Birmingham: New Route Development & Rumours

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

All good if true but like you say how many times as the Qatar rumour reared it's head and I think with Norwegian it's a case of let's not run before we can walk - however I've heard plans for a MAN base have been scrapped so I'm hopeful that they are seeing the potential in BHX. As for Air India well let's just say I won't be holding my breath! 😆

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Qatar:

They are also supposed to be re-instating LGW at some point, so, along with the MAN/EDI increases, so, its a waiting game to see exactly what their UK strategy is.

Norwegian:

There never was a solid plan for a MAN base, just rumours. Ergo, how they can scrap something they never had is a slightly dubious one.

Air India:

Could be an interesting situation to watch. However, with stripping aircraft and having 2 B787's have engine issues within 3 days, it will be a while before I contemplate stepping anywhere near that outfit.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

All good if true but like you say how many times as the Qatar rumour reared it's head and I think with Norwegian it's a case of let's not run before we can walk - however I've heard plans for a MAN base have been scrapped so I'm hopeful that they are seeing the potential in BHX. As for Air India well let's just say I won't be holding my breath! 😆

That's pretty much what my reaction was. I've thought for a while that Qatar's time is getting close but I guess it depends on their reaction to the EK expansion, will it spur them into announcing something soon or will it put them off and set BHX back a couple of years?

Norwegian has potential but I get the feeling that people are assuming BHX will be getting long haul just because they do it from Gatwick and I agree that it's way too early to tell what sort of plan they have for us. Word is we'll see some new routes announced for winter so if that happens I'll feel a little more hopeful. Flights to the US would also depend on them getting permission from the relevant authorities.

Air India did say that once Mumbai's T2 works were complete it would see some expansion. There looks to be a lot of major capitals on the list pushing BHX well down and with the 787 delays it won't be happening anytime soon. Hopefully one to look forward to in the future.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi there ray and everyone, regarding recent rumours of qatar, norweign airshuttle and emirates expansion, I think with what has been heard from sources, we need these to wait till any announcevents are made, because quite frankly nothing else is happening at present, plus also needs further talks with easyjet and wizz to get things moving otherwise, last year's record figures will
Become the onlything that the airport will be celebrating.... Andyc

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I think we can forget any mention of Wizz, from what I hear they require a very, very good deal, something which may be beyond what BHX can realistically offer. I've made my feelings known about BHX's failure to get an Easyjet base so won't go over it again, of course if Norwegian expand big time I may well forgive them 😉

because quite frankly nothing else is happening at present, plus also needs further talks with easyjet and wizz to get things moving otherwise, last year's record figures will
Become the onlything that the airport will be celebrating.... Andyc

Seriously?!

2015 will see the first full year of a daily service from Air India.

A week on Thursday will see the arrival of Icelandair offering not only flights to KEF but also extensive connections to North America. It's also worth noting that extra school holiday flights have been added before the service even starts.

March 29th sees Turkish Airlines expand to 12x weekly, with plenty of upgrades in 2014 including the first service on a wide body I'm hopeful 2015 will see more of the same.

March 29th also sees Aegean back, a full three months earlier than last year.

March 30th sees the arrival of a new airline in the shape of Norwegian, yes it's only three routes but there is huge potential there and they need to be supported.

May 8th sees the return of American Airlines after a 14 odd year absence with not only a daily flight to JFK but a year round flight to JFK giving very much needed capacity to the USA. It also sees the end of the Oneworld vacuum at BHX.

June 1st sees the arrival of another new airline, Vueling. Granted only one route but if it does well then who knows?

August 1st sees a third daily Emirates flight giving an increase in capacity of 42%, if it does revert to a 2 class 77W in January then that's another 140 odd more seats on offer each day on top of that.

Thomas Cook are basing an extra aircraft, Thomson have expansion in both long haul and short haul, we're seeing capacity added by the likes of SAS, Air France and Lufthansa.


I think we all want more and we know BHX can do better but these things take time and to add too much capacity in one go has the potential to be counter productive. Sure there have been a few hiccups (Monarch and Flybe spring to mind) but that's the way it goes, it happens everywhere but I'm not sure we can say there is nothing happening, I'm looking forward to this summer 🙂

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi there ray and all again, what type of deal would wizz need to get them to come to Birmingham.... Andyc

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Wizzair are infamous for asking for zero fees and then the airport paying for the ground handling/advertising etc.

They also demand contactless stands next to the terminal and demand strict turn around times. There have even been insider stories of Wizz 'fining' airports is the turn around is delayed by them.

They keep approaching MAN with said terms and MAN have at least 3 times now flatly refused.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi all once again, if not wizz then why not easyjet...Surelying a bit of persuasion might help....andyc

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Back in the day, roughly around the time that BA announced the closure of the BHX and MAN bases, Easyjet issued a 'come and get us' cry to BHX, indeed who can remember those immortal words from Stelios 'make us an offer we can't refuse'? Sadly BHX thought they were better than that and turned their noses up, I think they have lived to regret that decision ever since.

Of course this all happened under the previous owners and before Mr Kehoe became CEO but for all the good he has done I still think not being able to secure Easyjet is his/their biggest failure. I'd imagine the leakage this region has to the likes of LTN and BRS for cheap flights to Europe must be eye watering and something that needs to be stopped sooner rather than later.

