Originally Posted by
AirportPlanner1
Manston isn't a fair comparison in my opinion. Southend is in a far more viable location and has a much larger local population. Planestation created a comprehensive route network from day 1 that echoed operations at other more established airports that had developed over a few years. All utilising an airline no one knew from an airport many didn't know existed....
I partly agree. To be fair to Manston, 400,000 or so people found their way there. But I agree that they had the wrong routes (and the wrong aircraft). The comparison is still valid though – Eujet was supposed to kick start Manston’s growth but ended up being a millstone around its neck. If Stobart get this wrong it’s going to be painful, and there’s the risk that if the new venture does struggle then they won’t have the objectivity to abandon it.
Originally Posted by
AirportPlanner1
As noted, plenty of other airports across Europe and beyond pay for airlines to fly there so running your own services isn't that different.
The difference is that these tend to be public sector airports with – how can I put it – a significant degree of support from the local authority. Stobart doesn’t have that advantage; they have to stand or fall on their own business merits.