Route Development & Rumours

[LichfieldBlue]

I hope this is the right thread if not apologies. I read an article this week about Breeze airlines a US carrier who are looking to establish a transatlantic network from east coast. They operate mainly from “second” cities in the US operating 2 class A220’s on thin routes. Possibly a good fit for BHX? The owner started Jet Blue so at least there’s some pedigree too

 

[laviation]

I think BHX-US will only work if it is to JFK and JFK only - disregarding Orlando charters, JetBlue are the best fit however seem uninterested unfortunately

 

[Timberwolf]

I hope this is the right thread if not apologies. I read an article this week about Breeze airlines a US carrier who are looking to establish a transatlantic network from east coast. They operate mainly from “second” cities in the US operating 2 class A220’s on thin routes. Possibly a good fit for BHX? The owner started Jet Blue so at least there’s some pedigree too

Tight on an A220 unless in low capacity seating condfig.

 

[Scania1800]

I think BHX-US will only work if it is to JFK and JFK only - disregarding Orlando charters, JetBlue are the best fit however seem uninterested unfortunately

The fact you keep saying “uninterested” is clear exaggeration, they clearly want to evaluate and see if BHX is a worthy market to go for

 

[laviation]

The fact you keep saying “uninterested” is clear exaggeration, they clearly want to evaluate and see if BHX is a worthy market to go for

Well from all the slides I’ve been shown I’ve not once seen BHX.
I would love to use other words but that one is most fitting sadly

 

[IanFarquharson]

Well from all the slides I’ve been shown I’ve not once seen BHX.
I would love to use other words but that one is most fitting sadly

I am sure JetBlue has BHX on its list as they will be talking to BHX.
The question is how far down the list BHX are ?

 

[laviation]

Yes indeed BHX probably have held talks with JetBlue .. although I would imagine most mid sized+ European airports have also done so

As previously stated the snipping of the XLR range is good for BHX as some airports will be ‘pushed out’ of the process

Out of the four destinations listed a few months ago for 2024-25, two have launched in 2024 (DUB & EDI)

Potentially scope for a third one in 2025 probably Barcelona or Milan etc

I like to think BHX should come once the ‘usual’ ones are ticked off, this may be a few years yet and as said there is no indication of B6 imminently launching it, but hopefully it will pull off.

 

[Timberwolf]

I am sure JetBlue has BHX on its list as they will be talking to BHX.
The question is how far down the list BHX are ?

If you remember they had a route map wish list just before Covid with dots on the map roughly over MAN and EDI nothing over Birmingham area.
Someone put a photo of this map up at the time.
Of course could have changed by now.


Certainly BHX best fit, especially as they are now flying their lower business class seating configs into LGW.Ideal for BHX.

 

[DarloPlaneBoy]

To be honest I get LHR, EDI maybe Glasgow but why does LGW need service to JFK to maybe for Low cost Airlines as I would consider LHR as the main airport the Premium Airport if you will for JFK to London and it is closer to Central London, Edinburgh is obviously popular with Americans to being the Scottish Capital, Glasgow to visit the Highlands. Birmingham as the 2nd City should be used to help LHR capacity it is ideally located in the middle of the country so if you live in London you can get a Train, Coach or drive not long to the Motorway and same for the North and East Midlands.

 

[gulftraveller]

LGW has a large catchment in its own right and does well on premium. I doubt JetBlue will launch GLA as well as EDI - a missed opportunity. So I guess the only other likely destination is MAN.

As for BHX helping LHR’s capacity, STN and LGW do that already.

 

[laviation]

LGW is on borrowed time once they acquire more slots at Heathrow it will likely be chopped.

 

[rollo]

laviation is spot on Heathrow is full, any slots that become available cost a fortune so Gatwick is the obvious second choice, countless airlines have transferred to LHR when they can.

The passenger flow from the West Midlands has always been south, can't see it ever changing to be honest.

NYC has been tried from BHX from the 1970s by BOAC, BA, Highland Express ( remember them) Continental/United and American only the latter seemed to make it work but company strategy changed concentrating on Heathrow I haven't evenm mentioned Primera as they were a bit of a joke.

