Originally Posted by
GAXLN
Basically how quickly the flights are selling. Those airports with a high rate of sale (basically percentage of seat capacity sold over a given period of time) may be in line for more capacity than those with a low rate of sale who may lose capacity. But you also have to factor in area of country as Northern airports tend to sell more early on than Southern ones but this effect works itself out eventually as Southern one’s catch up. Also long haul sells earlier than short/medium haul. Each tour operator will have its own expectation at to where it expects to be at a particular point in time for a particular airport and will also need to account for new route effect, route mix etc. when analysing and comparing. An interesting science for all concerned.
Sorry for thread drift, but I understand that Humberside sold premium holidays early at a high rate for Thomson (as was). I’m not sure how it works in comparison to the flight only airlines, but I’m of the impression that the tour operators like to sell early at a good mark up, which is why you tend to see cheap last minute deals to fill hotel rooms that would otherwise be left empty.. Conversely the lower cost seat only airlines sell their bargain bucket fares early and increase the prices as it gets closer to departure. Obviously it is far more complex than that in reality, but it’s a simple overview. It’s relevant here because Humberside for a number of years before DSA did exceptionally well with the IT Charter market, the catchment area supported the flights well. The opening of DSA and the impact of consolidation during the financial crash fractured this market and HUY has all but abandoned this sector to focus on what it sees as its core business. It is actually profitable in this state, albeit marginally. I’m sceptical as to whether there is a will to pick up where it left off 16 or 17 years ago when traffic was at its peak, lots has changed in the industry since then.
Im seeing the closure of DSA as a net loss to the region currently.