BOURNEMOUTH - 3
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Co.clare Ireland
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just confirmed, all operations ending, how disappointing, it must have something to do with them withdrawing the 190s from Southampton, whatever the reason though, flights were performing well, maybe ryanair will add some routes due to this decision.
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Southampton, U.K
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That is a shame to see, the south coast have been well and truly screwed over by Flybe when you consider they are also ditching the sun routes they had a monopoly on from SOU for the last 13 years.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: somerset
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Rivet,
It's quite possible that following the loss of night flights and now Flybe that the airport will not be here at all for very much longer.
Maybe some sympathy for all those staring at lost jobs and the blow to the regional economy might be a better attitude than gloating
It's quite possible that following the loss of night flights and now Flybe that the airport will not be here at all for very much longer.
Maybe some sympathy for all those staring at lost jobs and the blow to the regional economy might be a better attitude than gloating
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Brighton uk
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Very disappointing news for the airport after the big spiel from Flybe back in May saying they were committed and confident in Bournemouth operating as a base for them .
It hardly inspires confidence that six months later after an initial busy summer on most of there routes they are pulling the plug
One wonders what will happen with the airport now as Ryanair certainly don't seem to be taking up the slack with any extra routes or flights as Southampton sees its popular Med routes and EMB 195 s disappear up to Doncaster !
Sad day for BOH again ……
It hardly inspires confidence that six months later after an initial busy summer on most of there routes they are pulling the plug
One wonders what will happen with the airport now as Ryanair certainly don't seem to be taking up the slack with any extra routes or flights as Southampton sees its popular Med routes and EMB 195 s disappear up to Doncaster !
Sad day for BOH again ……
Not exactly a surprise though, what with flybe's ridiculous route announcements. Now just to wonder how much longer left on EDI-LPL and the random E195 bases in Doncaster and Cardiff
I am genuinely sorry that this has happened & take no pleasure in saying "I told you so". it was painfully obvious to a "non-airline person",such as myself , when BEE opened the Bournemouth routes that there was not enough business to sustain them when Southampton is, what, 30 miles up the road. I said (on PPRUNE) at the time of that announcement that the routes would not last. Not because I wish any ills upon BEE or EGHH, but because it seemed that BEE were indulging in wishful thinking & lurching from one ill researched decision to the next (often contradictory ones). I said, "It will all end in tears"& that parallel routes out of 'HH & 'HI would not work. I was castigated by DEANO & Leg, I think, both BEE insiders, I believe. Both of whom opined that I did not know what I was talking about. They said the same about Bean, also.
I am not blowing my own trumpet now; rather - I am just trying to show that it should have been obvious to BEE that Bournemouth would not work for them. If an ignorant non-airline man can point out to them, before they start, that these routes will not work, why cannot a professional airline have worked that out for themselves ?
I am very sorry if employees lose out because of this & hope that any affected will retain employment. But, BEE's record of "decision making" does not fill me with confidence, or indicate that they really understand what they are doing in their attempt to get the airline back unto an even keel.
Opening new bases & routes, & then closing them with indecent haste does not appear to be the correct solution to their problems; & does not endear them to the traveling public, who are let down by these mercurial decision changes.
Nevertheless, I really do hope that BEE get it right - eventually.
I am not blowing my own trumpet now; rather - I am just trying to show that it should have been obvious to BEE that Bournemouth would not work for them. If an ignorant non-airline man can point out to them, before they start, that these routes will not work, why cannot a professional airline have worked that out for themselves ?
I am very sorry if employees lose out because of this & hope that any affected will retain employment. But, BEE's record of "decision making" does not fill me with confidence, or indicate that they really understand what they are doing in their attempt to get the airline back unto an even keel.
Opening new bases & routes, & then closing them with indecent haste does not appear to be the correct solution to their problems; & does not endear them to the traveling public, who are let down by these mercurial decision changes.
Nevertheless, I really do hope that BEE get it right - eventually.
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
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BOH has, and always seems to be, treated terribly by virtually every airline that either bases itself there or even attempts a route from another base to it. Thomson has remained the most loyal but even they seem to have no desire to offer anything other than what they have done for years. FR toy with it, initially promising Three based aircraft if the improvements were made. The airport kept their side of the bargain.
In a way I can understand the lack of interest. An operation from BOH will always be on the borderline of viability, but as many keep posting on here, the routes always seem to be doing well. I just think it's an easy decision for an airline. It's only BOH. No one will really notice.
