SOUTHEND - 4
It seems that the "JOIN" Press Release may be delayed a little longer - possibly even until after Christmas. There are a lot of details such as slot allocations to be finalised first and they don't want the PR to raise as many questions as it answers. I think once the announcement is made it will be clear to most why the operation has taken time to get up and running.
It looks like Cityjet may be stopping their LCY-EIN route; I wonder if SEN-EIN might work for them.
It looks like Cityjet may be stopping their LCY-EIN route; I wonder if SEN-EIN might work for them.
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As the poster who prompted DJ6's remarks I'm happy to say that I took no offence at them either. He's quite right to be cynical about corporate PR speak, but, on the other hand, it is encouraging to see positive things said which is all I wrote in my post. A couple of years ago EZY were denying any interest in SEN at all.
Express - how would a SEN-EIN compete effectively against an existing STN-EIN ? Not saying it can't work, just pondering who would fly it and a reason for potential profitability
You may well be right. To be honest I just threw that idea in so that we could start discussing 'Airlines, Airports & Routes' again rather than dissecting each others posts. SEN-GRQ is perhaps a more realistic proposition.
Groningen is located in one of the main tourist areas of Holland, is a prosperous city in its own right and is close to the largest onshore gas field in Europe. Travel time by rail to AMS is 2hr20, with the earliest train arriving at 07:52 making a day return AMS-LON rather difficult; by road it is a 2hr00 journey, so a double daily GRQ-SEN might find a viable market. VLM used to operate GRQ-LCY via AMS, which made the service not very attractive. It might be the sort of niche route which SEN could successfully serve with something like a 50-70 seater - provided it had timings which were properly served from Liverpool Street. That really does need sorting out, but I'm not quite sure how with Network Rail up to now being adamant that they won't open the line earlier than at present.
Last edited by Expressflight; 7th Dec 2012 at 10:41. Reason: additional info
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Thanks Expressflight; that makes good sense. No doubt you are trying to persuade JOIN! to use an ATR72 on the Groningen route.
Re. the lack of early trains, we need the return of Channel Coachways (I'm sure you'll remember them). Surely an early morning coach service would work? Traffic is not too bad at that time of the day on the A127 or A13.
Re. the lack of early trains, we need the return of Channel Coachways (I'm sure you'll remember them). Surely an early morning coach service would work? Traffic is not too bad at that time of the day on the A127 or A13.
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Re. Gronigen Expressflight,
You quote an AMS/GRQ/AMS round trip rail journey time of 4.67 hours and you cite that this makes life, so to speak, difficult for day returns.
LON/GRQ/LON. Just how many punters actually want, will utilise, round trip day returns LON/GRQ/LON? ... I would suggest very few!
But serve AMS then there will be all the punters connecting to KLM, and others, internationally whilst connections may also be offered to/from GRQ.
Is a night in a GRQ hotel such a hardship for a corporate businessman ... your reasoning of a SEN/GRQ/SEN route is a very weak reasoning to say the least!
You quote an AMS/GRQ/AMS round trip rail journey time of 4.67 hours and you cite that this makes life, so to speak, difficult for day returns.
LON/GRQ/LON. Just how many punters actually want, will utilise, round trip day returns LON/GRQ/LON? ... I would suggest very few!
But serve AMS then there will be all the punters connecting to KLM, and others, internationally whilst connections may also be offered to/from GRQ.
Is a night in a GRQ hotel such a hardship for a corporate businessman ... your reasoning of a SEN/GRQ/SEN route is a very weak reasoning to say the least!
Phileas
I really see that route as being primarily GRQ-LON for business travellers on a day return basis, rather than vice versa as you suggest and I thought I quite had clearly said that GRQ-LON-GRQ is a difficult day return due to the train timings, not the other way around. Apologies if I wasn't completely clear on that point. I think your conclusion has perhaps been drawn on a misunderstanding of my "reasoning".
Do I understand correctly that you feel an existing SEN-AMS service precludes a SEN-GRQ route being viable? Are you actually suggesting that someone would nowadays consider operating a LON-AMS-GRQ route?
I really see that route as being primarily GRQ-LON for business travellers on a day return basis, rather than vice versa as you suggest and I thought I quite had clearly said that GRQ-LON-GRQ is a difficult day return due to the train timings, not the other way around. Apologies if I wasn't completely clear on that point. I think your conclusion has perhaps been drawn on a misunderstanding of my "reasoning".
Do I understand correctly that you feel an existing SEN-AMS service precludes a SEN-GRQ route being viable? Are you actually suggesting that someone would nowadays consider operating a LON-AMS-GRQ route?
