Aviation Discussion

[Butts]

I got an email from Heathrow Express offering buy one get one free on a HEX ticket, which was quite generous. Even though I can't use a railcard for a further discount, it was still enough to get me to book after having originally decided to use Heathrow Connect next time to save some money.

A free seat reservation with an airline is quite lame. In fact, so lame that it would have been better not offered at all and risk p**sing off customers.
It's not much better than the many people that seem to think that offering a 30-day trial on LoveFilm is some sort of special and exclusive members-only deal when you anyone can get it!

Precisely

 

[alwaystouchout]

The Chief Exec of Virgin Atlantic was on the Daily Politics last Wednesday making it clear that the solution has to be a single hub airport and changes to APD to make UK airports more competitive. He didn't use the 'H' word but it was fairly evident he thought the answer was further Heathrow expansion.

 

[Butts]

The Chief Exec of Virgin Atlantic was on the Daily Politics last Wednesday making it clear that the solution has to be a single hub airport and changes to APD to make UK airports more competitive. He didn't use the 'H' word but it was fairly evident he thought the answer was further Heathrow expansion.

Why don't they just get on and build the bloody 3rd runway, all this delay is just bumping up the price.

There is something to be said for the "Chinese Planning Permission System"

 

[Nym]

Wasn't the expantion of heathrow going to be private sector funded?

 

[Butts]

Wasn't the expantion of heathrow going to be private sector funded?

However it's going to be funded it needs to be done - forget this Birmingham or Boris Island nonsense - people want to go to LHR.

Last time they started buying houses at "above market rates" the residents were tripping over each other to sell A lot of them are still being rented out.

I must admit standing in Hounslow and watching all the planes coming in one after another was rather disconcerting - but it does not stop people wanting to live there.

Send the bulldozers in

 

[Nym]

Exactly, it would take a lot of public sector money that would be better spent elsewhere building an airport in the wrong place that airlines won't fly to. (Look at Stansted to see what I mean)

Let the private sector ramp Heathrow up to 4 runways (looking to the South there could well be brownbelt space, or even on the other side of the M25) and crack on, building on what's already there.

Quite a lot of people living around LHR nowerdays knew there was an airport there when they moved there, so they made their choice...

 

[alwaystouchout]

Opposition to Heathrow expansion always comes from those who can afford that broader, greener, more post-materialistic view of life, rather than those who are concerned with basic issues such as secure employment and the cost of living.

Frankly long-term employment in Hounslow is more important than the depreciation of property values in Windsor.

Provided a third runway and associated development occurs between the M4/A4 routes (which seems most likely), there's the irony that areas most affected by resulting noise-pollution from expansion will be demolished in the first place.. (As callous as it might sound.)

 

[radamfi]

Schiphol airport is ridiculously oversized for its domestic needs and can more than cater as the hub for most of NW Europe including the UK. The Dutch have invested and sacrificed a vast area of land so we don't have to.

 

[starrymarkb]

So leave everything to KLM? They already charge a premium on their regional connections where they are often the only long haul airline in town

 

[radamfi]

There is space at Schiphol for competing airlines to fly to UK regional airports, if there is demand. In fact, there is space for another airline (e.g. BA) to set up a comprehensive network at Schiphol, including connections to the UK, reducing dependence on Heathrow.

 

[starrymarkb]

As part of their cost cutting Flybe are going to be withdrawing their E195s as the leases expire (with the first two leaving next year), they will also be cancelling the remainder of the E175 order after the next 2 deliveries (presumably they are already in build at San Jose del Campos)

They are also withdrawing the sun routes (Spain and Portugal) from Exeter and Southampton.

 

[Butts]

As part of their cost cutting Flybe are going to be withdrawing their E195s as the leases expire (with the first two leaving next year), they will also be cancelling the remainder of the E175 order after the next 2 deliveries (presumably they are already in build at San Jose del Campos)

They are also withdrawing the sun routes (Spain and Portugal) from Exeter and Southampton.

Oh great...it's not back to those crappy turboprops is it ?

Embraer 195 is their finest craft on short haul - far more roomy than the 175 !

I do hope Southampton to Edinburgh survives the cull.

I can see another "we pay your APD" sale around the corner, I will hangfire on booking any of next years flights.

 

[BHXDMT]

For anyone interested in 'last flights' and retirement of aircraft, Monarch have just announced their last commercial flight on the Airbus A300.

