[Hephaestion]

Good news for Brummie´s, Midlanders and Cadbury deprived Turks alike!

It seems that there is a good chance of seeing the first direct nonstop Turkish Airlines flights out of BHX to Istanbul very soon. The flight times don´t look too bad either especially for onward connections to Izmir and vice versa.

Another thing to consider is that FLYBE (not the most reliable airline) has a base at BHX and there could be connections from Belfast, Inverness, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

BHX Airport's web site shows the new flights of TK:

Flights from Birmingham to Istanbul (IST)
1325 1905 1 - 3 - - 6 - TK 1974 Non Stop 03:40 hrs 737 31-Mar 08-Jul

Flights from Istanbul (IST) to Birmingham
1030 1225 1 - 3 - - 6 - TK 1973 Non Stop 03:55 hrs 737 31-Mar 08-Jul

[Mavi]

sounds good, especially for me if Glasgow is being considered..

[ally]

Great news Chris!!

[babypud]

Now this is good news!

[Hephaestion]

Originally Posted by Mavi

sounds good, especially for me if Glasgow is being considered..

Eh, hold yer horses Michelle. It´s Brummingham. But there might be good FlyBe connections from Glasgow to Brumland. Beats changing planes in Gatwick or any other huge hub.

[marky mark]

There are good train links to Birmingham and i think a free shuttle train to the airport from Birmingham New Street.

Much prefer BHX to Manchester Airport.
Don't know anything about Flybe or anyone that's flown with them.
Take it they are a budget airline?

[susanteyze]

Yep - flybe are a budget airline - originally called Jersey European, then renamed British European and have been called flybe for at least the last few years. I've used them a few times as this is their main hub, in addition to Bristol being their main hub but they also fly in and out of Glasgow, Exeter, Bristol and Southampton and loads of other regional airports. In the last couple of years they have increased the number of routes (particularly the French routes)
Their seat prioces are normally pretty good but they get you on the old taxes etc etc (more than Easyjet do anyway). One good thing with them is that they give you (well they did last time I used them) allocated seating.

[Hephaestion]

On Flybe you have two pay for checked luggage but this is becoming standard practice amongst budget airlines.

I have read quite a few complaints regarding cancellations and delays on the airlinequality site.