British Airways are adding a seasonal route between Gatwick & Cologne from November (4x weekly). Route will be stopped in March 2019 I believe.

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/ ... ck-network

Cheers

Ben

BHX update

Still fast moving: -

Increases -

Eurowings are to add a 4th DUS at midday Monday - Friday from winter on the Dash 8
Jet2 added a short season Reykjavik in March for the Northern lights (2 return flights also GLA, NCL, LBA & MAN) Also Salzburg increased at February half-term
Swiss bring back the Sunday morning service for ski season
Ryanair added a 4th Girona a week yesterday (Girona based) until early September and Dublin in winter 6 daily except Wednesday which is 5
Thomas Cook have a couple of November night Dalaman's until mid month and the 3rd based aircraft is still bookable all winter (up from 2 last winter)

Decreases

VLM pull out 10 August - no surprise
Primera Palma stops 2 September instead of the 30th
Barcelona appears to not be operating from 1 October (Malaga still bookable and so are ALC, KEF, LPA & TFS from DEC at the moment)

A few things from Cardiff Airport
Flybe has released their first phase of Summer 2019 the summary is below compared to 2018
Dublin 15 weekly 2018, 14 weekly for 2019 -1 weekly flight there is a slot for a 15th flight on Fridays
Edniburgh 13 weekly 2018, 17 weekly for 2019 +4 weekly flights
Belfast City 11 weekly 2018, 11 weekly for 2019 no change
Paris CDG 10 weekly 2018, 10 weekly for 2019 no change
Faro 5 weekly 2018, 4 weekly for 2019 -1 weekly flight plus the aircraft type changes from all E195 to all E175
Glasgow 4 weekly 2018, 5 weekly for 2019 +1 weekly flight
Jersey 4 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 -2 weekly flights
Cork 2 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 no change
Milan 3 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 -1 weekly flight
Munich 2 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 no change
Rome FCO 2 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 no change
Venice 2 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 no change
Verona 2 weekly 2018, 2 weekly for 2019 no change but will only operate 1 weekly in April
Berlin 2 weekly 2018, not onsale for 2019 though there is room for it
Dusseldorf 1 weekly 2018, not onsale 2019 though there is room for it
Geneva 1 weekly just for April in 2019
For 2018 there is a total of 78 weekly flights onsale, for 2019 so far we have 75 weekly flights onsale after the phase 1 release with aircraft changing from 1 E195 and 2 E175s to 3 E175s.
There could be potential for more with this quote from CEO Debra Barber ''we look forward to further capacity added when the second phase is released in coming weeks.”
https://www.cardiff-airport.com/new...t ... m-cardiff/

Also Cardiff Airport has released it's draft Masterplan which is now out to consultation to the public.

The Masterplan highlights are

International Gateway:

Build upon our efficient, safe and secure 24/7 operation
Deliver greater capacity to grow to three million passengers per annum and beyond
Attract new airlines, secure new routes and more choice for customers travelling to and from the region
Diversify the airport to create and develop opportunities for aviation, cargo, education, technology and innovation.

A unique place:

Create a public realm for the community to enjoy
Excite customers before they fly and those arriving to Wales
Link businesses across the Airport campus, supporting the region and Enterprise Zone
Support education with a place to learn and innovate.

New Terminal:

Enhance our unique identity as the gateway to Wales, creating a memorable first and last impression
Ensure ease of access for all
Enhance our customer experience with best in class facilities, including SMART technology
Develop our ‘green’ credentials to meet our environmental and social commitments.

New 4* Hotel:

Develop the first on site hotel
Offer more choice in local accommodation for customers
Offer business meeting and conference facilities
Provide a convenient base for visitors to explore the region.

New Transport Hub & Car Park:

Offer greater travel choice for customers, the community and the Airport team; car, bus, rail, taxi, car hire and active travel
Offer an improved integrated transport facility
Develop a new multi storey car park close to the terminal building
Offer new services to enhance the customer experience.
https://www.cardiff-airport.com/news/20 ... -for-2040/
There is also a PDF brochure
https://www.cardiff-airport.com/uploads/Masterplan brochure.pdf

Also although Qatar Airways Doha route got off to a slow start in May it's rumoured and the airport has well said that it has picked up much more now and doing pretty well.

