Originally Posted by
AirportPlanner1
One advantage for Stobart owning airline and airport is that they can afford for the flights to be loss-making, so long as those losses are more than covered by ancillary income from car parking, terminal spend etc. Also the increased throughout of pax makes for more efficient use of existing staff.
SEN has much greater potential in this regard than Manston did some time ago.
I think you make a really good point. A certain amount of subsidy will definitely be needed to ensure new routes are given every chance to succeed and demonstrate their potential and eventually turn a profit. I'm sure they would have preferred another easyjet to come in and then they could have concentrated on lightening pax wallets before they went through the departure gates, but they have totally failed so far in that regard.
I certainly applaud the fact they seem prepared to take matters into their own hands - they simply have to do something to prevent the airport slowly and painfully declining after so much has been promised. I guess it's a chicken and egg decision for them.