SOUTHEND - 2
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Essex
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looks like Easy have a few suggestions already...
Ski crowd may fly easyJet from Southend (From Echo)
Ski crowd may fly easyJet from Southend (From Echo)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: w1
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Know the truth!!
Why work at SEN, no sick pay, crap shifts, a management who wont listen to ANY suggestions to move forward.
Trust me, think carefully if you wanna work here. Unless you are a masochist and like being treated like a dog!!!
Trust me, think carefully if you wanna work here. Unless you are a masochist and like being treated like a dog!!!
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Regrettably far from 50°N
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Just rang Jetisfaction. The lady said that bookings had surpassed the expected demand and that all flights had sold out until the next timetable release and therefore it was no longer bookable - apparently flights are still due to operate. Whether this is true or not is yet to be seen.
Join Date: Mar 2003
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That's rubbish what the CSA told you. I only noticed that the flights were gone because I have monitored the development over the past few weeks considering a booking for the first week of operations. Almost all flights were available for the lowest fare (44.99 EUR) before the flights disappeared. Jetifaction has already officiall cancelled FMO-POZ and on the route to ZRH they have used a Cessa Citation or a Piper Chieftain recently instead of the Saab 340.
Really looks like a non-starter.
Really looks like a non-starter.
Let's keep all this "Southend is losing the few routes it had at worrying speed" business in perspective shall we?
Firstly, it is still the 'old' SEN that is currently operational. Indeed, it is something less than that with no ILS nor 06 approach lighting due to the runway extension construction work. From early next year SEN will be a totally different proposition to both airlines and pax alike and that is when you will see the serious operators moving in.
Jetisfaction's FMO-SEN route announcement was something of a surprise to SEN as they had not even negotiated any terms with them and the originally announced schedule included SEN arrivals at a time when the airfield would still have been closed due to the overnight runway works. Note that at no time have SEN publicised the FMO route and they are well aware of the Jetisfaction record of last year when things went awry. So if FMO doesn't start it might be something of a relief to all concerned.
Moving on to Aer Arann, the winter closure of the GWY base and 'temporary' withdrawal of all of their scheduled routes from there is no reflection on SEN. You might as well say that LTN's loss of the GWY route is a sign that LTN is struggling. It seemed quite likely a year ago, when they were refinanced in a less than convincing manner, that RE would struggle in winter 2011/12 and they are obviously taking the steps they feel necessary to carry them through to better times.
I know from personal experience just how attractive a number of European airlines find the 'new' SEN in terms of their future plans, but they are sensibly going to wait until the runway extension is completed and ready before launching any routes.
Firstly, it is still the 'old' SEN that is currently operational. Indeed, it is something less than that with no ILS nor 06 approach lighting due to the runway extension construction work. From early next year SEN will be a totally different proposition to both airlines and pax alike and that is when you will see the serious operators moving in.
Jetisfaction's FMO-SEN route announcement was something of a surprise to SEN as they had not even negotiated any terms with them and the originally announced schedule included SEN arrivals at a time when the airfield would still have been closed due to the overnight runway works. Note that at no time have SEN publicised the FMO route and they are well aware of the Jetisfaction record of last year when things went awry. So if FMO doesn't start it might be something of a relief to all concerned.
Moving on to Aer Arann, the winter closure of the GWY base and 'temporary' withdrawal of all of their scheduled routes from there is no reflection on SEN. You might as well say that LTN's loss of the GWY route is a sign that LTN is struggling. It seemed quite likely a year ago, when they were refinanced in a less than convincing manner, that RE would struggle in winter 2011/12 and they are obviously taking the steps they feel necessary to carry them through to better times.
I know from personal experience just how attractive a number of European airlines find the 'new' SEN in terms of their future plans, but they are sensibly going to wait until the runway extension is completed and ready before launching any routes.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
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Expressflight, I tend to agree. I believe that SEN wont come to life in a meaningful way until carriers such as easyjet firmly put it on the map. Other carriers eg some of the mentioned dont have strong recognition and hence people dont book their flights.
Easyjet will have strong marketing and good brand recognition so I think it is far to early to predict failings. I wouldnt cast any predictions until at least the 1st season of operations has passed!