It's widely suggested that BHX have met with Easyjet a number of times over the years but to no avail. Why is anybodies guess. Maybe they wanted the coffers swollen to pay for the runway extension, maybe as a result of the extension they've been too focused on long haul, maybe they can't/won't offer a deal good enough, maybe Easyjet just aren't interested? With extensive and very successful bases now well established at LTN and BRS I think it would take a near miracle for us to get them. :s_sad

Maybe the top brass at Easy HQ have long memories.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I'd imagine the leakage this region has to the likes of LTN and BRS for cheap flights to Europe must be eye watering and something that needs to be stopped sooner rather than later.

Perhaps not as much as might be imagined.

CAA survey stats for 2012 (the last that involved BRS) show that 134,000 BRS terminating passengers had an origin or destination in the West Midlands.

CAA survey stats for 2013 (the last that involved BHX) show that 545,000 BHX terminating passengers had an origin or destination in the South West.

So although BHX handles about 50% more passengers annually than BRS, the number of passengers from the respective catchments is over four times as many in favour of BHX.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi there ray, regarding easyjet issue, yes we know that is what's kehoes biggest failure, but surely with all his so called management skills he's supposed to have as a chief executive of an airport, persuading a budget airline today from his airport should have been, giving candy to a child, but unfortunately he's failed big and only been able to resign up old airlines that had left and sign up just two or three new carriers in the last six years that hes been in charge of the airport, which when you add it up equals one every three years of being a chief executive, in my reckon, a very big failure in deed....andyc

 

[thunderchild]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I've read numerous times that the reason EZY don't have a base at BHX is because they don't think the yield is there; personally I've never quite believed this, I can't imagine the yield being worse here than at EMA which they tried - and admittedly dropped; but the fact is a Midlands base will undoubtedly dilute their loads at LTN, BRS and MAN and possibly even LGW and STN.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Taken from the article on the General Aviation thread, it seems the Cambridge News are being very ambitious when it comes to BHX's long haul expansion 🙂

Marshall will work closely with Birmingham Airport in building business through the FBO, particularly opportunities for business jet travel, for example, among passengers flying into Birmingham on potential new long-haul destinations - Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Johannesburg.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi ray and all, did you see in the papers yesterday about qatar purchase of 9per cent stake in IAG, that the parent company of British Airways for 1,900,000 that billion dollars, now that tells you something then. I think that what Birmingham needs to do is to start looking at other budget airlines further afield, to try and increase passenger numbers further, because it can't keep religningredients on existing carriers to expand any further than what their willing to do,...andyc

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi ray and all, did you see in the papers yesterday about qatar purchase of 9per cent stake in IAG, that the parent company of British Airways for 1,900,000 that billion dollars, now that tells you something then. I think that what Birmingham needs to do is to start looking at other budget airlines further afield, to try and increase passenger numbers further, because it can't keep religningredients on existing carriers to expand any further than what their willing to do,...andyc

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi ray and all, did you see in the papers yesterday about qatar purchase of 9per cent stake in IAG, that the parent company of British Airways for 1,900,000 that billion dollars, now that tells you something then. I think that what Birmingham needs to do is to start looking at other budget airlines further afield, to try and increase passenger numbers further, because it can't keep religningredients on existing carriers to expand any further than what their willing to do,...andyc

 

[Brum X]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi ray and all, did you see in the papers yesterday about qatar purchase of 9per cent stake in IAG, that the parent company of British Airways for 1,900,000 that billion dollars, now that tells you something then. I think that what Birmingham needs to do is to start looking at other budget airlines further afield, to try and increase passenger numbers further, because it can't keep religningredients on existing carriers to expand any further than what their willing to do,...andyc

Exactly, obviously Easyjet or Ryanair are not interested in further expansion at BHX, so they have made a good move in bringing Norweigan to BHX, whether this turns out to be anything big, only time will tell but its a step in the right direction. And also not forgetting Vuelling who are also becoming a big player in the budget airline stakes, especially to Spain and Italy.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

Hi there ray and all, hopefully that if norweign airshuttle three new destinations from Birmingham to Barcelona,Madrid and Malaga become successful this year, then hopefully they will start to increase the routes from three onwards and even further, and hopefully the same applies to Vueling as well, because the more that Norweign and Vueling find there success is going to be at Birmingham the better for the airport in the long running and the same goes with any other airline carrier that Birmingham can persuade as well..which will hopefully start to make all other carriers sit up and listen, that there are other airports around than heathrow,Gatwick and Manchester..... Andyc

 

[Ray Finkle]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

There are whispers that Sun Air are looking at the Gothenburg route, it would be nice to see it continue.

I see CSA are back in the UK with a Prague - Liverpool route, as it's a destination we are desperately missing I wonder if BHX have spoken with them.

 

[User0001]

Re: Route Development & Airport Rumours

I would be incredibly surprised if Sun Air took on BHX-GOT.

The yield reqired by Sun Air is eye watering, hence why they run high yield point to point routes (LCY/MUC etc).

They only run MAN-GOT due to a corporate contract, and dont have a base at GOT so it has to run MAN-GOT-AAR to crew swap. Sun Airs main crew base is Billund, with a secondary base at Aarhus.

As far as Im aware, no corporate contracts have come forward for BHX, and if a lower cost base carrier such as bmi regional cannot make it work, not a chance Sun Air would.

Happy to stand corrected, but, info comes from Waterside, so, unless the contract has been presented to Sun Air away from BA, then one hasn't been presented.