SOUTHAMPTON

[Nakata77]

I've never understood why BAA sold prime land to the Royal Mail that could have been used for apron space. Could it be that they didn't really think the airport would actually take off in the way it has?

[TCAS FAN]

Nakata 77

They never sold it, they were given the chance to buy it but considered it too expensive to purchase. How they have come (privately) to regret that decision, finally compiling a Master Plan many years after. Something about stable door and horses?

Another classic from the World Class Airport group, followed by the short term car park saga and more.

[teabag1]

Southampton GA

Can anybody shine some light please? Been contacted (via agent) for new owner of SOU based company that operates B200 + Baron +??? not on AOC but looking to head that way. Needing Ground Ops Mgr to take them forward - finding it a bit difficult to get info as to who's involved. Any local views appreciated!!

[Serenity]

Try Signature. they handle all the private/corporate aircraft..

[Yak97]

Gnd Ops job

Teabag, Got the same enquiry. Company has 3 M- reg aircraft (Kingair 350, Baron and a Bonanza - so obviously Beechcraft fans!) so all private operation. Some talk of commercial operations but not straight away - the M- reg would not allow that anyway. Have an existing Ground Ops person but they are moving on. Could be a nice little number - or could be a nightmare - dependng on the owners.

[Phalconphixer]

@adfly said...

I could see the following working:

BCN - 5pw-daily
WAW - 3pw to cater for the large polish community in and around Southampton
MAH - 2pw
IBZ - 2pw
MPL - 2-3pw the three new French routes apparently did very well this year
FCO - 4pw
MXP - 5pw-daily
NAP - 2pw
MLA - 2pw - I believe this route used to be served by an Air Malta charter flight
INN - 1-2pw - Austrian/Inghams are cutting their BOH flight and INN is currently unnerved from SOU too

SOU-GRX would be nice, maybe once or twice a week, especially now that Ryanair has pulled out of Granada completely. The Monarch GRX-LGW service was always popular with good load factors until Ryan bullied their way in and stole all the subsidies. Because Granada told Ryan 'no way' at contract renewal time they have gone (no great loss) and consequently GRX has no direct flights to the UK.
Yes we have Malaga but even with the new terminal it's still a cattlemarket, parking is a nightmare and the drive from Jaen takes as long as the flight from Southampton!
I am sure that if Flybe did a customer survey on its Malaga flights they would find that at least 50% of the pax were headed inland. They could also try GRX as a Ski holiday resort for the period when SOU-AGP operate during January. Just a thought...

[canberra97]

GRX

Yes I totally agree with Granada as well, I think it could be a good route on days when AGP is not operating.

I have at least four friends I know who travel to AGP but actually live in the Leon area so I am sure as you say there would be a demand esp as there are now no direct UK flight.

BTW Granada is a beuatifill city and well worth the visit for those of you that that have not been!

[Cloud Surf]

Well the stands on the east side should have been built by now and new taxi ways are needed so planes don't have to back track down the runway every time they land. Planes always seem to land on time yet leave late, this must be the cause?

Any more news on the Barcelona route anouncement?

[BOHEuropean]

They'll have to time the Vueling just right if they do start SOU services, seeing as Flybe have 3x Embraer 195s based during the winter weekends and during the summer.

[Cloud Surf]

Barcelona route

Now in the route map on Southampton's website. Going to be on Friday (8:30-9:15) and Sunday and Thursday (11:30-11:55).

Hope this route does well! I'm certainly going to make use of it .

[adfly]

I noticed it in the Hampshire society freebe mag as there is a small section where the airport include part of their 'breeze' magazine. I assume it will be on an A320 as I believe Vueling's only A319 is based in Toulouse at the moment.

The new route is great news for the airport and I hope it will be a success! Vueling also have a seasonal base in IBZ in the summer so if BCN works for them I think around 2x per week to IBZ could work too but I shan't get too ahead of myself!!

EDIT: The route seems to drop to 2 weekly at the end of June until August which seems unusual as I would have though that those months would be the peak period for the route. Of course it could just be a small mistake on the timetable. Does anyone know when we can expect a press release regarding the route as I would have though that after all this time the people at SOU would want to promote it as much as they can!

[MARKEYD]

Has anyone actually confirmed that Vuelling is to operate the Barcelona route as still nothing showing on the Vuelling web site confirming days and times and certainly nothing on the Southampton Airport web site page , not even on there route map yet as previously stated ?

[adfly]

It will happen its just not been announced yet. SOU site has it on the timetable and routemap and if you google 'vueling southampton' you will see they have already made a destination page for it just not linked it to the rest of the site, hence why its not on the routemap and drop-down menus. That page says 'the route is not yet on sale, come back in a few days' and has done for the past couple of days.

Also, in the Flybe thread it was mentioned that they will add Tours (TUF) to their never-ending list of french destinations next summer!

[Aero Mad]

Here's the page on the Vueling website

Flights to Southampton

[uptoncol]

summer charter flight

Hi ,looking on the thomson website no flight avaiable now from sou nxt summer to pmi it was showing before as a flybe aircraft being chartered by thomson ,perhaps they have just taking the flight /holidays off sale until they find another aircraft.

cheers colin

[adfly]

Could be a for W pattern from another base to be added, or a phone call to span(squezze them all in)air!!

[uptoncol]

Yes perhaps they are waiting for that one as the loads were very good this year with the a320 ,would be really surprised if they took the flight off completly.

cheers colin

[adfly]

How long has TOM's PMI flight been operating? I know it used to be a TOM 733 before Flybe operated it for a year on their E195 followed by the Spanair A320. What about in previous years?

[uptoncol]

Well it started back in may 1998 using air europa 737.300 /400 a few years later it also opp using as it was then brittania airways 757 on a w pattern from luton then tom 737.300 on w pattern from boh then last year flybe 195 and this year spanair a 320 so just a few over the years .

cheers col

[MARKEYD]

Has been confirmed by Thomson holidays that they have pulled there 1 Palma service on a Saturday with Flybe

They are concentrating on airports with a larger programme of flights next summer hence the likes of HUM , INV , SOU and possibly MME have seen there flights stopped . November is the time when holiday companies start to finalize there programme for the following year and either add or cancel routes . Bournemouth is being offered as an alternative