2018

[Ray Finkle]

New routes so far (blue for routes not served in 2017, red for new airlines).

February

2nd Jet2 - Rome Fiumicino
12th VLM - Antwerp

March

30th Jet2 - Antalya
30th SAS - Stockholm

31st Jet2 - Larnaca

April

1st Jet2 - Malta

May

2nd Jet2 - Naples

3rd Jet2 - Kos
3rd Jet2 - Thessaloniki
3rd Jet2 - Almeria
3rd Jet2 - Pisa

4th Thomas Cook - Girona
4th Thomas Cook - Bodrum
4th Jet2 - Dalaman
4th TUI - Enfidha

5th Jet2 - Zakynthos

6th Thomas Cook - Thessaloniki
6th Jet2 - Split

14th Primera Air - Malaga
14th Primera Air - Palma

16th Thomson - Podgorica

18th Primera Air - New York Newark Liberty

21st Thomson - Hurghada

22nd Thomas Cook - Varna
22nd Freebird - Dalaman

25th Jet2 - Venice

26th Jet2 - Dubrovnik

29th Jet2 - Bodrum
29th Freebird - Bodrum

June

4th - VLM - Aberdeen

23rd - Primera Air - Toronto Pearson

July

21st - Jet2 - Corfu
30th - Primera Air - Chania

October

1st - Primera Air - Barcelona

December

5th Primera Air - Reykjavik

6th Primera Air - Alicante

7th Primera Air - Gran Canaria

8th Primera Air - Tenerife

9th TUi - Kuusamo

19th - TUi Airlines UK - Langkawi

26th - TUi Airlines UK - Bangkok

 

[Brum X]

Thanks for the 2018 update Ray

 

[User002]

I wouldnt be surprised if Monarch threw their hat into the ring with 737MAX's next year, I understand BHX will be first base. There is a strong possibility of bigger aircraft too and again BHX will feature.

 

[Ashley]

Pity Norwegian and Vueling presence will be no more. You got to take your hat off to Jet2 with their brand and its advertising campaign.Jet2 will get bigger but variety of airlines to the mediterranean will reduce. As for next year plenty of time one or two surprises .

 

[davecleaver777]

Ashley you hit the nail on the head . Advertisements

 

[Brum X]

Pity Norwegian and Vueling presence will be no more. You got to take your hat off to Jet2 with their brand and its advertising campaign.Jet2 will get bigger but variety of airlines to the mediterranean will reduce. As for next year plenty of time one or two surprises .

I dont think its confirmed that we will have no presence from Vueling, just a much reduced operation. Barcelona and Paris Orly still possible for S18

 

[nwoody2001]

I'm hopeful that BCN/ORY will be retained for 2018 but there are zero uk flights bookable after January 2018 so just have to watch this space!!!

 

[Brum X]

I'm hopeful that BCN/ORY will be retained for 2018 but there are zero uk flights bookable after January 2018 so just have to watch this space!!!

No woody, Barcelona is bookable into S18 and Paris Orly upto March/April 2018

 

[nwoody2001]

Interesting ...not on their mobile site ...

 

[Ianbutty]

We sometimes underplay the commitment Thomas Cook and Thompson play to BHX and the continued growth in their route network. Credit to them. I am sure more will follow for 2018. Certainly looks like a further million ppa on 2017 figures is doable.

 

[GliderPilot]

Are Norweigan completely finishing at BHX?

 

[nwoody2001]

well these is nothing on sale at BHX past October... so unless they come back as seasonal it seems so....

They are pulling nearly all their Spanish routes from BHX/MAN/EDI ...so in other words all uk regional airports. As BHX only has Spanish routes, that would be the end of them.... MAN retains Norwegian Scandinavia links and EDI retains Scandinavian links and USA links

 

[thunderchild]

Are Norweigan completely finishing at BHX?

Rumour has it Norwegian lost interest when Jet2 set up shop but whether this is true or not I don't know. The problem with Norwegian is that their plans seem to change from one minute to the next so if they did have plans for BHX they probably missed their chance.

 

[GliderPilot]

The problem with Norwegian is that their plans seem to change from one minute to the next.

Yeah, when I first read about Norwegian starting the flights seemed packed and there was a lot of speculation about them rapidly expanding at BHX, which has since died down. Would be a shame to see them go.

 

[thunderchild]

It's always dissapointing to lose an airline and they may still return for Summer 18 buy my gut instinct says they'll be gone for good come October. A shame really but as they weren't showing any signs of growing they won't be missed in that respect as capacity will be mopped up by other carriers. The only dissapointment really would be the potential of long haul flying but that was probably more wishful thinking than anything. Onwards!

 

[nwoody2001]

well with Norwegian pulling out of pretty much all European short-haul from the uk regional airports, this would seem to be a UK problem and not a BHX issue. I suspect the UK market is more challenging for them...

 

[Coathanger16]

well with Norwegian pulling out of pretty much all European short-haul from the uk regional airports, this would seem to be a UK problem and not a BHX issue. I suspect the UK market is more challenging for them...

I think the problem for Norwegian is that, besides Gatwick, they haven't really tried. They've operated the typical summer sun destinations with almost an expectation that people would use them, and besides for a couple of Scandinavian routes, haven't launched anything else from the regions.

If Norwegian had come in and started expanding straight away, much like what Jet2 have done at BHX, I imagine we'd be looking at a very different picture right now.

Anyway, its looking likely that even with a number of airlines pulling out of Birmingham, there is enough growth from Jet2, Monarch and Primera among others to offset those losses. And we're only half way through 2017 so still plenty of time for more announcements for new routes in 2018!

 

[nwoody2001]

Totally agree. Norwegian came into Birmingham before jet2 and had a great chance and opportunity to claim it as their own. They have now missed the gun, which is a shame as they have an amazing product!!

they had the chance but missed it unfortunately....

 

[thunderchild]

In hindsight I think we probably got a little bit too excited about the potential prospects of Norwegian and got caught up with all the whispers regarding their shiny new 787s. On the other hand Jet2 have just come in and got straight down to business so I know which tail I'd rather see at BHX given the choice.

 

[58terminus]

The only dissapointment really would be the potential of long haul flying but that was probably more wishful thinking than anything

Not really wishful thinking at least not on our part.Didn't they keep mentioning BHX in statements about their long haul plans?