Route Development & Rumours

[nancledre]

Well that would be a surprise given that apart from sharing it with Delhi, there is no other service!!

 

[Kevin Farnell]

There is a sizeable Sikh community in the West Midlands and they have been quite vocal over the years, wanting a service to ATQ.

Kevin

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Didn't the original Air India service to BHX (operated by B707's) serve ATQ? I know it had several stops, including Moscow and was often severely delayed.

Kevin

 

[Matt995]

Didn't the original Air India service to BHX (operated by B707's) serve ATQ? I know it had several stops, including Moscow and was often severely delayed.

Kevin

Summer 1984 timetable showed 1 Air India flight on a B707 with 144 seats:-

AI509 BOM-ATQ-SVO-BHX Friday, arr. 18:00
AI508 BHX-SVO-ATQ-BOM Friday, dep. 19:30

 

[KJAY 786]

Interesting Telephone Conversation Today: I telephoned UZBEKISTAN AIRWAYS - they have told me since calling 02070342090 London Office - "Inshallah there are plans and talks taking place with Birmingham international Airport to start direct flights very soon" Another airline back in midlands well done BHX Birmingham will be busy with Uzbekistan Airways GREAT NEWS - Fingers Crossed we see them 2022- Birmingham International Airport Once again Uzbekistan Airways - are coming back -

 

[mullion]

I will believe that when wheels touch the tarmac

 

[gulftraveller]

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are not currently flying to Amritsar so I doubt we will see either back at BHX soon.

 

[KJAY 786]

I just telephoned IRAN AIR - they say that they are aware that Birmingham International is a busy sector and will be successful for IRAN AIR - I have been asked by IRAN AIR to write a postal letter to them re: BHX - I shall let us see what happens next. (re Uzbekistan Airways they really say BHX in July / August 2022 they hoping - said to me on telephone by manager London Office)

 

[A400]

Problem there is there will be many places that interest Iran Air. And a route has to work. It’s also worth remembering that Iranian Airlines have sanctions meaning they can’t get new aircraft not refuel at UK Airports. This makes it much more difficult to operate and even more reason to make sure it’s a route that fills up.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Good for EMA of course but I’m very frustrated that BHX was unable to secure this route. connections from BHX to the south of France have been decimated of late with the loss of Avignon, Toulouse, and most glaringly, Nice remains unserved despite it being on Jet2’s network.

The above is a post on the EMA Ryanair thread in response to their new 2x weekly route to Marseille. It's an excellent point to make so rather than hijack the EMA thread I thought I'd bring the discussion here.

Avignon was once served by Flybe the demise of which left the route vacant and Toulouse is now nothing more than a seasonal route for TUi.

Nice has been tried twice by Jet2 but they've not yet got it to stick. Before they went bust we saw Monarch 5x weekly on the route so hopefully we may see something in the medium term?

 

[thunderchild]

Flew BHX-NCE a few times on bmibaby and the flights were always full. Shame nobody seems to be able to make this work.

 

[Creguk]

The above is a post on the EMA Ryanair thread in response to their new 2x weekly route to Marseille. It's an excellent point to make so rather than hijack the EMA thread I thought I'd bring the discussion here.

Avignon was once served by Flybe the demise of which left the route vacant and Toulouse is now nothing more than a seasonal route for TUi.

Nice has been tried twice by Jet2 but they've not yet got it to stick. Before they went bust we saw Monarch 5x weekly on the route so hopefully we may see something in the medium term?

It’s an interesting one - you would imagine Marseille could be served by BHX. But the location of EMA would more than happily suit someone living in Birmingham as the drive isn’t too far. Coupled with the surrounding areas of EMA, I am guessing this is the reason why. Marseille not being strong enough for BHX, but strong enough for the EMA catchment.

 

[Karl C]

I have a feeling it's BHX not wanting to put a lot of their eggs in a particular basket. BHX has had ample opportunity to let FR base more units. I remember a post from years ago saying something along the line....FR wanted to base more units, but BHX said no. I guess the deal wasn't to BHX management's liking.
BHX could support a MRS route and do well.....PGF does just fine every year. More to it I reckon....just guessing as I don't have a squiddly idea why it went to EMA.

 

[thunderchild]

BHX could support a MRS route and do well.....PGF does just fine every year. More to it I reckon....just guessing as I don't have a squiddly idea why it went to EMA.

EMA being owned by MAG probably has something to do with it.

 

[route66]

There seems to be a little history/politics attached to Ryanairs relationship with BHX.

 

[Nethercote2019]

I think that could be said for many of Ryanair relationships
& of course previously they used to operate Marseille from brum plus other southern French destinations & we now only have PGF …. Which to many may seem odd,
but at least we have BDX coming back

 

[Karl C]

With PGF....maybe the draw is the nudist city down the road lol

 

[smithy108]

Update on Hans Airways from Breakingtravelnews.com

Hans Airways hopes to offer India connections this summe​

Hans Airways, a new British long-haul airline, has reached some significant milestones, taking it closer to realising its plan to start commercial operations in early summer.
Chief executive and founder, Satnam Saini, said he was encouraged that India re-opened to international scheduled flights last weekend.
Last week the company formally confirmed its letter of intent for its first Airbus A330-200 (MSN 950) with a committed contract.
The aircraft is now in Abu Dhabi where it is undergoing maintenance checks with Etihad Engineering, overseen by a Hans Airways liaison engineer.
The management team and board said it was also looking forward to securing a proving flight date imminently from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

This operational milestone will be a precursor to obtaining its Air Operator’s Certificate.
Twelve newly recruited cabin crew members start their training at Birmingham and Manchester next week, engaged through the Resource Group and Neeru Prabhakar, former cabin service director at British Airways.
He joined Hans Airways last month.

This follows the completion of pilot training at the end of January - specifically ground school at IAGO Flight Training, Crawley and simulator training at L3 Harris.
“With the loss of flights operated by India’s Jet Airways and British inclusive tour operators Thomas Cook and Monarch Airlines, there is room for a third UK airline flying between UK and India (complementing British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.)
“All of us are working exceptionally hard and on schedule to be that third UK designated carrier,” commented Barry Humphries, Hans Airways board director and former head of air services policy at the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

 

[Brum X]

So is this "proposed" new airline now flying from both BHX and MAN ?

 

[Coathanger16]

So is this "proposed" new airline now flying from both BHX and MAN ?

I think thats just where the cabin crew are being trained. Flight crew did training in Crawley which is next to Gatwick, yet they aren't launching flights from there.