Iberia

my point is that it tends to be hard for any airline to capture the leisure market when up against the likes of Ryanair. Iberia were offering a Ryanair-type service. I don't doubt there is a substantial business/connecting market for a city pair like BHX-MAD, but that market can't be captured properly with a 4x weekly schedule.
 
But if its down to charge costs from the airport via the councils wanting their full 100% profit in return, then you have to say to the councils involved, well done to your mismanagement of the airport, stunning growth because you want your profit return, even when you can't even provide full service for all rate payers when you waste the money on stupid projects that don't even serve the purpose.
 
As has been pointed out, MAN is also part owned by local councils which doesn't seem to be causing any problems up there.

The following are figures for UK to Madrid for 2019. Take from them what you will...

Heathrow1,476,551
Gatwick1,030,956
Stansted500,640
Manchester184,827
Edinburgh176,142
Luton134,769
Birmingham121,902
Bristol108,514
Liverpool75,801
 
The loss of a national carrier is very regrettable. But more important is the retention of the link.

As for the future, at the moment the world has gone bonkers so expect a lot lot more turmoil. We were expecting an upturn this year but a virus, which I am increasingly believing was the making of companies which manufacture hand sanitisers, has put paid to any stability and growth. We could even be seeing the start of the end of easy global movement. But it is not just BHX that will suffer. New reality.

So the focus needs to be on critical city to city traffic that provides economic benefit for the region. Madrid is part of that irrespective of who the aircrew work for.
 
The corona virus is having a massive impact on the aviation industry and when you read the likes of Emirates asking employees to take voluntary leave it show the seriousness of the situation. Turkish airlines already suspended flights to the worse affected countries. If this virus isn't constrained in Europe it will have bigger impact on summer bookings and sever implications for the airlines.
 
Ian is quite right to say that the reasons should remain off the public forum but the fundamental issue is the route wasn't working.

I said on here that a colleague of mine went on a family break to Madrid last year, flying from STN. I recently heard someone say one of their children was going on a school trip to Madrid (over 100), flying from STN. Yesterday I had a lengthy conversation with a Romanian chap who files to Bucharest every other month, from LTN as 'it's so much cheaper than Birmingham even with fuel and parking'.

Anecdotal evidence I know but do we need to accept that BHX has lost and their stubbornness to not embrace Ryanair and/or easyjet has meant that these carriers now have established networks elsewhere with reduced costs that Midlands passengers just cannot ignore? I still lose count of how many people tell me 'Birmingham is an expensive airport to fly from.'

Since Paul Kehoe and Will Pearson left the place has been in a downward spiral and after 16 months into the job all I've heard from the new CEO is about cutting carbon emissions. That's not a bad thing by any means but I want to know what is being done about the ever decreasing route network, you know the very reason that the airport is there.
 
I often hear the same story Ray, of people travelling elsewhere to get flights to destinations currently served by BHX, purely because the costs aspect works out cheaper overall. Quite bizarre really!. Even MAN seems to gain despite being 80 miles in the wrong direction!.
We badly need a shake down in management but current world issues are not helping and provide the ideal 'excuse ' at present.
This whole situation should have been addressed back when the current terminal opened back in 1984. We seem to be playing catch - up with arthritic knees!!.
 
It was cheaper for my family to drive down to Gatwick and park the car there for a week AND book a hotel to stay the night before we flew, than to fly to the same place with TUI from Birmingham on the same date, and this was for 2 or 3 years ago now and it looks as if this is still the case
 
What do we think the chances are of Iberia Express returning to BHX?

I’m slightly biased as I live mostly in Madrid now and return to Birmingham frequently to visit friends and family, but it does seem more seats could be added to the route.

Not too long ago, we had Ryanair, Monarch, Norwegian and Iberia Express all operating BHX-MAD. Granted that was overkill (particularly as we had 0 operators on the route a few years prior!), but I’d have thought we could sustain 2 carriers, Ryanair & Iberia Express.

IB used to operate 4x weekly, and attracted a lot of business travellers. Obviously they have great connections to Central & South America too, so they have a very different target market to FR, and I believe there’s room for both to thrive.

I know FR are increasing from 2x to 3x per week from end of March, but it still seems there could be more capacity. Flight times are less lucrative in the summer schedule (for me at least!) so I’ll be flying AF/KLM via CDG/AMS, my preferred option for flight time flexibility vs flying to London.

Anyway, just a small rant, and I can hope for now, but just wondered if anyone felt the same or had any insights 😄 I’ve contacted BHX & IB a few times requesting they reconsider feasibility of the route. Let’s see!
 
Bhx_fifteen said:
What do we think the chances are of Iberia Express returning to BHX?

I’m slightly biased as I live mostly in Madrid now and return to Birmingham frequently to visit friends and family, but it does seem more seats could be added to the route.

Not too long ago, we had Ryanair, Monarch, Norwegian and Iberia Express all operating BHX-MAD. Granted that was overkill (particularly as we had 0 operators on the route a few years prior!), but I’d have thought we could sustain 2 carriers, Ryanair & Iberia Express.

IB used to operate 4x weekly, and attracted a lot of business travellers. Obviously they have great connections to Central & South America too, so they have a very different target market to FR, and I believe there’s room for both to thrive.

I know FR are increasing from 2x to 3x per week from end of March, but it still seems there could be more capacity. Flight times are less lucrative in the summer schedule (for me at least!) so I’ll be flying AF/KLM via CDG/AMS, my preferred option for flight time flexibility vs flying to London.

Anyway, just a small rant, and I can hope for now, but just wondered if anyone felt the same or had any insights 😄 I’ve contacted BHX & IB a few times requesting they reconsider feasibility of the route. Let’s see!
Click to expand...
From what I understand very little chance.
Never to sure why they couldn't make it work but cant see a return anytime soon.
 
I don't think Air Europa have operated scheduled flights outside Spain to Europe, except Paris.
 
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