Local transport infrastructure is still appalling with no imminent improvements in the pipeline. The rebuilding of the A338 will make no difference. The whole of South East Dorset needs a massive long term infrastructure plan but local and national politicians do not seem to have the will. Bournemouth now has the fastest growing digital economy in the UK outside London. It would be nice to see some realistic infrastructure improvements being planned. And then BOH could become a much more relevant airport than a minor bucket and spade hub.
New Rivet would be on here gloating too.....
In a way I can understand the lack of interest. An operation from BOH will always be on the borderline of viability, but as many keep posting on here, the routes always seem to be doing well. I just think it's an easy decision for an airline. It's only BOH. No one will really notice.
Local transport infrastructure is still appalling with no imminent improvements in the pipeline. The rebuilding of the A338 will make no difference. The whole of South East Dorset needs a massive long term infrastructure plan but local and national politicians do not seem to have the will. Bournemouth now has the fastest growing digital economy in the UK outside London. It would be nice to see some realistic infrastructure improvements being planned. And then BOH could become a much more relevant airport than a minor bucket and spade hub.
New Rivet would be on here gloating too.....
Join Date: Jan 2015
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I think that the BOH operation would have been better suited to an aircraft like the ATR42.
We flew BOH-LPA with FR a couple of years ago and the we thought that the airport experience was brilliant. The FR flight times are often better than those of BRS, so we always consider BOH.
It seems that BOH is very much like SEN; supports leisure routes extremely well hence the success of TOM and FR, but maybe a lower frequency would have suited JER/CDG etc better to cater for this demand.
We flew BOH-LPA with FR a couple of years ago and the we thought that the airport experience was brilliant. The FR flight times are often better than those of BRS, so we always consider BOH.
It seems that BOH is very much like SEN; supports leisure routes extremely well hence the success of TOM and FR, but maybe a lower frequency would have suited JER/CDG etc better to cater for this demand.
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK
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More of the same at BOH - The whole Flybe thing was a joke from day one. I would suggest that they were just ensuring that Southampton Airport Management offered them better rates or else they might transfer routes to BOH. Well they carried out that threat and have probably got what they wanted from SOU? If they were genuine in launching routes from BOH then MAG, and Bournemouth Airport management were given just "one last chance" and they blew it! The old ATC training centre becoming a "free school" instead of an airport "Holiday inn Express" and the council still not adding an airport link with the A338 rebuild!!! And then there is that crazy scheme of cones leading up to a £2.50 drop off fee - all commercial suicidal madness! A kick in the face to Flybe??? Either BOH management just don't get it or there really are "no" airlines that wish to commit to BOH. After this debacle would any other airline dare to try it? It really was last chance saloon this time and now it's gone! Not to mention the demise of the Atlantic night flights! So what does the future hold? A very limited FR, TOM, EZY operation and Biz jets, GA and the odd 747! This has been a very bad month for the airport. I personally doubt they'll reach a million passengers again.PAUL KNIGHT just spoken on BBC South Today and said "oh well it's one of those things"! Well he should know by now that it's "curtains"! Maybe time for him to move on!?
Last edited by mrshubigbus; 11th Nov 2015 at 08:07.
This debacle is proof, if proof were needed, that whether an airport owner / operator offers sweeteners or not, the acid test is whether the right number of passengers can be attracted at the right yields.
Obviously this proved not to be the case at BOH.
Airport operators, and I'm particularly thinking of MAG here, need to recognise this if they are to see sustained growth at their "second tier" airports, such as BOH and EMA.
Obviously this proved not to be the case at BOH.
Airport operators, and I'm particularly thinking of MAG here, need to recognise this if they are to see sustained growth at their "second tier" airports, such as BOH and EMA.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Smaller regional airports like BOH need to be attractive to passengers before they get on the plane! Better road links to / from the main A338 spur road, overnight hotel accommodation before / after your flight and most importantly a pleasant friendly approach to the airport - not an attempt to get into Fort Knox! 
The very stupid scheme of coning the approach road off into the even more stupid £2.50 drop off fee has cost BOH a very significant amount of traffic! 
MAG - Airline / passenger wise you've failed at BOH!
But then FlyBe never really intended to take BOH seriously did they! And MAG fell for it even if they did offer them a short term six month sweetener which increasingly looks to be the case! This whole episode has been yet another 
airline farce at BOH something which has been seen for many years!
RIP PALMAIR / BATH TRAVEL - MR PETER BATH!
