Birmingham: EasyJet Flights, New Routes & Base Updates

[Brum X]

To late !
BHX should have made them a offer years ago
Why would they take pax away from BRS LTN and MAN

But then again why does Easyjet have bases at LPL/MAN and EDI/GLA/NCL, surely the same could be said about them so what's different with BRS/BHX or LTN/BHX ? 🤔

 

[Jerry]

To late !
BHX should have made them a offer years ago
Why would they take pax away from BRS LTN and MAN

It's never too late. BHX would just have to make them an offer they can't refuse. A base of 3 to 5 aircraft would give them a good spread of routes to sustain itself with the effect on the other airports most likely not noticeable.
There will be a lot of people in the Midlands who won't be flying with them or who would fly with them more often if they served BHX properly, Jet2 are an exmaple of that, they would've gained 10s of thousands of extra customers through basing at BHX. Using my personal example i would've most likely flown a lot more with Easyjet if they were based at CWL, instead my custom and money has gone to airlines like Vueling, Flybe, IB Express, KLM and in the future to Ryanair rather than Easyjet.
In the end it will depend on how badly the BHX management think Easyjet is needed for the airport to grow.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Make them an offer they can't refuse?

Or accept the offer that is rumoured to already be out there. It may be painful short term but if it performs well then I'm sure more favourable terms for both parties could be agreed further down the line.

There will be a lot of people in the Midlands who won't be flying with them or who would fly with them more often if they served BHX properly

I have my first ever easyjet flight (to Belfast) in July, if nothing changes it will most likely be my last.

If more destinations come online from Birmingham then easyjet will get my business, until then my money will go elsewhere.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I suppose that having no appreciable easyJet presence at BHX is related to history. When the then BA-owned GoFly was looking for a second base after Stansted consultants sent faxed letters to airports around Europe on behalf of the airline seeking interest without naming it. Eventually a short list was drawn up consisting of East Midlands, Newcastle, Edinburgh/Glasgow (presumably a joint base) and Bristol. Bristol was chosen and the base opened on 22 May 2001 (this is a summary of a chapter in Barbara Cassani's [Go CEO] book about the airline).

When easyJet acquired Go within a year or so of the BRS Go base opening there was considerable doubt in the local aviation scene as to whether they would continue operating at BRS. They did and it's worked out rather well for both parties ever since.

Around that time MyTravelLite set up a base at BHX but it only lasted about three years. I have no idea whether BHX had responded to the faxed letter on behalf of Go to airports - only the short-listed airports are listed in Barbara Cassani's book. If they didn't they might have missed a big chance and might now be home to a large fleet of easyJet aircraft.

The last CAA passenger survey that included BRS was in 2015 and showed that just 2% of BRS's passenger numbers had an origin or final destination in the West Midlands. Even if most flew with easyJet that figure doesn't suggest that a significant BHX easyJet operation would have a noticeable effect on the airline's BRS operation.

 

[Jerry]

Or accept the offer that is rumoured to already be out there. It may be painful short term but if it performs well then I'm sure more favourable terms for both parties could be agreed further down the line.



I have my first ever easyjet flight (to Belfast) in July, if nothing changes it will most likely be my last.

If more destinations come online from Birmingham then easyjet will get my business, until then my money will go elsewhere.

An Easyjet base as well might have the effect of stimulating growth from Ryanair as well.

 

[IanFarquharson]

I would love an easyjet base at BHX but as Ray said the rumoured offer is out there but it is easyJet’s offer and not the airports !

 

[58terminus]

I imagine any interest in BHX it would be on hold until the FLYBE situation sorts itself out.
If that resolves to the detriment of BHX they can name their price.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I suppose that having no appreciable easyJet presence at BHX is related to history. When the then BA-owned GoFly was looking for a second base after Stansted consultants sent faxed letters to airports around Europe on behalf of the airline seeking interest without naming it. Eventually a short list was drawn up consisting of East Midlands, Newcastle, Edinburgh/Glasgow (presumably a joint base) and Bristol. Bristol was chosen and the base opened on 22 May 2001 (this is a summary of a chapter in Barbara Cassani's [Go CEO] book about the airline).

When easyJet acquired Go within a year or so of the BRS Go base opening there was considerable doubt in the local aviation scene as to whether they would continue operating at BRS. They did and it's worked out rather well for both parties ever since.