Flight is on Sunday 13th April, from Gatwick to Birmingham (the scenic route), and costs £74 plus a seat reservation charge should you so wish.

http://t.co/GOwtpJzIpu

 

[CC 72100]

As part of their cost cutting Flybe are going to be withdrawing their E195s as the leases expire (with the first two leaving next year), they will also be cancelling the remainder of the E175 order after the next 2 deliveries (presumably they are already in build at San Jose del Campos)

They are also withdrawing the sun routes (Spain and Portugal) from Exeter and Southampton.

I see that the Cardiff - Paris CDG route is one of those to go, as early as mid-January.

I'll be flying out of CDG to Wales on Tuesday night - does anyone know a) what aircraft type it will be and b) is it airport-only check in, just as the website says?

Thanks in advance!

 

[flymo]

I'll be flying out of CDG to Wales on Tuesday night - does anyone know a) what aircraft type it will be !

BE 3436 is scheduled to be a De Havilland (Bombardier) DHC-8-400 according to flightstats.....

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Another 747 takes the wrong turning - at least this time it wasn't landing at the wrong airport!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25490906

A plane carrying more than 200 people has struck an office building while preparing to take off from the South African city of Johannesburg.

The British Airways flight to London was taxiing at OR Tambo International Airport when its right wing hit the building, injuring four people inside.

Images show the wing of the Boeing 747 wedged in the structure.

South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft had travelled down a taxi-way that was too narrow for it.

The incident involving the Boeing 747-400 happened late on Sunday.

The control tower "told them to take one taxi-way and they took another one. They took a wrong one," said CAA spokeswoman Phindiwe Gwebu.

So.... aircraft gets embedded in a building. Who was the Captain? Ted Striker?

 

[starrymarkb]

Wrong Turns happen, usually they don't cause much issue

Didn't Airbus manage to get an A380 winglet embedded in one of the temporary marquees at the Paris Airshow a couple of years back!

 

[Butts]

Butts suffered the misery of rail delays on his journey from Sandwell & Dudley to Birmingham International today.....

However The Embraer 195 did not disappoint and hammered up to Edinburgh in 45 minutes....

And it was very windy when I collected my car from Ferrytoll and crossed the Forth Road Bridge.

Plane v train ....no contest !!

 

[Techniquest]

Butts suffered the misery of rail delays on his journey from Sandwell & Dudley to Birmingham International today.....

However The Embraer 195 did not disappoint and hammered up to Edinburgh in 45 minutes....

And it was very windy when I collected my car from Ferrytoll and crossed the Forth Road Bridge.

Plane v train ....no contest !!

Even on a domestic journey like Birmingham to Edinburgh, I'd definitely take the plane too. E195s are pretty good little beasts, although I'd be just as happy with a Dash 8

 

[Butts]

Even on a domestic journey like Birmingham to Edinburgh, I'd definitely take the plane too. E195s are pretty good little beasts, although I'd be just as happy with a Dash 8

I'm suprised how many people on here are so "anti-air" seemingly for the sake of it.

If I am travelling somewhere I will use the quickest mode of transport be it air,rail,bus or car.

Some of the UK Domesic fares available at times are almost unbelieveable, I think if more people were aware how cheap it can be to fly the bargains would quickly vanish.

 

[starrymarkb]

I'm off to Glasgow for a day trip from Bristol in March - All of £20 with EZY

 

[Techniquest]

I'm suprised how many people on here are so "anti-air" seemingly for the sake of it.

If I am travelling somewhere I will use the quickest mode of transport be it air,rail,bus or car.

Some of the UK Domesic fares available at times are almost unbelieveable, I think if more people were aware how cheap it can be to fly the bargains would quickly vanish.

In all honesty, I used to be anti-air when it came to domestic flights, then I discovered the joy of flying and regret that!

Agreed at times the fares can be brilliant, so let's not tell too many people about the cheap deals that can be found as we all want them for ourselves

 

[WestCoast]

In all honesty, I used to be anti-air when it came to domestic flights, then I discovered the joy of flying and regret that!

Agreed at times the fares can be brilliant, so let's not tell too many people about the cheap deals that can be found as we all want them for ourselves

I think it's important to have competition between rail and air and with air travel being a truly unregulated market in terms of pricing, it can through up some excellent deals from time to time. If only they'd reduce APD!

It's funny, I know a couple of rail enthusiasts who used to be very against the whole idea of flying who've now made aviation into a hobby of theirs (one is now training to be a pilot!). Also one aviation enthusiast whose become very into trains recently as well!

 

[flymo]

I guess the logistics of air travel and to and still to an extent rail travel now interests me more than bashing or logging or whatever.

