Birmingham: New Route Development & Rumours

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

That's interesting news and excellent news if it doesn't adversely affect the Flybe service.

 

[Hassaan]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Fantastic news for BHX. I hope both airlines stick with the service as it would be interesting to have competition at least.

It's a long time til February 2015 though. I hope there aren't any Airblue/Biman-like problems before then.

 

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Excellent news! Come on TAP and join the party! And bring Finnair as your +1!

 

[Brum X]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Great news about Icelandair, and another new airline to BHX and also means the 757 will be at BHX for a while longer, my favourite aircraft. :good: :good: :good: :good: :good: :good:

 

[Aviador]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi Brum X

How many carriers use the 757 from BHX?

 

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Currently United, Turkmenistan, Thomson, Thomas Cook and FedEx. Reports are that Thomas Cook will replace the 757s with the new A321s this coming winter.

 

[Brum X]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Currently United, Turkmenistan, Thomson, Thomas Cook and FedEx. Reports are that Thomas Cook will replace the 757s with the new A321s this coming winter.

And at the moment Privilege Air of Spain are using a 757 ex BHX operating on behalf of Monarch Airlines.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Prague Airport have identified BHX as one of the airports the would like a link to. I know it's not the airports decision where airlines fly to but I hope we can get someone on the route, Flybe possibly.

In Europe, we have a number of new connections for the summer schedule, but would also like service to Goteborg, Birmingham, Bilbao, Tallinn and Zagreb.

http://www.routes-news.com/home-2/2-air ... iri-vyskoc

 

[Hassaan]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I'm quite surprised Madrid hasn't been snapped up yet. It's one of the most underserved markets out of BHX.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

From the BHX website.

Birmingham Airport’s CEO has welcomed talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on trade and visa requirements as essential for bolstering UK-China relations.

Paul Kehoe, Chief Executive Officer of Birmingham Airport, said:

“As the only region in the UK to have a positive balance of trade with China we know how essential these talks are. Businesses in the Midlands are telling us they want to fly direct to China which is why we have extended our runway for longer haul destinations and, on 22 July, are delighted to be playing host to the first Beijing flights to a UK airport outside of London.”

Full article: http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/meta ... emier.aspx


I don't know how others feel but I'm starting to get a little fed up with these type of press releases. The government is not going to try and get routes to BHX, and nor should it, and even if it did they cannot force airlines to fly here! If there is plenty of local demand (and I have no doubt there is) beating down the doors and BHX have got a solid business case then stop talking about it and go out and get the deal done. I can't help but feel this is starting to have shades of ORD about it, a nice high profile jolly to Chicago with everyone from the chamber of commerce to the lord mayor shouting to the media about just how important the link is but ultimately they came home with nothing. With lots of hot air but very little of substance is China going the same way? It can't be publicity for the charters as I've heard they're completely full.

We know there are a lot of significant Chinese business interests in the Greater Birmingham area, we know there are many local companies that would benefit from a direct link, we know there is a huge Chinese tourist demand for the likes of Stratford-Upon-Avon and Bicester Village but we're not the ones that need to be convinced! Mr Kehoe seems very good at being able to talk the talk, well now it's time for him to walk the walk. Actions speak louder than words!



P.S. This is not specifically just about this article, I know the visa issue will be a big help, but more about the general gist of BHX's press release's in recent months, seemingly talking a great game but ultimately delivering very little as yet.

 

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Have to agree; they are getting quite tiresome. After the Biman fiasco you'd think PK would be a little more cautious when it comes to bigging up possible new destinations when nothing whatsoever has been signed.

 

[Brum X]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Maybe, just maybe there is a BIG announcement on the 22nd July when BHX welcomes the first China flight and i believe is the official opening of the runway extension. Maybe they know something we dont, i really hope so.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I hope so I really do but there just seems to be too many releases of the same rehashed information without anything of real substance being added, similar to Chicago. Business leaders are desperate for the route, Chambers of Commerce calling for links, statistics about trade surplus with China etc... it's as if they're saying 'all these people are so desperate for the service but they just won't give us one'? Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, I guess we'll find out in time.

