Exeter EXT for sale
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Interesting concept: EXT the intercontinental airport for the southwest and BRS the European one.
Not sure it would work unless only long haul weekly charters are envisaged.
Some people are questioning the viability of a daily 12 month a year BRS-EWR route, partly I think because these people have doubts about the BRS runway's capacity for non-stop runs west even with wingletted 757s. I have no opinion on the technical side because I am not qualified but I think there is the undoubted potential in the Bristol region to make the route a success, provided it is marketed properly.
However, EXT is different. It does not have anything like the catchment of BRS and also has a significantly smaller business pax base. For example Greater Bristol provides 25% of the GDP of the whole southwest government region.
To become the southwest's intercontinental airport EXT would rely quite heavily on people from the Bristol region. Now these people have both LHR and BHX (particularly for those in the north of the city and suburbs) almost as close as EXT, and with much greater choice, so I could see limited appeal for the drive south along the M 5 instead of north along it or east along the M 4.
Having said all this it will be especially interesting if the new owner of EXT turns out to be the current owner of either BRS or CWL.
Not sure it would work unless only long haul weekly charters are envisaged.
Some people are questioning the viability of a daily 12 month a year BRS-EWR route, partly I think because these people have doubts about the BRS runway's capacity for non-stop runs west even with wingletted 757s. I have no opinion on the technical side because I am not qualified but I think there is the undoubted potential in the Bristol region to make the route a success, provided it is marketed properly.
However, EXT is different. It does not have anything like the catchment of BRS and also has a significantly smaller business pax base. For example Greater Bristol provides 25% of the GDP of the whole southwest government region.
To become the southwest's intercontinental airport EXT would rely quite heavily on people from the Bristol region. Now these people have both LHR and BHX (particularly for those in the north of the city and suburbs) almost as close as EXT, and with much greater choice, so I could see limited appeal for the drive south along the M 5 instead of north along it or east along the M 4.
Having said all this it will be especially interesting if the new owner of EXT turns out to be the current owner of either BRS or CWL.
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MV:
Do people really think that an airline like CO would announce a route without being confident that the aircraft it intends to operate will be able to operate the route?
people have doubts about the BRS runway's capacity for non-stop runs west even with wingletted 757s.
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brabazon
I am only stating what others have said. I don't have the knowledge to make a judgement.
There is a running thread about BRS on this forum and there has been plenty of talk about this, some from people who work in the aviation industry if their profiles are accurate.
As an interested onlooker who is also a regular customer of BRS I have to agree with you about the likelihood of an airline such as CO setting up a route that might not work technically. This very point has been put to the doubters in the past but they seem to remain unconvinced.
However, one poster on the BRS thread, who I have good reason to believe probably knows as much about CO at BRS as anyone, is adamant that the runway there will cope with CO's non-stop wingletted 757s to EWR under all conditions.
I am only stating what others have said. I don't have the knowledge to make a judgement.
There is a running thread about BRS on this forum and there has been plenty of talk about this, some from people who work in the aviation industry if their profiles are accurate.
As an interested onlooker who is also a regular customer of BRS I have to agree with you about the likelihood of an airline such as CO setting up a route that might not work technically. This very point has been put to the doubters in the past but they seem to remain unconvinced.
However, one poster on the BRS thread, who I have good reason to believe probably knows as much about CO at BRS as anyone, is adamant that the runway there will cope with CO's non-stop wingletted 757s to EWR under all conditions.
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I thought this was entitled EXT for sale?
I am one of the people who all along has said CO will have the odd problem out of BRS - not all the time granted, but occasionally. How many wingletted 757's have CO got? What happens if one goes tech whilst in New York. They may have to switch it for a 'regular' 75' which has got less range.
There will be the odd tech stop - I stick by my word.
I am one of the people who all along has said CO will have the odd problem out of BRS - not all the time granted, but occasionally. How many wingletted 757's have CO got? What happens if one goes tech whilst in New York. They may have to switch it for a 'regular' 75' which has got less range.
There will be the odd tech stop - I stick by my word.
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> Do people really think that an airline like CO would announce a route without being confident that the aircraft it intends to operate will be able to operate the route?
Brabazon,
This line was one of the many myths peddled by the antis about CVTs runway not being long enough for TOM's 737-500 base there.
If you look at Boeing's technical data, which they quoted, then most runways are not long enough for a fully laden aircraft to reach its longest range destination in the worst weather scenario.
