Ryanair

[TheLocalYokel]

As Aviador has mentioned, Ryanair seems to update its schedule as a new season approaches. This time last year it looked initially as though some routes had been lost and others reduced in frequency. Then during the ensuing months the 'lost' routes were added and more frequency was added to many other routes until this summer became the busiest Ryanair programme ever at BRS.

Bergerac though might be in danger. It didn't commence this summer until June which was not the pattern in previous summers.

From BRS's perspective, reducing the number of based aircraft whilst maintaining the programme (and hopefully adding to it) would ease the early morning passenger congestion a bit. Some years ago Ryanair dropped their base to two aircraft (following some sort of dispute with the airport over charges) but maintained the previous year's five aircraft base schedule using aircraft from other bases, which had the effect of aircraft arriving and departing away from the peak period.

 

[Severn]

I've compared the current schedule released for April 2017 to what the schedule was for the same dates in April 2016 and 2017will see the addition of four extra flights per week:

• *NEW* 2x weekly Bucharest,OTP (hadn't started operating in April 2016)
• 1x extra flight a week to Venice (April 2017 - 4x weekly to VCE / April 2016 - 3x weekly to TSF) - (Ryanair operated to TSF up until September 2016 and from then on changed to VCE)
• 1x extra flight a week to Warsaw,WMI (April 2017 - 4x weekly / April 2016 - 3x weekly)

Other than the flights mentioned above, the current schedule shows the rest of the destinations that operated in April 2016 continuing to operate the same frequencies in April 2017, but as has already been said, the schedule is likely to change a few times yet!

 

[Jerry]

Yeah Ryanair may still drop a surprise or 2 yet!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Ryanair are certainly starting to go after competitors at BRS.

Treviso was 2 x weekly in summer only up to and including 2015. This summer it's 3 x weekly and now it will be year-round and switching Marco Polo this winter at 2 x weekly and 4 x weekly next summer, as Jamesc909 points out. Having switched airports and increased frequencies there is little doubt that Ryanair has easyJet's Marco Polo route (commenced this summer) in mind. easyJet is 4 x weekly all year except in January when it drops to 3 x weekly.

Krakow is another easyJet route that Ryanair is targeting. Ryanair began their own service to Krakow this summer at 3 x weekly against easyJet's long-standing service and, as I pointed out in an earlier post, together with easyJet, Krakow's passenger numbers increased by over 150% in June. easyJet seems to be fighting back themselves because this winter their Krakow is increased to 5 x weekly from mainly 4 x weekly this summer, with Ryanair remaining at 3 x weekly year-round.

Wizz Air is also getting the Ryanair treatment with the latter switching its Bristol-Warsaw flights from Modlin to Chopin which is the airport that Wizz serves. Ryanair will also increase from 3 x weekly to 4 x weekly next summer as Jamesc909 points out.

In June this year both Wizz and Ryanair had high load factors on their respective Warsaw routes: Wizz 89.5% to Chopin and Ryanair 97.6% to Modlin. The caveat as always is that we are not privy to yields.

 

[Jerry]

Ryanair are certainly starting to go after competitors at BRS.

Well if that leads to some fare reductions then that is only good for the paying customers!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Well if that leads to some fare reductions then that is only good for the paying customers!

Krakow 8 x weekly through the winter might be a little too adventurous.

I remember several years ago that easyJet and Ryanair went head to head to Milan, easyJet to Malpensa and Ryanair to Bergamo, both daily. This went on for a year, perhaps 18 months year-round, until easyJet (I think) pulled back first. Eventually Bristol was left with Ryanair to Bergamo (3 or 4 weekly) and the niche bmi regional service to Malpensa which probably only keeps going because it's well used by Augusta Westland personnel. I'm very surprised that easyJet hasn't brought back its own MXP, even if only 3 or 4 x weekly.

 

[Jerry]

Krakow 8 x weekly through the winter might be a little too adventurous.

I remember several years ago that easyJet and Ryanair went head to head to Milan, easyJet to Malpensa and Ryanair to Bergamo, both daily. This went on for a year, perhaps 18 months year-round, until easyJet (I think) pulled back first. Eventually Bristol was left with Ryanair to Bergamo (3 or 4 weekly) and the niche bmi regional service to Malpensa which probably only keeps going because it's well used by Augusta Westland personnel. I'm very surprised that easyJet hasn't brought back its own MXP, even if only 3 or 4 x weekly.

