Heathrow to Belfast Aldergrove Question

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Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 939

Is there a direct flight from Heathrow to Belfast Aldergrove (as opposed to City Airport) on a Saturday? Unless I am doing something wrong the BA cheapest flights came up via Manchester and left from Gatwick???!!!??? I must be doing something wrong as I thought this was a major BA domestic route :confused: :confused:

Original post

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 4,255

BA cut LHR-BFS in 2001, following September 11th :)

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 939

BA cut LHR-BFS in 2001, following September 11th :)

Thanks - Very odd - the Heathrow to Aldergrove route was one of the 3 main domestic shuttle routes and at one point was carrying more passengers than the Edinburgh run. Although I suppose the City Airport has taken a lot of traffic from Aldergrove - pity as it would have been my first trip there. :(

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 139

Quote: "pity as it would have been my first trip there" - wouldn't fret, you aren't missing much - unless, of course, you have a burning desire to visit an airport firmly stuck in an 80s time warp with orange tails everywhere!

Its a crying shame because a little investment in the right places could make such a difference - BHD is space age in comparison!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,213

I flew on it around 10th of Oct 2001 and i think BA cut it the week after. It had a total of 10 passengers on my outbound and 12 on inbound. Our group was 4 strong and included in those figures! Kind of understandable given it was 1 month after 9/11

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 939

Quote: "pity as it would have been my first trip there" - wouldn't fret, you aren't missing much - unless, of course, you have a burning desire to visit an airport firmly stuck in an 80s time warp with orange tails everywhere!

Its a crying shame because a little investment in the right places could make such a difference - BHD is space age in comparison!

It certainly doesn't sound up to much. Its just that there are a number of UK airports I have yet to fly to or from. I am going to Teesside (or whatever its called now) from Heathrow on Feb 18th and I have chalked in later this year trips to Jersey and Inverness. July will be my first trip into Shannon or Knock.

Visit an 80s time warp - no thanks - but 50s or 60s time warp? - now you are talking :D :D

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 9,401

I actually like Aldergrove, got a good viewing 'gallery', is getting a better variety of aircraft everytime I go, and the new renovations to the departure lounge are great!

I like both Belfast airports.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,213

BFS is lacking but their refurbishment program seems to be taking them in the right directions. Monty P knows more but from memory isnt there an extra loco "wing" to be added and everywhere else refurbished completly?

Aldergrove must be the last airport in the UK to have a open Baggage Area where the public can walk up the belts!!

Member for

21 years

Posts: 4,209

Aldergrove must be the last airport in the UK to have a open Baggage Area where the public can walk up the belts!!

Exeter has one, but thats the only thing I can think of right now, I think even the one at Plymouth was airside. You'd think in Belfast of all places the security would be quite tight!

I must admit BHD is a far nicer airport to pass through in almost every respect. Unless of course you have a delay, in which case there isnt much to do, but in nearly 2 years of regularly using the airport I've been quite lucky!

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 60

Ref BFS!

There is work currently underway to extend to int'l lounge out to stands 28 and 29.

Also ...

The airbridge at stand 27 has now been removed, leaving BFS with only 1 airbridge at 22 which is usually broken.

BFS needs to expand with extra stands and gates as this summer looks like it's going to be the largest programme of flights ever.

Richard

Member for

21 years

Posts: 4,209

Why on earth have they removed an airbridge? Practically every other airport in the world is trying to add as many as possible at the moment!

Even if the airport is 99% LCC who dont use bridges, I still dont see the point in actually removing one :confused:

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 409

i think it was to give room for the 2 new gates! sum1 correct me if i am wrong thow!

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 5,530

Belfast Aldergrove has just one problem to me...It's nowhere near Belfast!

Member for

18 years 11 months

Posts: 139

The problems at BFS are many fold - firstly it is further away from the city it purports to serve than virtually any of the other sizeable airports in the UK & Ireland - the distance woudn't be an obstacle were it not for the fact that both the bus and taxi fares to travel there from Belfast are seen by many as prohibitively expensive. The lack of a rail link is also an important disadvantage and it unlikely to be resolved in the forseeable future.

In addition, the current terminal building was constructed in 1964 and no amount of adding bits on here and there will substitute for what is really needed - a new terminal. Regrettably, TBI or Abertis or whatever they're called don't seem to be interested in committing to the substantial investment which would be required and are happy to let it tick over as at present. Presumably they're directing most of their current capital expenditure towards improvements at Luton at the expense of the likes of BFS.

Unfortunately, until these issues are addressed at BFS, BHD will continue to capitalise on it's undoubted convenience and modern facilities at the expense of BFS. No wonder BFS has so vehemently opposed the lifting of the passenger cap at BHD! The physical location of BFS is something it can do nothing about but the other issues could be addressed with a little effort (and money, of course!).

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,213

Thing with BHD is that they are finding it hard enough to fit all current flights on the apron and expansion there wont be approved for a while yet. BFS is full (not to the same degree) as well but would be quicker to expand than it would be at BHD due to various obstacles.

BFS is out of belfast but is about as central as you could probably get in Northern Ireland to appeal to travellers from all over the provience as (as many belfast people forget) there are people outside of Greater Belfast!

A Rail link is probably something never to happen at Aldergrove as it would mean laying new track through a good number of miles through fields etc. The Airport bus is expensive (£9 return) but the Airporter is offering very cheap fares to BHD where a minimal bus fare to City Airport is available.