Have to agree; they are getting quite tiresome. After the Biman fiasco you'd think PK would be a little more cautious when it comes to bigging up possible new destinations when nothing whatsoever has been signed.

Totally agree, I like Paul Kehoe and he's definitely getting the airport a lot more exposure than it's ever had before but when you're making announcements all over the media about new long haul routes starting, only made possible by the extension and they then don't materialize, it makes him and his organization seem like a bunch of amateurs.

 

[Brum X]

West Midlands exports more overseas than London

This news is great for our region and also will put some weight behind BHX ambitions to have direct flights to China and indeed more flights to the USA.

Exports from the West Midlands have exceeded London's for the first quarter ever.

Latest figures show the region shipped £7.06 billion worth of goods last quarter, compared to £6.81 billion from the capital.

It represents another major step forward for the region's sales to foreign shores - quarterly exports from the capital were often twice those from this region just a few years ago.

China continued to be a major factor behind the rise and more than a third of the UK's exports to the Far Eastern superpower were from this region.

Paul Noon, regional director at UK Trade & Investment in the West Midlands, said a rise in exports to the biggest market, the European Union, had also boosted the figures.

He accepted that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was driving the growth but also believed there was a resurgence in exporting across the board.

"It just shows this region in particular is really kicking on in terms of export growth," he told the Post.

"Half of the growth is down to JLR, which is obviously the stand-out, but there have been successes all over the region.

"Exports to the European Union are now starting to pick up again, which is just below half of our exports."

The total amount of goods shipped out of the West Midlands in the first quarter actually decreased compared to the last quarter of 2013, when it was £7.5 billion, but that reflected a UK-wide fall.

However, selling more than London reflects a continuing upward trend for foreign sales as it is the first time on record according to the HMRC website, which tracks data back to 1996.

It meant that only the East, which exported £7.16 billion worth of goods last quarter, and the South East, which exported £9.8 billion, sold more.

The value of West Midlands-made goods being sold abroad reached £26.9 billion in 2013, representing an 18 per cent rise on the previous year.

The success of the region - on the back of the likes of JLR and JCB - has kept the UK-wide figures in the black, with rival regions going backwards, despite strong government targets to grow exports.

Mr Noon added: "Companies in all sorts of areas, whether is it pottery, like Portmeirion and Steelite, automotive components, food and drink, like East End Foods, are growing their exports. We are seeing it right across the board.

"There has definitely been a change in the West Midlands, with companies seeing exporting as the way forward.

"I was at an event recently with 100 companies from the creative sector looking to grow their exports."

Despite an overall quarterly fall in exports, the amount exported to the European Union from the West Midlands increased, from £2.87 billion to £2.95 billion, reflecting a general rising trend.

In the first quarter of the new financial period, China remains the biggest export market for the West Midlands, accounting for £1.2 billion of the £7.1 billion of total exports.

The US remained a strong market – the £1.15 billion worth of goods exported to North America was more than any UK region outside the South East.
__________________

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

This may come across as sarcastic, but, Im deadly serious.

With all this noise made by Birmingham business on things such as exports, and high profile business leaders stating 'they would use a service to XYZ if it was served from BHX', why are long haul airlines, so shy to either expand or start.

With as much noise as being made about the BHX catchment, airlines should be literally falling over themselves to serve BHX, but frankly, for the area it serves and given how much MAN has and is expanding long haul in the past 6 and next 6 months, I find BHX a bit of a damp squib if Im being honest.

Could part of the issue be that Paul Kehoe talks the talk (such as re-hashing the China charters story), but doesn't actually walk the walk when it comes to routes?

Surely, given the such 'obvious' demand from the region, certain routes should be like shooting fish in a barrel if these business actually are truthful in what they say and want the routes? Airlines do literally fall over themselves for corporate contracts!

 

[Brum X]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

This may come across as sarcastic, but, Im deadly serious.

With all this noise made by Birmingham business on things such as exports, and high profile business leaders stating 'they would use a service to XYZ if it was served from BHX', why are long haul airlines, so shy to either expand or start.

With as much noise as being made about the BHX catchment, airlines should be literally falling over themselves to serve BHX, but frankly, for the area it serves and given how much MAN has and is expanding long haul in the past 6 and next 6 months, I find BHX a bit of a damp squib if Im being honest.

