Route Development & Rumours

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

Biman already has shiny B777's, and have had for 2 years or so now?

Biman gets rubbished due to their management style.

Look at it this way, the retirement date for the DC10 keeps getting pushed back, which is hardly the workings of an airline that 'knows what it is doing'.
It had to cut a LOT off its schedules last year as they committed too much capacity to the Hajj programme and therefore not enough to run the scheduled programme.
Constantly 24+ hour delays across its network

The list could go on.

Ill re-iterate again, there is very good reasoning as to why MAN were not so keen to have them back. I personally think BHX will have sacrificed too much just to have another tail on the ground. The Biman flights are for bragging rights and nothing else. However lets see how much bragging BHX does when flights are delayed 24+ hours and the route pulled like they have done SO MANY times before........

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

Everybody is rubbishing Biman, but hey they may have turned a corner and are improving. People said exactly the same thing about Air India 12 months ago but now they have shiny 787s, people treat them with respect ????

Biman will soon have shiny 777s ;-)

A bad reputation is a hard thing to shake off and Biman have a lot of work to do if they want to lose theirs, you are quite right though, similar things were said about AI and they do seem to be flourishing. For me, if they do arrive at BHX, Biman start with a clean slate and should be given every chance to prove themselves.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

We also have Aegean on BHX-ATH and Thomson will be using there 787 from Mid 2014 onwards, plus all the unusual aircraft going to MAEL, so loads to look forward to Ray. :whiteflag:

I forgot about Aegean :blush:

I can't get excited over the Thomson 787's, although it's a nice aircraft it's just a replacement of the 763. It's extra capacity that's desperately needed, it was bought up at the consultative committee meeting that TOM long haul flights sell out fairly quickly and could extra flights be added. Florida would be a good bet for more seats in the summer, Dominican Republic is a big miss and Cuba would be a nice addition.

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

And Flybe to Newquay....

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Route Development

I can't get excited over the Thomson 787's, although it's a nice aircraft it's just a replacement of the 763. It's extra capacity that's desperately needed, it was bought up at the consultative committee meeting that TOM long haul flights sell out fairly quickly and could extra flights be added. Florida would be a good bet for more seats in the summer, Dominican Republic is a big miss and Cuba would be a nice addition.

With the Thomson long haul flights from Bristol to Cancun and Sanford axed in summer 2014 there will probably be even more demand.

There is nothing else west/south-west of BHX with Gatwick the next nearest for South West/South Wales travellers.

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

Another reason not to trust Biman. Rome planned to go from 1 to 2 weekly from spring has been cancelled. Dont know their ass from their elbow and BHX welcomes them with open arms!

An airline that has turned a corner? If you insist.....,

 

[Brum X]

Re: Route Development

Another reason not to trust Biman. Rome planned to go from 1 to 2 weekly from spring has been cancelled. Dont know their ass from their elbow and BHX welcomes them with open arms!

An airline that has turned a corner? If you insist.....,

This is probably though due to them officially launching BHX and having to re-jigg there schedules ????? I dont know but just a thought.

I agree with Ray though, if they do touch down at BHX, they need to be given a chance. If they do blow it, then there bad reputation will stay, if they can make some success from it, well who knows ????

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

I agree with Ray though, if they do touch down at BHX, they need to be given a chance. If they do blow it, then there bad reputation will stay, if they can make some success from it, well who knows ????

As you can guess they are going to have to work much harder than 'just turning up' to win me over, and surely the same can be said for some BHX posters too (Armavia turned up once, as did Hellenic, as did Air Shylet, as did Air Blue).

Manchester learnt the hard way twice that Biman just turning up has meant nothing. The fact they are still buggering around with the DC10 retirement dates and the Rome schedule means that thus far, I have every right to be sceptical. Even with the best will in the world (George Steele), it takes a LONG time to sort some things out.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

I can see where you are both coming from. User001 is in the MAN camp and after the way they carried on up there, on numerous occasions, I'd be exactly the same, after all BHX is no stranger to Mickey Mouse set ups and it's a very good point that if Air Syhlet, for example, announced they'd be setting up again we'd all be groaning from the rooftops. On the other hand I can see Brum X's point of view, as yet they haven't screwed BHX around and until they do they should be given a fair chance. I myself remain cautious, I'd love to see them come in and try hard to make a success of it but I'm not relying on it, I will give them a chance though. It's not exactly been a fruitful time at BHX over the last few years so I guess the hierarchy will be happy to take what they can get and with a runway extension only a few months away I'd imagine they'd grab any long haul with both hands for the publicity photo shots.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

Air Transat are using the A330 through to the end of September this year rather than just the school holidays. May/Jun sees the A310, Jul-Sept see the A330 then the one flight in October is an A310.

 

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development

What kind of market exists between Birmingham and Saudia Arabia? I'm asking as the Saudi low cost airline Flynas is moving into long haul with plans to launch flights from Riyadh to LGW and MAN. Apparently though the airline has also been in talks with another UK airport. Anyone know if it might have been BHX?

http://www.anna.aero/2014/01/15/leak-we ... ions-2014/

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

Im not sure what market exists but flynas are also looking to start flights to Pakistan too so could aim for connections.

When I saw the article only 2 airports came to mind for the 'other UK airport', which were BHX or Edinburgh (as EDI are on a roll and flynas could be gained on a 'GIP deal' along with Gatwick

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

One other UK airport also confirmed to anna.aero that it had been in discussions with flynas.

If it is BHX then the high fees could well be an issue for long haul loco.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

It appears AIS Airlines will be operating the BHX-NCL route on behalf of Eastern Airways from Feb 3rd using a Jetstream 32 turboprop aircraft (Eastern currently use a larger J41 on the route).

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Route Development

It appears AIS Airlines will be operating the BHX-NCL route on behalf of Eastern Airways from Feb 3rd using a Jetstream 32 turboprop aircraft (Eastern currently use a larger J41 on the route).

I'd never heard of AIS Airlines but Wiki says they are a Dutch charter and wet lease company operating one Jetstream 31 and seven 32s. I know that Wiki can't always be trusted but I've no reason to think this information is untrue.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

I've never heard of them either I had to do a bit of Googling. The slightly smaller aircraft should be more suited to the route as loads have never really been spectacular, the prices are far from cheap though so hopefully the yields are good enough for the service to remain viable.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development

Word is Air Berlin are to cease their 3xweekly MOD flights to BHX in the near future, nothing official yet so no dates.

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

Delete-Double post.

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development

China Southern will operate 3 charter flights to Beijing this summer.

PEK - BHX 22nd JULY departing at 02.00 / arriving at 06.40
BHX - PEK 22nd JULY departing at 12.00 / arriving at 05.20

PEK - BHX 29th JULY departing at 02.00 / arriving at 06.40
BHX - PEK 29th JULY departing at 12.00 / arriving at 05.20

PEK - BHX 5th AUGUST departing at 02.00 / arriving at 06.40
BHX - PEK 5th AUGUST departing at 12.00 / arriving at 05.20

 

[LBA787]

Re: Route Development

Testing the water perhaps?

Congratulations to BHX. I hope they are successful flights and China Southern look at starting a regular schedule.

3-5 x a week using the 787 would be a perfect!

:crazy: