Daily Direct Link from BHX to the US

[CL44]

As in my previous post, how long and why has Birmingham airport only been a bucket and spade airport.

Asked and answered. Within this forum there is a listing of flights operated by each Airline and the percentages show that the majority of flights are on Airlines such as Ryanair / Eassyjet / Jet2 / TUI etc with the other mainline Airlines following behind.

I have worked in forwarding for the last 41 years (33 of which I have been based on Airport) and have flown out from BHX on business less than 20 times. On each occasion I have been taking goods out on flights instead of baggage (basically a hand carry or on-board courier). All bar one of these flights were on BA (the other was on EI) which shows how long ago these journeys happened.

It is my personal opinion that the majority of passengers flying out from BHX are either going away on holiday (beach etc) or visiting family / friends etc. To my mind this makes BHX a bucket and spade Airport.

If we were to see business executives boarding flights en masse then my opinion may be different.

Yes we do have a healthy GA offering on the Elmdon side (thanks to Signature etc) but this is only a very small part of what is on offer here at BHX.

When you consider the range of flights on offer from LHR / MAN / LGW etc with direct options to the USA why would an Airline decide to dilute their revenue stream by starting a service from BHX? Airlines are in the market to make money so their shareholders and boards can see a return to them in dividends. It makes no sense to me for an Airline to start a service unless and until they are happy that they will see a return on their investment.

In one way of looking at BHX we have always been a bucket and spade operation (my first flight out of here was in the early 70's for a beach holiday)!

 

[gulftraveller]

It would be interesting to know what percentage of travellers at all UK airports are tourists (inbound or outbound) or VFRs. I would not mind betting that even at LHR it is a large percentage.

 

[Nethercote2019]

Also from a chat I had with mr Kehoe many years ago
He said percentage wise pax from the catchment area are more willing to travel to fly from elsewhere compared to others.but of course we are sandwiched between 2 big choices !
Also to consider a big thing is or was ..people with frequent flyer rewards cards

 

[nwoody2001]

I would suspect that with the exception of LHR and Maybe LCY, based on @CL44 measures, all other airports in the UK are "bucket and spade" airports. Following covid, Business Travel trends have never recovered hence why the likes of Flybe who based themselves to serve that model no-longer exist.

 

[mullion]

I think you will find Heathrow is very much a holiday makers airport as well just not an IT type

 

[Hassaan]

I imagine they know the reason why, or they're still looking into it, but I read something that said 40% of people within the catchment area don't use the airport. I imagine that's a big hurdle to overcome.

 

[gulftraveller]

I imagine they know the reason why, or they're still looking into it, but I read something that said 40% of people within the catchment area don't use the airport. I imagine that's a big hurdle to overcome.

Interesting. To know whether this is a significant and unique problem, the question is what is the percentage at other airports.

 

[Hassaan]

Interesting. To know whether this is a significant and unique problem, the question is what is the percentage at other airports.

It's either 40% do use it or don't, I can't recall where I read that statistic but I feel it's not far from the truth either way.

 

[nwoody2001]

It's either 40% do use it or don't, I can't recall where I read that statistic but I feel it's not far from the truth either way.

BHX are quite open about it even on their website... though this page/reference is now 10 years out of date lol!

Nevertheless, by the end of 2014, some 9.6 million people use Birmingham Airport and the future looks very bright. However, only 42% of the Airport’s catchment uses Birmingham in favour of taking flights from other UK airports so it is the Airport’s desire to expand the range of services available from Birmingham, and give the region’s business and leisure travellers the choice they want.
https://corporate.birminghamairport.co.uk/our-history/

That number has varied over time of course, but what we don't know is how that compares to other airports.

 

[Hassaan]

BHX are quite open about it even on their website... though this page/reference is now 10 years out of date lol!

Nevertheless, by the end of 2014, some 9.6 million people use Birmingham Airport and the future looks very bright. However, only 42% of the Airport’s catchment uses Birmingham in favour of taking flights from other UK airports so it is the Airport’s desire to expand the range of services available from Birmingham, and give the region’s business and leisure travellers the choice they want.
https://corporate.birminghamairport.co.uk/our-history/

That number has varied over time of course, but what we don't know is how that compares to other airports.

Ah, I wasn't far off then! I think the lack of long-haul flights which seemed to be the hope following the runway extension (and is the sort of thing they were talking up quite a bit) remains a big disappointment, regardless of what the reasons are.

 

[nwoody2001]

However, market share, catchment and long-haul routes are related but very different.

In 2024, BHX carried circa 12,850,000 pax, but our long-haul routes operated by EK/QR/AI/SV only carried circa 1,000,000 of those pax. Therefore, long-haul routes account for between 8-10% of the people passing through BHX. i suspect this is pretty decent for a UK airport. I would love to know what the split is for other airports. I suspect this is lower than LGW/MAN/EDI but higher than STN/LTN/BRS/GLA. (but that's just a guess)

However, if we are going to increase our catchment and market share, its going to be by increasing the 90% of the airport, not the 10% of the airport. In short, we are more likely to attract long-haul routes if we increase/better utilise our catchment and continue to get bigger. Long-haul routes alone are unlikely to do this...

I always remember Paul Kehoe making a point that big airports attract big airlines. That means growing everywhere, not just long-haul!

 

[Nethercote2019]

Taken from pprune in ref for flights in July to/from EDI
Shows how much of demand is from US passengers the proportion of US travelers etc.
Which is why BHX will struggle to get any US flights …unfortunately


ATL 88% US / 12% non-US

BOS 79% US / 21% non-US

ORD 85% US / 15% non-US

JFK 69% US / 31% non-US

EWR 76% US / 24% non-US

MCO 15% US / 85% non-US

IAD 84% US / 16% non-US

Simon

 

[nwoody2001]

Wow, so with the exception of MCO, all other EDI-USA flights are generally 80% inbound US Tourists/Business? I knew it would be high but that's even a show to me!

 

[Ianbutty]

Wow, so with the exception of MCO, all other EDI-USA flights are generally 80% inbound US Tourists/Business? I knew it would be high but that's even a show to me!

Which is why US airlines fly into EDI. Want a US airline? Convince Americans to come to Brum.

 

[Paulsstrange]

What were the figures on the old Continental and American flights from Brum they lasted 20 years ?

 

[gulftraveller]

The figures from EDI are not a great justification for Pre-Clearance!

 

[nwoody2001]

What were the figures on the old Continental and American flights from Brum they lasted 20 years ?

They were much more balanced than above but those were the times when the £/$ exchange rate were between £1.00 = $1.75-2.00. It was often cheaper for Brits to head to the USA than Europe based on the exchange rates below. Now £1.00 - $1.20-1.35 at the very best... Brits £ during a cost of living crisis in the USA just doesnt make sense to a vast majority of people!

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there Ianbutty, how would you convince US airlines to use Birmingham.

 

[Ianbutty]

Hi there Ianbutty, how would you convince US airlines to use Birmingham.

By convincing Americans to come to Birmingham.

If Americans came in huge numbers, then their airlines will bring them. Problem is it has not happened form so long now that and the proximity to LHR means that they will not come back. The concept of distance in the US is completely different to how we see distance. For them it is a short trip from London to Stratford.

EDI attracts them because it is scotland, a major destination for Americans and it has the distance from LHR. Ditto Dublin serving Ireland.

Even MAN cannot attract a US Airline because, sorry, it is not a destination for Americans. But MAN has virgin and Aer lingus taking Brits en masse to the US.

Americans are very loyal to the US.

Never say never though.

 

[Mackadown spotter]

The BREEZE rumours have gone very quiet