Could part of the issue be that Paul Kehoe talks the talk (such as re-hashing the China charters story), but doesn't actually walk the walk when it comes to routes?

Surely, given the such 'obvious' demand from the region, certain routes should be like shooting fish in a barrel if these business actually are truthful in what they say and want the routes? Airlines do literally fall over themselves for corporate contracts!

Probably 2 reasons why airlines are shy to expand or start from bhx:

1: MAN as you have already mentioned is a major barrier for growth at BHX

2: Charges ???????????

 

[Hassaan]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

This may come across as sarcastic, but, Im deadly serious.

With all this noise made by Birmingham business on things such as exports, and high profile business leaders stating 'they would use a service to XYZ if it was served from BHX', why are long haul airlines, so shy to either expand or start.

Landing charges, plus reluctance because it's reasonably close to MAN/LHR, IMO anyway. But if you think about it there's no major reason why they can't do so. As far as expanding goes, the loads/yields for many services surely warrant further expansion and have done for a while now.

With as much noise as being made about the BHX catchment, airlines should be literally falling over themselves to serve BHX, but frankly, for the area it serves and given how much MAN has and is expanding long haul in the past 6 and next 6 months, I find BHX a bit of a damp squib if Im being honest.

They seem to be plodding along when it comes to new services, especially when it comes to long-haul services. Since 2009, new long haul services that have been launched and are still operating; off the top of my head I can only name Air India (not necessarily new though) and maybe some Monarch/Thomson services. There are some major underserved markets as I've mentioned before, which should have been served, like, 10 years ago. It could have been done under the shorter runway too. BHX can't obviously force airlines to fly to their airport, but there's no reason why they can't make a good enough case for them to do so.

Could part of the issue be that Paul Kehoe talks the talk (such as re-hashing the China charters story), but doesn't actually walk the walk when it comes to routes?

Maybe he speaks before thinking. Nothing is confirmed at that point, but it turns out later on that the deal has fallen through. They do these press releases often but maybe they should do those after everything is a done deal? Although as far as the state that BHX is in the moment is concerned, they'd have nothing to say! It's all good cop getting the China charters to become permanent but what about everything else? They seem to be chasing the more prevalent ones as opposed to the smaller ones which could more easily be obtained.

Surely, given the such 'obvious' demand from the region, certain routes should be like shooting fish in a barrel if these business actually are truthful in what they say and want the routes? Airlines do literally fall over themselves for corporate contracts!

They should have at least learnt something from the Biman era. Something that was hyped up a fair bit but fell through at the end. Air India worked out fine being announced less than a month before the inaugural flight (last year). It can be annoying as all that's been mentioned is certainly possible.

 

[dazzler]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

This may come across as sarcastic, but, Im deadly serious.

With all this noise made by Birmingham business on things such as exports, and high profile business leaders stating 'they would use a service to XYZ if it was served from BHX', why are long haul airlines, so shy to either expand or start.

With as much noise as being made about the BHX catchment, airlines should be literally falling over themselves to serve BHX, but frankly, for the area it serves and given how much MAN has and is expanding long haul in the past 6 and next 6 months, I find BHX a bit of a damp squib if Im being honest.

Could part of the issue be that Paul Kehoe talks the talk (such as re-hashing the China charters story), but doesn't actually walk the walk when it comes to routes?

Surely, given the such 'obvious' demand from the region, certain routes should be like shooting fish in a barrel if these business actually are truthful in what they say and want the routes? Airlines do literally fall over themselves for corporate contracts!

Birmingham as a city is competing for Infrastructure business, tourists, and funding with other regional
cites and it has been a struggle. We would all like Birmingham to add longhaul flights but they have only just finished the runway extension which without we could not accommodate some destinations and in addition to that BHX lies in between LHR and MAN which both have an established longhaul network.

In my view the airport needs to review its rates and the city itself become a more appealing destination.
Also it would help if the airlines marketed which routes they have better. A lot of people are unaware you can fly to the States from BHX and blindly accept that's they have to go elsewhere. I recently travelled to Montego Bay from BHX and spoke to a fellow passenger who was very disappointed that the 787 Dreamliner wouldn't be carrying him but Thomson fly that out of Gatwick and Manchester. Why not at BHX too ?

