Route Development & Rumours

[User001]

Birmingham is on a roll!

Is this one of the most successful periods for new routes in a long time?

I can't think the last time you had this many routes from so many different airlines in such a short space of time?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Are Vueling starting Palma as well? From all the talk it seemed like they'd be flying to Ibiza instead. I suppose the asterisk means it hasn't been officially confirmed?

It was said, with some authority, that BHX was to see no new routes from Vueling. Alicante was obviously then added.

Palma, Ibiza and Florence have all been rumoured in various circles but I think it's best to wait and see what happens :smile:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Updated again to include Blue Air. I've also added Antwerp which starts on Monday, a 3x weekly F50 may not be the most glamorous of new services but it's a decent little route and every pax helps :smile:

Taken from S16 so times until then can be different.

Mon

ALC VY1394/5 in 07:50 out 08:30 – NEW SERVICE
CFU FR8061/2 in 07:55 out 08:20
MAD I23708/9 in 10:00 out 10:35 – NEW SERVICE
ANR VG171/2 in 12:05 out 14:30 - NEW SERVICE
BCN VY8752/3 in13:20 out 14:05
PRG OK??? in 17:00 out 17:40 - NEW SERVICE
AGP D85006/7 in 17:45 out 18:25


Tue

WAW W61321/2 in 12:10 out 12:40 – NEW SERVICE
OTP OB151/3 in 16:30 out 17:45 - NEW SERVICE
POZ W61907/8 in 21:15 out 21:45 – NEW SERVICE

Wed

OTP W63019/20x in 07:05 out 07:35 – NEW SERVICE
ANR VG171/2 in 12:05 out 14:30 - NEW SERVICE
BUD W62217/8 in 12:25 out 12:55 – NEW SERVICE
ALC VY1394/5 in 14:10 out 14:50 – NEW SERVICE
BCN VY8752/3 in 16:50 out 17:35
MAD I23708/9 in 17:00 out 17:35 – NEW SERVICE
PRG OK??? in 17:00 out 17:40 - NEW SERVICE

Thur

MAD D86058/9 in 10:20 out 10:50
WAW W61321/2 in 12:10 out 12:40 – NEW SERVICE
BCN VY8752/3 in 14:20 out 15:05
LPA D85856/7 in 16:30 out 17:10 – NEW SERVICE
PRG OK??? in 18:50 out 19:30 - NEW SERVICE
BCN D85506/7 in 20:00 out 20:30




Fri

ALC VY1394/5 in 07:50 out 08:30 – NEW SERVICE
MAD I23708/9 in 10:00 out 10:35 – NEW SERVICE
ANR VG171/2 in 12:05 out 14:30 - NEW SERVICE
BCN VY8752/3 in 12:00 out 12:45
PRG OK??? in 17:00 out 17:40 - NEW SERVICE
AGP D85006/7 in 17:45 out 18:25
TFS D86406/7 in 18:35 out 19:15 – NEW SERVICE

Sat

CFU FR8061/2 in 07:55 out 08:20
OTP OB151/2 in 09:15 out 10:00 - NEW SERVICE
AGP D85006/7 in 08:45 out 09:25
WAW W61321/2 in 12:10 out 12:40 – NEW SERVICE
POZ W61907/8 in 21:15 out 21:45 – NEW SERVICE

Sun

OTP W63019/20 x in 07:05 out 07:35 – NEW SERVICE
MAD D86058/9 in 10:20 out 10:50
BCN D85506/7 in 10:15 out 10:50
BCN VY8752/3 in 12:30 out 13:15
BUD W62217/8 in 12:25 out 12:55 – NEW SERVICE
MAD I23708/9 in 17:00 out 17:35 – NEW SERVICE
PRG OK????? in 20:00 out 20:40 - NEW SERVICE

 

[Ray Finkle]

The line below is from an interview with Kirstin Kane

Kane said the facility has seen seven airlines, including Icelandair and Norwegian, commence operations in Bitmingham this year, while another one is soon to be announced.

https://www.ttgmedia.com/news/news/elit ... rowth-1101

The article is dated 03/10/15 but it really depends on when the actual interview was. Blue Air were announced on 30/09/15 so if the interview was before that date then it could be them, if not then we are due another

 

[Ray Finkle]

The above conference was 02 - 05 October so it started two days after Blue Air was announced, although there is nothing official about them on the BHX website yet.

Other sources have suggested that Blue Air was already mentioned and there is hopefully one more to come in the near future. As it's an article about long haul it would be nice if it was a long haul route.

Fingers crossed :smile:

 

[justplanecrazy]

If we are due another who do you think it could be?

 

[Ray Finkle]

I'm not sure.

