When this thread started, I recall the panic to get a seat.

Currently, there are seats available on all flights, (window and isle) on the 22nd, window and isle on BG2 on the 23rd, and isle on BG4 and BG8, on the 24th there are only isle seats on BG2.

Hopefully they will run all of these flights.

Based on sales to date, they may want to merge some flights.

There are also still seats on the flight from Dhaka.

I am also aware that the planned destination in the US fell through.

Any thoughts.

This is my concern as well that low ticket sales will cause them to cancel/merge flights, particularly on Saturday when I am booked (BG4). Having booked advance train tickets from the big smoke I wouldn’t be happy if they turn around and say you’ve been rebooked on another flight! The BG4 seems to be the most popular over the weekend but I wouldn’t be surprised if the 09:00 departure on Saturday is canned. Hopefully not but will they pick up too many more bookings now? Those who really wanted to go would have booked Monday/Sunday when they went on sale (see above), the stragglers like me would have booked Saturday/Sunday already, so apart from a trickle of last minute bookings how are the seats going to be filled? Most members of the West Midlands general public are not going to be enthused by the prospect of parting with £100 for flying a 25 year old rust bucket from an airline they probably perceive as being slightly dodgy. My girlfriend has already checked I’ve been paying my life insurance when I told her! Hopefully Biman are good on their word. They have been great putting on these flights in the first place and hopefully the oddly high number of flights they are selling with a more odd reduced seat count can operate as planned.

The Dhaka flight is one thing and I doubt they will move it or have it rescheduled.

All those who have booked scenic flights have made travel arrangements -- sometime costing quite a bit of money -- in order to be in Birmingham to experience flying on the DC-10 - for some it will be their first and last chance - for others it will be a last and final goodbye to the aircraft they used to fly on many Moons ago.

Biman cannot move passengers around and scrub flights at their own whim unless they don't care that people lose money on pre-arranged travel. I am sure they would refund the Biman flights if they cancel but many have to travel distances and take other flights, book hotels, and so much more.

My flights to BHX on the Monday are not refundable. I would have to go whatever happens or lose the ticket.

I hope they will keep the flight schedules as they are and not swap people around and/or scrub flights or they would be getting themselves some very bad publicity.


     

Without knowing how many seats have been sold on the Dhaka flight, I would not regard it as given.

They could simply scrap it in Dhaka.

I hope not.

Biman are selling 1368 (152 per flight) seats on 9 sightseeing/farewell flights from BHX.
From looking at the booking machine on their site, I would say that about 800 - 1000 seats are already sold.

So I would really doubt, that they are willing to cancel all these flights.

How do you estimate the number sold?.

Quoting Hamspotter (Reply 154): From looking at the booking machine on their site, I would say that about 800 - 1000 seats are already sold.

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 155): How do you estimate the number sold?.

Good question! The booking engine only indicates that seats are available, not whether that's 1, 10 or 100.

On 22nd Feb, window seats on BG4 are now sold out.

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 155):

Monday:
Flights are nearly sold out: 152 * 3 = 456
Sunday:
All window seats are sold on two of the three flights: c. 76 * 2 = 152
One flight only has 2 aisle seats available (BG-4): c. 76
Saturday:
One flight has all window seats sold: c. 76

All these definitely sold places: 760!
Ok, lets say, there are still 20 window seats available on Monday, than it still totals to 740

When you now roughly estimate, that there are at least some seats booked on the other 5 available flights, you easily come to more than 800 sold seats.  

All stacks up, but how do you know there are only 2 aisle seats left on BG4?.

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 159):

Try booking 3 seats and it shows as sold out!  

Very clever.

Which flight are you booked on?.

So I wouldn´r really worry. These flights will take place.

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 161):

BG-4 on Saturday with 3 friends!  

I am on BG2, so I may see you as you arrive.

Doesn't it have 2 aisle seats for every window seat? Considiring it's a widebody.

Or do they only sell the 'outboard' aisle seats?

No, it is in the old DC10 2-5-2 configuration, so there is only one aisle next to a window.
So 5 Seats in the middle.

[Edited 2014-02-07 08:13:05]

Quoting vandenheuvel (Reply 165): Doesn't it have 2 aisle seats for every window seat?

