SOUTHEND - 4
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: London Whipsnade Wildlife Park
Posts: 5,038
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Irish Independent story doesn't really reflect what was stated in the Stobart six monthly report.
What that actually said was that "opportunites are being considered (by Aer Arann) to increase passenger throughput at London Southend airport using a similar model (to Aer Lingus Regional)".
That's still some way off from them saying they've decided to go ahead with it, which the newspaper report seems to be suggesting. Presumably a decision will be made within the next couple of months one way or the other as Spring 2014 would seem the ideal starting period.
What that actually said was that "opportunites are being considered (by Aer Arann) to increase passenger throughput at London Southend airport using a similar model (to Aer Lingus Regional)".
That's still some way off from them saying they've decided to go ahead with it, which the newspaper report seems to be suggesting. Presumably a decision will be made within the next couple of months one way or the other as Spring 2014 would seem the ideal starting period.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If they are trying to become a "franchise flying" platform, who exactly of going to franchise them to fly a network of routes ex-SEN?!
I can, perhaps, at a push see either Brussels A/L or Air France agreeing a non-risk franchise (ie where Arann themselves take the commercial risk on a 2/3 x daily SEN-BRU or SEN-CDG rather than assuming risk via an ACMI)...I think KLM are limited by 'scope clause' to the total number of UK routes they can operate under franchise/code share - but am happy to be corrected on this.
But the point really is that (although worthwhile expansion) it is unlikely to bring much more than one based ATR of they are lucky..
I can, perhaps, at a push see either Brussels A/L or Air France agreeing a non-risk franchise (ie where Arann themselves take the commercial risk on a 2/3 x daily SEN-BRU or SEN-CDG rather than assuming risk via an ACMI)...I think KLM are limited by 'scope clause' to the total number of UK routes they can operate under franchise/code share - but am happy to be corrected on this.
But the point really is that (although worthwhile expansion) it is unlikely to bring much more than one based ATR of they are lucky..
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Cloud 9
Posts: 2,948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LON/BRU has always been a dead duck of a route, National Airways tried it out of SEN previously and died a death and when Air UK started it out of STN utilising a SD330/360 they found themselves carrying single figure passenger numbers.
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Essex
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perhaps they can try the routes Join! planned to do before they disappeared off the radar? They also targeted France and Benelux destinations. Proposed routes were Caen, Munster, Groningen, Cologne and Liege (whether these would attract enough pax to work is another matter).
Balkan Holidays:
BH Air flights next year have been cancelled due to 'operational reasons'. Why do these charters seem to be cancelled so early?
Balkan Holidays:
BH Air flights next year have been cancelled due to 'operational reasons'. Why do these charters seem to be cancelled so early?
Last edited by tws123; 28th Oct 2013 at 11:19. Reason: update
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: southend
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Balken flights seem to have been droped from Cambridge also, so from the July announcement only Newquay remains, have they supplied reasons for the change off mind or have they been cancel through lack of demand but this seems early.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Chester
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I always thought Bulgaria would be an odd choice for a charter flight out of SEN anyway. I'm not surprised it has been removed as to me it's not an appealing holiday destination.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Chester
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Turkey next on the list for destinations from Southend? Is Turkey next on the ever-growing list of destinations from Southend Airport? (From Echo)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 791
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the local newspaper has been over-speculating again, and now readers' comments on the article (including mine) have been withdrawn on their website. Really weird, but I suspect that Stobarts hate their local press writing things like that before contracts are finalised, and are pulling the strings.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Age: 37
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It doesn't seem that odd to me, they've been successful from Norwich and smaller airports around Scandinavia for the last few years. There are some remarkably beautiful places along that part of the coast such as Sozopol, Dyuni and Arkutino. It does seem as though BH Air fill most of their seats with holidaymakers to Sunny Beach, which I agree isn't very appealing.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 35,000ft
Posts: 983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bulgaria
But when there's a choice of Regular departures from the likes of Stansted and Gatwick, why would people local to Southend plan their week in Bulgaria around some one off date or two out of season. It was probably a lot cheaper to fly from one of the other London airports too. These 'irregular' charters work great from the regional airports that have little competition from being an hour plus from another major airport, but Southend really is competing with the other London 'Big Boys' IMHO and therefore people will still travel to another departure point to save a £ or two and travel on a date that suits them.
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: London
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The period of operation is 3 weeks less than this year too. It should be of concern to the airport management that capacity offered by Thomson for 2014 is now less than a third of what was originally advertised.
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: southend
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It does worry when you have airlines making statements and then seemingly just with drawing them. This has happened twice in the last mounth with Balkan withdrawing for "operational reasons", and Thomson for no apparent reason cutting back to once a week from the proposed three times a week and two destinations. The airport got off to a great start, but now seems to be floundering somewhat in its endeavour to get more services and airlines to use the improved facilities which will be ready early 2014, I do hope however that this is not the case and look forward to more good news in the near future.