SOUTHEND 5
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"High growth division"
I quite liked Tinkler's comment appended to the RNS statement when it was released. He referred to the Aviation Division in Stobart as their "high growth division". Really?
The original decision to bring a LCC to Southend was flawed as some of us pointed out at the time. LCC's do not tolerate competition and will aggressively engage in price cutting to remove start ups. At the same time there was no need for EZY to redeploy assets to SEN unless the airport offered substantial sweetners. And so it has come to pass. EZY scare off others from operating out of SEN and now that the initial sweetners are drying up, EZY will relocate their assets to the traditional LCC London airports where they are not hindered by runway limitations.
SEN will survive but I doubt that it will be in Stobart hands if and when it reaches 2m pax per annum.
The original decision to bring a LCC to Southend was flawed as some of us pointed out at the time. LCC's do not tolerate competition and will aggressively engage in price cutting to remove start ups. At the same time there was no need for EZY to redeploy assets to SEN unless the airport offered substantial sweetners. And so it has come to pass. EZY scare off others from operating out of SEN and now that the initial sweetners are drying up, EZY will relocate their assets to the traditional LCC London airports where they are not hindered by runway limitations.
SEN will survive but I doubt that it will be in Stobart hands if and when it reaches 2m pax per annum.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Note sure I share those sentiments. Easyjet dominates Gatwick and Luton but that hasn't stopped other airlines from using those airports.
I do agree that I think it is only a matter of time before Stobart sells Southend. They had the forward vision to see Southend's potential so invested heavily in its infrastructure but with no experience in running an airport they do seem to have lost their way a little.
I do agree that I think it is only a matter of time before Stobart sells Southend. They had the forward vision to see Southend's potential so invested heavily in its infrastructure but with no experience in running an airport they do seem to have lost their way a little.
That statement by Andrew Tinkler does raise eyebrows but I certainly don't agree with the assertion that "The original decision to bring a LCC to Southend was flawed ....".
Quite the opposite in fact; I think it was a real coup at the time and I don't think many on here thought otherwise at the time. It gave SEN instant credibility and certainly calmed the fears of Stobart shareholders; a very important consideration in view of the considerable capital investment that had been made up to that point.
I don't quite know which operators have been 'scared off' by easyJet but I certainly never heard of any during my association with SEN over the past three years. Perhaps there may have been a couple of IT routes opened up which are currently catered for through tour companies buying seats on EZY services but apart from that I cannot think of anything else.
It's certainly true that Stobart's lack of experience in running an airport has led to some poor strategic decisions and the revolving door of senior management appointments hasn't helped either.
There is no doubt in my mind that easyJet still see potential at SEN provided the economics make sense and that is, to some extent, still within Stobart's control.
Quite the opposite in fact; I think it was a real coup at the time and I don't think many on here thought otherwise at the time. It gave SEN instant credibility and certainly calmed the fears of Stobart shareholders; a very important consideration in view of the considerable capital investment that had been made up to that point.
I don't quite know which operators have been 'scared off' by easyJet but I certainly never heard of any during my association with SEN over the past three years. Perhaps there may have been a couple of IT routes opened up which are currently catered for through tour companies buying seats on EZY services but apart from that I cannot think of anything else.
It's certainly true that Stobart's lack of experience in running an airport has led to some poor strategic decisions and the revolving door of senior management appointments hasn't helped either.
There is no doubt in my mind that easyJet still see potential at SEN provided the economics make sense and that is, to some extent, still within Stobart's control.
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I agree EF. It seemed a master stroke at the time when EZY opened a base at SEN. It certainly established SEN as a credible "new" airport for the London region. The loss of Alistair Welch (for whatever reason, and I know some folk at SEN don't have a good word for him) was a blow from which they have not fully recovered. He knew what hew as doing in terms of developing an airport; I'm not convinced that those who have followed him do........
At least the newly appointed CEO, Glyn Jones, has the necessary experience having been MD at LTN until last year. Whether he is given sufficient freedom from on high to implement the steps he deems necessary to achieve success remains to be seen. Let's hope he is.
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Is it likely that with an ex LTN MD at the helm that we might see some supplementary activity by Wizzair in the London market through Southend... Might be a worthy experiment... Wizzair have a stronghold at LTN but no reason other routes could not be tried via SEN...
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Well I already said that last month as per a rumour going around the Swissport locker rooms at Luton. I guess we will have to watch this space but if they did I would think it would be only for a year or two until Luton's CTA and terminal is sorted out and of course Swissports staffing levels which seems to struggle at peak times. Luton is very handy though for swapping aircraft around to get them into their home base hangars which could be lost at SEN
They did once try out Stansted but didn't hang around too long.
They did once try out Stansted but didn't hang around too long.
Last edited by LTNman; 3rd Sep 2015 at 15:20.
tom hill holidays
ah that's its - he operated with transeuropa caravelles i think into SEN and STN to palma etc
small nice tor operator my mum and dad used to use them
thanks casadave
small nice tor operator my mum and dad used to use them
thanks casadave
Last edited by rog747; 6th Sep 2015 at 06:23. Reason: thanks
Join Date: Jul 2008
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easyJet Spring/early Summer 2016
A quick first glance at the timetable release today shows no growth at SEN - in fact March numbers decline from 52 weekly rotations in total to just 47 including the loss of SXF (4 x weekly), BCN (2 instead of 5 weekly). June has just 59 rotations weekly, which is very similar to this year, so it looks like there is little capacity left to fill with three based aircraft again.
The above doesn't really seem in line with Andrew Tinkler's optimistic growth statement of just a couple of weeks ago.
The above doesn't really seem in line with Andrew Tinkler's optimistic growth statement of just a couple of weeks ago.
Last edited by Expressflight; 10th Sep 2015 at 07:45.
Join Date: Mar 2006
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Much can happen between now and next summer with at least another 5 months to go before the depression sets in.
As for Andrew Tinkler, he is paid to be optimistic.
As for Andrew Tinkler, he is paid to be optimistic.
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I have never posted on ths forum before, but follow it often.
I have been in the industry too long to remember, but recently there have been some activities that I have witnessessed before, that has has lead to a change of ownership. Plese do not ask me to elaborate as its just seems to be following a path that I am all to familiar with.
Just saying!
I have been in the industry too long to remember, but recently there have been some activities that I have witnessessed before, that has has lead to a change of ownership. Plese do not ask me to elaborate as its just seems to be following a path that I am all to familiar with.
Just saying!
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What is concerning is that for all of London's airports apart from one these are the good times, or dare I say great times. Southend at the moment can't even pick up many crumbs. At some point there will be a contraction in the London market, then it will be time to worry for Southend.
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TBH,
Although not attracting much interest from other Airlines at the moment, Southend has gone from practically no pax to 1 million in 3 short years following a terrible recession. I don't see the writing on the wall just yet.
Although not attracting much interest from other Airlines at the moment, Southend has gone from practically no pax to 1 million in 3 short years following a terrible recession. I don't see the writing on the wall just yet.
Join Date: May 2010
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The new EZ spring schedule seems strange. Particularly BCN. From Mid May, Only Mon, Weds, Fri, Sun. With such a late departure it makes a weekend trips hardly worth going. BCN was such a popular route when it first started, but now it seems to been neglected. Also no new routes 