Quoting conrad (Reply 166): No, it is in the old DC10 2-5-2 configuration

Vandenheuvel is still right, also 2-5-2 widebodies have 4 aisle seats and 2 window seats at each row ?!?  

So the layout is ox oxxxo xo

With 'o' being the seats bookable for each row and 'x' being non bookable. Giving 4 bookable seats, (2 window and 2 aisle) per row.

No, the middle 5 seats stay empty according to the Biman Website.
So, just the window rows are for sale. So, only 4 seats of 9 seats in each row are sold.
Quote "In order to keep the flights as “special” as possible we are only selling 152 of the 319 seats on the aircraft – therefore all are window or aisle seats."

[Edited 2014-02-07 08:30:42]

So it is oo xxxxx oo

I think so, let's look on the day.

Does anybody have any update on this...?

I know some of us are "connected " with BG to a degree.

Rgds

Quoting TUGMASTER (Reply 172): Does anybody have any update on this...?

What kind of info are you looking for Mr Master? As of right now, the flights are selling merrily, all confirmed, nothing to report which is how we want it to stay.

Btw I am on the DAC-KWI-BHX flight.

Quoting cedarjet (Reply 173): Btw I am on the DAC-KWI-BHX flight

Me too  

Any chance Biman will serve champagne/ alcohol on this flight ?

Quoting cedarjet (Reply 173): What kind of info are you looking for Mr Master?

Any idea if they're going to do anything special on the ground, for instance boarding via stairs so we can take a few shots from the apron?

Quoting cedarjet (Reply 173): Btw I am on the DAC-KWI-BHX flight.

Anyone arriving on this flight that would like to be interviewed for a documentary and potential inclusion on a DVD/Blu-Ray release, let me know. I'll be there all four days (starting with the arrival on the 20th, as well as all three flight days) and interviewing enthusiasts on all nine flights.

That´s ok with me. On BG 2 on Monday 24th at 9am.

Today on Airlineroutes Newsletter:
Quote: "BIMAN Bangladesh Airlines Extends DC10 Scheduled Service to 18FEB14

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 09:20 PM PST

Update at 0520GMT 11FEB14

BIMAN Bangladesh Airlines has scheduled additional 2 round-trip flights operated by DC10, which sees scheduled operation (or “normal flying”) until 18FEB14, instead of 15FEB14. Planned DC10 farewell service to Birmingham on 20FEB14, remains unchanged at present time, as of 11FEB14.

Final DC10 service remains subject to change. The following is DC10 scheduled operation from 11FEB14 to 18FEB14.

Dhaka – Abu Dhabi
BG027 DAC1905 – 1950CGP2050 – 0025+1AUH D10 14FEB14
BG028 AUH0225 – 0900CGP1000 – 1045DAC D10 15FEB14

Dhaka – Hong Kong
BG078 DAC2000 – 0145+1HKG D10 11FEB14
BG079 HKG0315 – 0515DAC D10 12FEB14

Dhaka – Kuala Lumpur
BG086 DAC0915 – 1500KUL D10 12FEB14
BG086 DAC1205 – 1750KUL D10 15FEB14

BG087 KUL1630 – 1815DAC D10 12FEB14
BG087 KUL1930 – 2115DAC D10 15FEB14

Dhaka – Kuwait Additional 2 flights added on 16FEB14 and 17FEB14, including 1-stop via Doha
BG043 DAC2055 – 0005+1KWI D10 12FEB14/16FEB14
BG043 DAC1825 – 2100DOH2215 – 0005+1KWI D10 17FEB14

BG044 KWI0145 – 0930DAC D10 13FEB14/17FEB14
BG1044 KWI0145 – 0930CGP1030 – 1115DAC D10 18FEB14

Dhaka – Kuwait – Birmingham
BG1015 DAC0830 – 1150KWI1250 – 1620BHX D10 20FEB14" unquote

[Edited 2014-02-11 09:45:02]

If demand increases any further, then some of the retired BG DC10's will need to be returned to service.

Is S2-ACP not been wfu since 11/2013 and used for spares?

I will join as well and booked BG 2 on Sunday morning.
See you all there

Any one interested in BG8 on Sunday.

Only 1 seat left.

Quoting conrad (Reply 178): BG1044 KWI0145 – 0930CGP1030 – 1115DAC D10 18FEB14

Brilliant! Count me on that too.


Dan  

Does anyone know how seat allocation will work on the three days of scenic flights?
Will we be able to use online check-in or will it be done the classical way two hours before departure in the BHX terminal?

Rumour now has it that ACR will be scrapped in Bruntingthorpe after the fare-well weekend..

Martijn

Quoting DUSint (Reply 184): Does anyone know how seat allocation will work on the three days of scenic flights? Will we be able to use online check-in or will it be done the classical way two hours before departure in the BHX terminal?

As I see no Web check-in possible on Bimans HP.

Would be a pity to see it scrapped at Bruntingthorpe.

However, breaking up seems inevitable.

Have I missed something? Did the plan to have it preserved in Seattle fall through?

Does anyone who will be in Birmingham on the Thursday (20th) night fancy going out for beers and a curry to toast the aircraft's arrival from Dhaka? I cannot think of a more classic Bangladeshi/British combination and think it would be a good way of marking the occasion  

Quoting UK_Dispatcher (Reply 189): Does anyone who will be in Birmingham on the Thursday (20th) night fancy going out for beers and a curry to toast the aircraft's arrival from Dhaka?

I can give a 75% yes -

http://www.biman-airlines.com/about/...2cbc6f-2a9d-4981-a989-1dc78438fb8e

Check in details now available.

For anyone in the Birmingham area Friday night, we will be arriving around 5PM in the New Street Station area. Would love to meet up for a drink or maybe even a bite to eat if there is any interest. We'll be leaving back to London on Saturday afternoon post-flight.

Otherwise, we'll see you at BHX Saturday morning.

Cheers and safe flights.

Looking forward to my flight next Monday!

Quoting [email protected] (Reply 193): Looking forward to my flight next Monday!

Me too

Last to Fly the DC-10

One week from today!!!!!

           

According to flyintobhx.co.uk (photo blog spot) the aircraft is going to Bruntingthorpe to be preserved at their aviation museum. Whilst parked at BHX, it will be on stand 86c.

Mick

Have updated the list with as I'll be on BG2 on Monday (24th), staying at the Novotel BHX Airport the night before.

Have added a couple of missing entries for various posters in the list while I was at it.

Regards
BrusselsSouth

COMFIRMED LIST:

Auleyair
KPWMSpotter
aloges
CrimsonNL
ndebelebev
mxp
BritishB747
zululima
Vandenheuvel
MadameConcorde
Dc1015
SC15
SwissCanuck +1
DUSint
dba4u
PlymSpotter
Conrad
TupolevTu154
MEA-707
airbuseric
abrown532
BA777
airtrainer
DanTaylor2006
JetxDammit
BrusselsSouth
F4phantom

--------------------------------------------------------
MAYBE LIST:


--------------------------------------------------------
CONFIRMED FOR DC10 FERRY FLIGHT: DAC-KWI-BHX, 20th FEB:

PlymSpotter
TupolevTu154
zululima
cedarjet
eirik

--------------------------------------------------------
COMFIRMED FOR DC10 Sightseeing Flight

24th 0900 BG 2:
BritishB747
Conrad
BA777
BrusselsSouth

24th 1200 BG 4:
Auleyair
DUSint
airtrainer
F4phantom

24th 1500 BG 8 (Last Sightseeing flight):
SC15
MadameConcorde
PlymSpotter
MEA-707
Jetxdammit

