Route Development & Rumours

[Creguk]

I have a feeling it will be a while before and decent news comes. I'd love to sound more optimistic.

 

[jfy1999]

These articles would be all well and good if something ever came of them. Interesting that Air Baltic is mentioned again though.

Weren't Air Arabia mentioned in one such article before they were officially announced?

 

[Ray Finkle]

These articles would be all well and good if something ever came of them. Interesting that Air Baltic is mentioned again though.

I believe in the Ron Atkinson principle of 'don't tell me, show me'.

We're always being told about targeting route x or an increase to route y, I think we must be about due some significant results?

Weren't Air Arabia mentioned in one such article before they were officially announced?

I don't remember seeing it in an article but I heard Air Arabia mentioned about 18 months ago, I'd pretty much given up hope though.

I guess it shows just how long these things can take.

 

[Ianbutty]

Thw article is pretty lame. What we should be saying is that BHX will strategically move and invest to make the airport the alternative to London. Sell access across the UK, booming region second to none, huge forthcoming investment we serve 120 odd routes etc etc.

Sadly I can see nothing more than a bunch of tired old councillors in Committee debating the colour of toilet paper rather than setting an ambitious programme to boost the whole region. An airport is the first welcome for many visitors. Set a investment strategy that will Make that first impression count or give up being a board member and go back to worrying about backland development dog poo and potholes....

 

[Ianbutty]

Thw article is pretty lame. What we should be saying is that BHX will strategically move and invest to make the airport the alternative to London. Sell access across the UK, booming region second to none, huge forthcoming investment we serve 120 odd routes etc etc.

Sadly I can see nothing more than a bunch of tired old councillors in Committee debating the colour of toilet paper rather than setting an ambitious programme to boost the whole region. An airport is the first welcome for many visitors. Set a investment strategy that will Make that first impression count or give up being a board member and go back to worrying about backland development dog poo and potholes....

 

[Brum X]

Thw article is pretty lame. What we should be saying is that BHX will strategically move and invest to make the airport the alternative to London. Sell access across the UK, booming region second to none, huge forthcoming investment we serve 120 odd routes etc etc.

Sadly I can see nothing more than a bunch of tired old councillors in Committee debating the colour of toilet paper rather than setting an ambitious programme to boost the whole region. An airport is the first welcome for many visitors. Set a investment strategy that will Make that first impression count or give up being a board member and go back to worrying about backland development dog poo and potholes....

I think you are spot on Butty

Same old same old

 

[GliderPilot]

Well thats that article shot down, what ever happened to staying positive....

 

[Ray Finkle]

Thw article is pretty lame. What we should be saying is that BHX will strategically move and invest to make the airport the alternative to London. Sell access across the UK, booming region second to none, huge forthcoming investment we serve 120 odd routes etc etc.

Sadly I can see nothing more than a bunch of tired old councillors in Committee debating the colour of toilet paper rather than setting an ambitious programme to boost the whole region. An airport is the first welcome for many visitors. Set a investment strategy that will Make that first impression count or give up being a board member and go back to worrying about backland development dog poo and potholes....

Totally agree.

Only a few years ago it would have been inconceivable that Birmingham had no services at all to New York and Toronto but look where we find ourselves. I think we are all well aware of the targets, we've been told often enough over the years, what we want now are results. Actions speak louder than words.

Greater Birmingham is booming and the next decade has the potential to be the most memorable in it's history, we need the airport to start matching the ambition of the city.

Well thats that article shot down, what ever happened to staying positive....

There's nothing like a juicy route announcement to breed some positivity

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Totally agree.

There's nothing like a juicy route announcement to breed some positivity

Are you hinting at something, Ray?

Any reason you chose to post this in the 'What are you listening to' thread -

Chicago My Kind Of Town - Frank Sinatra

Or am I being too hopeful?

Kevin

 

[Brum X]

There was talk of possibly WOW coming to BHX ?

x 3/4 weekly to Keflavik would be a nice re-addition and at least offer some North American connections.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Are you hinting at something, Ray?

Any reason you chose to post this in the 'What are you listening to' thread -


Or am I being too hopeful?

Kevin

Unfortunately I just like the song

The only credible rumour I have heard for S19 (apart from those mentioned) is possible expansion from an already based airline. Whether that includes any new routes I don't know.

