If you were the boss of Birmingham Airport...

[Rob c DSA]

One thing I would do is forget the idea of trying to get carriers who are already at Manchester the airport needs to find other airlines so anyone like Biman and Hainan would be off the wish list. Think outside the box.

 

[Angie88]

Agree with most the comments above. From what I’m reading there seems to be deep rooted politics between shareholders & profits without a social or economic responsibility to the region. Does the airport have a governing charter similar to the BBC or is it a solely private entity? If not there should be on considering its economic importance to the region

Personally, I’d focus on
- Improving frequency with current successful airlines which are demonstrating strong loads
- secure Easyjet with a very favourable offer as long as they commit to a base
- focus on regaining lost links (especially JFK & Toronto working with JetBlue & Westjet)
- Work with Jet2 on securing a strong Orlando offer with at least 3 direct flights per week during peak
- Work with HSBC to promote and grow a Hong Kong connection (surely having HSBCs UK HQ carries some weight in promoting such a route)

 

[KJAY 786]

Birmingham International Airport management should encourage and try to welcome back airlines they have lost to come back at a reasonable insentive demand is high some airlines to name: Air Transit, American Airlines, Mahan Air, Uzbekistan, United and others.
Look at Manchester seriously not FAIR - Birmingham has a lot on offer hugh population density and economic sense and ethnicity needs more. Read this about Air Kashmir: https://www.mushtaqtravel.co.uk/blog/air-kashmir-flights-starting-from-glasgow-manchester-birmingham ( I am going to write to Air Arabia to suggest new route Sharjah - with connextions to Asia / Middle East will be busy they serve Pakistan very well /cheaper airline. ) would this ever happen bus link to Kashmir -https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Birmingham-to-Kashmir-by-bus/ (Birmingham International Airport please do bring British Airways back they will come back I know the lady said at call centre she has heard all really nice things about Birmingham and everyone does well there is a lot happening in the city. Now BHX - we need you encourage them come back thank you )

 

[KJAY 786]

found this: PIA FORUM in PAKISTAN.
it tells us:
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Can't speak for AF, but Norwegian does have Pakistan in their plans, as mentioned here:

Airbus to Pakistan

The big selling point of the A321LR is that it can connect pairs of faraway cities where twin-aisle jets would be too big and expensive. An ideal place to use the new jet’s economics to grow traffic would be UK to Pakistan, thanks to a vast immigrant population. “It’s a huge gap in the market,” he said, one where “nobody flies.” When it comes to big cities, say London to Karachi, that’s not necessarily true, but Kjos wants to go elsewhere. “While [London] Gatwick is full, we see potential in connecting secondary cities, which are perfectly suited to receive the A321LR, and cheaper for us to operate in and out of,” he said. So, East Midlands to Islamabad, maybe, or Birmingham to Quetta? Kjos didn’t say, but the new Airbus single-aisle plane . makes those possible.

To critics who say that Norwegian’s growth is too fast — passenger traffic in 2017 jumped 12% from the previous year — Kjos responds that the main hurdle the airline faces at the moment is quite the opposite: the lack of takeoff and landing slots at London Gatwick, one of its main long-haul bases, and difficulty obtaining traffic rights.

Air France, Norwegian Air Intend to Start Flights for Pakistan - Aviation Minister - History of PIA - Forum

historyofpia.com

I do hope Norwegian Airlines start Birmingham to Pakistan DIRECT demand is HIGH and they could also start USA flights aswell. lets just keep fingers crossed.

 

[big vern]

Agree with most the comments above. From what I’m reading there seems to be deep rooted politics between shareholders & profits without a social or economic responsibility to the region. Does the airport have a governing charter similar to the BBC or is it a solely private entity? If not there should be on considering its economic importance to the region

Personally, I’d focus on
- Improving frequency with current successful airlines which are demonstrating strong loads
- secure Easyjet with a very favourable offer as long as they commit to a base
- focus on regaining lost links (especially JFK & Toronto working with JetBlue & Westjet)
- Work with Jet2 on securing a strong Orlando offer with at least 3 direct flights per week during peak
- Work with HSBC to promote and grow a Hong Kong connection (surely having HSBCs UK HQ carries some weight in promoting such a route)

I'm sure the airport's focus is similar but they can also dream on.