The very stupid scheme of coning the approach road off into the even more stupid £2.50 drop off fee has cost BOH a very significant amount of traffic! MAG - Airline / passenger wise you've failed at BOH!
But then FlyBe never really intended to take BOH seriously did they! And MAG fell for it even if they did offer them a short term six month sweetener which increasingly looks to be the case! This whole episode has been yet another airline farce at BOH something which has been seen for many years!RIP PALMAIR / BATH TRAVEL - MR PETER BATH!
Join Date: Oct 2014
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I've been on a mission to fly from every commercial passenger airport in the UK over the last five years and I was pleased when Flybe started its MAN->BOH route this year. I live in the north of England so getting there and back (before Flybe arrived) would have been a fiddly and expensive business. So the arrival of Flybe was very convenient for me. I booked a return flight for June so was able to cross that off the list. I suspected it might be short term which is why I booked it quickly.
Then this happens. A great shame for the people in the area and the staff working there. It's a nice little airport and doesn't deserve to lose all those flights.
Bournemouth will survive - it was fine before Flybe arrived and it will be fine when they've gone. It's just a great pity.
With things like this happening (and with Manston unlikely to return), I can't see Carlisle Airport and their flights to Dublin and Southend getting off the ground.
Not a good time for small regional airports at the moment.
Then this happens. A great shame for the people in the area and the staff working there. It's a nice little airport and doesn't deserve to lose all those flights.
Bournemouth will survive - it was fine before Flybe arrived and it will be fine when they've gone. It's just a great pity.
With things like this happening (and with Manston unlikely to return), I can't see Carlisle Airport and their flights to Dublin and Southend getting off the ground.
Not a good time for small regional airports at the moment.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Quote from today's Bournmeouth Echo:-
"The owners of Bournemouth Airport say they are committed to its future and hope to bring in new routes following Flybe's planned withdrawal".
So who do they think they are kidding? Now let's think for a moment - who's left that might fill the void? I can't think of one airline who might still be brave enough to launch new routes to JER, GCI, CDG, AMS, EDI, GLA, DUB can you? It's all been tried before by so many different operators - "NONE" of which have stayed with it very long - So who do Paul Knight and MAG now think will replace Flybe??? It's over! BOH will never again successfully operate domestic and / or short haul business / connecting routes. Despite spending millions on the place with passenger numbers supposed to be moving up towards three million, without proper road links, airport hotel and "NO" drop off charges it just won't happen! Just a limited TOM, RYR year round operation looks to be the future according to my crystal ball with annual pax numbers averaging out at around 750,000 a year if they are lucky. MAG must surely know this by now! Why keep "lying" to the local population that new routes will be found - They won't!
"The owners of Bournemouth Airport say they are committed to its future and hope to bring in new routes following Flybe's planned withdrawal".
So who do they think they are kidding? Now let's think for a moment - who's left that might fill the void? I can't think of one airline who might still be brave enough to launch new routes to JER, GCI, CDG, AMS, EDI, GLA, DUB can you? It's all been tried before by so many different operators - "NONE" of which have stayed with it very long - So who do Paul Knight and MAG now think will replace Flybe??? It's over! BOH will never again successfully operate domestic and / or short haul business / connecting routes. Despite spending millions on the place with passenger numbers supposed to be moving up towards three million, without proper road links, airport hotel and "NO" drop off charges it just won't happen! Just a limited TOM, RYR year round operation looks to be the future according to my crystal ball with annual pax numbers averaging out at around 750,000 a year if they are lucky. MAG must surely know this by now! Why keep "lying" to the local population that new routes will be found - They won't!
Join Date: Sep 2005
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Unfair for BOH
The yields and load factors were very strong for some services which I think caught them by surprise - with corresponding falls at SOU - but the rationale behind splitting a catchment in half is madness. It was purely leverage for financial improvement at SOU. No doubt.
I'm afraid BOH won't be able to recover quickly after this as airlines will get the wrong impression - again a good move by Flybe to make it look like BOH doesn't work and dissuade others from trying.
What BOH needs now is some robust and significant additional Ryanair services if they have any hope of reaching 1m passengers anytime soon.
I'm afraid BOH won't be able to recover quickly after this as airlines will get the wrong impression - again a good move by Flybe to make it look like BOH doesn't work and dissuade others from trying.
What BOH needs now is some robust and significant additional Ryanair services if they have any hope of reaching 1m passengers anytime soon.