Primera Air

[Coathanger16]

Question is does the fault lie with Primera for running before they could walk or Airbus for not delivering on time?

I'm really not sure to be honest, although I think both are partially to blame.

Should Primera have launched such an ambitious network when they didn't have the aircraft delivered already?

If Airbus had told Primera that their aircraft would be delivered in time to launch these routes, why would Primera believe and hence plan otherwise?

My biggest concern at this stage is if Primera wait launching TATL again from BHX until they have all their A321NEOs delivered, where the aircraft go once they are delivered. No use having them sit around doing nothing, Primera are only going to make money off them by flying them. If they base them out of STN/CDG, I can see them keeping them there and not bothering with BHX altogether.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Question is does the fault lie with Primera for running before they could walk or Airbus for not delivering on time?

I agree. Surely if it' the fault of Airbus not delivering on time then penalties could subsidise replacement aircraft until the new ones are delivered? Unless of course the agreement primera took didn't include that backup

 

[Brummiegem]

Before anyone can say who is to blame,if that is what it is coming down to,then can anyone here say for definite that Airbus have not kept their customers in the loop.
I would have thought as a manufacturer they would give periodic updates as to how the new aircraft program is going,and delivery schedules.
Also it is not difficult to find out where certain aircraft are on the production line,or even flight testing.Skyscrapercity,which I know some of you are aware of is very informative with regards to aircraft production.There are other sites as well.
You should also all remember the Boeing 787 problems when it first came into service. In fact some of those problems are still ongoing.Something our own MAEL is benefitting from.

As an airline starting new services from no less than 3 different bases,then surely you would seek some guarantee that deliveries will be something at least close to what was discussed when the aircraft were ordered.If not then alternatives would need to be put in place,sooner rather than later.
All rather simplistic don’t you think,but it would be interesting to know what the original agreement between the 2 parties was.Of course a lot of that won’t be for public consumption.
We will probably never know what was discussed between the airline and manufacturer,or indeed what has gone on since.

I actually feel sorry for the airline.However it was always going to be risky starting new services with a new aircraft type from 3 different bases.Of course hindsight is a wonderful thing,but I wonder many other airlines would have done the same thing under the same circumstances.I wouldn’t have thought many.

I do hope that we will see these Transatlantic flights next year. However I wonder how much damage this has done to the airline and it’s relationships with the new Airport bases.Not to mention the damage to the airlines own reputation,because let’s face it,this is not a start-up airline. This is an established company,with up till now a pretty decent reputation.
Let’s hope the other routes continue and thrive throughout the coming months. At least then the airline can make friends and enhance it’s reputation in this country and maybe even beyond.

 

[Matt995]

Personnally, I think blaming Airbus for late deliveries is a bit of a smoke screen. Its obvious they have realised there is not enough demand from BHX for these flights, something that BA, AA and UA have already realised. I'm sure Primera could have organised/leased in a plane to carry on flying the BHX route, if the demand was there and they could make money.

I would also be amazed to see them return next year, I wouldnt mind betting this time next year, we dont see a single Primera aircraft on our airfield!

So we are left with just one USA service a week till it stops in November, TATL market is dead at Birmingham, no airline will be interested in wanting to launch new flights.

I think this is the first year I have known not a single flight to Toronto, its all quite depressing, we just need to keep our fingers crossed and hope for a miracle thart some airlines still want to fly to BHX and our happy to commit with aircraft they actually have!!

 

[IanFarquharson]

Don’t get the razor blades out just yet !

 

[Brummiegem]

I think the demand is there.That is what is frustrating.
American A/L and Continental/United Both operated flights for a good many years.The problem
was getting the right mix of aircraft,frequency and most important,price.
You would have thought an aircraft of A321 size would have been ideal.In fact B757 size is ideal.Unfortunately the good old 757 is nearing the end of it’s passenger carrying career.Unfortunately for airports like ours there is no ready made replacement.
The A321NEO/LR is being touted as a game changer,as is the B737MAX.Seem to remember the same being said about the B787 and it’s ability to operate out of lesser airports.
We await to see what happens,but this will go down as another disappointment in the career of a BHX follower.

 

[Brum X]

Don’t get the razor blades out just yet !

Im actually quite calm Ian to be honest, i think we all knew it was a case of WHEN and not IF ?

 

[Brum X]

Personnally, I think blaming Airbus for late deliveries is a bit of a smoke screen. Its obvious they have realised there is not enough demand from BHX for these flights, something that BA, AA and UA have already realised. I'm sure Primera could have organised/leased in a plane to carry on flying the BHX route, if the demand was there and they could make money.

I would also be amazed to see them return next year, I wouldnt mind betting this time next year, we dont see a single Primera aircraft on our airfield!

So we are left with just one USA service a week till it stops in November, TATL market is dead at Birmingham, no airline will be interested in wanting to launch new flights.

I think this is the first year I have known not a single flight to Toronto, its all quite depressing, we just need to keep our fingers crossed and hope for a miracle thart some airlines still want to fly to BHX and our happy to commit with aircraft they actually have!!

