Birmingham: Turkish Airlines Flight Status, Hub News & Discussion

[User0001]

It is slightly odd not to just go for the full 14 weekly, for the sake of 2 flights.

However, when you look at TK expansion, there are lots of routes that see random numbers like 13 weekly, 15 weekly and so on. There must be some tight aircraft utilisations for random frequencies.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Good to see an increase from TK, but if im being honest its a bit irritating they could not of gone upto 14 weekly, however it is better than nothing.

Ray is not going to be happy though, i get a sense he is not a happy bunny today.

Yeah it's been a bit of a rough day

I'm happy with this and 14 weekly won't be far away. Turkish have shown steady progress since they have arrived and more importantly have the amazing ability to match the aircraft to the loads at the time. I mean this year alone BHX will have seen 737-700/800/900, A319, A320, A321 and A330-300. As long as there are more upgrades than downgrades, which there generally, are then I'm happy.

 

[Brum X]

Good to see an increase from TK, but if im being honest its a bit irritating they could not of gone upto 14 weekly, however it is better than nothing.

Ray is not going to be happy though, i get a sense he is not a happy bunny today.

Yeah it's been a bit of a rough day

I'm happy with this and 14 weekly won't be far away. Turkish have shown steady progress since they have arrived and more importantly have the amazing ability to match the aircraft to the loads at the time. I mean this year alone BHX will have seen 737-700/800/900, A319, A320, A321 and A330-300. As long as there are more upgrades than downgrades, which there generally, are then I'm happy.

Hope you have a relaxing chilled evening mate :coco: :coco: :coco: :coco: :coco: :coco:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Just a reminder that tomorrow's (19th Dec) TK1967/1968 is due to be operated by an A330-300. I'm at work but I'm hoping for a glimpse.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Turkish expansion has been bought forwards three months, BHX will now be 12 weekly from March 29th rather than June 23rd

 

[Ray Finkle]

This year Turkish were up 8% for Jan-Dec on 2013

“In 2014, we saw our passenger numbers increase by 8% from January to December, compared to the same period in 2013.

Turkish Airlines to Expand Operation

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I wonder if anyone knows the rough percentage of passengers from BHX who fly on with Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to more distant destinations and the countries that see the majority of these passengers. I'm asking the same question in the MAN Turkish thread.

 

[Ray Finkle]

As far as I'm aware it's well upwards of 50% connecting but I can't find anything official.

From BHX the sub continent is obviously very popular particularly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and there are the East Asian destinations. Africa seems quite popular too, I know several people who regularly use them to Cape Town and the say there are often alot of people connecting onto the same flights.

Sorry I can't find anything more official but it's not very often Turkish comment on this sort of thing.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I wonder if anyone knows the rough percentage of passengers from BHX who fly on with Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to more distant destinations and the countries that see the majority of these passengers. I'm asking the same question in the MAN Turkish thread.

I came across this article which could give an idea, although it's only for the Easter holidays it may be a snapshot of the overall picture.

The Birmingham team from Turkish Airlines, voted Europe’s best Airline by Skytrax, has revealed where the public are jetting off to this Easter to seek out some sunshine before the great British springtime finally appears.

Most popular Easter destinations from Birmingham;
1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2. Istanbul, Turkey
3. Cape Town, South Africa
4. Doha, Qatar
5. Tokyo, Japan
6. Delhi, India
7. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8. Mombasa, Kenya

Full article: http://www.incentivetravel.co.uk/news/a ... am-airport

 

[thunderchild]

Mombasa? I thought that was still a no go zone for Brits?

 

[Ray Finkle]

I thought the same. Possibly expats travelling home for the holidays?

Latest update: Summary – the FCO now advise against all but essential travel to within 15km of the coast from the Tana River down to and including Tiwi; this area includes Mombasa Island, Moi International Airport (including transit through the airport), Malindi, Kilifi and Watamu

Source: FCO Travel Advice https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kenya

 

[nwoody2001]

FINALLY...

Turkish increase from 12x weekly to 2x daily at during March 2016... great to finally see after all his time.

 

[Daza]

Great news! It's not yet showing on their website.

 

[User001]

Is the news in a press release somewhere?

It's just the Turkish website and all other booking platforms still show 12 weekly, with 1 daily on Tue/Wed still.

That said, this news is long overdue, I've failed to understand why TK stuck at 12 weekly rather than just adding a full 2 daily schedule.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Good news if true.

 

[nwoody2001]

Apparently it comes from the station manager. IT has been formally announced internally and a press release is due when they switch from the S15 to W15 season... so I the next few weeks...

 

[Ray Finkle]

Good stuff :good:

I heard that they wanted double daily last year but aircraft scheduling and constraints at IST meant it didn't happen. Next step is to build up to an all A321 operation :good:

 

[User001]

Hmm, I don't quite buy the scheduling issues excuse.

They have started so many new routes at decent frequencies, that I don't believe a meagre 2 weekly flight to BHX couldn't be fit in?

When they can summon an A330 last minute to run a flight, and increase other destinations without any fanfare and run many many charter flights, then I don't think adding a 2 weekly flight to BHX would have been an issue.

It's great they are finally adding the final 2 flights to make it 2 daily, but I just don't buy that excuse at all.

 

[Ray Finkle]

That's your opinion and you are entitled to it but whilst adding '2 meagre weekly flights' may seem simple to us, when you have an network as complex and extensive as Turkish has, operating into an airport that is creaking at the seams, it can be a real headache.

They operate to 280 destinations worldwide all of which will be vying for growth, BHX has had to wait it's turn and now it looks as if it is here. If IST had another two runways and Turkish had a load of 738's lying around then double daily would have happened last year, that's not the way it is though but I'm glad we're there now.

 

[User001]

Ray,

My point was, if the schedules were as tight as lead to believe, and the runways at IST were as constrained as enough to say 'we simply cannot add those 2 flights to BHX', then how are all those charters added at relatively short notice?

You only have to look at the number of TK33** codes to see that there are plenty of them.

If you were constrained as they say they are, then that number of last minute additions should in theory, be rarely possible.

Then there are the number of extra flights added with little fanfare. Just this winter, TK have managed to muster up enough aircraft to run an extra 5 flights to MAN, as originally the TK1491/2 was not due to run. It increased to 18 weekly. Then, even later, changed to 19 weekly.

So, clearly they do have the aircraft, those routes and charters are not utilising thin air.

At the end of the day, there are just some rumours, good or bad, that you just have to unleash the bulls**t button.