Heathrow airport likely to be pushing 35C tomorrow.

Primera @ BHX

It looks like it is all going to end in tears.

Malaga ends 28 October
Palma ends first week in September
Barcelona - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Alicante - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Tenerife - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Las Palmas - off sale and it appears it is not starting

This leave a weekly Reykjavik in winter which was to get an aircraft to BHX to operated LPA TFS & ALC - well say no more.

Not many airlines at BHX that have announed as many as six new routes and never operated them - BOS, YYZ, BCN, ALC, LPA & TFS.


Ryanair


Extra Christmas and New year flights added with the 4th based operating Thursday - Sunday for 3 weeks plus two away based extra flights. Mainly Polish and Spanish destinations for the extra frequencies.

[quote="BHXRunway15"]Primera @ BHX

It looks like it is all going to end in tears.

Malaga ends 28 October
Palma ends first week in September
Barcelona - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Alicante - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Tenerife - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Las Palmas - off sale and it appears it is not starting

This leave a weekly Reykjavik in winter which was to get an aircraft to BHX to operated LPA TFS & ALC - well say no more.

Not many airlines at BHX that have announed as many as six new routes and never operated them - BOS, YYZ, BCN, ALC, LPA & TFS.


Ryanair


Extra Christmas and New year flights added with the 4th based operating Thursday - Sunday for 3 weeks plus two away based extra flights. Mainly Polish and Spanish destinations for the extra frequencies.[/quote

Double post - deleted this one.

BHXRunway15 wrote:

Primera @ BHX

It looks like it is all going to end in tears.

Malaga ends 28 October
Palma ends first week in September
Barcelona - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Alicante - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Tenerife - off sale and it appears it is not starting
Las Palmas - off sale and it appears it is not starting

This leave a weekly Reykjavik in winter which was to get an aircraft to BHX to operated LPA TFS & ALC - well say no more.

Not many airlines at BHX that have announed as many as six new routes and never operated them - BOS, YYZ, BCN, ALC, LPA & TFS.


Ryanair


Extra Christmas and New year flights added with the 4th based operating Thursday - Sunday for 3 weeks plus two away based extra flights. Mainly Polish and Spanish destinations for the extra frequencies.

Doesn't sound paticuarly promising really does it. I wonder what's caused this to happen. Low demand for the destinations in question, or poor marketing from Primera maybe? I've never used the airline myself and after the shambolic start they've had with their transatlantic flights etc, I shan't imagine many other travellers will want to either.

Cheers

Ben

I was doing some internet browsing and noticed a few airlines that are missing at LGW that I just assumed would fly there. These are:

Etihad
Lufthansa
Jet2
Iberia
Air France
KLM
SAS
United
Delta
American

All of these I just assumed had some services, does anyone have any information why 2 of the top 3 european airlines doesnt bother with LGW?

Iberia Express flies MAD-LGW.

As for others, they serve other London airports. No need to serve every other airport in the city.

Samrnpage wrote:

I was doing some internet browsing and noticed a few airlines that are missing at LGW that I just assumed would fly there. These are:

Etihad
Lufthansa
Jet2
Iberia
Air France
KLM
SAS
United
Delta
American

All of these I just assumed had some services, does anyone have any information why 2 of the top 3 european airlines doesnt bother with LGW?

They've all tried at some point but LGW suffers by being too close to LHR where yields are often MUCH higher.

.... yet KLM were willing to try eg Manston?

Seems to aircraft capacity cut wasnt enough on this route
https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/ai ... y-changes/

Mentioned in this article that Primera Air are possibly looking at an airport to the west for transatlantic flights. Cardiff? Or Bristol? Though 'to the west' could mean Dublin! Lol
https://www.ttgmedia.com/wtm/wtm-insigh ... ence-14885

by738 wrote:

Seems to aircraft capacity cut wasnt enough on this route
https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/ai ... y-changes/

Many China-Europe routes get a slight reduction in Winter..... nothing unusual!

