StefanAVFC Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Been announced, starting April. 200 quid returns (plus tax). Shits all over Virgin/BA to the tune of about 500 quid! Clicky. Birmingham Airport will commence twice weekly scheduled flights to both New York and Dhaka in the spring of 2014; a long-haul operation made possible thanks to Birmingham’s £40m runway extension soon to open. Birmingham will become only the third UK airport to have direct flights to New York JFK and offer the only non-stop service between the UK and Bangladesh outside of London. Flights will be on sale early in the New Year with launch fares starting from GBP100 plus taxes each way between Birmingham and JFK and GBP150 plus taxes each way between Birmingham and Dhaka. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privateer Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 It's a start but this is more significant to me Birmingham Airport’s 400m runway extension will allow aircraft to fly an extra 2000 nautical miles from Birmingham, to reach destinations in the Far East, South America and the west coast of the US directly. When I can fly BHX - LAX or SIN or BKK without having to endure a stopover at Schipol (great airport layout and facilities but dire security check procedures) or the **** disgrace that is Dubai, I'll consider the place to be a true international airport. I just hope plenty of quality airlines pile in to offer plenty of routes and there is competition to fill the seats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 Binman airlines to JFK... Having been to Bangladesh think I'll pay the extra and stick to BA thanksHave they built BHX big enough to take the A-380 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted December 26, 2013 Share Posted December 26, 2013 How much tax is on a long haul flight.. a fair amount I guess? Still, as you say, should be cheaper than the other options. I'd still rather fly BHX - Newark direct like you have been able to for years. Its no big effort to get from New Jersey to Manhattan. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 How much tax is on a long haul flight.. a fair amount I guess? Still, as you say, should be cheaper than the other options. I'd still rather fly BHX - Newark direct like you have been able to for years. Its no big effort to get from New Jersey to Manhattan. It's a bigger effort to get from JFK -> Manhattan IMO. Binman airlines to JFK... Having been to Bangladesh think I'll pay the extra and stick to BA thanks Have they built BHX big enough to take the A-380 ? Extended runway Tony. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 an airline that gets very low ratings on most of the reputable travel sites. Plus the prices "quoted" are nowhere near what you would pay and certainly do not piss on BA or Virgin. This will be a route that will be in operation for probably 6 months and then get cut back to once a week followed by cancellation of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 an airline that gets very low ratings on most of the reputable travel sites. Plus the prices "quoted" are nowhere near what you would pay and certainly do not piss on BA or Virgin. This will be a route that will be in operation for probably 6 months and then get cut back to once a week followed by cancellation of it. Low ratings is very true. One of my customers is a prominent Bangladeshi businessman, and he will not use them. That said, they are modernising their fleet and, for the relatively short hop that is New York, may attract some trade. Rumour has it that their opening business class fare (lie flat seat) will be the same price as United's full economy fare to Newark. As a twice a week route, I don't see it having a huge impact, although I differ with Ian, as I think that it will increase in frequency, not disappear. For BHX the significant thing is that the departures to Dhaka will be the first to take advantage of the new runway extension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 It's a start but this is more significant to me Birmingham Airport’s 400m runway extension will allow aircraft to fly an extra 2000 nautical miles from Birmingham, to reach destinations in the Far East, South America and the west coast of the US directly. When I can fly BHX - LAX or SIN or BKK without having to endure a stopover at Schipol (great airport layout and facilities but dire security check procedures) or the **** disgrace that is Dubai, I'll consider the place to be a true international airport. I just hope plenty of quality airlines pile in to offer plenty of routes and there is competition to fill the seats. I doubt whether you will ever be able to fly BHX-LAX. It's a strange route that only seems to do well from London. SIN/BKK, maybe more likely, but these are airports that need to compete with DXB, and I am afraid that the Middle East is now the best changeover point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted December 27, 2013 Share Posted December 27, 2013 How much tax is on a long haul flight.. a fair amount I guess? Still, as you say, should be cheaper than the other options. I'd still rather fly BHX - Newark direct like you have been able to for years. Its no big effort to get from New Jersey to Manhattan. It's a bigger effort to get from JFK -> Manhattan IMO. Didn't seem to be much of an effort when we did it last Xmas. 40 minutes in a taxi, wasn't any real hassle. Gatwick into London by car is much worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 27, 2013 Author Share Posted December 27, 2013 (edited) I meant that it's a bigger effort to get from JFK to Manhattan than Newark to Manhattan having done both. JFK is a bit of a hassle really, whereas Newark is plain (hohoho) sailing. Binman airlines to JFK... Having been to Bangladesh think I'll pay the extra and stick to BA thanks When you're poor like me, I don't care about service Edited December 27, 2013 by StefanAVFC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 I meant that it's a bigger effort to get from JFK to Manhattan than Newark to Manhattan having done both. JFK is a bit of a hassle really, whereas Newark is plain (hohoho) sailing. Binman airlines to JFK... Having been to Bangladesh think I'll pay the extra and stick to BA thanks When you're poor like me, I don't care about service Don't worry. I think that pretty much every airline beats BA for service anyway. Biman will use brand new aircraft and this will be their flagship route-they will pull out all of the stops to build up their reputation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 I keep seeing the BA hate but having flown ... Qatar , Air Mauritius , Air Malaysia , Sri Lankan , Binman , Druk air and Guardo Indonesia to name just a few in the past year .. BA was superior to all of them when it came to service ... air Malaysia would be at the bottom , their business class was appalling ... Air Mauritius was average and even Qatar was still not a patch on BA It's all about opinions I guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 I keep seeing the BA hate but having flown ... Qatar , Air Mauritius , Air Malaysia , Sri Lankan , Binman , Druk air and Guardo Indonesia to name just a few in the past year .. BA was superior to all of them when it came to service ... air Malaysia would be at the bottom , their business class was appalling ... Air Mauritius was average and even Qatar was still not a patch on BA It's all about opinions I guess Opinions, points, and FF status! I hate KLM business class, but as I am Flying Blue gold, they are my second choice (after AF). The lounges at Schiphol are pretty good, particularly when I am waiting for the last BHX flight. I have quite a few points on other carriers, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Emirates etc, but I tend to use Skyteam where I can. I guess that you use One World in the same way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted December 28, 2013 Share Posted December 28, 2013 Yeah one world for me .... I did get the fly blue thing when I went to Beijing with KLM but with about 480,000 Avios in my account it will take a lot to get me away from one world !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 28, 2013 Author Share Posted December 28, 2013 Virgin have been great every time for me. Top class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 (edited) Virgin have been great every time for me. Top class. I forgot them. I've used them for three round trips this year, so chocked up a few points with them. A couple more trips early 2014 should give me enough to upgrade me and the wife for summer holidays! Edited December 29, 2013 by thetrees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 (edited) Virgin have been great every time for me. Top class.I forgot them. I've used them for three round trips this year, so chocked up a few points with them. A couple more trips early 2014 should give me enough to upgrade me and the wife for summer holidays!Don't they offer virgin galactic flights with their miles .. Save up for them surely Virgin miles are always really hard to redeem from what I hear Edited December 29, 2013 by tonyh29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Virgin have been great every time for me. Top class.I forgot them. I've used them for three round trips this year, so chocked up a few points with them. A couple more trips early 2014 should give me enough to upgrade me and the wife for summer holidays! Don't they offer virgin galactic flights with their miles .. Save up for them surely Virgin miles are always really hard to redeem from what I hear I only started using them in earnest this year, when I added another geographical area to my responsibilities. No doubt I'll find out how difficult in due course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts