SOUTHAMPTON
Join Date: Dec 2011
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Stands/taxiway
Hit the nail on the head Adfly. No doubt they have planned the operations such that they only have 3/4 in at the same time though the cheapskates!
I know we are in a recession and passenger numbers are down but BAA just sold Gatwick, about to sell Edinburgh and will eventially be selling Stanstead so surely there is enough in the bank for long overdue improvements to Sou airside? The backtracking of the runway is an absolute joke!!!!!!
I know we are in a recession and passenger numbers are down but BAA just sold Gatwick, about to sell Edinburgh and will eventially be selling Stanstead so surely there is enough in the bank for long overdue improvements to Sou airside? The backtracking of the runway is an absolute joke!!!!!!
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: southern spain
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You must be joking rivet joint - Ferrovial the Spanish owners of BAA owe billions yes billions to banks so doubtful if any money available for Southampton considering what they are spending at Heathrow.
Join Date: Dec 2011
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as do most companies, they still set aside a budget for improvements. Surely logic dictates that the share set aside for the sold of airports can be redirected to the remaining ones? Sou airside is as bad as it gets in this country.
The budget for the normal running and upkeep of each airport presumably comes largely from its own revenues - i.e. money spent on keeping Southampton going should come from the fees paid by airlines flying to/from Southampton, who in turn collect it from pssengers buying ticket to/from Southampton.
If BAA are going to invest in significant infrastructure at an airport, it will need to be compared against potential projects at all other airports owned by BAA
If an airport consistently cannot pay for itself, and the CAA refuse to change the fees that an airport is allowed to charge its customers, then the airport has to cut its costs so that it becomes profitable.
BAA used to spend money on the upkeep of Gatwick, funded from fees paid by airlines at Gatwick. Those airport usage fees are no longer paid to BAA.
If BAA are going to invest in significant infrastructure at an airport, it will need to be compared against potential projects at all other airports owned by BAA
If an airport consistently cannot pay for itself, and the CAA refuse to change the fees that an airport is allowed to charge its customers, then the airport has to cut its costs so that it becomes profitable.
BAA used to spend money on the upkeep of Gatwick, funded from fees paid by airlines at Gatwick. Those airport usage fees are no longer paid to BAA.
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Coventry
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I don't get why it's more expensive to fly to Southampton than to most of the London airports.
This must make SOU very unattractive as a base for the main loco players, whilst BE's fleet size is also suited to thinner routes + higher frequencies on the more popular ones, which suits the relatively small catchment area. There might be a lower cost base at BOH, but SOH is much closer to the centres of both Southampton and Portsmouth.
As for the comments re: Eurostar - I would have thought anyone who would previously have used Waterloo would find the new time savings are offset by the need to cross over to St Pancras. Ashford may work as a park and ride, but if we're comparing dead time for plane v train, driving is the deadest time!
I would have certainly expected a market for SOU-BRU to be viable, but BE obviously have done the maths.
Join Date: May 2009
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I think there is a fair market for both SOU-BRU and SOU-IOM its just Flybe have the wrong sized aircraft and a lack of onward connections and flexibility at the IOM and BRU ends. Flybe have taken over both routes, flooded them with cheap seats but it has not worked out for them.
Loganair could probably make a daily SOU-IOM work on either a S340 or Suckling D328 or even Manx2 with a couple of D228/J31 flights each day meaning there is more flexibility but less overall capacity.
Its a similar story with BRU, I could see Eastern covering the Business market well with 2-3 daily J41 flights and the ability to have an early morning flight and offer day returns should make the higher frequency viable. Another alternative would be Brussles Airlines flying around 2 daily flights on an RJ85, quite an increase in seats from the Flybe flight but the extra flexibility and availability of a decent range of SN/Star connections via BRU would both help especially considering the fact that currently SOU is not linked to any of the more major European hubs with codeshares etc!
Loganair could probably make a daily SOU-IOM work on either a S340 or Suckling D328 or even Manx2 with a couple of D228/J31 flights each day meaning there is more flexibility but less overall capacity.
Its a similar story with BRU, I could see Eastern covering the Business market well with 2-3 daily J41 flights and the ability to have an early morning flight and offer day returns should make the higher frequency viable. Another alternative would be Brussles Airlines flying around 2 daily flights on an RJ85, quite an increase in seats from the Flybe flight but the extra flexibility and availability of a decent range of SN/Star connections via BRU would both help especially considering the fact that currently SOU is not linked to any of the more major European hubs with codeshares etc!