Ryanair Launches flights from Exeter, which is a big deal. I think Ryanair could actually do well there. https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-ne ... es-1990195

Bristol Airport FIDS (all the flight info on the screens and website etc.) has been inoperative for over a week now - and it seems to affect all sorts of other things, even booking the car-parks.

The last rumour I heard is that it will be months before its fixed(!).

Does anyone have any inside knowledge of what on Earth is wrong with it and why on Earth it would need more than a quick re-boot or restored backup and maybe some additional security hardening to prevent whatever crashed the whole thing in the first place? I find it very hard to imagine why it would need to take so long, short of having lost the entire set of data and software and not having a single backup...

It looks like BA Cityflyer has pulled its weekend operation at Bristol and Birmingham. All their flights have been taken off sale for next summer, and Bristol Airport have confirmed via Twitter that the flights won’t be returning.

Stansted and Manchester remain, as well as Edinburgh-Florence.

I wonder where BACF will deploy the aircraft instead?

On a personal note I'm hoping that BACF might make a go at Southampton which would be an ideal airport for them with a large and generally wealthy catchment area that would welcome the return of the British Airways product to the airport. (And I'm one of them).

One thing with this BACF news is that I wonder if people will take these flights a bit more seriously now.

Many in these forums write these flights off as almost ‘pity flights’ that they are just utilising down time in the city fleet, and that they are almost irrelevant to the BA network.

But, it’s now clear these flights need to pay their way just like any other BA flight in the Network, and they will get cut if they don’t perform. The fact they are ‘surplus to requirement’ from LCY of the weekend to me is irrelevant, they still need demonstrate a commercial case and clearly BA can be selective where they send these flights, thus, this is a ‘serious’ operation.

It seems that the last EY flight (EY28) out of EDI departed last Sunday morning and this marks the end of EY service to EDI since they launched the flight more than three years ago.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ey28

I remember that I took EY flight from EDI to AUH in June 2015, exactly a week after they launched the flight, but it has become history now.

Does BHX still get all the Irish charters for the Cheltenham horse races?

bhxdtw wrote:

Does BHX still get all the Irish charters for the Cheltenham horse races?

Yes - flights loaded in the FR & EI websites, alas not as exciting as it used to be in the past.

EI is only showing one extra flight only on the Monday and Friday but Ryanair has between 2 and 4 extra flights a day (10 Dublin's flights Tuesday of Cheltenham).

Usually there is extra GA and some helicopter traffic but nothing like the days of the EI 747's. In my younger days I worked behind the bar at BHX on Cheltenham nights at the old and new terminal and it was usually a cracking but busy nights,

It was never quite the same at the new terminal as you could look out the old terminal and there on stand 8 you could see the 747 sitting there magnificently waiting for its happy load.Not sure what the record number of flights were but 10-12 Aer Lingus on the Thursday (before it changed to Friday) was possible or slightly less if the 747 was due.

Scandinavian Airlines to launch a new route between Newquay Airport & Copenhagen in summer 2019 (twice weekly on Monday & Fridays)

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornw ... ct-2088197

Ben

CrawleyBen wrote:

Scandinavian Airlines to launch a new route between Newquay Airport & Copenhagen in summer 2019 (twice weekly on Monday & Fridays)

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornw ... ct-2088197

Ben

Are the purpose of these routes from NQY to the German cities, and now to Copenhagen, for Germans and Danish to come to Cornwall for their Summer holidays, rather than for people of Cornwall to go on city breaks and/or connect to SK's network?

Cornwall and in particular the area around Newquay has been popular with the Germans for many years and even more so in recent times due to the fact that one of Germany's top television shows a German speaking period drama set and filmed in Cornwall with a German television crew, it is also shown on Danish TV hence the popularity and the start of this short season of flights by SAS to CPH along with the existing Eurowings flights to Düsseldorf and Stuttgart.

