Originally Posted by
MARKEYD
Looks like Southampton has been removed completely from the booking engine of Volotea no mention anywhere of it now
Hopefully this is only a temporary administrative error but it doesn't look good. Maybe they are only going to operate via the tour operators like another poster has said. It seems strange though as the loads looked good, and the tickets were not exactly cheap! Surely airlines cannot possibly expect to pitch up and in the first year make a killing? This is the kind of operation that needs to build year after year and probably establish a loyal and lucrative following. We all know the catchment for SOU is a wealthy one, with people willing to pay more to use a local airport. Air Berlin and Vueling also only gave it a year before disappearing. Not sure why low cost carriers do not give SOU a few years to show its potential? They seem to at other bases (Volotea has a base at Nantes!). I can only assume it's the crap airside facilities at SOU which make the operators think that a sizeable base could never be possible. It's a fact that the low cost operators are moving to larger aircraft and that SOU does not have the stands for them. There is the frequent fog (ok not SOUs fault but lights and landing equipment could be improved), the fact that the runway is too short, doesn't seem to drain properly and the quite ridiculous backtracking. Over the course of a day, the waiting for departing and arriving aircraft to use the runway also as a taxiway will obviously back up operations. All these delays, diversions and cancellations must add up to serious money (hotels, additional landing fees, navigation costs etc) for what are thrifty operators. These limiting factors must put off the low cost operators as time is money for them. They cannot afford for the knock on effects of repeated delays from sub-standard facilities. Let's be honest SOU is not up to it and clearly the management aren't going to do anything about it. The MD would put Sepp Blatter to shame when it comes to overstaying his welcome.