 

[Angie88]

I'm sure the airport's focus is similar but they can also dream on.

Well this thread is a hypothetical ‘dream thread’ so that’s sort of the point

 

[KJAY 786]

READ THIS ABOUT NORWEIGN AIRLINES : INTERESTING. so many routes and plans Birmingham to Quetta Northern Pakistan and more his our future Birmingham International Airport management please request middle-east, African and USA routes and future China Far East tell Norweigan Airlines better incentives than Gatwick we need KJOS NOW KJOS thank you. BHX x x x this is the answer..

Get Ready for Norwegian Flights to Africa and the Mideast - The Points Guy

The Oslo-based airline has grand plans on how to use its new Airbus A321LR jets when they arrive next year. Except, says its CEO, that "probably bribed" politicians are standing in the way.

thepointsguy.com

 

[Ray Finkle]

so the question is Ray, do you think the current CEO has full autonomy? personnally I dont think he does, and that's the major problem, he cant bring Easyjet in for example on a cheap deal to boost passengers and new routes, because the shareholder want to make money instead!!

No idea mate but it wouldn't surprise me.

I remember an interview with Paul Kehoe where he said he was due to meet with the board to discuss the future. He went on to say that they could play safe or they could be bold, not long after he stepped down. I have no idea whether his departure was related to any future plans for the airport, only he will know the real reason but as we know the future went from a new terminal integrated into the HS2 station with the option for another runway to a £500 million spruce up with barely any expansion.

 

[Brum X]

Knock it all down and start all over again, apart from the Elmdon terminal of course. Clean sheet and all that and take it from there.

I know that is a bit drastic but it might be an idea

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there Brumx, you mentioned about knocking it all, which parts are you referring to.. Andyc

 

[jfy1999]

READ THIS ABOUT NORWEIGN AIRLINES : INTERESTING. so many routes and plans Birmingham to Quetta Northern Pakistan and more his our future Birmingham International Airport management please request middle-east, African and USA routes and future China Far East tell Norweigan Airlines better incentives than Gatwick we need KJOS NOW KJOS thank you. BHX x x x this is the answer..

Get Ready for Norwegian Flights to Africa and the Mideast - The Points Guy

The Oslo-based airline has grand plans on how to use its new Airbus A321LR jets when they arrive next year. Except, says its CEO, that "probably bribed" politicians are standing in the way.

thepointsguy.com

KJAY, if you are campaigning in some way and want airlines to take you seriously, you need to avoid information that is out of date.

Bjorn Kjos has left Norwegian since that article was written. The aggressive long haul growth has completely stopped and they are now in full retreat. In April they decided to postpone the Airbus deliveries and to sell and lease the aircraft to other airlines instead:

Norwegian postpones Airbus A320neo and A321LR deliveries | International Flight Network

Airbus and Norwegian's Arctic Aviation Assets have reached an agreement to postpone the deliveries of Airbus A320neo family aircraft.

www.ifn.news

They're in such massive debt that they are now relying on state aid!

The reality is, the long haul tickets were dirt cheap and every single 787 base apart from LGW has been a massive loss maker. The Madrid base is now dropped and Scandinavian long haul is shrinking. Their only UK-Far East routes to date - Gatwick to Bangkok and Singapore - have now been terminated. Pakistan/India will almost certainly be off the table now that the management has changed.

Mumbai is probably the only market in the Indian subcontinent that could do with a new service right now. I could see that coming from Indigo or Spicejet, but any more competition to Pakistan/Amritsar will just ruin whatever profits are there to be made. PIA and Air India are on life support and their respective governments are trying to wash their hands of them, the last thing they need is other airlines competing with them on their UK routes.

 

[Brum X]

Hi there Brumx, you mentioned about knocking it all, which parts are you referring to.. Andyc

All of it Andy, existing terminals and buildings. However this is an absurd idea and I was just having a silly moment. BHX are so far behind now I don't even think that would work tbh.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there Brumx, how far behind in years do you think bhx is.