 

[IanFarquharson]

laviation is spot on Heathrow is full, any slots that become available cost a fortune so Gatwick is the obvious second choice, countless airlines have transferred to LHR when they can.

The passenger flow from the West Midlands has always been south, can't see it ever changing to be honest.

NYC has been tried from BHX from the 1970s by BOAC, BA, Highland Express ( remember them) Continental/United and American only the latter seemed to make it work but company strategy changed concentrating on Heathrow I haven't evenm mentioned Primera as they were a bit of a joke.

A lot of Midlands pax also go to the 'Northern Gateway', BHX has a massive opportunity to clawback the leakage to the South and the North.
BHX only serves around 40% of it catchment !

 

[GliderPilot]

I joined this forum quite a long time ago now and it makes me sad that we end up having the same discussions over and over, back then we were discussing catchment areas and why its so hard to clawback services direct into BHX when its so well established just to use a service to the north or south of us. I still pray that the era of fuel efficient narrowbodies may finally see a more permanent transatlantic link for BHX. Only time will tell.

 

[Timberwolf]

laviation is spot on Heathrow is full, any slots that become available cost a fortune so Gatwick is the obvious second choice, countless airlines have transferred to LHR when they can.

The passenger flow from the West Midlands has always been south, can't see it ever changing to be honest.

NYC has been tried from BHX from the 1970s by BOAC, BA, Highland Express ( remember them) Continental/United and American only the latter seemed to make it work but company strategy changed concentrating on Heathrow I haven't evenm mentioned Primera as they were a bit of a joke.

Don't forget US Air ,as well..

 

[rollo]

Don't forget US Air ,as well..

I didn't but US Airways was to Pittsburgh or Philadelphia can't recall which but not NYC, either way it was another of the BHX specialty of one season wonders at the time lasting one shortened summer season.

The point I was trying to make was if New York hasn't worked I can't see any other US destinations succeeding Orlando excepted. As has been suggested the arrival of longer range narrowbodies with their economics are the best hope.

 

[DaveBham]

As I keep saying, lay on a decent airline with a decent aircraft and the passengers will come. United and certainly American had good loads both ways. The interior of the American though was a 757 that had seen better days, with tatty leather/faux leather seating in business class that had gone shiny from lots of use. You've got to do better than that.
Plenty of people in the midlands would rather do 500mph in the right direction rather than a 4hr round trip to and from Heathrow at 70mph in the wrong direction. I'm one of them.

 

[HPsauce]

I didn't but US Airways was to Pittsburgh or Philadelphia can't recall which but not NYC, either way it was another of the BHX specialty of one season wonders at the time lasting one shortened summer season.

That was always an odd choice by US Air to Philadelphia, but they had a major hub there for onward destinations in the States. Routes like that will struggle unless given the time and advertising to get it into people's minds.
I think it only lasted 5 months.

 

[Coathanger16]

To be honest I get LHR, EDI maybe Glasgow but why does LGW need service to JFK to maybe for Low cost Airlines as I would consider LHR as the main airport the Premium Airport if you will for JFK to London and it is closer to Central London, Edinburgh is obviously popular with Americans to being the Scottish Capital, Glasgow to visit the Highlands. Birmingham as the 2nd City should be used to help LHR capacity it is ideally located in the middle of the country so if you live in London you can get a Train, Coach or drive not long to the Motorway and same for the North and East Midlands.

After Heathrow, Gatwick has the second largest market to the USA of all UK airports. In fact the Gatwick to USA market is larger than the rest of the UK (minus Heathrow) to USA market combined.

Whilst previously Gatwick has been the go to airport for airlines that couldn't get into Heathrow, over the few years prior to Covid - and its getting a lot of it back now - the airport was developing a decent sized long haul market of its own. It's more of a leisure/lower yield market than Heathrow, but it's still a large market in its own right.

 

[mullion]

PHL is an important maqrket for the medical industry