In terms of Aer Arann, they flew historically to Luton as they deemed it to be ideally positioned as a strong gateway for the London Irish and it's proximity to North London etc. Besides all of that Luton Galway and Waterford were well developed, SEN routes for RE are not! Figures show on Dublin/Luton that it is likely that would be LTN WAT/GWY passengers are going Ryanair.
EI-BUD
Easyjet will have strong marketing and good brand recognition so I think it is far to early to predict failings. I wouldnt cast any predictions until at least the 1st season of operations has passed!
In terms of Aer Arann, they flew historically to Luton as they deemed it to be ideally positioned as a strong gateway for the London Irish and it's proximity to North London etc. Besides all of that Luton Galway and Waterford were well developed, SEN routes for RE are not! Figures show on Dublin/Luton that it is likely that would be LTN WAT/GWY passengers are going Ryanair.
EI-BUD
Join Date: Mar 2003
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I have no doubts that SEN is an interesting addition for the London market and I am more than happy to use it - hence my disappointment about the development. I do not think it was very clever to relaunch SEN somewhat hastily before everything was up and running infrastructure-wise and a big brand was ready to start ops. Of course I understand that Stodart wanted to play with its new toy as quickly as possibly, but somewhat hastily re-locating a well-established route that for some good reason served LTN and attracting the shakiest of outfits from the continent certainly did more harm than good PR-wise now that these operations have faltered.
certainly did more harm than good PR-wise now that these operations have faltered.
Most people won't know (or care) there is an airport at Southend until EZY start to operate. Once EZY gets up and running, any smaller operators will benefit from the spotlight that EZY turn on the airport.
It least the airport seems to be going forward, how many others in the UK can say that?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
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Stobart was interested in getting Aer Arran to Southend because they needed an airline to kick start Southend. The problem for Aer Arran was that Southend was not ready for the airline but the airline moved anyway to a dated terminal with no proper transport links or facilities.
Now Stobart has Easyjet who had the sense to wait for the new Southend to be born so has Stobart lost interest in Aer Arran and its handful of passengers who would not follow the airline from Luton.
Can’t help but feel that Aer Arran’s management must regret moving when they did.
Now Stobart has Easyjet who had the sense to wait for the new Southend to be born so has Stobart lost interest in Aer Arran and its handful of passengers who would not follow the airline from Luton.
Can’t help but feel that Aer Arran’s management must regret moving when they did.
easyJet is a totally different case to Aer Arann as they need the runway extension to be in service prior to commencing services. I don't suppose there are many people who were surprised that RE's move from LTN to SEN at that stage in the latter's development proved to be less than a brilliant move.
Join Date: Apr 2008
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The fact is, without Stobarts cash injection in late 2010, Aer Arann would not have survived and all their flights, including those from the UK to Galway and WAT, would have ended then. They had little choice but to take what was on offer, clearly with conditions attached (divert some service to an unready SEN) and try to make it work.
Infrastructure issues at SEN and the unwillingness of established LTN passengers to transfer to SEN notwithstanding, the further fact remains that the bottom is falling out of the Irish regional market. Whilst Ireland remains in deep recession, demand for non essential travel is generally flatlining. Mainline airlines into the three main Irish airports can keep going as there is sufficient demand, although even here we have seen some tweaking and reductions. On specialist, niche routes such as GWY and WAT and with a high overheads airline such as RE, exposure to weakened demand is proving to be catastrophic. Removal of PSO subsidies in Ireland, together with an ‘Airport Development Fee’ at GWY further exacerbate the problem. It no longer takes hours to travel from SNN, NOC, ORK or DUB to the more remote counties. Millions of EU euros have been used in providing a new motorway network. Galway City is now only 50 mins or so from Shannon on a virtually straight run at motorway or dual carriageway standard.
It remains to be seen if RE survive in their current format – in simple terms, the money from Stobarts has been used up and they are still in the red and losing money. My hunch is that RE will become some kind of ACMI provider to Aer Lingus with some possible ad-hoc charter work – in much the same way that Suckling/Scot Airways have managed to survive and remain successful.
SEN and Easyjet are doing the right thing generally looking eastwards across the Channel and south to the Med for routes – I still can’t quite see the need to take an old and rattling turboprop flight from east of London to west coast of Ireland, duration over 1½ hours, when I can do LHR or LGW to SNN for example in bang on an hour and usually for less fare. SEN to DUB/ORK/SNN all have more merit serving the larger markets but would require some form of jet to start being time competitive with the other London-Irish routes.