Airlines seem to have "desired" runway lengths - I have heard that FR "want" 2000m from any airports they look at - but they will get away with much less than that most of the time.
I'm sure there are technical experts who could define what "most" would be, but I would imagine something along the lines of not having to off load more than x% of passengers on y days per year. Not sure if any of TOMs diversions to BHX (there have been a few, and also some the other way) have been specifically due to the runway length, or if they have ever had to offload / carry less pax, like FR do at LDY.
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Windsheer,
Wouldn\'t it be cheaper to offload (bump) a few pax, rather than do a tech stop?
Also, we talk a lot about runway length of take off. Can it ever be a problem for landing (assuming a/c are attempting to land at their scheduled airports)?
Brabazon,
This line was one of the many myths peddled by the antis about CVTs runway not being long enough for TOM's 737-500 base there.
If you look at Boeing's technical data, which they quoted, then most runways are not long enough for a fully laden aircraft to reach its longest range destination in the worst weather scenario.
Airlines seem to have "desired" runway lengths - I have heard that FR "want" 2000m from any airports they look at - but they will get away with much less than that most of the time.
I'm sure there are technical experts who could define what "most" would be, but I would imagine something along the lines of not having to off load more than x% of passengers on y days per year. Not sure if any of TOMs diversions to BHX (there have been a few, and also some the other way) have been specifically due to the runway length, or if they have ever had to offload / carry less pax, like FR do at LDY.
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Windsheer,
Wouldn\'t it be cheaper to offload (bump) a few pax, rather than do a tech stop?
Also, we talk a lot about runway length of take off. Can it ever be a problem for landing (assuming a/c are attempting to land at their scheduled airports)?
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**Wouldn\'t it be cheaper to offload (bump) a few pax, rather than do a tech stop?**
It may have been a cheaper option a few months ago, but now due to the new ruling it may not be.
Each passenger would be entitled to an alternative flight courtesy of CO's bank account plus $400 compnsation each. It would take some calculating!
Funny you should mention landing issue's, I was going to mention it in my previous post but didn't bother. BRS has CAT111 on RWY 27 only. Should there be CAT111 conditions (frequent at BRS), plus low pressure and a slight tailwind hmmm....... divert to EXT or CWL me thinks!!
It may have been a cheaper option a few months ago, but now due to the new ruling it may not be.
Each passenger would be entitled to an alternative flight courtesy of CO's bank account plus $400 compnsation each. It would take some calculating!
Funny you should mention landing issue's, I was going to mention it in my previous post but didn't bother. BRS has CAT111 on RWY 27 only. Should there be CAT111 conditions (frequent at BRS), plus low pressure and a slight tailwind hmmm....... divert to EXT or CWL me thinks!!
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CO will operate direct from BRS with the a 757 with less pax in fact, the aircraft intended for this route has less seats fitted, & judging from the price of the tickets, it will be carrying a fair number of Business pax, rather than tourists, therefore it is likley that there will be less weight in terms of baggage, which should add up to good performance off the 2011m runway to cross the pond non stop 
Tonight's Exeter Express & Echo reports that Exeter Airport is to be sold to the South West Airports Consortium.
The consortium is part of the Macquarie Airports Group who also own Bristol.
The consortium is part of the Macquarie Airports Group who also own Bristol.
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I have already commented on this at some length in the 'New Routes for Bristol' thread.
As not all readers of this thread will read the Bristol thread I re-produce part of my post below.
It was announced today that South West Airports Consortium (SWAC) are the preferred bidders to purchase Exeter Airport. The consortium consists of Macquarie and Ferrovial, the current owners of Bristol Airport.
This part of the announcement interests me particularly.
"In bidding for Exeter International Airport, which has a long runway, scope for expansion and good weather record, SWAC say there is a clear commercial synergy between Exeter and Bristol, which would help reduce the migration of South West travellers to airports outside the region."
This strikes me as a clear statement that if they do acquire ownership of EXT Macquarie/Ferrovial would run the airports making use of the different advantages that BRS and EXT have.
BRS’s main plus-point is its large catchment area, including a lucrative business market. For EXT they would surely see its longer runway (than BRS) as the way forward for long haul holiday flights from the West Country.
