Official Birmingham Airport (BHX) Thread 1

[woodhousen]

and to kick it off.....

Work on Birmingham Airport runway extension to begin this year


The chief executive of Birmingham Airport said plans for a long-awaited runway extension would be implemented this year

Paul Kehoe said everything was in place to get the £65 million project under way, allowing bigger, long-range jets to serve the city from as early as 2014.

The 1,312ft extension will put Birmingham within a direct flight of emerging markets including China and is expected to create jobs and bring millions of pounds-worth of investment in to the city.


Passengers will also be able to use Birmingham Airport for long-haul trips rather than travel to Heathrow or Manchester to start their holidays.

But Mr Kehoe said the benefits to the region were bigger than the “marginal” financial boost to the airport as a business.

“If we can do it then you start bringing flights in from places like Beijing,” he said. “There’s no doubt about the value of bringing business passengers from places like that because Birmingham would be their first port of call.

“If you fly to Heathrow, you do business in the Thames Valley and it will be the same for Birmingham.

The airport is awaiting confirmation of how the £32 million project to divert the A45 between Birmingham and Coventry will be funded before the runway extension can begin.

Birmingham City Council has agreed to pay £15 million but is waiting for a decision on whether it can also get Government funding to help support the costs.

Regional passenger body Centro will contribute £10 million and the remaining £7 million will be paid by the airport. But Mr Kehoe said work would start this summer on a £12 million air traffic control tower needed to serve the new runway.

“All the ducks are in a row to start this year and, if the road diversion can be achieved, we would be talking about 2014,” added Mr Kehoe.

“The control tower will be a big leap forward because it was the first step in the original project and it shows we are committed to the runway extension.

“At 108ft, it will be the tallest building in Solihull.”

Original plans to spend £120 million on a runway extension and carry the A45 underneath were scaled back because they were deemed too expensive by the airport board.

Mr Kehoe said the runway would be almost 200ft shorter than originally planned but “99 per cent” of all international flights would be able to land there.

He admitted times were still tough for the airport industry despite small signs of a recovery after January’s passenger numbers grew for the first time in more than two years by 0.2 per cent.

“We have to get back into profitability and we will,” he added.

“We would hope this is the year we see some movement on that.”

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/n...#ixzz1FccWTAmJ

[markmcd1976]

So no change really on the fact the airport is still waiting for funding for the diversion to be sorted.

[woodhousen]

well reading between the lines, its seems therer is a difference.... before, it was a question of who is funding what, now its a case of knowing who is giving funding, but now just waiting for approval....

[neon18]

A link to the older BHX thread:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=311287

Could someone please write an update on annual passenger figures, recently completed projects, future proposals and any other interesting information? Thanks.

[neon18]

Minister - let runway plans take flight
by Edward Chadwick, Birmingham Mail
Mar 4 2011

Secretary Philip Hammond urged Birmingham Airport bosses to press ahead with plans for the runway extension.

He said the move could solve capacity problems after the proposed third runway at Heathrow was abolished last year.

And Mr Hammond said Birmingham could become one of the world’s best connect airports thanks to the planned 250mph rail link that would bring it within 37 minutes of central London.

“It looks to me as if Birmingham Airport regards itself very strongly as a solution to capacity problems,” he said.

“The runway extension will put them in a good position and high speed rail will be another big part of that.

“Once we build a spur on the line to take in Heathrow, you will be able to travel in 37 minutes from airport to airport.

“That’s as long as it currently takes to get from terminals four to five at Heathrow.”

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...7319-28276271/

[Brum X]

As i posted yesterday:

Air Transat are to commence A330-200s on there Birmingham-Toronto flights from this April 2011

BMI are to base an A320 at BHX to operate some LH flghts between Birmingham-Frankfurt (Interesting)

[sefton66]

I dont really tend to follow the airport thread, and dont have much time at the moment to read through past posts but surely this is big news, Ive never heard anything of it starting soon?