If it is to be long haul then Qatar immediately spring to mind, that would also tie in with Mr Pearson saying they were 'in talks with a number of airlines from Africa and the Middle East and were close to agreeing terms with at least one'. There are one or two that may be an outside bet, Westjet possibly.

If it's short haul then I'd be very happy with either TAP or Czech Airlines.

According to Twitter Africaada have apparently had their aircraft for four months and are waiting for government approvals

They also said 'Aircrafts are state of art and certainly newer than any of the aircrafts competing in our hub. So we are positive!'

 

[jfy1999]

Meanwhile we have VLM starting Antwerp tomorrow :s_thumbsup

Hope that does really well. I can't remember the last time we had flights to any destination in the Low Countries besides Amsterdam and Brussels.

I think it was rumoured on here that Flybe wanted to start Rotterdam, I wonder if anything has materialised there yet.

I hope Qatar do have plans for BHX. The phrase "at least one" is really encouraging. I'm a little disappointed that no airlines have been openly named or suggested as targets for the route developments team. They must like to take us by surprise

 

[nwoody2001]

Well all I know is that what ever BHX is doing, I hope they continue with the good work. In the last 12-18th months, BHX have announce the following NEW airlines into BHX which weren't around in 2014. Ok there are other airports growing faster than us, but I cant remember the last time BHX attracted such growth.

American Airlines
Blue Air
Hainan Airlines
Iberian Express
Icelandair
Norwegian Air Shuttle
VLM Airlines
Vueling
Wizz Air

I cant wait to see what passanger growth we achieve over the winter months and into next year with the above airlines continuing, growing and hopefully expanding, but even with all the above, but even with the above, I suspect that is growth of circa 350,000-450,000 seats. If BHX wants to head towards the 11m mark, we still nee a lot more, a major expansion plan from an existing carrier, a new high frequency long-haul route, or even a base...

let wait, see and look forward to seeing what, I hope, BHX has to reveal...

 

[Ray Finkle]

A Norwegian base would be fantastic but with Cork now proving that a base isn't necessary for long haul, I don't think it's 'essential' anymore? I do hope we get a Scandinavian destination or two at least.

I read today that 2016 will be the 400th anniversary of Shakespeares death. Apparently there is a year long series of events planned across the region, hopefully this will help attract an expanded series of flights to China next year.

 

[User001]

I'm pretty sure the article refers to blue air.

As said, blue air haven't officially been announced, and the original quite said 'seven new airlines with one more to be announced soon'. Blue air is number 8 so must be them.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there ray and all, all the above new carriers is good, but Birmingham has to keep these carriers on board and hopefully they will in the next 12 months to 2 years, further expansion from each one is needed to hit the 11 million bracket and then push for 12,13,14,15 and so on, but also what Birmingham needs also to do is try and get other big carriers in, with other choices of destinations to make the airport, even more attractive to use and fly from, by dropping it's £1:00 drop off zone fee, this is not helping it's business at all, if other airports aren't doing it, why should Birmingham be doing it, questions need to be arranged about the ridiculous money making policy that Kehoe brought in. The other large carriers that Birmingham needs to attract is delta, Virgin, if you look at how many routes or destinations that delta operates from Atlanta airport at present, virtually every state or town is covered by delta..wow that's something to consider... Andyc

 

[nwoody2001]

Well according to PK on twitter, when asked if we can be expected another announcement to come, he responded '...We are still working on it' which indeed suggests this is 'new' news... so yet another case of watch this space!!!!

 

[jfy1999]

Hi there ray and all, all the above new carriers is good, but Birmingham has to keep these carriers on board and hopefully they will in the next 12 months to 2 years, further expansion from each one is needed to hit the 11 million bracket and then push for 12,13,14,15 and so on, but also what Birmingham needs also to do is try and get other big carriers in, with other choices of destinations to make the airport, even more attractive to use and fly from, by dropping it's £1:00 drop off zone fee, this is not helping it's business at all, if other airports aren't doing it, why should Birmingham be doing it, questions need to be arranged about the ridiculous money making policy that Kehoe brought in. The other large carriers that Birmingham needs to attract is delta, Virgin, if you look at how many routes or destinations that delta operates from Atlanta airport at present, virtually every state or town is covered by delta..wow that's something to consider... Andyc

I have to agree the drop & go tariff is a real pain in the backside. We used to be able to park there every time we went to the airport, but for the past few years we've had to play here-we-go-round-the-mulberry-bush with the BHX car parks. I wouldn't be surprised if over the years we've used every single car park in the vicinity of BHX. I can't think of one that we haven't parked in

I think some people, myself included, must be puzzled by the landing charges situation. We've had eight new carriers start, mostly LCCs, but no expansion from airlines like Air Transat who said it was too expensive to add any more flights, but they almost certainly would if it was cheaper. So you have to wonder whether BHX has just offered the new airlines a good deal, and whether that deal will expire soon?

Delta would be a very nice addition. I don't know a lot about US domestic flights but it seems like their network is even bigger than United and American? With New York served by UA and AA, and probably by Norwegian too come 2020, I think it would be much better for BHX to have flights to their main hub at Atlanta. I don't know why they exchanged Atlanta for JFK at Manchester, but you'd think ATL would be first to have new Delta routes to any airport.

I think BHX would have to do something very special to get Virgin. I'm not sure why they don't like the idea of flying here. Right now Norwegian are our best bet.

 

[User001]

Delta swapped ATL for JFK at MAN due to Virgin taking over the ATL route, so DL started JFK to boost capacity.

 

[Ray Finkle]

by dropping it's £1:00 drop off zone fee, this is not helping it's business at all, if other airports aren't doing it, why should Birmingham be doing it, questions need to be arranged about the ridiculous money making policy that Kehoe brought in.

It's a sign of the times unfortunately. Peoples ever growing thirst for cheap flights lead the airlines to drive even harder bargains with the airports and handling agents, this needs to be recouped from somewhere and little charges here and there go some way towards that. It was only a year or two ago that for the first time ever revenue from airline charges wasn't the airports primary source of income. If we want an ever growing loco network alongside terminal expansion then we're just going to have to put up with the departure lounge resembling a retail centre and little charges here and there.

So you have to wonder whether BHX has just offered the new airlines a good deal, and whether that deal will expire soon?

That is a very good point. I've said before that getting the airlines in is only the very first part of the story, you then have to a) keep them and b) help them grow. It's been an incredible 12 months for BHX but if in 18-24 months we're seeing all these new services scale back or be dropped then it will have been pointless.

Well according to PK on twitter, when asked if we can be expected another announcement to come, he responded '...We are still working on it' which indeed suggests this is 'new' news... so yet another case of watch this space!!!!

Internal communication seems to indicate that there should be another new airline.

 

[Hassaan]

Is the Emirates A380 rumour looking likely, or likely to stay a rumour? I'd love to see Qatar start up here but it's easier said than done.

 

[Hassaan]

I think BHX would have to do something very special to get Virgin. I'm not sure why they don't like the idea of flying here. Right now Norwegian are our best bet.

Maybe it's a regional thing, given they have bases at Gatwick and also fly out of Heathrow, Manchester and so on - they probably think it's too close either way. I don't think they see any financial benefit.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

hi there ray and all, as Mr Kehoe in the past has stressed that Birmingham now has the capacity to deal with up to 27 million passengers now runway extension is here, as Birmingham has only just slightly just hit the 10 million plus bracket, to get that 27 million that he reckons can be achieved by 2030, some 15 years from now, so he should get all his management experience skills together and contact delta airlines, and give them the same type of deal that Manchester has with them, this will then open the door for hub airport at Atlanta, which is what Birmingham needs to get continuous growth, by persuading delta on board, with all there connections in the US, this is an ideal situation to have and to utilize, also remember that delta are also in partnership with virgin atlantic , so this might make them sit up and watch happens and maybe persuade them also to hop on board the band wagon at Birmingham, and make them realise that there's more to life than heathrow ...we look forward to any developing areas....andyc

 

[jfy1999]

hi there ray and all, as Mr Kehoe in the past has stressed that Birmingham now has the capacity to deal with up to 27 million passengers now runway extension is here, as Birmingham has only just slightly just hit the 10 million plus bracket, to get that 27 million that he reckons can be achieved by 2030, some 15 years from now, so he should get all his management experience skills together and contact delta airlines, and give them the same type of deal that Manchester has with them, this will then open the door for hub airport at Atlanta, which is what Birmingham needs to get continuous growth, by persuading delta on board, with all there connections in the US, this is an ideal situation to have and to utilize, also remember that delta are also in partnership with virgin atlantic , so this might make them sit up and watch happens and maybe persuade them also to hop on board the band wagon at Birmingham, and make them realise that there's more to life than heathrow ...we look forward to any developing areas....andyc

I second that.

The only snag is, I still don't think our terminal facilities are adequate to cope with 18 mppa, never mind 27 mppa. Look at MAN--they need three terminals to handle 22-23 mppa.

The question is, which should we do first--expand to show potential customers that we have the capacity available, or keep getting new airlines and not expand till the terminal is jammed?

Regarding Delta, I think you make a good point about the partnership. I really hope Mr Kehoe doesn't rest on his laurels and think, "Oh, we've got United and American, I think that'll do". And to be fair I don't think he is doing that--he just has his sights set on airlines other than Delta. Norwegian for example.

But there's no reason why 4x or 5x weekly to Atlanta shouldn't work, if they can get it off the ground. It's the old "sandwich" of MAN and LHR that's proving the biggest hurdle to getting any new long haul airlines, especially from the Americas.