Sounds like Ryanair are doing the same at other airports as well. Like you said they could just in the end just harm themselves by doing it.

 

[Marko1]

Given that just about all the uk bases have had their summer 2017 press release with a rash of new routes and frequencies and even non bases as well, I was wondering when Brs may be honoured with one too.

 

[Jerry]

I will be curious to see if Ryanair increase Malaga, Alicante and Girona from Bristol or keep it the same as last year as it could be an indication if Cardiff and Newquay are going to get more routes from them. Have they finished releasing for BRS for S17?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Given that just about all the uk bases have had their summer 2017 press release with a rash of new routes and frequencies and even non bases as well, I was wondering when Brs may be honoured with one too.

Now there's the rub. Given the 25% increase this coming winter it might be thought that summer 17 would also see a rise, albeit summer 16 did see a noticeable rise over summer 15.

I did read a comment elsewhere that Ryanair and BRS had been at odds over charges. I've heard nothing more about that so it might have been someone adding 2 and 2 and making 5. The last time they had a dispute over charges they reduced the base from 5 to 2 aircraft but didn't reduce any frequencies or drop any routes by using a/c from other bases. It probably helped BRS because the morning rush was eased slightly and there were more arrivals and departures in the relatively quiet mid evenings.

I will be curious to see if Ryanair increase Malaga, Alicante and Girona from Bristol or keep it the same as last year as it could be an indication if Cardiff and Newquay are going to get more routes from them. Have they finished releasing for BRS for S17?

I'll have a look but you never know with Ryanair when a season's programme has been finalised. Prior to summer 16 for instance they kept adding flights on many routes almost up to the time the season began at the end of March. This has been a pattern at BRS, and i suspect at other airports, since Ryanair commenced its BRS base in 2007.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I will be curious to see if Ryanair increase Malaga, Alicante and Girona from Bristol or keep it the same as last year as it could be an indication if Cardiff and Newquay are going to get more routes from them. Have they finished releasing for BRS for S17?

Just had a look at AGP, GRO and ALC for summer 17 at BRS. The number of weekly flights so far shown for these routes each month is listed below with the number of weekly flights this summer (16) shown in brackets. The months are from May through to and including September in chronological order.

Malaga 8(8), 8(9), 8(8), 8(10), 8(8)
Girona 5(5), 5(6), 5(6), 5(6), 5(5)
Alicante 8(9), 8(10), 8(9), 8(9), 8(9)

I wouldn't place too much store in this because last year many destinations were added to throughout the preceding winter before the summer 16 programme actually began. Malaga, for example, began at 7 per week each month of the summer when the first batch of routes was released around this time last year.

If you go back a few pages in this thread and look at the period from September 15 through the autumn into the early months of this year you will get an idea how the programme was enhanced over a period of months. Given the problems in Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey with the resultant renaissance of the Spanish Costas etc I'd be very surprised if the likes of ALC and AGP aren't increased before next March. CWL might get something else whether BRS is enhanced or not.

 

[Jerry]

I did read a comment elsewhere that Ryanair and BRS had been at odds over charges.

Maybe that was one of the factors in them launching Faro from CWL and NQY instead of doing those flights from BRS. No doubt CWL and NQY gave them cheaper charges to attract them and they just cater for Welsh and Cornish pax closer to there homes.

 

[Jerry]

CWL might get something else whether BRS is enhanced or not

Fingers crossed there is more to come from Ryanair even 2 flights a week on Malaga, Girona and Alicante would be a good addition to the airport and probably wouldn't effect Vueling.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Maybe that was one of the factors in them launching Faro from CWL and NQY instead of doing those flights from BRS. No doubt CWL and NQY gave them cheaper charges to attract them and they just cater for Welsh and Cornish pax closer to there homes.

It might have been a factor if indeed there was/is some sort of dispute over charges. The interesting thing in 2013 when there was a dispute re overnight parking and peak hour charges and Ryanair reduced its base from five to two aircraft, but maintained a slightly enhanced schedule over the previous year by using aircraft from other bases, was that the airline made no public comment. Usually when it falls out with an airport and moves aircraft away it goes to town in a big way castigating the airport concerned.