These flights are all about inbound tourism to Cornwall and are not really aimed for outbound tourism from Cornwall although obviously the seats are for sale for either direction but the majority of them will have been booked by a Danish or German tour operator.

Flybe pretty scathing report on their relationship with EDI management 'appalling' Not the first time that concern has been raised.
Worrying when such a big UK customer offering potential expansion

https://www.scotsman.com/news/flybe-chi ... -1-4814687

by738 wrote:

Flybe pretty scathing report on their relationship with EDI management 'appalling' Not the first time that concern has been raised.
Worrying when such a big UK customer offering potential expansion

https://www.scotsman.com/news/flybe-chi ... -1-4814687

The irony of Flybe criticising others for poor service standards won't be lost on many. Those Q400s, I ask you!

And since when were BE innovaters in terms of new routes from EDI? If I was the boss of Aberdeen Airport I might be worried by this, but EDI has plenty more irons in the fire.

Agreed, very ironic. Message to Flybe....people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Flybe is adding service from Newquay Airport to London Southend from 2019. Flights due to start off at 5x weekly before being increased to daily.

https://www.piratefm.co.uk/news/latest- ... announced/

Ben

Mmm... lets see how long that lasts.

DL BOS-EDI 757 seasonal only S19

BA is increasing flights to 16 weekly on LHR-INV

FR are adding LUX and Legoland aka BLL from EDI

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/11/08/r ... edinburgh/

Breathe wrote:

BA is increasing flights to 16 weekly on LHR-INV

FR are adding LUX and Legoland aka BLL from EDI

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/11/08/r ... edinburgh/

Drop LBA down and increase INV. You think it would be the other way around.

Arion640 wrote:

Breathe wrote:

BA is increasing flights to 16 weekly on LHR-INV

FR are adding LUX and Legoland aka BLL from EDI

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/11/08/r ... edinburgh/

Drop LBA down and increase INV. You think it would be the other way around.

Why?

Arion640 wrote:

Breathe wrote:

BA is increasing flights to 16 weekly on LHR-INV

FR are adding LUX and Legoland aka BLL from EDI

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/11/08/r ... edinburgh/

Drop LBA down and increase INV. You think it would be the other way around.

I don’t think this is a surprise. I suspect most passengers in the LBA catchment area (myself included) use MAN for long haul flying, whether direct or via a connecting hub - and usually not BA.

Point to point travel between Yorkshire and London is likely to be heavily slanted towards the train.

Fitlikemin wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Breathe wrote:

BA is increasing flights to 16 weekly on LHR-INV

FR are adding LUX and Legoland aka BLL from EDI

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/11/08/r ... edinburgh/

Drop LBA down and increase INV. You think it would be the other way around.

Why?

Bigger city/metro area. I should re-phrase and say it’s surprising to see LBA get reduced.

INV is far out of the way to suck much traffic from other airports so it’s not surprising.

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

What have you heard?

https://ftnnews.com/aviation/35519-new- ... ty-airport

New service from NCL to LCY. Looks to be operated with a Saab 2000, looking forward to this route.

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

Care to elaborate....?
Should I buy now or in Mid Jan....?

Just seen on twitter that Garuda are to resume Heathrow to service?

bergkampsticket wrote:

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

What have you heard?

Maybe more A380 services? With the number they have, they need to fly them somewhere.

Breathe wrote:

bergkampsticket wrote:

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

What have you heard?

Maybe more A380 services? With the number they have, they need to fly them somewhere.

GLA expected to announce A380 service to cover DXB runway downtime, then regular daily from June 2019. Stand upgrade and A380 fire training rig works currently ongoing with expected March completion date.

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

I'm going to make some guesses to what EK changes we could see in 2019:
- LHR 1x daily flight to become high density A380
- EDI increase from 5x weekly to daily
- STN upgauge to A380
- GLA 1x daily upgauage to A380
- MAN increase to 4x daily

A few months ago, Qatar Airways stated they were looking to launch Belfast International. Maybe Emirates could be going there? If a B777 could land safely at Bristol, then that could also become a route as its the busiest airport in the UK outside of London to not be served by Emirates.

