Birmingham: General Airport Discussion & Updates

[Aviador]

I do not think that he needs to worry, I can't see any airline being attracted to Coventry, even Ryanair.

I totally agree but who would have thought Southend would be boasting about a new Easyjet base especially in the current economic climate? I understand the guy that now owns Coventry airport has deep pockets, I wonder how far into his pocket he is prepared to go to bring flights back to the airport?

 

[Seasider]

The attraction of Southend is that it now has a 40 minute train connection to London - the biggest market in this country.

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Travelodge open new Birmingham Airport hotel

Travelodge has opened a new hotel near Birmingham Airport. Staff at the new airport hotel have been taught to welcome guests in 10 different languages, with 30 new jobs created in the area for local people, including many long term unemployed, as a result of the development.

The new £9.8m hotel has are 200 rooms, with accommodation starting from £19 a night. The rooms feature luxury Hypnos king-size beds, which has received royal approval from the Queen, Wi-Fi, 18 free digital channels on a flat-screen TV and eco-friendly showers.

Source[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Transport secretary backs Birmingham Airport

Birmingham Airport’s campaign to expand received a major boost from Transport Secretary Justine Greening yesterday, when she said she wanted to ‘remove barriers’ which prevented it growing, the Birmingham Post reports. The airport has been lobbying ministers to be allowed to expand and meet growing demand for air travel. Airport managers argue that regional airports such as Birmingham should be considered as an alternative to plans for a new airport in the Thames Estuary.

Ms Greening told the newspaper that the planned high speed rail line, which will include a new station close to Birmingham Airport, would make it far more accessible to people from across the country. She said: ‘I was up in Birmingham Airport about a month and a half ago and I had a really excellent meeting with the people who run the airport, and they made all of those points to me very clearly.'

‘Of course part of High Speed Two’s proposal will be a Birmingham Interchange station that links up the airport. We recognise these opportunities. We are getting to the end of working on the Aviation Policy Framework, which is basically the aviation strategy. As part of that we are quite keen to see what we can do to allow regional airports like Birmingham to flourish.

‘They have a key role to play and we want to look at how we can take away some of the barriers that stop them doing that and look at how we can really put them in the best possible position to do well. It doesn’t just matter to local communities – it matters to local businesses too. And a huge city like Birmingham obviously needs a successful airport as part of its transport strategy.’

For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingha ... z1q1ONfFRH[/textarea]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thereas Villiers, the current Minister of State for Transport, pushed the claims of BHX when she was the Conservative shadow transport minister.

It does seem that they regard BHX as a useful option to take some pressure off the south east though their apparent U-turn on additional south east airport capacity could modify this.

 

[Aviador]

As much as I think Birmingham airport is under performing and it should be allowed to continue to expand, it's expansion is going to be limited. Taking a quick look on Google maps I would say the airport has virtually no areas where it can build additional terminals. It would appear to be virtually impossible to build a second runway so developing the airport further isn't going to provide sufficient capacity to fulfil the additional requirements of the South East in the medium to long term.

[googlemap]http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&gs_nf=1&pq=weather+forecast&cp=14&gs_id=42&xhr=t&q=birmingham+airport&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1360&bih=643&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=vVFvT6DoJYPIhAfqnuWwBw&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=3&sqi=2&ved=0CEQQ_AUoAg[/googlemap]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I think the then shadow transport minister had in mind that BHX was suitably placed to take some of the displaced traffic from LHR that would occur if expansion there was capped - which was the Conservative policy then and now until, it seems, a few days ago.

The BHX management believes it could already take around 18 mppa (double its current total) with its current infrastructure and rightly from its point of view has been pressing its claims with the government as the Coalition forms its aviation policy.

 

[Ray Finkle]

As much as I think Birmingham airport is under performing and it should be allowed to continue to expand, it's expansion is going to be limited. Taking a quick look on Google maps I would say the airport has virtually no areas where it can build additional terminals. It would appear to be virtually impossible to build a second runway

If you'll all excuse my amateurish painting, it's the first time I've tried anything like that :blush:

The road was due to be realigned parallel with the International railway station as shown in red. A new multi storey car park was to be built on what is now the N.E.C. west car park, shown in blue. New terminal facilities and apron were then to be built as and when on what is now the long stay car park, outlined in purple. There is also a car park under construction next to the new atc tower on the Elmdon site. The possibility remains for the Elmdon site to be developed into a terminal with the maintenance hangers moving to a new facility constructed opposite alongside the golf course.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll= ... 3&t=h&z=14

If you take a look at the Google maps link taxiways to a second runway were to tee off the end of the current runway extension with the second runway to be built on what is now Hampton Coppice. It would mean tunneling a significant section of the A45 and with the small section for the current runway extension deemed too expensive I can't see a second runway happening for a very long time, if at all.

