SBAE
I always think that the barking can be divided into the dafty and the crafty dafty. SBAE are certainly barking but probably in the second category as their usually baseless arguments can seem convincing to many people who accept them at face value. Then again, some of the SBAErs probably do believe their own rhetoric.
Tom to Sharm
Last winter there were three weekly flights to Sharm - two TOM and one Jet2. Is the the third TOM flight announced this week an addition or a replacement for the Jet2?
Consultative Committee
The minutes for the July meeting have been published on the airport website and a few items caught my eye:
- immigration desks have been increased from five to seven - but will there be sufficient personnel to man them all?
- office space in the Admin building has been reconfigured to accommodate all airport staff on one floor including the CEO, with his former office suite being developed as a staff gym - you up for that, Standard?
- a discussion took place about decreased passenger numbers in the first part of year with the CEO stating that a recovery was in place with some days in July busier than in July 2008, and an outline was given of the many ways in which the airport and partners are working to increase the number of inbound passengers - in the event CAA stats show 3.4% fewer passengers used the airport in July compared with July 2008.
- the meeting was told how well the Flyer Coach was performing with passenger numbers increasing markedly - I read elsewhere the Flyer now carries nearly 12% of all airport passengers.
- As part of the expansion planning applications it is envisaged a significant growth will occur in passengers using public transport with the introduction of express services to Bath and Weston-super-Mare, and in the longer term to Devon and Wales.
Continental to Newark
Looking at the CO booking page it seems the Tuesday/Wednesday overnight inbound and reciprocal Wednesday morning outbound will cease as of 15/16 September.
The winter period appears to remain at 5 x weekly as it has since the service began in 2005, although it seems that at the fag end of the year and in January there may be reductions in rotations on some weeks as there were at the same period last winter.
Can anyone confirm (or deny) any of this?