Join Date: Sep 2004
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currently SOU is not linked to any of the more major European hubs with codeshares etc!
What about AMS? KL serve some pretty small UK regionals, why not SOU?
Join Date: May 2009
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Brussles
Interesting! Although not really surprising as I belive it did fairly well for them before Flybe 'robbed' the route by adding too much capacity. I just hope they realise that and don't try and do the same again. On a seperate note would that mean an aircraft needs to be based in SOU again as they don't fly to BRU from anywhere else and a 'W' pattern from the current ABZ flights would mess up the schedules for ABZ?
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Southampton, U.K
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Brussles is back! and Norwich?
As predicted by Wellington Bomber Eastern will takeover the Southampton to Brussles route from the 16th April daily ex. Saturday.
Press Release: Southampton Airport: Brussels route to continue as Eastern Airways steps in
It has also been rumored on the Flybe thread and elsewhere that the weekly summer Flybe/Loganair/Suckling NWI-SOU route may have been canned before it has even started!
Press Release: Southampton Airport: Brussels route to continue as Eastern Airways steps in
It has also been rumored on the Flybe thread and elsewhere that the weekly summer Flybe/Loganair/Suckling NWI-SOU route may have been canned before it has even started!
Join Date: Feb 2007
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T3's schedule for BRU now available
T34475 SOU 10:55 - 13:10 BRU J41 45
T34475 SOU 11:10 - 13:25 BRU J41 12
T34475 SOU 13:00 - 15:15 BRU J41 3
T34475 SOU 15:55 - 18:00 BRU S20 7
T34476 BRU 13:40 - 13:55 SOU J41 45
T34476 BRU 13:55 - 14:10 SOU J41 12
T34476 BRU 15:45 - 16:00 SOU J41 3
T34476 BRU 18:30 - 18:35 SOU S20 7
T34475 SOU 10:55 - 13:10 BRU J41 45
T34475 SOU 11:10 - 13:25 BRU J41 12
T34475 SOU 13:00 - 15:15 BRU J41 3
T34475 SOU 15:55 - 18:00 BRU S20 7
T34476 BRU 13:40 - 13:55 SOU J41 45
T34476 BRU 13:55 - 14:10 SOU J41 12
T34476 BRU 15:45 - 16:00 SOU J41 3
T34476 BRU 18:30 - 18:35 SOU S20 7
Join Date: Sep 2004
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It has also been rumored on the Flybe thread and elsewhere that the weekly summer Flybe/Loganair/Suckling NWI-SOU route may have been canned before it has even started!
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Southampton, U.K
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February
BAA reports an increase in passenger of 4.5% compared to last year, which suggests that there is still an increase with the extra day taken into account. Let's hope this continues into the summer!!
BAA press release: BAA Airports: February 2012 traffic figures - BAA's airports
BAA press release: BAA Airports: February 2012 traffic figures - BAA's airports
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Brussels
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I have flown the SOU to BRU route for the past 3 years and watched the passenger numbers dwindle as the schedule became less attractive.
In the days of the early morning and evening flights we used to have 60 pax, this has reduced to around 20 now the flight is inconvenient around midday.
With the closure of the route at fairly short notice at the end of Feb, the alternatives via LHR or Eurostar are a pain, so far for me BA has failed 2 out of 2 on timing with delays in both directions coupled with a nightmare journey from Gosport via ferry, train and bus to get to the airport. Eurostar from St Pancras is a disaster why did they move from Waterloo?
I welcome the return of Eastern to the route which should fit their smaller aircraft. Only time will tell.
In the days of the early morning and evening flights we used to have 60 pax, this has reduced to around 20 now the flight is inconvenient around midday.
With the closure of the route at fairly short notice at the end of Feb, the alternatives via LHR or Eurostar are a pain, so far for me BA has failed 2 out of 2 on timing with delays in both directions coupled with a nightmare journey from Gosport via ferry, train and bus to get to the airport. Eurostar from St Pancras is a disaster why did they move from Waterloo?
I welcome the return of Eastern to the route which should fit their smaller aircraft. Only time will tell.
Join Date: May 2009
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Norwich
NWI-SOU no longer bookable or even in the system so I think we can assume it won't be operating this summer! Not exactly a huge loss, and it was an unusual route aimed at a very small niche market and the frequency and timings made it inconvinient for any other travel.