 

[Aviador]

Hi Ray Fickle

Now you put it like that, yes I can see what you mean. I suppose ultimately the South side of the airfield could also be used for additional terminals and apron space in the future perhaps doubling or even tripling the airports capacity.

I forgot but there's the proposed expansion plans in the airports masterplan which is shown in Infrastructure & Developments thread

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]Chocks away as Birmingham Airport hits road to London

Birmingham Airport's new advertising campaign can be seen on the road to London
Anyone driving towards London's airports through Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire or Oxfordshire is in for a shock.

New roadside billboards will warn them of "Heathrow: congestion ahead" and questions whether or not they are "Going in the right direction?"

And underneath, the strap-line of this high profile advertising campaign delivers the main message:

"Birmingham makes more sense."

Read the full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18340019[/textarea]

 

[Ray Finkle]

It's great to finally see some marketing from BHX.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Some interesting stuff on here.

http://www.balancedaviationdebate.com/

 

[Aviador]

Some interesting stuff on here.

http://www.balancedaviationdebate.com/

Thanks for the link Ray, it's much appreciated. There has been a lot of talk about underused capacity at Birmingham airport in the press and on websites such as the one you kindly provided a link to. Without any of the proposed expansion, how many passengers can Birmingham airport handle?

 

[Elmdon80slad]

Some interesting stuff on here.

http://www.balancedaviationdebate.com/

Thanks for the link Ray, it's much appreciated. There has been a lot of talk about underused capacity at Birmingham airport in the press and on websites such as the one you kindly provided a link to. Without any of the proposed expansion, how many passengers can Birmingham airport handle?

Hi all, I Have seen something about airport capacity recently not sure where, but I think It showed BHX being able to cope with - 15-19million at the moment, and 25-30 + million after expansion, perhaps If the airport where to offer somekind of Insentive like reduced fees as a start up ploy, that might encourage new airlines to start and exsisting ones to expand.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Paul Kehoe says BHX could double capacity now which would be circa 18m and the current expansion plans would take it up to roughly 27m.

As for start up incentives I believe BHX offer the first year free then the next year at 50% off leading up to full price. It's the full price that really needs looking at, some figures were posted on another forum which were quite shocking, I'll try and dig them out.

 

[Aviador]

Thanks Elmdon80slad and ray finkle, much appreciated. I'd not seen anything anywhere that mentions the current capacity other than that the airport is massively underused so that's handy to know.

From a personal point of view I still believe Heathrow should get it's third runway,but not to the detriment of expanding other regional airports. For far too long national governments have interfered in the development of airports with a national consequence. Regional airports have been artificially held back whereas Heathrow the capital's main airport has had all the attention for too long. If Birmingham (or Manchester airport) can claw some long haul traffic away from Heathrow then it should be encouraged and welcomed. For Birmingham airport the rail journey times will be a good incentive for this to happen.

 

[Seasider]

The problem with trying to attract people who fly from Heathrow is that they think it is a status "symbol" so they do not consider anywhere else even though it may be cheaper/more convenient.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Taken from another forum

Also, if BHX wants to attract a new service, perhaps it needs to bring the charges down. MAN does so well because it has an almost flat rate of £3 per pax, whereas BHX is £10.71. Ridiculous!



Prices are a major issue:

PLS International £10.71 per departing passenger
PLS Domestic & Irish Republic £6.44 per departing passenger
Runway Charges £9.71 per tonne or part (based on MTOW of departing A/C)
Navigation Charges £1.77 per tonne or part (based on MTOW of departing A/C)
Ground Handling Systems £0.14 per departing passenger
Hold Baggage Screening £0.14 per departing passenger

So, international pax= £10.99

Compare to MAN:

For Routes departing in Standard Periods

Year One - £3.00
Year Two - £4.00
Year Three - £5.00

So, even by year 3, MAN is still half the price of BHX. Not exactly the biggest incentive.

Why would an airline, say Qatar as an example, shell out the considerable base start up costs and then pay £10.71, when they can simply add another aircraft to an already established base and then pay a third of the costs.

Man, third cheapest in Europe. BHX fourth most expensive in the WORLD :reallyshocked:

 

[Elmdon80slad]

I'm wondering If anyone has any Idea of the distribution/type of visitors BHX can expect for the Olympics, and what Is expected at other airports, I know the American track and field along with the Janaican team management media etc, and fans are expected at BHX but It would be Interested to know more.

Thanks

 

[Aviador]

I've tried looking for similar information regarding other regional airports with little success. I suspect people from outside Europe will more than likely use Heathrow as opposed to Birimingham airport. The more experienced travellers who are more adventurous wont mind looking for other cheaper options routing through our regional airports, either by direct services or via hub airports in Europe. It's hard to say whether people will go to their country's base camp location to support their nation. Up here in Leeds we have various Olympic Athletes from Australian, China, America and Serbia but there's been no indication that any will pass through our airport.