Birmingham: Daily Direct Link from BHX to the US

[Brum X]

Whilst not direct, Icelandair had some decent connections across North America, getting them back would be a good start.

Unless BHX have something up their sleeve that we don't know about I just can't see anything direct on the horizon 🙁




Their 787's do the USA and Canada direct from India quite comfortably so not sure they need a stop now 🙁

But wasn't the 777 capable of going from Delhi direct to YYZ, but still chose to stop off at BHX ?? 🤔

 

[Brum X]

It's ironic that a city more than double the population of Manchester can't hold down a few TA routes. Proximity to London Heathrow and more recently MAN haven't helped.

I'm hiding under the duvet 🤣🤣🤣

 

[juliet-fox-9]

Pity Premeria failed as they is exactly the type of operation that would have suited Birmingham.

Maybe Hans ?

Primera certainly would have had the right aircraft, but when times got hard they retrenched to the likes of London and Paris like everyone else.

I feel that to make BHX-US work properly, we need an airline to take the same approach that Jet2 did when they started at Leeds: identifying an untapped local market and concentrating on getting a loyal customer base there without trying to compete at the big hubs straight away.

Hans Airways seem to be taking that approach but very early days obviously….

 

[Hassaan]

Primera certainly would have had the right aircraft, but when times got hard they retrenched to the likes of London and Paris like everyone else.

I feel that to make BHX-US work properly, we need an airline to take the same approach that Jet2 did when they started: identifying an untapped local market and concentrating on getting a loyal customer base there without trying to compete at the big hubs straight away.

Hans Airways seem to be taking that approach but very early days obviously….

Ideally needs to be affordable too.

 

[Matty_85]

We’ve literally just booked BHX to JFK via Dublin for £520 return in December (which I think is a good deal!). I know Heathrow is cheaper but you can’t beat the convenience of flying from your local airport

 

[Kevin Farnell]

We’ve literally just booked BHX to JFK via Dublin for £520 return in December (which I think is a good deal!). I know Heathrow is cheaper but you can’t beat the convenience of flying from your local airport

You're also helping to support local jobs 👍

Kevin

 

[Matty_85]

Out of curiosity, could Condor Airlines operate out of BHX? I’ve just seen there expansion plans for transatlantic out of Germany and as a predominantly leisure based airline they would be great at BHX

 

[Seasider]

I don't believe so now as we have left the EU and Condor is an EU based airline. If the set up a "UK arm" it may be possible.

 

[CM.]

They had a planned Larnaca route from BHX. But no idea what’s happening with it.

 

[David_itl]

The big problem for all regionals (and yes I will include MAN in this) is that airlines charge a premium to fly local. As any intended destination in the States will have multiple daily services out of LHR by various airlines each trying to grab the lions share of the business class market, it means that there is an awful lot of economy seats to fill which they can lower artificially the ticket prices for.. which means lower than the regional non-stop option. And the good old British pubic will nearly always choose to go for the lowest possible price.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

The big problem for all regionals (and yes I will include MAN in this) is that airlines charge a premium to fly local.

Not only did they charge a premium, but in the case of US carriers serving BHX they also used their oldest equipment. This meant poor in-flight service (e.g. lack of, or poor seat back entertainment and older seats), but also frequent delays or cancellations. Had a more modern aircraft have been used (B787), then I'm sure that the route would have been far more successful.
Some years ago, I had to fly to San Diego for work (this was when United still operated BHX-EWR and even flying from LHR, I had to transit SFO). A taxi was arranged to take me from just north of Cambridge to LHR. The journey took 3 1/2 Hours! I could have been at BHX in less than 2 hours. Sadly, I had no say in where I flew from.

Kevin

 

[Nethercote2019]

The biggest issue for transatlantic flights from Birmingham is the traffic is only 1 way ….
US based passengers to U.K. only want to fly to London & in fact LHR ( plus EDI I realise), I have spoken to many who are on tours to Stratford on Avon etc and it’s always they start & end in London …. In the airline world London is the epi centre. Plus so many European passengers who travel to US transit thru LHR…. Just look how many daily flights there are to New York from LHR & how many from LGW MAN EDI etc.

