Route Development & Rumours

[Jon Dempsey]

Looks like the legacy airlines are being caught off-guard.

They are still trying to prevent the ME3 from providing services from Europe to the US and now, the LoCo's are eyeing the transatlantic market.

I appreciate there are pax who will stick with the old guard and the old saying about filling the front paying for the flight, but by the same measure, the profit is in filling the back.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I've had a feeling about Westjet for a while, I don't think we'll see them next year (although I'd love to) but I wouldn't be surprised to see an announcement for them to start in 2017.

As said on the other thread I can see even more reason for EK to upgrade now and fight back with the 'A380 factor'.

The biggest concern for me is Air India. They don't exactly have the best reputation amongst their customers (although it seems to be improving). With Qatar's connections to India and Amritsar in particular I think it could prove popular. I wonder if this is why they have been to Delhi twice recently, to smooth things over.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Good point about Emirates Ray. Talking of smoothing over, have you noticed the airport website is smothered with photos of Dubai on the day that Doha is announced!!

As far as Air India is concerned, a good friend of mine couldn't give a toss who he flies with as long as the price is right.

 

[Brum X]

Westjet would be a great addition to BHX and i think this is defo a possibility in the near future.


With regards Air India, well they have had enough time now at BHX to get there loyal customers, as we have said in the past BHX is not a charity so they will have to up there game. Simples.

The Qatar news will defo make EK move now, i expect an announcement in the next few weeks Re: A380.



The most exciting bit and hopefully we get some flights to China, our pier will have 1 more big plane every day. How will they fit that in ???????

 

[nwoody2001]

Regarding EK, I believe Friday 18th December marks the Emirates 15th Anniversary at BHX, and what better way to make the event by announcing the arrival of the A380... I have no evidence on which to base this, im just saying!!

 

[Brum X]

So BHX now has only x 3 (MAJOR) european capitals unserved, Lisbon, Oslo and Stockholm, i know there are more capital cities, but these are big 3 currently missing. Is it possible that BHX could have all of these cities on the departure boards for 2016 ?????



I really think it is ???????

 

[Brum X]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm maybe x 4 ( I have included Vienna) ????????

 

[Ray Finkle]

With a CRJ I think Stockholm would be viable for SAS to try again. Oslo is perfect for Norwegian and it links BHX up with all their network. Lisbon could be a nice route for a based loco (despite all the good news I still think we need another one) but TAP have the added extra of connections to South America. Vienna has seen a decent amount of expansion to the UK lately, I'm not convinced we'll see Austrian next year, maybe an announcement at the end of 2016 for a 2017 start.

Added extras - I'd like to see Wizz add Sofia, they start it from BRS in Jan but both airports will see WAW so there is hope. I'd also love for them to start Riga and possibly Lublin and Wroclaw. Pisa/Florence would also be great, Flybe did well but had issues with the sector length, maybe one for the future from the Vueling base at Florence. I think Rome could also do with a bit more, Monarch have it too easy. There is also the likes of Gothenburg, Bilbao, Valencia, Basle and Helsinki, all probably less likely though.

It may have become forgotten due to recent events but Norwegian start their two new routes next week. Tenerife starts on Monday 2nd (every Mon and Fri) and Las Palmas starts on Fri 6th (weekly on a Fri) :smile:

 

[nwoody2001]

Well having seen PK's letter and with them having announced 2 new airlines, (or 13 new flights a week, or up to 5,380 pax a week or up to 280,000 pax annually!!!) it does indeed seem that they have worked hard to reduce the cost base of BHX and as such reduce fees at the airport. It appears PK and his team have been putting all their efforts into getting new routes and airlines in, but the past 12 months have been crazy which suggests to me something bigger must have changed... and this must have been the fees!!!

consequently, airlines I would have discounted in the past as not interested in BHX I think are now fare game....

who would have thought BHX would have Ryanair, Easyjet, Norwegian, Wizz and Vuelling at the airport, and with the exception of Easyjet, all of them are growing. And after years of rumours, we now have AA, Qatar all on board...

granted this is a little bit of a ramble, but when we talk about what is possible, im starting to think anything is possible. As PK often says, airlines take notice of growing airports. Success breeds success, and in reality, how much more success could we ask for? Yes we could have a new European loco base producing 1,000,000 new pax a year and not attracted a single other airline, but how does that grab the attention of a far east carrier?! I suspect an airport that able to attract circa 10-15 new international airlines in 18 months is a lot more likely to perk interest... surely???

 

[Ray Finkle]

Totally agree :good:

but the past 12 months have been crazy which suggests to me something bigger must have changed... and this must have been the fees!!!

One big thing that has changed is the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan purchasing Victorian Funds Management Corporations stake in BHX, this went through at the end of last year, just as things really started to take off. The OTPP also own BRS and are making a significant investment in the infrastructure there, maybe they realised that the BHX fees were holding growth back and have acted accordingly?