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BM Wrote
Re. the lack of early trains, we need the return of Channel Coachways (I'm sure you'll remember them). Surely an early morning coach service would work? Traffic is not too bad at that time of the day on the A127 or A13.
Stobarts have a small fleet of mini bus/coach's some in Stobart air livery so it could be a nice little revenue stream for stobart air. Just my opinion.
Re. the lack of early trains, we need the return of Channel Coachways (I'm sure you'll remember them). Surely an early morning coach service would work? Traffic is not too bad at that time of the day on the A127 or A13.
Stobarts have a small fleet of mini bus/coach's some in Stobart air livery so it could be a nice little revenue stream for stobart air. Just my opinion.
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Seems there are no trains available on the 26th Dec to Southend from Liverpool Street, nor on the C2C line. That is a shame if you didn't want to drive or get a lift for your flight on the 26th.
Stansted Express service is operating however. Surely Southend town and airport deserves at least a skeleton service, as well as the other towns en-route. Perhaps something could be done in time for Boxing Day 2013? Seems strange that the airport is open and working, and yet the railway is not.
Stansted Express service is operating however. Surely Southend town and airport deserves at least a skeleton service, as well as the other towns en-route. Perhaps something could be done in time for Boxing Day 2013? Seems strange that the airport is open and working, and yet the railway is not.
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Come on redfour where have you been for the last 20 odd years the UK does not have a joined-up transport system. You only have to look at the local bus routes in Bedfordshire hardly any to/from Luton Airport on a Sunday and the West Coast Main Line is to be closed for several days over the Christmas period. Do people really have to travel on a Sunday and Bank Holidays?
Last edited by compton3bravo; 7th Dec 2012 at 18:23.
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Just an observation - we were on the M25 the other day and whilst Southend is signposted, Southend Airport is n't! As a comparison, Leeds/Bradford airport is well sign posted from the M1/M621/M606 and M62
Express has a point - Groningen and the area surrounding it are a complete pain to reach if flying to either the Netherlands or NW Germany. Even from Schiphol airport, the train takes 2h30. The next nearest non-tiddly airport is Bremen from which it takes even longer to reach Groningen by train. The guidebook I have on the Netherlands makes the area sounds quite appealing to visit, but I can't face spending 6 or 7 hours getting there from my home.
The only airlines I can think of that might possibly make a LON-GRQ route work are Cityjet, Ryanair, Flybe or Transavia, and none of them seem particularly likely to fly from GRQ to Southend.
The only airlines I can think of that might possibly make a LON-GRQ route work are Cityjet, Ryanair, Flybe or Transavia, and none of them seem particularly likely to fly from GRQ to Southend.
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AMBITIOUS plans to create 6,200 jobs on new business parks around Southend Airport have been rubber-stamped.
Southend Council has approved the final version of its joint area action plan - a blueprint drawn up with colleagues at Rochford District Council to set out the future of land around the airport.
Southend Council has approved the final version of its joint area action plan - a blueprint drawn up with colleagues at Rochford District Council to set out the future of land around the airport.
Now there are plans to create 6,200 jobs on a new business park close to the airport. Together with extra passengers using the airport is the airport going to become a problem airport to get to by car or can anything be done to make the road access better?
Last edited by Pain in the R's; 8th Dec 2012 at 06:17.
Pain in the Rs
You quite correct regarding the very poor access to the terminal/car parks area. The problem seems to be the mini roundabout just beyond the main one, where traffic tails back while negotiating the speed bumps and finding parking spaces in the adjacent retail park. Quite how the highway authority allowed the existing layout to remain unchanged I don't know.
The newly announced business park will be accessed from the other side of the airfield fortunately so will not add to the terminal area congestion which, as you suggest, is likely to get worse until the road layout is changed; although there is little physical space to make major alterations.
You quite correct regarding the very poor access to the terminal/car parks area. The problem seems to be the mini roundabout just beyond the main one, where traffic tails back while negotiating the speed bumps and finding parking spaces in the adjacent retail park. Quite how the highway authority allowed the existing layout to remain unchanged I don't know.
The newly announced business park will be accessed from the other side of the airfield fortunately so will not add to the terminal area congestion which, as you suggest, is likely to get worse until the road layout is changed; although there is little physical space to make major alterations.
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airport entrance problems
It would be interesting to hear what airport management think about this problem. If no passengers complain about it, then probably nothing urgently.
If the news was to hit the front page of the Evening Echo with a chaos photo, then maybe they'll get their heads together on the issue.
If the news was to hit the front page of the Evening Echo with a chaos photo, then maybe they'll get their heads together on the issue.
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if chaos is having to wait a minute or two when its busy then they may do something about it. But there are far worse junctions to negotiate in Southend that will attract any council money first. They could use the old entrance at the other end of the hotel should things get unbearable.