I could see BRS continuing to build up its highly successful UK and European programme together with any other long haul scheduled routes that were capable technically of being operated non-stop from the Lulsgate concrete, if indeed there are any such routes. I say this because BRS has the major business market of the South West and South Wales, and business pax, who might be expected to be the principal contributors to such routes, don’t want to have to travel too far to catch their aeroplane. I have no doubt that this was why CO opted to use BRS instead of CWL for its daily EWR flight.
EXT could be the Macquarie/Ferrovial camp’s answer to long haul charter routes from the West Country. Once or twice a year long haul charter holidaymakers aren’t so worried at travelling a bit further to catch their aeroplane as business travellers whose time is money.
I doubt that too many would argue against the suggestion that if BRS had a longer runway, better land communications, better weather and a larger site it would be the major airport for all types of flights in the south west segment of Britain. But it hasn’t so airport operators, airlines and tour companies have to cut their cloth accordingly.
As not all readers of this thread will read the Bristol thread I re-produce part of my post below.
It was announced today that South West Airports Consortium (SWAC) are the preferred bidders to purchase Exeter Airport. The consortium consists of Macquarie and Ferrovial, the current owners of Bristol Airport.
This part of the announcement interests me particularly.
"In bidding for Exeter International Airport, which has a long runway, scope for expansion and good weather record, SWAC say there is a clear commercial synergy between Exeter and Bristol, which would help reduce the migration of South West travellers to airports outside the region."
This strikes me as a clear statement that if they do acquire ownership of EXT Macquarie/Ferrovial would run the airports making use of the different advantages that BRS and EXT have.
BRS’s main plus-point is its large catchment area, including a lucrative business market. For EXT they would surely see its longer runway (than BRS) as the way forward for long haul holiday flights from the West Country.
I could see BRS continuing to build up its highly successful UK and European programme together with any other long haul scheduled routes that were capable technically of being operated non-stop from the Lulsgate concrete, if indeed there are any such routes. I say this because BRS has the major business market of the South West and South Wales, and business pax, who might be expected to be the principal contributors to such routes, don’t want to have to travel too far to catch their aeroplane. I have no doubt that this was why CO opted to use BRS instead of CWL for its daily EWR flight.
EXT could be the Macquarie/Ferrovial camp’s answer to long haul charter routes from the West Country. Once or twice a year long haul charter holidaymakers aren’t so worried at travelling a bit further to catch their aeroplane as business travellers whose time is money.
I doubt that too many would argue against the suggestion that if BRS had a longer runway, better land communications, better weather and a larger site it would be the major airport for all types of flights in the south west segment of Britain. But it hasn’t so airport operators, airlines and tour companies have to cut their cloth accordingly.
All that's needed at Exeter for transatlantic non-stop operations would be a few hundred metres of starter strip at the beginning of rwy 26.
26 itself cannot be extended much further eastwards for landing due to lack of ground clearance whilst on the approach due to the ridge at West Hill near Ottery St Mary.
Still, I've seen a Boeing 747, 767s, A340s, DC-10s & L.1011s land and depart Exeter - albeit not always loaded to the gills!
26 itself cannot be extended much further eastwards for landing due to lack of ground clearance whilst on the approach due to the ridge at West Hill near Ottery St Mary.
Still, I've seen a Boeing 747, 767s, A340s, DC-10s & L.1011s land and depart Exeter - albeit not always loaded to the gills!
For those of us that live in the South West this is excellent news and the development of long haul flights from Exeter would be a huge bonus.
I have said this so many times but it would take almost as long to drive from Truro ( Cornwall) to Cardiff as it would to Heathrow or Gatwick. Bristol is slightly better and I use this arport to travel to Brussels as there are no flights from Exeter.
MV has it right, Bristol is a different catchmnent area and stands on its own. Cardiff doesn't even enter the equation if you live in the true South West.
Finally although Exeter is still almost two hours from Truro it could replace Newquay should it close down, not quite as convenient but when the new A30 upgrades are finished a reckon it will knock 30 minutes off the journey time and offer a far more attractive route structure.
I have said this so many times but it would take almost as long to drive from Truro ( Cornwall) to Cardiff as it would to Heathrow or Gatwick. Bristol is slightly better and I use this arport to travel to Brussels as there are no flights from Exeter.
MV has it right, Bristol is a different catchmnent area and stands on its own. Cardiff doesn't even enter the equation if you live in the true South West.
Finally although Exeter is still almost two hours from Truro it could replace Newquay should it close down, not quite as convenient but when the new A30 upgrades are finished a reckon it will knock 30 minutes off the journey time and offer a far more attractive route structure.
