Official Birmingham Airport (BHX) Thread 1

[morestoreysplease]

I really hope they get wide-bodied aircraft! I can't stand single-aisle planes on 7-8 hour flights.

[RN750]

Couple of picture from yesterday..
image hosted on flickr

extension 003 by rn750, on Flickr

You can start to see then general layout of the road..

and

image hosted on flickr

extension 004 by rn750, on Flickr

Pub partially demolished..

[hoody]

The Ryanair aircraft storage that we're banging on about.

image hosted on flickr

EI-DFX others by mmaviation, on Flickr

[Brum X]

Originally Posted by faddypainter

Have you got a source for that? I haven't heard of such a thing about UA. I was under the impression the 757's were staying for a long time yet on Europe flights.

Yeah my friend who works for UA at BHX, was talking to the CEO of UA UK Sales.

[30N]

Good to see the route performing well.

easyJet adds extra flights to Birmingham

Published: 10 December 2012
easyJet, Northern Ireland’s largest airline, is to increase its flights between Belfast International Airport and Birmingham in response to high demand.
A second Sunday flight departing at 13.25 from Belfast and 14.50 from Birmingham will be added to the schedule from 31 March 2013. Flights are now on sale at www.easyJet.com with fares from £22.99, one way including taxes.
easyJet began its Belfast International to Birmingham service in October 2012 and in just over one month has flown 14,000 passengers on the route. The additional frequency will add an estimated 13,000 passengers per year taking the total to 150,000.
Ali Gayward, easyJet Head of Northern Ireland said: “We only launched our Birmingham route in October and due to an overwhelming demand for affordable fares, we are delighted to announce the doubling of our Sunday flights. This additional frequency will see an increase from 12 to 13 flights per week.
“Our aim has always been to make travel easy and affordable and we’re delighted to be able to show further commitment to Northern Ireland by responding to demand and adding the extra service.
“Sunday is a strong travelling day for both business commuters and people on weekend breaks, therefore doubling our Sunday offering will give our passengers further choice in flight times at affordable prices..
Earlier this month easyJet introduced allocated seating on all Belfast flights from 27 November. This, and Flexi fares that allow passengers to change their flights up to two hours before departure, further reinforces easyJet’s position as Belfast’s leading airline for business passengers.

http://corporate.easyjet.com/media/l...spx?sc_lang=en

[world_rep]

“We only launched our Birmingham route in October and due to an overwhelming demand for affordable fares, we are delighted to announce the doubling of our Sunday flights

''Overwhelming demand'' and they add 1 flight. Not 1 extra route, not a based aircraft, 1 single flight. To be honest, this is a large over-reaction non-story. Frequencies increased by 1 rotation happen all the time on easyjet (and other carriers) and have never been reported to this scale before. Easyjet have just increased LPL-IBZ by 1 flight per week. Was that reported? Erm no, because its 1 flight?!

Don't get me wrong, its good for BHX that a route is doing well, but if they put this much emphasis on 1 extra flight, how over the top will they go for a new route?!?!

[faddypainter]

Well BHX does like basking in the press limelight as much as possible. Now can we please have an EZY base....

[Hassaan13]

Originally Posted by 30N

Good to see the route performing well.



http://corporate.easyjet.com/media/l...spx?sc_lang=en

If only there'd be the same kind of decision over the long-haul services...

[Marc_Sky]

World rep, do you ever have anything positive to say. I'm bored of your birmingham bashing!

[stu1300]

World rep is the man. He knows his shit

[world_rep]

I'm bored of your birmingham bashing!

Where have I done this then? Or if you re referring to my last post, did you conveniently overlook the fact my post was about easyjet and its OTT press release, not BHX itself (BHX isn't even responsible for the press release), and that it was good news for BHX just to make yourself look big and clever? Just to recap incase you missed it:

Don't get me wrong, its good for BHX that a route is doing well

Notice the bit in bold?........

So, as seen as this is your first post in the airport thread, can I ask again where I have bashed Birmingham as a city? (as seen as you are more city focused and not mentioned the airport, Im assuming you mean I am bashing Birmingham as a city?)

[30N]

Not sure I'd call it an over reaction. There's no front page headlines or reporters from the local media, just a small article on the news page of the website showing that a new route is performing well and advertising extra capacity. Reading the article it sounds more orientated towards Belfast than BHX anyway.