23rd 0900: BG 2:
CrimsonNL
mxp
vandenheuvel
airbuseric
DanTaylor2006
FlySwiss

23rd 1200: BG 4:
KPWMSpotter
aloges
dba4u

23rd 1500: BG 8:
Dc1015
abrown532 +1

22nd 0900: BG 2
bennett123
jetxdammit

22nd 1200: BG 4
Dc1015
SwissCanuck +1
Hamspotter +3

22nd 1500: BG 8
ndebelebev

-----------------------------------------------------------
Outbound Flight

Auleyair DUB-MAN EI202 06:30-07:30 A320
KPWMSpotter ATL-YUL-AMS-MAN arriving 10:00 2/22 (CR7, MD-11!, 738)
aloges - HAJ-AMS-BHX 23/02/14 KL1900/KL1421
BritishB747 - Not Booked (Possibly British Rail)
Conrad - 24.02.2014 BE 7047 BHX - DUS, dep. 17.50
MXP - 24.02.2014 BHX-FRA 09:15
Vandenheuvel 22.02.2014 IST-LHR TK1979 B773
zululima 14.02 DFW-ELP-ORD-AMM 17.02 AMM-DXB 19.02 DXB-CGP-DAC
abrown532 - 23.02 BHD-LHR BA1431 07:50-09:15
MEA-707: 24.02 BHX-AMS BE105 17.35-19.40
airbuseric: 23.02 BHX-AMS KL1426 13:40-15:50
airtrainer not booked yet
jetxdammit: 26.02 LHR-LAX BA0269 15:00 A380
BrusselsSouth: 23.02 CRL-MAN FR3788 12:20-12:45 738

------------------------------------------------------------
Inbound Flight

Auleyair BHX-DUB EI277 19:20-20:20 A320
KPWMSpotter MAN-ATL departing 10:05 2/24 (763)
aloges - BHX-CDG-DUS 23/02/14 AF1769/AF1106
BritishB747 - BHX-EDI 24/02/14 BE849 1450-1610 DHC-8 Q400 (I think)
Conrad - 23.02.2014 BE 7046 DUS-BHX
MXP - 21.02.2014 FRA-BHX 22:05
Vandenheuvel 23.02.2014 BHX-AMS BE105
zululima 27.02 CDG-PHL-DFW
abrown532 23.02 BHX-BFS EZY196 18:00-19:05
MEA-707 22.02 AMS-BHX KL1431 16.25-16.40
airbuseric 22.02 AMS-BHX KL1431 16.25-16.40
airtrainer not booked yet
jetxdammit 19.02 LAX-LHR BA0268 14:55 A380
BrusselsSouth: 24.02 MAN-CRL FR3789 17:40-20:05 738

------------------------------------------------------------
Hotel

KPWMSpotter: Hotel Britannia Birmingham
Auleyair -> 22nd -> Radisson Blu Manchester Airport
23rd -> Not Comfirm yet (Hotel in BHX)
SwissCanuck+1 -> Night of 21st -> Downtown Birmingham hotel
BritishB747 -> 23/02/14 No Booking (Probably Travelodge Birmingham Airport)
Conrad - Novotel Birmingham Airport
MXP - Ibis Birmingham Airport
MEA-707 Travelodge Birmingham Airport
airbuseric Travelodge Birmingham Airport
Jetxdammit Novotel Birmingham Airport
BrusselsSouth 23.02 Novotel Birmingham Airport

24th 1500 BG 8 (Last Sightseeing flight):
SC15
MadameConcorde
PlymSpotter
MEA-707
Jetxdammit

And me.

Quoting MickBHX (Reply 195): According to flyintobhx.co.uk (photo blog spot) the aircraft is going to Bruntingthorpe to be preserved at their aviation museum.

I much rather hear this than knowing that it would be scrubbed.
She will be a very nice piece for their aircraft collection.

This is reassuring. I was fearing the worse.

        


I should be landing at BHX @ 10.20 from CDG if all goes well.

     

[Edited 2014-02-17 11:33:04]

Hi all,

Adding myself to the list for the Monday BG4, can't wait!

I'm arriving on the 24th from ABZ at 10:20 and check in closure is at 11:00 so it'll be squeaky bum time for me on the way down. Does anyone familiar with BHX know where in the terminal the UK domestic arrivals will come out and how far check in desks 26-28 are from that exit?

Any help is much appreciated and looking forward to seeing everyone next Monday (as long as Flymaybe don't let me down!)


