First off I've been a frequent SLF between Ireland and LON for the past couple of years, formerly almost always through WAT, more recently since SEN started, a combination of ORK/DUB, and WAT so feel qualiied to make a comment some of the recent posts here
Galway routes - Jan-Jun 2011
Edinburgh <25%
London <27%
Manchester <26%
Waterford routes - Jan-Jun 2011
Birmingham <10%
London Airports <17%
Manchester <24%
...and these are on top of reductions in the previous two years also. It seems that the problem is at the base airports moreso than at Southend, the passenger levy at GWY can't have helped.
Without clarifying if there has been a shift in frequency and/or aircraft type on these routes, it's unfair to give the Irish regional Airports the boot here.
WAT also has a passenger levy which is included in bookings (€7)
.
A very small price to pay if it helps wean the Airport off the ever diminishing Government subsidys. PAX would not even notice this charge.
Price - RE are expensive when compared to FR/EI/BD on London. So pop 2 people in a car and you are in DUB or ORK. Southend may end up working for RE - ie it's quieter and quicker to get out of. But the message isn't dropping yet that SEN is handy to get out of etc. The business guys will twig it quickly enough.
Particularly since SEN ops started, fares with RE compared with from LHR are I'd say 8 times out of 10 cheaper than EI. The WAT-LTN this summer on the other hand always seem to be priced at a premium and always seem to be full. The remaining WAT-LTN rotations badly need a 72 back regularly. RYR are generally cheaper than both by a small margin. The train or tube fare of course makes a huge difference to the overall cost.
One think to remember is that drop to an ATR 42 has effected loads due to the drop in seats available, this has also reduced the amount of cheaper seats available.
Alot of Galway services have also been ATR42 compared to a 72 last season and then almost all Southend flights are shared between Galway and Waterford.
Bang on, this is the unquantified 'elephant' in the caa stats.
If I can throw my 2 cents in this is my reading of things.
I don't accept its the fault of the regionals that pax numbers have declined. Practically every LHR-Ireland flight I take is almost full. This winters DUB-LHR schedule has A321 a plenty back in the schedule. With a chunk of the irish youth recently moved to London, it's no surprise there is still so much demand in the market.
Staying positive on SEN, it is very comfortable to transit through, rail station on site, professional and excellent staff who obviously have huge pride in the place. Great location for people working in the Canary Wharf and the City. They are also flexible with check in times when trains or flights have been delayed, something I doubt happens at LTN if the trains are a mess. Longer train trip probably not a factor for leisure PAX.
Negatives: Haven't yet "twigged" how easy the place is to travel from. Long way from London by train, same reason I don't like using STN. Sunday schedule is woeful, only trains every 30minutes from memory and journey time of 1hr plus. This coupled with a longer flight time takes a good chunk of your Sunday evening away. The earlier Friday evening departure makes it trickier to do a full day in work and get out to SEN in time.
Schedule was also better in the WAT-LTN good old days, the 0730 departure meant you could comfortable make a nonstop East Mids Train getting you to St.Pancras just before 10am. Almost all WAT-SEN departures are at 8am nowadays. Indeed travelling to LTN a few weeks back, the 3.15 flight had me in St.Pancras at 5.40. This is after eaving Waterford city at 2.30. I have no problem paying a small premium for that brilliant pace. Access by public transport from west, north, or south London to SEN is not the best.
In fairness to RE, I don't think people appreciated the excellent flight times on WAT-LTN the past few years. ThE schedule is nowhere near matched by KIR/NOC. NOC seems to have all their flights in a mid afternoon window.
Ideally once EZY get going in SEN next summer and fill the place, it would be great to see RE being able to up sticks fully back to Luton. Connectivity is so much better with multiple ways of reaching London by public transport. As much as I'm a fan of RE and put up with the 42's, its the added time and hassle of travelling to SEN that has pushed me back toward ORK and DUB flights. In a way I think RE are lucky that Flybe don't seem to have much appetite for significent LTN ops to date.