Around that time MyTravelLite set up a base at BHX but it only lasted about three years. I have no idea whether BHX had responded to the faxed letter on behalf of Go to airports - only the short-listed airports are listed in Barbara Cassani's book. If they didn't they might have missed a big chance and might now be home to a large fleet of easyJet aircraft.

The last CAA passenger survey that included BRS was in 2015 and showed that just 2% of BRS's passenger numbers had an origin or final destination in the West Midlands. Even if most flew with easyJet that figure doesn't suggest that a significant BHX easyJet operation would have a noticeable effect on the airline's BRS operation.

There is a long standing rumour that back in the days of Stelios easyjet had a meeting at Birmingham with a view to making it a substantial base. The story goes that the BHX administration at the time were very dismissive (some say downright rude) of what was the low cost revolution in it's relative infancy and in no uncertain terms told easyjet that Birmingham's future remained firmly with it's British Airways base. The rest is history.

As said that is purely a rumour but if there is any truth there it could go some way to explaining why easyjet ignored Birmingham for so long.

When British Airways closed their regional bases Manchester was in a very similar predicament to Birmingham but since then it looks to have realised the massive potential that easyjet offer and now has a very successful base. Why Birmingham cannot, or will not, do something similar remains a mystery. BHX is now in a situation where many routes are only covered by the full service airlines or Flybe and can be vastly more expensive than flights at other airports and as a result may be losing a huge amount of the city break market. I've heard it suggested that easyjet are more than happy to mop up Midlands travellers from their other bases with Luton being the main beneficiary by far. There may also be an element of protecting some of the full service airlines.

It has been suggested elsewhere on this forum that the previous CEO was extremely focused on getting BA back to Birmingham, maybe he/they thought that an easyjet base would end that vision for good? Hopefully the new CEO will realise that any return of BA in a major capacity is pure fantasy and do what it takes to get easyjet in.

Until then I will look enviously down the M5 at routes such as Seville, Reykjavik, Lisbon and Olbia all of which are unavailable from Birmingham 🙁

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there Ray and all, does anyone have any idea what this so-called offer is on the table for, and what it comprises of at all.. Andyc

 

[TheLocalYokel]

There is a long standing rumour that back in the days of Stelios easyjet had a meeting at Birmingham with a view to making it a substantial base. The story goes that the BHX administration at the time were very dismissive (some say downright rude) of what was the low cost revolution in it's relative infancy and in no uncertain terms told easyjet that Birmingham's future remained firmly with it's British Airways base. The rest is history.

As said that is purely a rumour but if there is any truth there it could go some way to explaining why easyjet ignored Birmingham for so long.

When British Airways closed their regional bases Manchester was in a very similar predicament to Birmingham but since then it looks to have realised the massive potential that easyjet offer and now has a very successful base. Why Birmingham cannot, or will not, do something similar remains a mystery. BHX is now in a situation where many routes are only covered by the full service airlines or Flybe and can be vastly more expensive than flights at other airports and as a result may be losing a huge amount of the city break market. I've heard it suggested that easyjet are more than happy to mop up Midlands travellers from their other bases with Luton being the main beneficiary by far. There may also be an element of protecting some of the full service airlines.

It has been suggested elsewhere on this forum that the previous CEO was extremely focused on getting BA back to Birmingham, maybe he/they thought that an easyjet base would end that vision for good? Hopefully the new CEO will realise that any return of BA in a major capacity is pure fantasy and do what it takes to get easyjet in.

Until then I will look enviously down the M5 at routes such as Seville, Reykjavik, Lisbon and Olbia all of which are unavailable from Birmingham 🙁

I'm assuming that the rumoured Stelios rebuff was pre-GoFly days because by 2002 the BHX management had embraced the low cost revolution to some extent with

 

[IanFarquharson]

Hi there Ray and all, does anyone have any idea what this so-called offer is on the table for, and what it comprises of at all.. Andyc

I have heard a figure per passenger

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there Ray, so why don't Birmingham Airport offer per passenger the same as Manchester Airport does like £6.00 in summer or £5.50 during the winter.. Andyc

 

[58terminus]

When British Airways closed their regional bases Manchester was in a very similar predicament to Birmingham but since then it looks to have realised the massive potential that easyjet offer and now has a very successful base.

I agree with all you said but i get frustrated with the constant comparisons with MAN on the forum.Since i became interested in aviation
(a long time ago) MAN has been in a different league. We have never caught up or even looked like doing so and never will.
Easy would have quickly forgotten any past differences. to get in there.
I have heard the story about Easy and BHX falling out but that must be 20 years ago..It's business it's different people..How can that still be relevant?
Why has Bristol boomed when anyone living more than 20 miles north of the city would probably find BHX easier to get to?
Why do Ryanair operate the type of routes i keep reading on here that BHX needs but 30 miles up the road from EMA?
These are airports in the same league.
There must be more to it than rumored historical falling out's (EASY and Ryanair} and i bet someone on this forum knows.
Tell us please.

 

[thunderchild]

Why do Ryanair operate the type of routes i keep reading on here that BHX needs but 30 miles up the road from EMA?

That’s an easy one - EMA is owned by MAG which also own STN and MAN. It doesn’t take a genius to work out what sort of deals Ryanair cut with MAG as to where to focus their Midlands operation.

 

[Ray Finkle]

I agree with all you said but i get frustrated with the constant comparisons with MAN on the forum.Since i became interested in aviation
(a long time ago) MAN has been in a different league. We have never caught up or even looked like doing so and never will.

I do too and usually try to avoid it. On this occasion I wanted to highlight how MAN moved on from the loss of BA whilst BHX still seems to be stood there with a blank look on it's face wondering what just happened.

 

[58terminus]

That’s an easy one - EMA is owned by MAG which also own STN and MAN. It doesn’t take a genius to work out what sort of deals Ryanair cut with MAG as to where to focus their Midlands operation.

But they are still willing to compete with numerous airlines on Med and East European routes.Often on a multi daily basis.
I am certainly no genius but even they might find it puzzling.

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

I do too and usually try to avoid it. On this occasion I wanted to highlight how MAN moved on from the loss of BA whilst BHX still seems to be stood there with a blank look on it's face wondering what just happened.

It then lost Monarch - but all in all gained a certain little red carrier 😉

 

[Angie88]

I agree with all you said but i get frustrated with the constant comparisons with MAN on the forum.Since i became interested in aviation
(a long time ago) MAN has been in a different league. We have never caught up or even looked like doing so and never will.
Easy would have quickly forgotten any past differences. to get in there.
I have heard the story about Easy and BHX falling out but that must be 20 years ago..It's business it's different people..How can that still be relevant?
Why has Bristol boomed when anyone living more than 20 miles north of the city would probably find BHX easier to get to?
Why do Ryanair operate the type of routes i keep reading on here that BHX needs but 30 miles up the road from EMA?
These are airports in the same league.
There must be more to it than rumored historical falling out's (EASY and Ryanair} and i bet someone on this forum knows.
Tell us please.

I disagree completely with this. BHX & EMA are not in the same league at all, EDI is probably the only comparable with BHX in the UK (not just by numbers but also mix of international & European routes).

As with any business, BHX followed a strategy which hasn’t been as successful as MAN. Whatever the reasons behind it (id link it to BHX’s higher ratio of business travellers which may of influenced the desire to get BA back originally) BHX seriously needs to get easyJet on board & improve connectivity across Europe.

 

[andrew.clarkson]

Hi there Angie88, I totally agree with you, until Birmingham offers easyJet that deal they want, Birmingham won't even hit its future target that it has set its self, that eighteen million passengers by 2033, its had trouble trying to get past the 13,000,000 million mark for the past two years nearly, then expecting jet2 to come to its rescue, until Birmingham Airport wakes up and forgets ba, and gets easyJet in, bhx will start to lag behind and lose passengers... Andyc

 

[Sherburnflyer92]

Can i ask what the obsession is with getting easyJet in? What will they offer above what a good Flybe, Ryanair and Jet2 combo cannot? Or attracting other carriers.

Bear in mind - there has been few warnings recently, put out by LH Group and Michael O'Leary, there there is an overcapacity in Europe. This could lead to a reduction of services from LTN/BRS as they dilute "the triangle" catchment. It would also lead to a reduction in services by other carriers.