Only two months ago when Ryanair's head of communications announced the move of Ryanair's Bristol-Venice route from their version of the city at Treviso to Venice 'proper' at Marco Polo (doubtless the result of easyJet reinstating its own route to Marco Polo) he said, “We are pleased to move our Bristol to Venice Treviso route to Venice Marco Polo, which will operate 3 times weekly, as part of our significantly expanded winter 2016 schedule, which also includes a new route to Bucharest and 2 new winter services to Krakow and Milan Bergamo, and we look forward to continuing to grow routes, traffic and jobs in Bristol."

At the moment summer 2017 is showing a considerable reduction of flights each month compared with the same months this summer, with two routes (Bergerac and Reus) not bookable at all, although Bucharest appears for the first time - at 2 x weekly (it commences this winter).

May is unchanged, June is down 9.2%, July is down 10%, August is down 15.1%, September is down 4.2%.

However, if the comparison had been made with the frequencies (and available routes) bookable this time last year for summer 2016 the situation would have been broadly as it is now for summer 17. Routes and frequencies on other routes were added through the winter.

Whether there really is some sort of dispute going on and Ryanair is holding back some routes and frequencies as a sort of 'bargaining chip' who knows? I doubt it myself because this is how Ryanair has 'traditionally' built its route network for a coming season at BRS, particularly summer networks, in previous years.

 

[Jerry]

If the percentage drop is from aircraft not based at BRS it then it may be possible they feel they can get better yields from the aircraft flying to other destinations in Europe especially if BRS didn't lower Ryanair's charges and really Ryanair can't bully BRS like other airports because of it's large Easyjet base.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If the percentage drop is from aircraft not based at BRS it then it may be possible they feel they can get better yields from the aircraft flying to other destinations in Europe especially if BRS didn't lower Ryanair's charges and really Ryanair can't bully BRS like other airports because of it's large Easyjet base.

As I said, this time last year the situation was as it is now. It was only in the months from Oct 15 to Jan/Feb 16 that summer 16 was gradually increased in frequency on a number of routes . Ryanair have been doing this at BRS every year and probably at many other airports, and I will be surprised if summer 17 is not at least around the level of summer 16 by the time the full schedule is published. Even Faro might be increased in peak summer as it was last year but only some time after the initial programme was published.

If not and Ryanair is pulling back a bit at BRS it would make the airport more of an option for the likes of Jet2 or Norwegian.

Although easyJet has been fantastic for BRS it's always a danger in any business relying too much on a single customer. EXT is in thrall completely to Flybe for example.

 

[Jerry]

If not and Ryanair is pulling back a bit at BRS it would make the airport more of an option for the likes of Jet2 or Norwegian.

I'm surprised that Norwegian hasn't already dipped their toes into the BRS waters as they have plenty of bases in Europe to launch from. I wonder if due to the big Easyjet presence and Ryanair base if their is a lack of morning slots which may be hold Jet2 back from setting up a BRS base?

 

[Aviador]

I'm surprised that Norwegian hasn't already dipped their toes into the BRS waters as they have plenty of bases in Europe to launch from. I wonder if due to the big Easyjet presence and Ryanair base if their is a lack of morning slots which may be hold Jet2 back from setting up a BRS base?

I'm sure you're right there with regards to Jet2. The lack of European bases would make it difficult to utilise Bristol airport at quieter times. If Bristol is full during the morning rush, it will make it all but impossible for them to start a new operation from there. Ryanair on the other hand has an abundance of bases throughout the EU so it makes it easy for them to operate into UK airports during the quieter periods.

 

[Marko1]

I seem to remember a link to a job advert regarding a European airline looking to recruit for three uk airports serving over 6 million per annum. Given that since then bhx and Stn have had jet 2 bases announced Brs is the only one left in that category except Lhr and lgw not to be a jet 2 base. I think the time may be ripe for a third low cost airline paying particular attention to the eastern med where except charter services the west country/ Wales are poorly served in terms of choice and frequency. I cannot understand why there is no schedules to Rhodes or larnaca for example.

 

[Aviador]

Are there any plans to increase the slots at BRS? I assume the slot constraints are related to the airports night time quota?