Route Development & Rumours

[Ray Finkle]

Surprising they didn't big up Goa and Phuket - given all the song and dance made about a weekend BA Cityflyer E-jet these routes seem to have slipped through the net. As they are possible because of the runway extension it's puzzling there has been hardly any comment. Perhaps they are hanging back until nearer the time?

I feel the same. I can understand Goa as it's been served before but Phuket is our first ever direct flight into Thailand and probably the first route to really make use of the extension (those charters aside). It's funny though as even on here there was more fuss made about Vueling starting Orly than Thomson to Phuket?

Hopefully nearer the time?

 

[Butty]

I agree on the Phuket point. Major move in the right direction.

Regarding the runway, it will take time. It was built before the demand was adequate. For once the infrastructure is ahead of time. No-one said it would be easy.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Just bringing forward Ray's list
So next keys dates are 27-30 April which will see 6 more Jet 2 routes plus 2 Monarch
Then we are into May
Just need a few new ones to be added !

April

27th Jet2 - Ibiza
27th Jet2 - Rhodes

28th Monarch - Stockholm
28th Monarch - Porto
28th Jet2 - Girona

29th Jet2 - Menorca
29th Jet2 - Reus

30th Jet2 - Heraklion

May

2nd Thomas Cook - Naples

3rd Thomas Cook - Comiso

4th Thomas Cook - Malta

6th Thomson - Alghero

8th BMI Regional - Gothenburg

8th BMI Regional - Nuremberg

20th British Airways - Malaga

20th British Airways - Palma

20th British Airways - Ibiza

20th British Airways - Florence

21st Flybe - Preveza

June

6th Fly One - Chisinau

21st Monarch - Rhodes

22nd Monarch - Valencia

23rd Monarch - Naples

25th Monarch - Split

October

2nd Jet2 - Funchal

November

2nd Thomas Cook - Sal

3rd Jet2 - Krakow
3rd Jet2 - Prague

8th Thomson - Phuket

9th Thomson - Goa

22nd Thomson - La Romana

December

2nd Jet2 - Grenoble

22nd Jet2 - Geneva

23rd Jet2 - Salzburg

24th Jet2- Turin

 

[Matt995]

the Fly One service to Chisinau has now been put back to the 15th July, presumably due to late delivery of their A319 that is planned on the route.

 

[Paulsstrange]

Ian great post mate useful list as we move forward in the next 4 weeks thanks ....

 

[jfy1999]

I don't see Eurowings to Salzburg on that list?

With Jet2 and Thomson announcements coming up, hopefully we should be able to extend the list well into 2018

 

[Ray Finkle]

I don't see Eurowings to Salzburg on that list?

With Jet2 and Thomson announcements coming up, hopefully we should be able to extend the list well into 2018

There is an up to date list on the 2017 thread if someone could paste it across (I'm on my phone at the moment with the patchy countryside internet). Also maybe someone could add in the scheduled Freebird flight to Antalya?

 

[Ray Finkle]

As we've had some good news from Jet2 today it's probably a good time to remind ourselves of the next round of route launches.

Jet2 have Ibiza and Rhodes starting this Thursday, Girona starts on Friday, Menorca and Reus start on Saturday with Heraklion on Sunday.

Monarch have both Stockholm and Porto starting this Friday.

Going into May we have Thomas Cook start Naples next Tuesday, Comiso next Wednesday and Malta next Thursday. Next Friday sees Thomson bring back Alghero.

 

[Brum X]

Might head over to the airport this bank holiday (Weather permitting) to get a glimpse of a busy summer weekend at BHX, if its anything like last year it's going to be a busy weekend. I love the start of May, its the start of summer for me.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I like the beginning of May too. There is always the hope that the summer ahead will be the one that you remember fondly in your old age. It usually isn't but there is always hope for long periods of sunny and warm weather. May too is invariably the month when the summer charter flights begin in earnest across the country.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there ray and , any news on any big announcements for next year 2018 at all...Andyc

 

[davecleaver777]

Hi Andrew, Take a look at the Jet 2 thread that's a good one for starters.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there daveclever777, yes I have seen what jet2 have achieved so far and what they are planning for, very impressed and pleased with them, but what about the rest of all the other airlines based at birmingham , why aren't they also showing the same level of expansion as well and not just sitting on the fence being quiet, why don't emirates , Qatar, and some of the others all show the same enthusiasm and announce other new routes for other unserved areas that birmingham needs filling to get even more passengers using the airports services, thus increasing the airports passenger numbers from 12 million plus onwards and even further....Andyc

 

[Ray Finkle]

Hi Andy. It's still pretty early in 2017 yet but I think that we're holding up quite well so far.

Thomas Cook have announced 3 new routes including 2 not served this summer.

Jet2 have 10 new routes with two more based aircraft. Another is doing 10 away based flights which is almost as many as a 7th based.

Thomson have no new routes but considering how many of their other bases have suffered quite bad cuts I think we've done well to maintain a small increase.

Emirates are showing signs of a slow down and recent words from Tim Clark have been worrying. BHX should end up 2x daily A388 which won't be so bad.

Qatar have been quite vocal recently about how well BHX is doing both in terms of pax and cargo. It seems as if they will be in growth mode for 2018 so we may see something. We want expansion to be sustainable though and only come when the time is right, see Emirates for adding 'too much too soon'.

Monarch have 'S18 coming soon' on their website so it should be in the next few weeks. They don't always add new routes straight away so if we are to see something new it may be further along the line.

Ryanair have only just released winter so I wouldn't expect 2018 for a few months.

If we are to see any new airlines for 2018 then I imagine we'd hear the details towards the second half of this year, announcements generally seem to come from Sept/Oct onwards although they can be earlier.

I think 2018 won't be without it's challenges but so far we seem to be holding our own

 

[Frankie4]

Any chance of any new Long Haul routes being announced?
I would really love to see Westjet or Air Canada Rouge start routes to Toronto or Vancouver

 

[Brum X]

A very good roundup Ray

Any chance of any new Long Haul routes being announced?
I would really love to see Westjet or Air Canada Rouge start routes to Toronto or Vancouver

I really hope so, I remember something Tom Screen said in 2016 very well. "2018 should be very interesting indeed" What he meant by that is anyone's guess but it keeps the suspense.

Yeah i would love to see the above airlines at BHX too.

 

[jfy1999]

Looking at FR24 I can see at least four new routes starting today

Jet2 - Girona
Jet2 - Ibiza
Monarch - Porto
Monarch - Stockholm

 

[Ray Finkle]

Jet2 also start Menorca, Reus and Heraklion over the weekend

 

[Brum X]

Jet2 also start Menorca, Reus and Heraklion over the weekend

We are now going into the proper summer season, Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Ray Finkle]

We are now going into the proper summer season, Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Time then to move on to May

2nd - Thomas Cook to Naples

3rd - Thomas Cook to Comiso, exclusive to Birmingham for TCX.

4th - Thomas Cook to Malta.

6th - Thomson bring back Alghero.

8th - Gothenburg returns.

8th - Nuremberg from BMIR

Flybe start their usual charters to Kefalonia, Preveza and Salzburg and BACF start their flights.