Airlines have their favourite London bases like Easyjet at Gatwick with its overspill to Luton and Ryanair at Stansted. Luton passengers are dropping off a cliff, as with all airports, so while the falls in the last week have been breathtaking I think the recovery is going to be slow. Maybe the recovery will be spread out over a number of years if too many people lose their jobs and Europe enters a long recession.
No city in Europe has 6 airports serving it so I would expect consolidations in not only the number of flights to particular locations but a reduction of bases serving that location. I see Southend as being in a weak position, as it is the new kid on the block with just small fleets based there where its passengers could easily be absorbed into other airports with aircraft to fill.
Will Stobart have the resources to hang on to its child?
Sorry for this depressing post but the unthinkable has happened in the last month and I wonder what shocks are to come. There will be no winners and no losers only survivors.
As for Southend hitting say 5 million passengers? Yes it will no doubt happen one day but I think that day is now in the long grass.
(Edit) looks like the unthinkable is about to happen with Easyjet set to ground most of its fleet)
Last edited by LTNman; 16th Mar 2020 at 08:09.