 

[Ianbutty]

know what really cheesed me of? Mentioning the air traffic control tower. It is, what, 6 years old! In that time they have built an entire Bloomin airport at Istanbul.

I was hoping to see how £1 billion was going to be invested. A strategic decision to match the competition on fees and charges. Super new terminal. New HS2 connectivity.

No...we are still banging on about something all airports have a Bloomin air traffic control tower.

If that is the best story we have, I despair.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Good to see BHX advertising on World Routes website

https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/280484/live-blog-world-routes-2018/

 

[Ianbutty]

Good to see BHX advertising on World Routes website

https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/280484/live-blog-world-routes-2018/

Has Birmingham ever hosted the event?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Has Birmingham ever hosted the event?

Not that I've ever heard of?

The NEC could be ideal for it.

 

[Ianbutty]

Not that I've ever heard of?

The NEC could be ideal for it.

Then maybe it should. All those airlines and other airports coming to the world's busiest conference and exhibition centre. Maybe PK can help....

 

[BHXsupporter]

Thought these links via FlightGlobal would be of interest

https://www.flightglobal.com/events/world-routes/

Within this there are two interesting links perhaps for forum readers (and another about Cathay Pacific); the first is an overview of the meeting with interesting stats on world airports (some really surprizing figures perhaps because I'm just not up of date)

https://www.flightglobal.com/asset/24675/

and an interesting snapshot of the Asia-Pacific market (a target for BHX)

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a...-pacific-airline-market-review-august-451610/

Hope these are of interest.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Thought these links via FlightGlobal would be of interest

https://www.flightglobal.com/events/world-routes/

Within this there are two interesting links perhaps for forum readers (and another about Cathay Pacific); the first is an overview of the meeting with interesting stats on world airports (some really surprizing figures perhaps because I'm just not up of date)

https://www.flightglobal.com/asset/24675/

and an interesting snapshot of the Asia-Pacific market (a target for BHX)

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/a...-pacific-airline-market-review-august-451610/

Hope these are of interest.

Interesting articles, thanks for posting them

I wonder how Mr Screen is getting on in Guangzhou.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Birmingham airport may have to wait until 2020 to regain transatlantic services after Primera cancelled its flights to Newark, Boston and Toronto from the UK gateway this summer.
Speaking to FlightGlobal at the World Routes show in Guangzhou today, Tom Screen, Birmingham’s acting aviation director, says there might be an "option" for an alternative airline to start a New York service in summer 2019. He says it is "more likely", however, that such connections will come in 2020 when JetBlue is likely to receive deliveries of Airbus A321LRs and WestJet is also expected to be in a position to start a Toronto-Birmingham service.
Primera originally announced services from Birmingham to Newark, Boston and Toronto for May 2018, but subsequently cancelled its Boston plan before it was launched. Flights to Newark and Toronto were suspended in June.
Screen says Birmingham’s passenger numbers for 2018 will be "slightly down" on those of 2017 as a result of the collapse of UK short-haul carrier Monarch Airlines in October 2017. The airport is forecasting it will handle 12.5 million passengers this year compared with just under 13 million in 2017.
He says the UK airport has been able to replace approximately 70% of the capacity that was lost, with Jet2 and TUI substituting the bulk of services along with Ryanair. He says the airport has deliberately not sought to replace all of the lost flights.
"We took a decision with our shareholders that replacing all of the lost Monarch traffic that we had was probably the wrong thing to do because there is a reason why Monarch went out of business – because there was too much capacity in the market," he says.
Simon Richards, acting chief executive of Birmingham airport, says the drop in passenger numbers has allowed Birmingham to focus on improving the standard of its customer services.
He says the "most tangible change" has been in the security checking process, where a new preparation area has been added. The airport has also begun a £50 million ($65 million) terminal expansion programme.
Screen and Richards say Birmingham airport expects to see its passenger numbers rebound to 13 million in 2019 as a result of additional capacity offered by Jet2 and TUI next summer, and the increase in Turkish Airlines' frequencies to Istanbul from 12 a week now to 14 a week.

 

[Brum X]

Thanks for the info Ian, it is encouraging that both Jetblue and Westjet have been mentioned.

Interesting that the article pretty much confirms the airline or am i reading too much into it ?

(btw loving my new (Im not sure) emoji. I use this one quite alot.