so long!

 

[mullion]

Iberia Express like at Manchester are just ticking over but does get the connecting traffic to South America
Ryanair again like Manchester schedules all over the place so no good for the business man