Originally Posted by
shamrock7seal
Why does everyone think the Boeing 737-800 can't use SOU? Isn't Ryanair basing THREE of them at SEN???
When the A320 currently uses SOU it takes up TWO apron stands. This would be repeated for a 738.
Its been answered by several posters already, the (landing) field performance of the 737-800 is challenging - Google 'B737-800 runway excursion' for some of the incidents, then try for the A320 - a different story.
The SEN base has not opened yet, it remains to be seen whether it proves operationally viable through a winter. I doubt it will last . Ryanair have history with this. Several years ago they opened a base at Belfast City (which has a longer runway and better declared distances than SOU has now or plans in future). The base did not last because of payload restrictions related to the short runway, the airline moved to the larger Aldergrove.
Belfast City data here:
http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadba...2018-12-06.pdf
FF