With the greatest of respect - I must still argue with you SOE. Southend Airport is actually a few kilometres away from the coast - but what difference does that make? Stansted is in the North Essex countryside - Luton is in Bedfordshire - Gatwick is in the jolly nice area of West Sussex. Perhaps you would care to publish how far away Stansted, Luton, Gatwick, and Heathrow are from the Canary Wharf centre of London's financial district?
WHY is Southend any less of a London airport than Luton / Stansted / Gatwick? Let's be honest - they are ALL way out side of London - why just pick on Southend?
With regard to being chippy - you do seem to have an anti-Southend view Skipness - WHY???? The"demographic" for Southend - at a guess - will be the relatively well-off areas of South and mid-Essex and the teeming millions of ( some very) well-off leisure / business users in East London. A totally mixed bag.
I myself am a regular traveller to Spain, France and Scotland. I have GLADLY given up Stansted to go to Malaga and Edinburgh from Southend (no more Edinburgh after June - sad but c'est la vie) but will continue to use Luton for Nimes as there is no other option. Why am I "cannibalising" Stansted? Stansted is very inconvenient for people like me in South Essex - Southend is much more convenient and much more pleasant.
EDIT - Totally agree with you cumbrianboy.
Last edited by EssexMan61; 17th Mar 2014 at 18:29.