Daily Direct Link from BHX to the US

[laviation]

Sorry but this doesn’t make sense to me… Are you saying that only 20 passengers per day, each way, want to fly to/from the BHX catchment area to JFK?

20 people fly BHX-XXX-JFK each day.

 

[Nibbles]

There would be some interesting modelling I think of the suppressed demand from BHX to the US as a result of (mainly) LHR. In fact, from a levelling up perspective, I could see an argument for restricting flights from LHR to the US to force demand to other UK airports - though there will obviously be unintended consequences of doing so (and no doubt the airlines would grumble!). ~2 flights an hour to New York alone feels excessive.

I would also suggest that there would be a big demand for BHX-New York-Somewhere Else, too.

 

[gulftraveller]

There is no way the CAA will force airlines to serve airports if they do not want to. BHX will get a US route when an airline decides it can make sufficiently good margins on the route to justify the cost of a new base.

 

[CL44]

BHX will get a US route when an airline decides it can make sufficiently good margins on the route to justify the cost of a new base

Bingo! We have a winner. Why on earth would an Airline put a route in place without knowing that they can make money on it? At the end of the day it is a business and they exist to make money. If the need is not there no Airline will put valuable resources in place knowing that they will not make any revenue for their shareholders / owners. This is not the Field of Dreams (if you build it they will come)! Lets concentrate on what BHX can handle and build on that instead of a pipe dream route into JFK (just because we should have the same as other Airports do)!

 

[nwoody2001]

I find conversations about attracting individual routes in isolation quite an interesting conversation.

The above comments are correct. with the exception of a few middle-eastern airlines which are government owned, all other airlines are commercial entities and as such, in the event an airline can make money, they will look to open routes.

As such, if BHX is to attract any new airline, be it to the USA or another destination, it need to focus on the following:

- increasing passenger numbers
- increasing market share
- Increase critical market mass
- improved capacity and efficiencies to decrease costs

As such, growing the airport is key in attracting new airlines. I think our previous CEO Nick Barton said its best in the fact that "big airlines take notice of big airports" - or words to that effect. Whilst many people therefore might not get excited by Ryanair increasing the number fo flights to Alicante, this all helps the following:

Increase passenger numbers -> Increase market shares -> increase critical mass -> get the attention of airlines who want to get a piece of that market.

I legitimately do believe BHX could easily sustain a daily connections to NYC, but at the moment the market is suitably services via MAN/LHR... in the event BHX is able to grow its market share, airlines may well then seek to exploit that growing market or shift capacity to respond

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I think our previous CEO Nick Barton

I hadn't heard that Nick Barton had left the post of BHX CEO. Who is the new CEO?

 

[nwoody2001]

I hadn't heard that Nick Barton had left the post of BHX CEO. Who is the new CEO?

Haha sorry my mistake - I mean Paul Kehoe!

 

[Matty_85]

20 people fly BHX-XXX-JFK each day.

Sorry but I really struggle to believe this! What period was this data from? Average out and if so over how many days or months?

 

[laviation]

Sorry but I really struggle to believe this! What period was this data from? Average out and if so over how many days or months?

The data was from Q2 2023 and Q2 2022.

 

[Mackadown spotter]

I think even a trial for a month on 2 weekly to Newark would and will be reasonable this winter or next spring.
This would be good to notice things listed if the trial would indeed go ahead.
Business
Tourism
Holiday season
Nature and culture
Famous McDonald’s.

 

[laviation]

American McDonalds, apart from the drinks and ice creams, is arguably worse than the British one!

Famous McDonald’s.

I don't think a 2 month trial on Newark would work, especially not in the winter. IMHO, if it were to ever happen, it would likely be for a summer season with heavy subsidies from the BHX side to convince an airline to try it with little risk for them if the route flops.

 

[Nethercote2019]

American McDonalds, apart from the drinks and ice creams, is arguably worse than the British one!


I don't think a 2 month trial on Newark would work, especially not in the winter. IMHO, if it were to ever happen, it would likely be for a summer season with heavy subsidies from the BHX side to convince an airline to try it with little risk for them if the route flops.

At the end of the day if an airline thinks there is money to be made & more money than another city they would be looking to fly the route, unfortunately all/most airlines are happy that so many people in the region are happy to travel to a less convenient airport to fly to US. Now if someone started taking away pax from them perhaps they would look again at flying from BHX ?
The obvious but still pretty unlikely to operate direct I think would be Aer Lingus & yes they have said they won’t!

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I think even a trial for a month on 2 weekly to Newark would and will be reasonable this winter or next spring.
This would be good to notice things listed if the trial would indeed go ahead.
Business
Tourism
Holiday season
Nature and culture
Famous McDonald’s.

Airlines don't do trials on a whim. They do a lot of research into the passenger demand between two city's and negotiate with the airport regarding slots and landing fees etc. This can take years. Also, airlines don't have spare aircraft and crews just sitting around waiting to be used on a trial. In order to run a trial, then an aircraft and crews would need to be pulled from another route.

 

[hammerb32]

It's a little odd to say there's no demand BHX - NYC based only on transfer pax, the vast majority including myself will drive to LHR and take a direct flight.

 

[Hassaan]

In many respects I find it hard to believe the demand isn't there. The United route lasted 20 years, after all, and it ending not long after American Airlines also withdrew is not a coincidence.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there all, we know that bhx is desperately needing a direct translantic link USA, trouble is Birmingham airport management needs to try and persuade all US airlines that operating out of Birmingham airport would work well, as long as an extraordinary deal can be agreed, but that is down to Birmingham airport to get that done.

 

[Nethercote2019]

Not sure it’s a good time for U.K. to US currently, also jet blue have called a halt to LGW from JFK, USA is so expensive to the British, inbound demand is only London & Edinburgh unfortunately

 

[IanFarquharson]

Hi there all, we know that bhx is desperately needing a direct translantic link USA, trouble is Birmingham airport management needs to try and persuade all US airlines that operating out of Birmingham airport would work well, as long as an extraordinary deal can be agreed, but that is down to Birmingham airport to get that done.

One of BHX's main priorities is a US service but we all know the American carrier just want London & Edinburgh, BHX is not alone MAN lost all it US carriers too.
I ma sure at some point BHX will get something but not sure who, I cant see JetBlue going to BHX or MAN

 

[Mackadown spotter]

One of BHX's main priorities is a US service but we all know the American carrier just want London & Edinburgh, BHX is not alone MAN lost all it US carriers too.
I ma sure at some point BHX will get something but not sure who, I cant see JetBlue going to BHX or MAN

I can see delta coming bhx obviously cause of tom Wagner and bcfc sponsored by the airline it’s self

 

[IanFarquharson]

Delta - dont be silly !