 

[Matty_85]

The article I read about Condor recognised that as an airline focusing solely on Leisure from secondary airports in Germany, the yields were lower & that’s why they wouldn’t really be in direct competition with the likes of Lufthansa. I think there is an underestimation of how many people would prefer to fly from the local airport and many will pay a premium as I do. Aer Lingus transit customers from BHX to JFK are the second highest after Manchester & pre pandemic had the highest growth, there’s definitely a market here for the right airline

 

[Scottie Dog]

Not only did they charge a premium, but in the case of US carriers serving BHX they also used their oldest equipment. This meant poor in-flight service (e.g. lack of, or poor seat back entertainment and older seats), but also frequent delays or cancellations. Had a more modern aircraft have been used (B787), then I'm sure that the route would have been far more successful.
Some years ago, I had to fly to San Diego for work (this was when United still operated BHX-EWR and even flying from LHR, I had to transit SFO). A taxi was arranged to take me from just north of Cambridge to LHR. The journey took 3 1/2 Hours! I could have been at BHX in less than 2 hours. Sadly, I had no say in where I flew from.

Kevin

It always annoyed me, when I was a corporate travel consultant, how companies would so often not look at the bigger picture of where their employees lived. They also very often did not negotiate route=deals to cover all UK departure airports.

 

[deprived]

sorry to jump in, first time using this forum, this is what annoys me with BHX, it should be a bigger airport than it is we are the second city, with great infrastructure, great sports teams, major visitor attractions, historic places and great universities yet we can't hold down routes to America, the council and the airport should be selling the city. I have been looking at flights to the states and as someone who is living basically on the runways, I don't want to be travelling to London and Manchester or getting connecting flights from Dublin or Paris.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

sorry to jump in, first time using this forum, this is what annoys me with BHX, it should be a bigger airport than it is we are the second city, with great infrastructure, great sports teams, major visitor attractions, historic places and great universities yet we can't hold down routes to America, the council and the airport should be selling the city. I have been looking at flights to the states and as someone who is living basically on the runways, I don't want to be travelling to London and Manchester or getting connecting flights from Dublin or Paris.

Thank you for your post, deprived. Welcome to Forums4Airports.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Plus so many European passengers who travel to US transit thru LHR

Whilst not on the scale of LHR, when BA served JFK from BHX I would listen in on the Ops frequency and there were often transit passengers (mostly from German cities) numbering 50 or more.

Kevin

 

[Kevin Farnell]

It always annoyed me, when I was a corporate travel consultant, how companies would so often not look at the bigger picture of where their employees lived. They also very often did not negotiate route=deals to cover all UK departure airports.

The company I worked for had a deal with Virgin, which precluded BHX. When BA started LHR - SAN, the company switched it's deal to BA.
As for companies not looking at the bigger picture of where their employees live, how about this. Some years ago a friend of my father was a consultant in the motor industry. A group of them were heading to Frankfurt for a consultancy meeting and as most lived in the south east they were booked with Lufthansa from STN (back when Lufthansa served STN). My Dad's friend asked if he could be booked with Lufthansa from BHX, as it would be much easier for him. He was told firmly 'no, your booked from STN', resulting in a 2hour+ drive down the ghastly A14.

Kevin

 

[LichfieldBlue]

Just to add my two penneth, I’m going to LAX on Friday. Got to have a lateral flow test on Thursday so my route is, Lichfield to BHX on Thursday evening, lateral flow test at airport, drive to High Wycombe overnight then LHR to LAX on Friday. What I would give for the old United/AA or BA options through New York instead of all the hassle. I fear as others have posted it’s going to be a long time coming back

 

[Kevin Farnell]

What I would give for the old United/AA or BA options through New York instead of all the hassle.

Or, even as Ray said. Get Icelandair back.

Icelandair would be great for BHX, especially with the B737 MAX now in service.

Kevin