Your right Matt, this is when the reality of this situation really kicks in. I am 42 and as far as i can remember i have always known of flights between BHX-Toronto. New York came a little bit later but to be where we are today in 2018 with no flights to either, yes it is actually very depressing and very sad.

However im not ready to get the razor blades out just yet.

Brum X stays positive whatever BHX throws at him

 

[58terminus]

I would also be amazed to see them return next year, I wouldnt mind betting this time next year, we dont see a single Primera aircraft on our airfield!

Of course we won't. I would be surprised to see them complete the season with their short haul routes.
Back to their Scandinavian niche i think as long as they havn't done irreparable financial damage with this venture.
I would bet we will not see a Prrmera aircraft on any airfield next summer.

 

[58terminus]

Don’t get the razor blades out just yet !

Is that just a morale boosting yell Ian or do you know something we don't? again

 

[Brum X]

Is that just a morale boosting yell Ian or do you know something we don't? again

You've gotta love Ian, he is really trying

 

[Peter Barber]

Well I was booked to fly out from Toronto on September 4th to BHX and return to YYZ on October 4th from BHX. I booked this flight in October of last year when the flight was just announced, and I was looking for an alternative to Manchester, as my final destination is Leeds. So far I have not been contacted by Primera, even though I have sent three emails and tried to phone and was on hold for 30 minutes. I only found out about the cancellation through this forum, which is pretty poor on Primera’s part. I guess it is back to Manchester and Air Transat, as I will never fly Primera again, even if the were to give the flights for free. It is an unfortunate turn of events for Birmingham, as this is an oportunity lost for the airport. I doubt the will ever get the trust of the travelling public back after this fiasco? I was even looking forward to flying into Brum as it was th 70’s I last flew into their from Leeds in, Rockwell Commander.

 

[Silvercity]

Really massive let down for BHX and the affected passengers. Pretty poor show !

 

[BHXsupporter]

For some reason just a picture was transmitted yesterday when I thought I had sent this link from the A380 site:

http://***Links to other forums are not permitted***/thread/2202/primera-air-a321neo?page=3

 

[Silvercity]

In all of this it is just a sad state of affairs that Birmingham (Britain's second biggest city) has no direct flights to New York.

Not positive for Brum's reputation at all

It' s disappointing for Brum and Midlands

 

[BHXsupporter]

I don't think we can blame the BHX management team. They seem to have lined the service up well but are a victim of circumstances of engine manufacturers' problems, nothing else (well I didn't think so).

 

[Brum X]

Well I was booked to fly out from Toronto on September 4th to BHX and return to YYZ on October 4th from BHX. I booked this flight in October of last year when the flight was just announced, and I was looking for an alternative to Manchester, as my final destination is Leeds. So far I have not been contacted by Primera, even though I have sent three emails and tried to phone and was on hold for 30 minutes. I only found out about the cancellation through this forum, which is pretty poor on Primera’s part. I guess it is back to Manchester and Air Transat, as I will never fly Primera again, even if the were to give the flights for free. It is an unfortunate turn of events for Birmingham, as this is an oportunity lost for the airport. I doubt the will ever get the trust of the travelling public back after this fiasco? I was even looking forward to flying into Brum as it was th 70’s I last flew into their from Leeds in, Rockwell Commander.

I dont blame you mate, you have a right to be furious. I would be if it was me. Im still expecting my flight to BCN to get can cancelled at some point. Travelling with them in October

 

[Brum X]

I don't think we can blame the BHX management team. They seem to have lined the service up well but are a victim of circumstances of engine manufacturers' problems, nothing else (well I didn't think so).

Mmmmmmmmm but they did go ahead with an unproven airline with no track record in TATL operations like so many other times in the past. Remember Armavia, Air Slovakia, Sylhet Air (Airlines nobody had heard of) who promised us the earth with regards to flights to Amritsar from BHX before the days of Air India. All were a disaster for the airport. Im not blaming the airport for all of this mess, however some responsibility has to lie with BHX in my opinion.

 

[ksvix392]

shame to see the airport going down-hill and failing to attract viable services/airlines. perhaps the airport would be better off trying to get aer lingus to alter their flight times to connect to all transatlantic services from dublin and shannon?

 

[Brum X]

shame to see the airport going down-hill and failing to attract viable services/airlines. perhaps the airport would be better off trying to get aer lingus to alter their flight times to connect to all transatlantic services from dublin and shannon?

I wouldnt say the airport is going down hill just yet, after all we have just had the best year ever attracting 12.9 million passengers and this year even though we will be down, probably will still be about 12 million. However i would say the airport is going through a period of stagnation.

Someone in the hierarchy needs to get a grip on the situation and seek to reverse the trend. At this point in time the much heralded runway extension appears to be providing little benefit in terms of routes available. Proposed improved access and transport links are great aspirations but need a growing airport to fully justify their provision.