Mr Kehoe said work would start this summer on a £12 million air traffic control tower needed to serve the new runway.
“All the ducks are in a row to start this year and, if the road diversion can be achieved, we would be talking about 2014,” added Mr Kehoe.

“The control tower will be a big leap forward because it was the first step in the original project and it shows we are committed to the runway extension.

“At 108ft, it will be the tallest building in Solihull.”

[djay]

how does a run way extension plus ancillary work take 4 years

[nigeman]

Originally Posted by woodhousen

well reading between the lines, its seems therer is a difference.... before, it was a question of who is funding what, now its a case of knowing who is giving funding, but now just waiting for approval....

The only partner still not to commit then is the Con/Lib BCC, who are trying to get support from the Con/Lib government to find a mere £15 million ( in overall council spending terms ) having committed £200 million inadvertently to the new Library to score one over the previous Labour council. Politics is so wonderful, what a ridiculous situation.

[neon18]

Direct flights to India could return to Brum
by Edward Chadwick, Birmingham Mail
Mar 4 2011

AIRPORT boss Paul Kehoe said he was hoping direct flights between Birmingham and India would be resurrected this year.

Thousands of passengers who used the route between the city and Amritsar to visit friends and family were left disappointed when Air India scrapped the link in 2008.

Other carriers introduced flights which connect through Vienna, Dubai and Turkmenistan.

But Mr Kehoe said talks were ongoing to bring the direct connection back. He said the airport was among the contenders to become Air India’s new hub for European flights.

The move could create scores of jobs and help fill spare capacity at Birmingham.

A decision is expected later this year.

“We have been speaking to the airline through our worst recession and that is encouraging,” Mr Kehoe said.

“The flights to Amritsar stopped on the day I joined the airport because Air India was keen to protect its flight slots at Heathrow – it was not due to demand.

“I am keen to bring them back and I think a lot of people in Birmingham and places like Leicester would be very pleased.

“Air India is keen to move its European hub and we are in the mix to pick that up.

“We do fly to India via Ashgabat but that direct link is very important for us because it opens up new markets.”

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/t...7319-28276270/

[Ginger Tosser]

Originally Posted by djay

how does a run way extension plus ancillary work take 4 years

They're employing masshouse man

[Hassaan13]

What i've heard from other forums that Air India are soon announcing daily DEL-MAN and 4 weekly DEL-BHX. In my opinion, DEL-BHX will do better due to many people connecting onto ATQ etc.

In terms of Air Transat, I remember they serviced BHX in 2003 with an A333 via Glasgow, due to runway length? Are they ever going to make that a year round service?

What's the shortest time possible that a runway extention could take? 2 years?

[Brum X]

Armavia are all set to relaunch their new twice weekly (initially once weekly) service to Amritsar via Yerevan. With flights commencing next Thursday 10th March 2011 with A319's. The airline has now finally secured traffic rights to operate flights into Amritsar. The first flight arrives Thursday at 10:40 (as U8 107) with a departure time of 11:40 (as U8 108). Check back soon for full flight details!. Subject to change!.

[hoody]

Is it me or does BHX have some peculiar airlines such as Turkenistan and the one above.

[Brum X]

And Mahan Air, LOL

[Brum X]

Just found this and very interesting with big focus on BHX-Toronto and BHX-India.

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/589/Region...casestudy6.pdf

[woodhousen]

what was the date of that report??? it seems quite old?

[neon18]

Yes i have seen the air canada paper, i think was made around june 2005.

[Brum X]

I wasnt suggesting that Air Canada were about to start a route from BHX (even though it would be very nice) but the report is interesting.

[neon18]

Taken from another forum, 3 weekly from Brum:

(24 flights weekly – 21 to London & 3 to Birmingham)

http://home.airindia.in/SBCMS/Webpag....aspx?MID=200#

United / Co considering upgrading to a 763

TK chaning to A320 from end of march, and a daily service to be launched later this year.