Birmingham Airport - General Thread

[Matt995]

this is amusing, came across this photo on facebook today, only Birmingham can display flight information upside down!!!


View attachment 6474

 

[Kevin Farnell]

this is amusing, came across this photo on Social Media today, only Birmingham can display flight information upside down!!!


View attachment 6474

Perhaps its onward connections for an as yet un-announced Australia route

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

It appears that VisitLondonBritain have finally woken up to the fact that there is life outside of the M25 and have a three year partnership promoting our region to the world.

The first year will be aimed at the US market and it looks like a strong emphasis on Shakespeare and the Peak District. Lets hope that we see some success and it gives Primera a boost.



VisitBritain has announced a partnership with Birmingham and the surrounding areas to promote more of England’s regions to overseas visitors.

The three-year partnership is a joint initiative with Birmingham Airport, the West Midlands Growth Company, Shakespeare’s England and Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire.

Together, the organisations will market Birmingham and the surrounding areas to a global audience, convert inspiration to visit into bookings, and promote direct flights to the area. In the first year, the partnership will focus on the US market.

From stunning rural landscapes to cosmopolitan retail and world-class cultural gems, Birmingham and the partner destinations offer a wide range of experiences to overseas visitors.

VisitBritain Commercial Director Carol Dray said:

“Tourism is one of the UK’s most valuable export industries, worth £127 billion annually to the economy.

“Increasing regional connectivity not only makes it easier for visitors to see more of Britain, the West Midlands and the Peak District, it boosts economic growth, and helps keep us an attractive destination in this fiercely competitive global market.”

West Midlands Growth Company Director of Marketing and Communications Emma Gray said:

“Birmingham and its surrounding areas have become increasingly popular tourist destinations, attracting some 1.5 million international visitors in 2015.

“By working in partnership with our destination partners we will be in an even stronger position to attract more visitors to the region, increasing economic development and growth. We look forward to capitalising on the opportunities and benefits that this initiative will bring to the tourism industry in the future.”

Birmingham Airport’s Commercial Director Jo Lloyd said:

“We’re proud and excited to be working with partners on this gateway campaign to drive more visitors to the region over the next three years. England’s Heartland offers visitors everything they could possibly imagine - from adventure and history to culture and arts – and with new long haul low cost direct services commencing next summer, Birmingham Airport offers the perfect gateway for visitors ready to discover our vibrant cities, beautiful villages and rolling countryside.”

Birmingham Airport is the UK’s third largest airport outside of London and is the gateway to England’s Heartland. Next year, Primera Air will launch low fare direct flights into Birmingham from New York, Boston and Toronto in the US and Canada.

The US is Britain’s most valuable inbound visitor market and also one of its largest. Latest figures from VisitBritain show that there were 1.9 million visits from the US to the UK in the first six months of this year, a 31% increase on the same period last year. Visitors from the US spent £1.8 billion between January and June this year, a 28% increase on the same period last year.

VisitBritain’s forecast shows that overseas visits are expected to reach 39.7 million in 2017, up 6% on 2016 figures. Spending by overseas visitors is forecast to reach £25.7 billion, up 14% on 2016.

Tourism is worth £127 billion to the UK economy, creating jobs and boosting economic growth across its nations and regions.

https://www.visitbritain.org/visitbritain-announces-partnership-promote-regional-englands-heartland

 

[Brum X]

Great to see them selling the region in the US and Canada. We need bums on them seats.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there ray and all, all these named airlines China southern, Singapore Airlines, air Canada, Kenya air, all nippon air, ethiad air, Aeroflot, delta, virgin Atlantic, U A, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, that are flying onto Amsterdam, frankfurt, Berlin and Paris C D G. Are the above airlines that are due to depart bhx tomorrow morning between 06:00 am & 07:00 am, are they just using bhx as a stop over for fill up then to go onto the listed airports, then onto their further destinations and if so, is the airport charging them for landing fees at all. AndyC

 

[IanFarquharson]

Andy
All those airlines are at BHX everyday !
Called Air France, Lufthansa & KLM - code shares !!
Ian

 

[Jerry]

Hi there ray and all, all these named airlines China southern, Singapore Airlines, air Canada, Kenya air, all nippon air, ethiad air, Aeroflot, delta, virgin Atlantic, U A, Finnair, Cathay Pacific, that are flying onto Amsterdam, frankfurt, Berlin and Paris C D G. Are the above airlines that are due to depart bhx tomorrow morning between 06:00 am & 07:00 am, are they just using bhx as a stop over for fill up then to go onto the listed airports, then onto their further destinations and if so, is the airport charging them for landing fees at all. AndyC

There codeshares via the likes of KLM, Air France and Flybe. None of them fly directly from BHX they use partner airlines via hubs like AMS, CDG and FRA.