I’ll repeat what I’ve said before, I wish every airline and airport (and their staff) success in these difficult times – but I would be surprised if the quick fix sticking plaster that Stobarts offered Aer Arann will prove a lasting cure.
Infrastructure issues at SEN and the unwillingness of established LTN passengers to transfer to SEN notwithstanding, the further fact remains that the bottom is falling out of the Irish regional market. Whilst Ireland remains in deep recession, demand for non essential travel is generally flatlining. Mainline airlines into the three main Irish airports can keep going as there is sufficient demand, although even here we have seen some tweaking and reductions. On specialist, niche routes such as GWY and WAT and with a high overheads airline such as RE, exposure to weakened demand is proving to be catastrophic. Removal of PSO subsidies in Ireland, together with an ‘Airport Development Fee’ at GWY further exacerbate the problem. It no longer takes hours to travel from SNN, NOC, ORK or DUB to the more remote counties. Millions of EU euros have been used in providing a new motorway network. Galway City is now only 50 mins or so from Shannon on a virtually straight run at motorway or dual carriageway standard.
It remains to be seen if RE survive in their current format – in simple terms, the money from Stobarts has been used up and they are still in the red and losing money. My hunch is that RE will become some kind of ACMI provider to Aer Lingus with some possible ad-hoc charter work – in much the same way that Suckling/Scot Airways have managed to survive and remain successful.
SEN and Easyjet are doing the right thing generally looking eastwards across the Channel and south to the Med for routes – I still can’t quite see the need to take an old and rattling turboprop flight from east of London to west coast of Ireland, duration over 1½ hours, when I can do LHR or LGW to SNN for example in bang on an hour and usually for less fare. SEN to DUB/ORK/SNN all have more merit serving the larger markets but would require some form of jet to start being time competitive with the other London-Irish routes.
I’ll repeat what I’ve said before, I wish every airline and airport (and their staff) success in these difficult times – but I would be surprised if the quick fix sticking plaster that Stobarts offered Aer Arann will prove a lasting cure.
Join Date: Sep 2005
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SEN may be losing Galway but Waterford is still operating. This should mean no change in the number of Arran movements at SEN for winter as todays ops go Galway via Waterford so all that is apparantly being lost is the Galway tag to the Waterford service.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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the quick fix sticking plaster that Stobarts offered Aer Arann
Might also be referred to as a lifeline.
I wouldn't be totally amazed if we were to see Stobart Air emerge as successors to AA.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Aer Arann clearly showing that GWY losing money for range of reasons as already stated softening demand etc, but the other indicators are that Aer Lingus regional saw something in the region of 45-50% growth for August '11 v August '10. The soundings have been that DUB EDI GLA have been performing well in terms of loads, DUB GLA has now greater numbers than FR DUB PIK. Although this provides no indication of yield is there distinct comments/facts that RE is losing money or in big diff's? is the truth that overall they are simply removing loss making routes from the network over the winter?
What are the other Aer Lingus Regional routes doing in terms of performance? I would expect ORK to be good as they operate exclusively on those routes? DUB ABZ will end for FR thus leaving RE alone to the route and I would guess that there is good transatlantic feed on this route??
One last comment, as Aer Arann brand is getting much smaller and a much smaller part of the overall Aer Arann operation, would it not make sense to market the whole operation as Aer Lingus Regional? Cut marketing costs and focus on being exclusively on Aer Lingus Regional? Would this not allow for good interlining on Kerry Dublin or IOM interlining to US (not sure about demand there).
EI-BUD
What are the other Aer Lingus Regional routes doing in terms of performance? I would expect ORK to be good as they operate exclusively on those routes? DUB ABZ will end for FR thus leaving RE alone to the route and I would guess that there is good transatlantic feed on this route??
One last comment, as Aer Arann brand is getting much smaller and a much smaller part of the overall Aer Arann operation, would it not make sense to market the whole operation as Aer Lingus Regional? Cut marketing costs and focus on being exclusively on Aer Lingus Regional? Would this not allow for good interlining on Kerry Dublin or IOM interlining to US (not sure about demand there).
EI-BUD