I'm sure that HZ123 is quite correct when he says that road access to SEN can get very congested and sharing the entrance with a retail park is not ideal. No doubt the problem is proabably at its worst at weekends for that very reason. But SEN is not alone in having road access problems. Luton currently has such a problem in that regard that it is suggested that corporate jet operators are looking at alternative airports of arrival (Southend?
). Bristol has a similar problem yet copes with several millions of pax per annum, so while it may cause difficulties let's keep it in proportion.
I also agree that RAL are in something of a bind at the moment. Do they begin work on the new terminal IAW the planning consent, or do they implement the expansion of the existing terminal? Or, indeed, do they do nothing until they have some operators on board and can more accurately predict the sort of revenue they will be generating? I suspect that, sadly, the last option will prevail for funding reasons, and RAL have not yet submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment that RDC have insisted upon when considering the application for the expandsion of the existing terminal. I would have thought they would have speedily drawn up and submitted this if they really wanted to press ahead with the work. I suppose they can at least say to the likes of KLM "well, you will only have to use the existing facilities until we get the go ahead for the expanded terminal."
Mind you, how on earth do you rebuild the whole terminal while it has hundred of pax per day passing through it, as will inevitably be the case?
Let's just see what happens between now at the end of the year and if any new routes are actually forthcoming for 2007.