 

[Brum X]

BHX will be sponsoring the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham next year.

 

[Ray Finkle]

There are plans for a new 224 bed 'Moxy Hotel' at the NEC. Not directly airport related but the hotels in the area do seem to be used by airport and NEC customers.

 

[Aceshigh]

Is there any news in terms of whether the lost capacity has been filled ?

 

[Ray Finkle]

It won't be totally filled, I've heard that around 75-80% is a target, which seems sensible given the overcapacity that we saw this year.

Jet2 have lead the way by doubling capacity with four extra base aircraft next year (including an A321) and 15 new routes.

Primera have three based with rumours of a possible fourth if they can get hold of one. The two A321's are doing long haul so will only be doing one flight per day.

TUI have added another based aircraft and Thomas Cook are up with around 8 new routes between them.

Flybe have said that they are looking at using some of the Monarch slots at BHX/MAN so there may be more to come from them. There are rumours of a Blue Air based 738 but not heard anything concrete on that one. We are still to hear from Ryanair and with some of the rumours floating around it's going to be interesting to see what we end up with. There are other rumours such as Uzbekistan and a new route from BMIR to be announced soon.

Very early days but there is some interesting stuff being mentioned for 2019.

 

[Coathanger16]

Very early days but there is some interesting stuff being mentioned for 2019.

Just to confirm 2019.......or 2018?

 

[Ray Finkle]

2019.

As said it's very early days so it will be interesting to see what happens closer to the time.

 

[Barry Beeth]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-42306654

A positive Brum tale from Auntie, it seems...

 

[Silvercity]

Hi
I wondered if anyone had any news about Coventry Airport as it's up the road ?
I know Thomson had a flight operate from there once. I stopped there once en route from Liverpool to Guernsey on Air Corbiere, we took on some more passengers , it was a great flight but the aircraft name escapes me !!

 

[Ray Finkle]

I wondered if anyone had any news about Coventry Airport as it's up the road ?

It seems to be in steady decline with reported reduced opening hours and fire cover. There are reports on other forums of airport closures over the summer due to ATC shortages, this apparently resulted in some of the flying clubs relocate to Wellesbourne on certain weekends. West Atlantic recently relocated to EMA which I believe only leaves the GA stuff left.

It was around 2004 when Thomsonfly opened a Coventry base which peaked at 6 aircraft doing the usual sun and ski flights. Wizz Air also flew from CVT to Katowice and Gdansk. The terminal building was pretty much just a portakabin and with Warwick District Council declining initial permission for something more permanent it seemed to signal the beginning of the end. The planning battle became quite messy going as far as the High Court, this didn't seem to exactly inspire confidence in Thomsonfly and Wizz and by Nov 2008 all pax flights had stopped.

To the south of the airfield there is quite an extensive industrial hub so if the airport did ever close permanently there would be no shortage of buyers for the land. What was left of the temporary terminal building has now made way for manufacturing and distribution hub Imperial Park, which pretty much means that passenger flights are no longer an option for the future. Last year JLR expressed an interest in building an electric battery manufacturing plant on the airport site but as Coventry Council pointed out, the airport is in private hands so any negotiations would need to be held with the owners. Incidentally the current owners are Patriot Aviation which is part of the Rigby Group, as is XLR Jet Centres who recently bought corporate aviation facilities at BHX.

 

[58terminus]

It was around 2004 when Thomsonfly opened a Coventry base which peaked at 6 aircraft

And if i remember a lot of BHX enthusiasts were very p****d off about it and didn't feel much (any)? sympathy for their problems.
It may also have given BHX management the kick up the backside they needed back then.

 

[Silvercity]

Thanks for the CVT update, it's always a shame i think when an airport looses it's civil links/link. I think Coventry used to have Channel Islands flights , like airports like Staverton , Cambridge and Lydd. Talking of Lydd, anyone remember Hards Travel based in the Midlands which ran an air/ coach operation from both CVT and LYX. ? You flew to Beauvis then coach onwards to Spain. Their airline was called Janus Airways.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there ray and all, due to be officially announced tomorrow 21st December 2017, that Birmingham is due to be officially announced as hosts for Commonwealth Games in 2022...AndyC

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Hi there ray and all, due to be officially announced tomorrow 21st December 2017, that Birmingham is due to be officially announced as hosts for Commonwealth Games in 2022...AndyC

This was confirmed this afternoon on the BBC Tv News Channel.