It is absolutely true that the then Bristol Corporation could have moved its airport from Whitchurch to Filton in the mid 1950s but instead chose Lulsgate. One can only imagine the type of airport Filton would be now.
But what do we find? Despite a short runway, a constricted site, poor weather at times, situated on the 'wrong' side of the city it serves away from the motorway networks, railways and main industry sites, Bristol Airport goes from strength to strength and, as far as I know, without any start-up or route subsidies.
Why is this? As I said last night Greater Bristol provides 25% of the government's south west regions's GDP, its conurbation is nearer 700,000 (forget the 400,000 official population, there is another 'city' nearly the size of Plymouth called South Gloucestershire attached to it, as well as bits of North Somerset and B&NES), let alone the satellite towns which push up the immediate population even more. There is no other area in the southwest region that gets near this mass of population.
A recent survey by a firm of marketing consultants commissioned by BRS management found these trends:
The airport’s typical customer is now middle aged and professional, with 54% of passengers aged 36-60, of which 76% are ABC1. (the sort of customer airlines drool over - my italics).
According to the research, among the 4 million passengers that will pass through Bristol International Airport’s doors this year, 50% will live within a one hour drive of the airport, with a further 14% coming from South Wales and 12% from Devon and Cornwall.
This is why Ambrosia's claim that 3 out of 4 BRS easyJet customers come from the far south west was so far fetched. The truer figure is more likely between 1 and 2 out of 10.
Road access is not good but the airport is next to the A 38, not a country lane. If the local authorities that rule Greater Bristol can get their act together the promised connector road between the A 370 and A 38 around the south Bristol suburbs would be a great help to access from the motorways.
As to the runway extension, don't rule it out. There is land available at the east end. Even so the present runway is certainly adequate for current and most future needs and hasn't stopped the airport racing head of its main competitors in the southwest of Britain over the past few years.
As for changing trends, BHX is a good alternative for people living around the north of Bristol if they don't want to cross the city or if they wish to travel somewhere not served by BRS.
One final thought. I found it enlightening how the prospect of BRS losing 2/3rds of its easyJet fleet seemed to be embraced with enthusiasm by one or two not from the Exeter/Devon area.
When people have 'talked down' CWL in the past, certain posters have condemned it - rightly so in my view. Perhaps they should not be surprised if others defend BRS.
And anyone keen on the easy 319s will, I believe, be able to see one at BRS on the daily Berlin run from June.