JannEejit wrote:

GLA expected to announce A380 service to cover DXB runway downtime, then regular daily from June 2019. Stand upgrade and A380 fire training rig works currently ongoing with expected March completion date.

Is that why EK is currently using Stand 33 rather than Stand 30?

Bhoy wrote:

JannEejit wrote:

GLA expected to announce A380 service to cover DXB runway downtime, then regular daily from June 2019. Stand upgrade and A380 fire training rig works currently ongoing with expected March completion date.

Is that why EK is currently using Stand 33 rather than Stand 30?

It is yes, I've seen pictures of the works so far and most of the steelwork is in place for an expanded Emirates lounge at the gate and twin airbridge.

SeanM1997 wrote:

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

I'm going to make some guesses to what EK changes we could see in 2019:
- LHR 1x daily flight to become high density A380
- EDI increase from 5x weekly to daily
- STN upgauge to A380
- GLA 1x daily upgauage to A380
- MAN increase to 4x daily

A few months ago, Qatar Airways stated they were looking to launch Belfast International. Maybe Emirates could be going there? If a B777 could land safely at Bristol, then that could also become a route as its the busiest airport in the UK outside of London to not be served by Emirates.

You’ll see 3x daily EK at DUB before you see them in BFS

SeanM1997 wrote:

by738 wrote:

Some big changes for EK services ex UK for 2019 (though unlikely to be any formal announcement until mid January at earliest)

I'm going to make some guesses to what EK changes we could see in 2019:
- LHR 1x daily flight to become high density A380
- EDI increase from 5x weekly to daily
- STN upgauge to A380
- GLA 1x daily upgauage to A380
- MAN increase to 4x daily

A few months ago, Qatar Airways stated they were looking to launch Belfast International. Maybe Emirates could be going there? If a B777 could land safely at Bristol, then that could also become a route as its the busiest airport in the UK outside of London to not be served by Emirates.

I should save your wild guesses if I was you as it's probably 99% related to Glasgow with one of the daily flights being upgraded to an A380 as others have pointed out especially considering the airport is currently building an A380 capable gate that is clearly aimed at Emirates.

Bristol won't be on Emirates radar until they have the right aircraft which they may well have once they receive their fleet of B789.

I don't think BFS will see Emirates for a good while yet, I would imagine that any announcement for BFS will be defined more by Brexit and the cross border issues.

I do agree with you that STN possibly receiving an upgrade to an A380 wouldn't be far off the mark though.

DobboDobbo wrote:

Arion640 wrote:

Breathe wrote:

BA is increasing flights to 16 weekly on LHR-INV

FR are adding LUX and Legoland aka BLL from EDI

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/11/08/r ... edinburgh/

Drop LBA down and increase INV. You think it would be the other way around.

I don’t think this is a surprise. I suspect most passengers in the LBA catchment area (myself included) use MAN for long haul flying, whether direct or via a connecting hub - and usually not BA.

Point to point travel between Yorkshire and London is likely to be heavily slanted towards the train.

Agree. People in the LBA catchment area (Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, York) can be in London in 2 hours on the train, so this makes point to point air traffic almost nonsensical if you’re actually travelling to central London.

As for connections, I’ve used it a couple of times myself, however BA are up against KL who are well-established at LBA with the AMS service. MAN is also just down the road for long haul direct or offers a wider choice of connections, so hardly surprising BA have scaled LBA back.

On a side note with LBA, they’re seeking permission from Leeds City Council for an extensive terminal extension, including a new arrivals hall and departures area. Hopefully to be in use by winter 2019 (seems ambitious?!). This is well needed for LBA, however the 1950’s infrastructure around the airport including terrible road access and a rail link also needs to be addressed I feel.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... -1-9432939

KL are to increase INV-AMS to 15 weekly for the whole of S19 (rather than 14 weekly in just July-August in S18), using mostly E190s and occasional E175s and 737-700s