Anyway back to BHX, hopefully if the route continues to thrive we may see a third daily service added on some days in the future.

Now can we please have an EZY base....

I think the best BHX can hope for at the moment is to be a destination for away based aircraft rather than a base, EDI was rumoured recently. If Easy get the deal they require then who knows, but will BHX give in?

[hoody]

Originally Posted by Marc_Sky

World rep, do you ever have anything positive to say. I'm bored of your birmingham bashing!

He isn't bashing Birmingham. He had a very good point.

The article is hardly worth reading.

[stu1300]

I've just saw a 747. Don't know what it was or where it was goin I saw it through my binoculars but it flew over Birmingham and it was very high. But perhaps we should tell midlands today or summat. Lol

[neon18]

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Pl...eetingId=12053
10 December 2012.
The Commons Transport Committee takes oral evidence on aviation strategy.
Parliament TV: Aviation Strategy
Inquiry: Aviation Strategy
The Transport Committee

Jump to 56 minutes for Paul Kehoe's speech

[Pebble.Mill]

Originally Posted by stu1300

I've just saw a 747. Don't know what it was or where it was goin I saw it through my binoculars but it flew over Birmingham and it was very high. But perhaps we should tell midlands today or summat. Lol

Don't have to worry just yet:

[morestoreysplease]

Has Airforce 1 ever been to MAN, LGW, Stansted etc.?

[Pebble.Mill]

Originally Posted by morestoreysplease

Has Airforce 1 ever been to MAN, LGW, Stansted etc.?

I don't know, it's been to BHX 4 times in the last 20 years (2 visits weren't publicised, merely stop-overs) along with Air Force 2 (VP) and the spare!

[Brum X]

Originally Posted by Marc_Sky

World rep, do you ever have anything positive to say. I'm bored of your birmingham bashing!

Mmmmmmm Birmingham bashing, LOL

Get a grip fella

[neon18]

Birmingham gives evidence to Transport Select Committee
11 December 2012


Paul Kehoe, Chief Executive of Birmingham Airport gave oral evidence to MPs at the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into aviation on Monday 10th December 2012. http://www.parliament.uk/business/co...--4th-ev-sess/

Appearing alongside other airports outside of the South East, Kehoe argued that international connectivity is vital for regions across the UK if we are to grow the national economy.

He argued that, whatever the long-term solution, a number of barriers currently exist that are preventing airports from maximising the capacity that they have in the short-term. These include:-

• The reluctance of airlines to operate long-haul direct services from UK airports, other than Heathrow.
• Complex inter-governmental agreements which specify which foreign airlines can fly where.
• Air Passenger Duty.
• Undercharging at Heathrow because of price caps.
• The need to improve surface access to airports.

After giving evidence, Paul Kehoe, Chief Executive of Birmingham Airport, said:

“The only thing that this country should be worrying about is how we are going to grow our economy – and we won’t do that by relying on one corner of the country to act as a crutch to prop up the economies outside of the South East.

“To boost growth, local businesses across the UK need international connectivity so that they can trade, and this will only be achieved it we make the most of the existing capacity we have at our airports.

“There are a number of barriers that stand in the way of making the most of our existing airport infrastructure, but where there is a will there is a way.

“I hope that the industry can continue to work together with Government to help remove these barriers, and start to build a progressive aviation sector that is at the heart of the UK’s economic recovery.”

Birmingham Airport’s submission to the Government's Draft Aviation Framework outlines some suggested policy-levers that the Government could adopt to help make best use of existing capacity. The report can be downloaded here. http://www.westbournecoms.com/wp-con...submission.pdf

Notes:

1. Birmingham Airport's written submission to the Transport Select Committee's inquiry into aviation can be read online here. http://www.publications.parliament.u...iation/m86.htm
2. Today's Transport Select Committee inquiry sessions, including Paul Kehoe's, can be watched online here. http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Pl...eetingId=12053
3. Birmingham Airport's report, Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket: a challenge to aviation orthodoxy, argues that in order for the whole of Britain to capture the economic benefits of changes in global travel, the Government must fully utilise existing airport infrastructure and pursue a balanced aviation strategy. http://www.westbournecoms.com/wp-con..._06.12_web.pdf
4. To find out more about Birmingham Airport's campaign, please visit: www.balancedaviationdebate.com or follow @balanceaviation.

http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/m...mittee-pk.aspx