 

[Angie88]

I don’t think the terminal is a lost cause, if as a city we can transform new street from a 1960s carbuncle I’m sure we can do the same with a 1980s airport! Just needs a stronger vision

 

[David_itl]

The 1st thing to do is literally ignore what is going at at MAN. Too much angst wasted about the network and spending that is going there.... MAN is now in a different league to BHX with loftier ambitions. Concentrate on clawing back passengers what is at LHR/LGW as that is the major cause of why airlines don't mind initial deals from BHX but then retreat once the normal charges kick in. Potentially just knocking 5% to 10% of current charges could make all the difference

From the "lost routes" thread, I've separated out these destinations

Athens, Basle, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Nice, Oslo, Reykjavik, Stockholm = easyJet
Londonderry = Loganair
Plovdiv, Varna, Mytilene, Banjul. Goa, Puerto Plata, Sharm El Sheikh = Tui
Helsinki = Finnair
Billund, Valencia, Gothenburg Cologne Rzeszow = Ryanair
Beijing = Hainan (or substitute)
New York JFK, Orlando, = Delta/VS
Karachi, Lahore = PIA
Mumbai = Air India
Toronto = Air Canada "bleu" aka Air Transat

That's me spending 5 to 10 minutes working out for the me the "instant" routes I would want and who would be the likeliest airlines to serve them.

Next, draft up reports for each of those airlines and use all identifiable sources to demonstrate why the routes are needed/potentially profitable. For easyJet, you'd end up with more destinations than those identified as they would devise a plan to start some of the popular tourist destinations alongside those.

Infrastructure projects leave as but be flexible enough to recognise that adapting them inside 12 to 18 months may be needed to start doing the things that may not necessarily be apron/gate related so that changes for the terminal can be revised.

 

[Angie88]

Hi David, I agree with everything you’ve said except we definitely shouldn’t ignore MAN. If anything we should learn how they’ve turned a regional airport into the UKs third busiest hub & how we can replicate some of their success. BHX just needs a more competitive marketing & business strategy to compete.

 

[58terminus]

don’t think the terminal is a lost cause, if as a city we can transform new street from a 1960s carbuncle I’m sure we can do the same with a 1980s airport! Just needs a stronger vision

Trouble is New St. is still a dingy smelly overcrowded and unpleasant 1960's carbuncle once you get down to the business end,the platforms which are still the first and last impression passengers get.

 

[58terminus]

Hi there Brumx, how far behind in years do you think bhx is.

Hi David, I agree with everything you’ve said except we definitely shouldn’t ignore MAN. If anything we should learn how they’ve turned a regional airport into the UKs third busiest hub & how we can replicate some of their success. BHX just needs a more competitive marketing & business strategy to compete.

Unfortunately in the case of MAN and how to grow a regional airport about 50 years.

 

[KJAY 786]

To expand Birmingham International Airport we must show the WORLD we are BEST CITY for COMMON WEALTH GAMES 2022- also we need cycling track in midlands not in south. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-47940549 we can do it ! management think this we can do it ! then market city amongst airlines and expand in terms of new terminal building more space please and new multi storey car park - Birmingham International we love you- (sad today in Dancing Prog BBC 1 - Anikor Rice left she was funny cool ) BHX x x

 

[KJAY 786]

Chinese carriers apply for three new European routes

Athens, Manchester and Milan could be set for new routes to China if the latest applications to the Civil Aviation Administration of China are given the green light.

www.routesonline.com

It not FAIR BIRMINGHAM needs some JUICE we need some routes aswell - why on earth did they have to spend cash on runway expandsions got no new flights - I am crying now just read this article made me cry- I must write more letters Birmingham we love you x x (QUES: is it all because top soccer teams Man United / City and Liverpool FBC being in North that why city airport expanding but the city it self is not as modern and nice and easy to enjoy shopping as Birmingham and Merry Hill - i am crying now ) NOT FAIR x x x