I'm hoping that JLR , Shanghai Automotive, Resorts World, Cadburys, and other business here will
create a demand for more longhaul. It does annoy me when my colleagues have to travel to Manchester or London to take a flight when we work (or live) 2 miles from an International airport facility. Some people in the Midlands think it's normal to leave the region to take a longhaul flight.

Manchester is adding a frightening amount of new longhaul, and with the exception of United & Thomson most airlines wont operate from both cities. In my opinion BHX needs to attract routes
not served by MAN. BHX can not really try to directly challenge MAN as an airport but should make
its own way and serve Birmingham & Midlands. The routes development department really need to
take a look at themselves.The investment in the extension will take many years to pay off and for us all to see the real benefit.

 

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I recently travelled to Montego Bay from BHX and spoke to a fellow passenger who was very disappointed that the 787 Dreamliner wouldn't be carrying him but Thomson fly that out of Gatwick and Manchester. Why not at BHX too ?

Thomson will be replacing the 76Ws with the 787 from the middle of next month.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

This may come across as sarcastic, but, Im deadly serious.

With all this noise made by Birmingham business on things such as exports, and high profile business leaders stating 'they would use a service to XYZ if it was served from BHX', why are long haul airlines, so shy to either expand or start.

With as much noise as being made about the BHX catchment, airlines should be literally falling over themselves to serve BHX, but frankly, for the area it serves and given how much MAN has and is expanding long haul in the past 6 and next 6 months, I find BHX a bit of a damp squib if Im being honest.

Could part of the issue be that Paul Kehoe talks the talk (such as re-hashing the China charters story), but doesn't actually walk the walk when it comes to routes?

Surely, given the such 'obvious' demand from the region, certain routes should be like shooting fish in a barrel if these business actually are truthful in what they say and want the routes? Airlines do literally fall over themselves for corporate contracts!

I agree, we seem to get a steady flow of press releases about the growing demand from the region and how businesses are desperate for services from their local airport yet nothing has materialized. If so much demand is there then what is the stumbling block? Are the negotiating team not up to the job? If so then more training is needed and if they're still not there then they need to be replaced. Are the team up to the job yet the package they're allowed to offer just not suitable? If you're constantly being told "I'm sorry your airport is too expensive to operate from" then surely a review is in order??? The big problem there though is just how do you convince people to take less money so there can be a few more different tails on the ramp? Or is it that all this is a load of bullshine and airlines simply aren't interested in BHX? LHR covers the South and draws pax from all around the country and MAN caters for those in the North who don't want to travel to London, both within easy reach of the Greater Birmingham area. This is nothing against BHX but purely based on geography.

We had lots of headlines from the trip to Chicago and it ended with absolutely nothing, we're now seeing similar stuff about China and I don't think for one minute that on the 22nd of July we'll get an announcement about a permanent service. The next 18 months or so will be crucial, the infrastructure is now there and in my opinion we have one of the best airports in the country in terms of passenger experience so it's time for the BHX management to put their money where their mouth is. Other airports have gained and will be gaining more new routes and getting them established, if they don't act soon BHX will miss the boat (if it hasn't already). No more rehashed garbage please, it's time to put up or shut up!!!

Also it would help if the airlines marketed which routes they have better. A lot of people are unaware you can fly to the States from BHX and blindly accept that's they have to go elsewhere. I recently travelled to Montego Bay from BHX and spoke to a fellow passenger who was very disappointed that the 787 Dreamliner wouldn't be carrying him but Thomson fly that out of Gatwick and Manchester. Why not at BHX too ?

Totally agree. It's amazing how many times you mention flights to New York, Dubai, Mexico, Jamaica etc and people are genuinely amazed you can go direct from Birmingham. Turkish have been advertising on cabs and some of the Euro carriers have radio ads but that's about it. When I'm at my in laws driving around Sheffield/Rotherham I see loads of billboards advertising flights from EMA, Manchester Airport have on more than one occasion had pull outs in the Solihull Times and have run radio ads on local stations.