I must admit that on the whole I find the aviation world a lot more fascinating than railways now, maybe that is just my age showing through. When I was younger my interest was in buses, then late teens into mid twenties it was railways and now, late forties, it has evolved, if that is the right terminology, into aviation. I still have a huge interest in railways of course...

I follow the aviation goings-on around the world on sites such as FR24 and the like, as well as flightstats, and it simply amazes me the amount of data and documentation in the public domain to which one can have access. Trans-oceanic flights in particular tweak my interest can't really explain why but I think it stems from the early 90's whilst watching high flying jets going over Newcastle heading to/from the USA and Canada and wondering about the whole navigation and logistical side of where, how and why they were going where they were. Weird I know....

Nowadays of course not only can you almost instantly know which flight it is but which aircraft it is, what the menu in each class is and the list of movies being shown on board. There are quite a few synergies with the rail world. Ain't technology wonderful...

 

[Butts]

The key fact is that The Embraer 195 will be landing in Birmingham before the Train has even crossed the Border on it's journey from Edinburgh.

Also you always get a seat.

That's only a short hop if you consider Aberdeen to Birmingham the time factor becomes even more apparent. The Embraer is landing long before the Train has even reached Edinburgh.

Cardiff from Edinburgh - does not bear thinking about

 

[starrymarkb]

For those with a lot of Tesco points/Avios - Avios.com is currently running a promotion where the £35 Tax is reduced to £1 for the next 2 days on BA Reward flights to Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, Dublin, Nice, Jersey and Rome, will be reduced from £35 to £1 for a return flight and from £17.50 to 50p for a one way flight.

Details here - https://www.avios.com/gb/en_gb/spend/cp/jan-sale-rfs541?from=jansaledblmodule

I'm off to Nice for £1 and 9000 avios!

 

[telstarbox]

Flybe are setting up a base at Birmingham:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-25976965

Flybe is to expand at Birmingham Airport, creating 50 jobs and offering seven new passenger routes.

It will now fly to Alicante, Bordeaux, Cologne, Florence, Palma, Porto and Toulouse.

In November, the Exeter-based airline revealed plans to close six bases and axe 500 jobs in a bid to save £85m.

Flybe will now operate 32 summer routes to and from Birmingham up to a maximum of 375 return flights each week, totalling 1.7m seats.

 

[Butts]

For those with a lot of Tesco points/Avios - Avios.com is currently running a promotion where the £35 Tax is reduced to £1 for the next 2 days on BA Reward flights to Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, Dublin, Nice, Jersey and Rome, will be reduced from £35 to £1 for a return flight and from £17.50 to 50p for a one way flight.

Details here - https://www.avios.com/gb/en_gb/spend/cp/jan-sale-rfs541?from=jansaledblmodule

I'm off to Nice for £1 and 9000 avios!

Nice One
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Flybe are setting up a base at Birmingham:

They are expanding their base as they took over the old hub from BA at Brum....as long as they keep flying to Edinburgh from Birmingham I will be happy.

 

[WestCoast]

They are expanding their base as they took over the old hub from BA at Brum

Flybe will seemingly become the largest airline at Birmingham Airport as a result of this news. They'll also be flying down to destinations in Spain and Portugal on the 88-seat Embraer E175s, which interestingly enough are rather smaller than what most of the competition are using. I do certainly hope it's another successful step in their plan to return to profit.

Speaking of Birmingham Airport, did a quick trip last Saturday to Dublin; out on a very new Aer Lingus A320 and returning on an also very new Aer Lingus Regional ATR-72. Was quite impressed with the new ATR-72, a lot more pleasant to fly on than the older ATR models. It had quite a battle with the crosswind at BHX on Saturday evening though, but we got in on the second attempt.

 

[Butts]

Flybe will seemingly become the largest airline at Birmingham Airport as a result of this news. They'll also be flying down to destinations in Spain and Portugal on the 88-seat Embraer E175s, which interestingly enough are rather smaller than what most of the competition are using. I do certainly hope it's another successful step in their plan to return to profit.

Speaking of Birmingham Airport, did a quick trip last Saturday to Dublin; out on a very new Aer Lingus A320 and returning on an also very new Aer Lingus Regional ATR-72. Was quite impressed with the new ATR-72, a lot more pleasant to fly on than the older ATR models. It had quite a battle with the crosswind at BHX on Saturday evening though, but we got in on the second attempt.

I read somewhere they are cutting back on The Embraer 195's unfortunately,
as they are far superior to the 175's