COMFIRMED LIST:

Auleyair
KPWMSpotter
aloges
CrimsonNL
ndebelebev
mxp
BritishB747
zululima
Vandenheuvel
MadameConcorde
Dc1015
SC15
SwissCanuck +1
DUSint
dba4u
PlymSpotter
Conrad
TupolevTu154
MEA-707
airbuseric
abrown532
BA777
airtrainer
DanTaylor2006
JetxDammit
BrusselsSouth
F4phantom
captaindoony
--------------------------------------------------------
MAYBE LIST:


--------------------------------------------------------
CONFIRMED FOR DC10 FERRY FLIGHT: DAC-KWI-BHX, 20th FEB:

PlymSpotter
TupolevTu154
zululima
cedarjet
eirik

--------------------------------------------------------
COMFIRMED FOR DC10 Sightseeing Flight

24th 0900 BG 2:
BritishB747
Conrad
BA777
BrusselsSouth

24th 1200 BG 4:
Auleyair
DUSint
airtrainer
F4phantom
captaindoony

24th 1500 BG 8 (Last Sightseeing flight):
SC15
MadameConcorde
PlymSpotter
MEA-707
Jetxdammit

23rd 0900: BG 2:
CrimsonNL
mxp
vandenheuvel
airbuseric
DanTaylor2006
FlySwiss

23rd 1200: BG 4:
KPWMSpotter
aloges
dba4u

23rd 1500: BG 8:
Dc1015
abrown532 +1

22nd 0900: BG 2
bennett123
jetxdammit

22nd 1200: BG 4
Dc1015
SwissCanuck +1
Hamspotter +3

22nd 1500: BG 8
ndebelebev

-----------------------------------------------------------
Outbound Flight

Auleyair DUB-MAN EI202 06:30-07:30 A320
KPWMSpotter ATL-YUL-AMS-MAN arriving 10:00 2/22 (CR7, MD-11!, 738)
aloges - HAJ-AMS-BHX 23/02/14 KL1900/KL1421
BritishB747 - Not Booked (Possibly British Rail)
Conrad - 24.02.2014 BE 7047 BHX - DUS, dep. 17.50
MXP - 24.02.2014 BHX-FRA 09:15
Vandenheuvel 22.02.2014 IST-LHR TK1979 B773
zululima 14.02 DFW-ELP-ORD-AMM 17.02 AMM-DXB 19.02 DXB-CGP-DAC
abrown532 - 23.02 BHD-LHR BA1431 07:50-09:15
MEA-707: 24.02 BHX-AMS BE105 17.35-19.40
airbuseric: 23.02 BHX-AMS KL1426 13:40-15:50
airtrainer not booked yet
jetxdammit: 26.02 LHR-LAX BA0269 15:00 A380
BrusselsSouth: 23.02 CRL-MAN FR3788 12:20-12:45 738
captaindoony: 24.02 ABZ-BHX BE322 08:50-10:20 DH4

------------------------------------------------------------
Inbound Flight

Auleyair BHX-DUB EI277 19:20-20:20 A320
KPWMSpotter MAN-ATL departing 10:05 2/24 (763)
aloges - BHX-CDG-DUS 23/02/14 AF1769/AF1106
BritishB747 - BHX-EDI 24/02/14 BE849 1450-1610 DHC-8 Q400 (I think)
Conrad - 23.02.2014 BE 7046 DUS-BHX
MXP - 21.02.2014 FRA-BHX 22:05
Vandenheuvel 23.02.2014 BHX-AMS BE105
zululima 27.02 CDG-PHL-DFW
abrown532 23.02 BHX-BFS EZY196 18:00-19:05
MEA-707 22.02 AMS-BHX KL1431 16.25-16.40
airbuseric 22.02 AMS-BHX KL1431 16.25-16.40
airtrainer not booked yet
jetxdammit 19.02 LAX-LHR BA0268 14:55 A380
BrusselsSouth: 24.02 MAN-CRL FR3789 17:40-20:05 738
captaindoony: 24.02 LCY-ABZ BA3298 19:30-21:00 E170

------------------------------------------------------------
Hotel

KPWMSpotter: Hotel Britannia Birmingham
Auleyair -> 22nd -> Radisson Blu Manchester Airport
23rd -> Not Comfirm yet (Hotel in BHX)
SwissCanuck+1 -> Night of 21st -> Downtown Birmingham hotel
BritishB747 -> 23/02/14 No Booking (Probably Travelodge Birmingham Airport)
Conrad - Novotel Birmingham Airport
MXP - Ibis Birmingham Airport
MEA-707 Travelodge Birmingham Airport
airbuseric Travelodge Birmingham Airport
Jetxdammit Novotel Birmingham Airport
BrusselsSouth 23.02 Novotel Birmingham Airport

[Edited 2014-02-17 15:34:14]