I don't know what happens at executive board level but if you read the transcript from Julian Knight MP he says that it was clear from his meeting with OTPP that they want flights to the far east. One of the first steps to achieving that is proving that BHX can handle multiple flights to large hubs, which is where the expansion from EK, TK and now QR comes in. If all can succeed alongside PK and AI then more airlines will start to take notice?

All pure speculation of course :smile:

 

[Kevin Farnell]

but the past 12 months have been crazy which suggests to me something bigger must have changed... and this must have been the fees!!!

My thinking too! It's often said that airports provide 'sweeteners' to airlines to introduce new routes. These 'sweeteners' gradually reduce over time until the airline pays the 'full fare' costs, unless they re-negotiate their terms.
If BHX have lowered the initial costs, I hope that the 'full fare' costs also remain competitive with other local airports. If this is the case, would Easyjet think again?

As PK often says, airlines take notice of growing airports.

This is something else that I've been thinking about. In reaching 10 Million annual passengers, has BHX achieved a 'critical mass'. I.E. does this figure trigger the 'radar' of airlines to the potential of that city/airport?

Great credit to Mr Kehoe and the BHX team for all of their hard work over the past few years to bring these new services to fruition. Now if only they'd realise what the benefit of a first class viewing facility does for promotion of the airport and routes to the local population.

Kevin

 

[DaveBham]

With all this talk of needing TAP to access South America, I once flew from Buenos Aires to London, and it was via Madrid with Iberia (worst airline I've ever flown with!)- an airport that we will now have 2 airlines serving.

So while I accept that to access Brazil, TAP would be useful, they're not the only option in town for accessing South America.

 

[nwoody2001]

Agreed....

When I lived in Newcastle a few years ago, I flew Heathrow - Madrid - Buenos Aires and then Rio - Madrid - Heathrow back. The was the cheaper option and beat TAP by quite a margin at the time. That said the flight from Madrid - Buenos Aires was something akin to 13-14 hours, included 3 meals (2 of which being cheese and ham sandwiches) and only had IFE systems in the central aisle... it was horrific and a vowed never to fly long haul with Iberia again. That was in 2008, so I really hope their service has improved!!!

 

[nwoody2001]

Agreed....

When I lived in Newcastle a few years ago, I flew Heathrow - Madrid - Buenos Aires and then Rio - Madrid - Heathrow back. The was the cheaper option and beat TAP by quite a margin at the time. That said the flight from Madrid - Buenos Aires was something akin to 13-14 hours, included 3 meals (2 of which being cheese and ham sandwiches) and only had IFE systems in the central aisle... it was horrific and a vowed never to fly long haul with Iberia again. That was in 2008, so I really hope their service has improved!!!

 

[DaveBham]

Agreed....

When I lived in Newcastle a few years ago, I flew Heathrow - Madrid - Buenos Aires and then Rio - Madrid - Heathrow back. The was the cheaper option and beat TAP by quite a margin at the time. That said the flight from Madrid - Buenos Aires was something akin to 13-14 hours, included 3 meals (2 of which being cheese and ham sandwiches) and only had IFE systems in the central aisle... it was horrific and a vowed never to fly long haul with Iberia again. That was in 2008, so I really hope their service has improved!!!

Ha my experience was very similar with Iberia. It was a 747, and the service was basically Cheese and Ham rolls, which they threw at you, once at the start of the flight, and again towards the end. My reading light was broken, the IFE was showing kids films in spanish for half the flight. And if you wanted a drinkie, you had to go up and ask, with a complimentary eye roll from the stewardesses for interrupting their important conversation. I've never been so glad to see BA in all my life!

 

[richard winterbourn]

I take the point about Iberia. But of the others TAP from Lisbon is the best in my opinion either for IFE or comfort. I have also found the Portuguese speaking cabin crew very helpful with info about Rio. I regularly travel BHX to Rio and then on to Goiania, but sadly without TAP in BHX i am either forced to go to MAN and Heathrow or choose KLM/Air France via Amsterdam or Paris - both of which add at least one hour to the journey time.

Come on TAP, read what people are telling you....

 

[nwoody2001]

what is this, a day this week we have not heard any new announcements at BHX? I'm board..... :O(

 

[Ray Finkle]

Whilst not a public announcement it's been said elsewhere that Flybe to Rotterdam has been announced internally, the frequency looks good :smile:

 

[nwoody2001]

so I have heard....

Rotterdam 12x weekly (2x daily Mon-Fri, 1x daily Sat-Sun)... internally announced... could this relate to the rumoured extra based aircraft?

 

[Ray Finkle]

With 10 or so departures per day to AMS I wouldn't have put Rotterdam at 12 weekly, it will hopefully be business friendly though so they may be after higher yields rather than higher numbers.

If we do get another based aircraft then I assume there will be more frequency increases, or dare I say another new route, to plug the gaps?