So some think Hurn will swamp the south coast and Soton will die a quick death. Foolish though really.
Yes Hurn is a good size and much larger than Soton. Easily able to handle a couple of low cost outfits and a good freight mix. But there is No rail connection and the road ling are POOR. That bloody T junction is a nightmare to turn right at..
For these simple reasons that why Soton will never lose a core part of its pax base. BUSINESS travellers. Happy with the outstanding road links, own rail station and plenty of parking. Plus we (yes I am one of them) pay a full price for this service and are happy to do so. Business is about time and convenience. Plus remember. Southampton has a very busy business community, while Bournemouth does not (I won't go as far as to call it a oap's beach resort.)
So from sotons point if view. Hurn are welcome to the £ 9.99 bucket and spade outfits, they are not wanted here. Business is about profit PERCENTAGE not pax figures to swell your ego. (ie better to make a 20 % return on 250,00 pax that a 5 % return on 2 mil.)
From what I see (mailny Ba flights) I am always travelling in almost full Dash 8's or 145's. With fellow business paying pax.
Polite summary: There's plenty of room and varied customer base for both........