Newcastle too Expensive!
Is Newcastle just too expensive? - The number of people I have heard of recently booking flights for Family Holidays from Edinburgh or Manchester to save in the region of £600 must be an indication that Newcastle Airport are charging airlines too much when compared to neighbouring airports. Even comparisons with LCC show much better terms being offered from Edinburgh (as an example) If the result of this is losing routes, not only from easyJet, but now from key business routes, should the management team now be asked some questions about their performance and relationship with key airline customers. They will no doubt argue that a strict structured charging model brings in greater profit, compared to waiving charges to LCCs such as Ryanair etc..for greater retail sales; but a percentage of Zero is Zero! - Edinburgh and others have recently battled with Ryanair and easyJet; but with skilled negotiations and strong management, they seem to have succeeded in retaining and adding routes to their network. Can Newcastle Airport learn some lessons? Dave Laws seems a popular manager, but maybe such an important asset to our region requires much more. An experienced team, led by an MD who can raise the professional profile and be an "Ambassador" in maximising our airport's potential.