Route Development & Rumours

[nwoody2001]

for those that have not read the article....

Russia’s VIM Avia wins approval for Moscow-Manchester route
Feb 19, 2016

Russian authorities have approved VIM Avia to operate up to 7X-weekly services from Moscow to Manchester and Birmingham.

VIM Avia did not say when it plans to launch the flights or what type of aircraft it will use. According to Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, it also approved VIM Avia to operate scheduled services on Kazan-Frankfurt, Moscow-Mumbai and Moscow-Amritsar routes.

EasyJet was the first carrier to establish direct scheduled Manchester-Moscow service in March 2013. EasyJet ceased this service in September 2015 due to economic turbulence in Russia. It also announced it will stop London-Moscow operations in March 2016. After that, only British Airways and Aeroflot Group will perform Moscow-London services after Russia’s Transaero declared bankruptcy last year.

The interesting things that I see here is that fact the reference of when not if the airline will launch the route, but also the airline is also able to flight to Amristar and Mumbai.... could they be targeting the UK-India market at all??

It would be an interesting route to have but I suspect, at best it to be a 2x weekly seasonal flight.... its not going to transform passenger numbers!!!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Interesting. Airline Fleets show that they operate 4x A319's and 6x 757's with a further two 757's and a 763 in storage. If they are to target connections to India then I'd say it's more likely to be a 757.

So we have the prospect of Turkmenistan going permanent 777, the rumoured return of Uzbekistan with a 2x weekly 763, Birmingham on and off the Mahan Air route map and now this, all after the India market.

I really wish they could get Air India to open a 3/4 weekly direct Mumbai. They're starting a new 3x weekly DEL-VIE after Austrian announced they were stopping the route.

I also wonder if Norwegian are still considering BHX-India after the CEO suggested it?

 

[jfy1999]

To me this looks like another Comtel/Mint Airways/Air Sylhet-type venture. If they're aiming at the Indian market they're going to have a hard time up against AI as well as the Qatar and T5 connections.

Given our history with this type of operation, I'm not getting my hopes up too high

 

[Brum X]

Interesting news about a possible BHX-Moscow, however i believe airlines have been given the same approval over the years but nobody has actually started the flights. Yes it isnt going to add loads of new passengers over night but just having BHX-Moscow would be something and an interesting destination, although i dont see Moscow as a very favourable place to visit at the moment (Very backward looking views and our British-Russian relations are not the best)

One to watch and good to see not only MAN is on the radar.

 

[Brummiegem]

If I remember correctly,Orenair gained a license to serve BHX as well as other European airports about 2 years ago.
At the time I believe they were also looking at the onward connections to the sub-continent.
As yet we have not seen the airline at BHX so I agree with others that we are unlikely to see VIM Avia metal at BHX anytime soon.
From a purely enthusiast point however it would be a very exotic airline to have grace our tarmac so I look forward to seeing what comes of this news.

 

[richard winterbourn]

VIM Avia Moscow - BHX is indeed interesting, but don't let us get too worried about the comment: 'i dont see Moscow as a very favourable place to visit at the moment'.

It is not always about us visiting them! I can see Russians increasingly wanting to visit the UK for a variety of reasons other than for business; shopping, football and last, but perhaps not least, gambling... Let us remember that we now have one of the biggest, if not the biggest, such venues at Resorts World the mega-facility on the airport's doorstep.

I, for one, would be interested to see if anyone has any data about how many people are flying in to BHX to use this facility. Anyone any info?

 

[Ray Finkle]

That's a very good question. I've not seen any numbers but it would be interesting to know.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

A friend is a manager at the Genting Chinatown casino and I asked her how RW was faring.

She said that the hotel is doing very well, but the casino hasn't taken off in the way it was envisaged yet. There are a lot of locals who go there at the weekend, but during the week when they expected a lot of commercial business, the place is not doing so well.

 

[nwoody2001]

could be something, could be nothing, but according to twitter, Will Pearson is currently in Mumbai!!! Pueto Rico at the Route Americas last week and Mumbai this week. A busy chap. Just curious to know what takes him there, work or pleasure!!!????

 

[Ray Finkle]

Interesting.

Mumbai is definitely a destination that we need.

Lets hope that he is there on business.

 

[Brum X]

BH Air

I think we have discussed this one but this has appeared on another webiste that i frequent often.

Bulgaria's BH Air will start 4x weekly from Sofia from mid-June. There is still no confirmation from the airline, but the slots are being placed on Sofia Airport website, apparently ?????

 

[Ray Finkle]

The last I heard BH Air were due to base an A320 and do some charter flying along with Sofia and Bourgas?

 

[IanFarquharson]

FlyBe add 6th daily Amsterdam for S16

Ian

 

[nwoody2001]

Well BH Air don't only do charter flights, they do scheduled also.

The slots were also posted on this forum a few weeks back but without the airline / airport coming to the fore to announce their intentions, they could come to nothing, especially now sofia is being served with Wizz

 

[Ray Finkle]

Norwegian have said that they are planning on starting flights to India by the end of the year.

This was a quote from their CEO back in Oct,

The airline would initially target routes to Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta. Flights could arrive into both Gatwick and Birmingham in the future, he said.

This guy does seem to talk alot and plans can and do change but I really hope that Birmingham is in with a shout? Mumbai has to be close to the top of their wish list?

 

[IanFarquharson]

Will Pearson was in India for the Air Cargo India Awards at which he presented the winners Celebi Cargo with the prize !

 

[nwoody2001]

well he was in Mumbai so here's hoping.... after all its a long way to go to give an award lol!!!

 

[Brum X]

well he was in Mumbai so here's hoping.... after all its a long way to go to give an award lol!!!

Mumbai would be a great long haul addition to the BHX portfolio, whether this is Air India or Norweigan. We would be well connected to India if we can pull this off.

 

[nwoody2001]

I must admit I would refer it to me AI as I suspect DY would be aggressive against AI if they both competed on the BHX - India market but this is business at the end of the day!

 

[justplanecrazy]

Just heating rumours up a bit more but I've heard that 2 airlines could be joining the BHX party soon! We've heard rumours about them before one more so then the other but I'll give you a clue...
One begins with F and the other begins with D.