SOUTHEND 5

[Barling Magna]

As an outsider just looking in Southend seems to be going the same way as Sheffield and Robin Hood Airport.

Southend has one crucial advantage that neither Sheffield nor Robin Hood Airport had/have: proximity to London. Coupled with easy access via a railway station only a few steps away from the terminal this makes comparisons with northern airports meaningless. Location, location, location as they say.

Whilst SEN may not attain the ambitious taget of 5 million pax p.a. I'm sure it will grow to reach 2 million ppa, although this may take some time.

Don't forget that SEN has a thriving MRO sector, so its income isn't completely dependent upon passenger totals.

[tayair6]

Wethersfield

The on-going saga of additional runway capacity in the south east dragging on, it has a good future for airlines operating suitable types for the runway available. Certainly Stobart will be doing all they can to get their return on the £ 120million investment as fast as possible over the coming few years. do you think there is a chance this is gonna happen ? how many feet/metre they need to extension runway?

[Pain in the R's]

The runway will always hold the airport back from reaching its true potential.

The runway is a tad short stopping many airlines from operating into the airport. The TODA is also short due to obstacles outside the airport boundary. The runway is not a standard width which also stops some wider aircraft using the runway that could land at Southend despite its length. Also when airlines factor in the airports CAT 1 ILS, a dispensation by the CAA for a church that really should not be so close to the runway all is not rosy.

I feel in someways the airport does have one hand tied behind its back when trying to find new business and there is nothing Stobart can do about it as the runway can't be extended further due to a railway line and houses and I don't think the runway can be made wider due to the church.

Also the council has all but banned passenger flight night movements which is never going to help the airport in attracting based aircraft.

I think Southend Airport will still be around long after we are all dead but it will be a struggle for them to pass 2 million passengers due to the above mentioned runway limitations. If it doesn't would that be the end of the world? Don't think so, it just means that the airport has found its own niche in the London market and on the big scale of things would be regarded as being very successful.

[Barling Magna]

I think Southend Airport will still be around long after we are all dead but it will be a struggle for them to pass 2 million passengers due to the above mentioned runway limitations. If it doesn't would that be the end of the world? Don't think so, it just means that the airport has found its own niche in the London market and on the big scale of things would be regarded as being very successful.

I totally agree. The only point I would make is that the runway could be extended at the south western end into the field separating the current boundary from Nestuda Way (which could itself be diverted further west), but it will not be extended because of the other limitations facing it, notably the presence of the church and the current width. A completely new runway could be built on a more NNW alignment -there's plenty of open land there still, even without affecting the golf course - but the cost would be tremendous since most of it would lie outside the current boundary and would never be worth it. Over £100 million has been invested in SEN recently and that's going to take a good few years to recoup...... No reason for undue pessimism though, this airport will survive.

[LTNman]

No reason for undue pessimism though, this airport will survive.

Spot on Barling Magna Big is not always beautiful as per the Which passenger survey. I think my local airport could learn a few lessons from SEN

[mikkie4]

You say that the runway cannt be made any wider because of the church,but a runway has 2 sides,cant the far side be widenedby a couple of feet?

[Neile1]

I think there's a tad more to it than that Mikkie. The dear church has always been an issue. Not a sexist comment but in this case length is far more important than width!

[FRatSTN]

You say that the runway cannt be made any wider because of the church,but a runway has 2 sides,cant the far side be widenedby a couple of feet?

The obvious issue with this is that the runway centre line would also have to shift, and that would cause absolute havoc in terms of re-aligning all the instruments and equipment involved with the runway eg. ILS, approach lights etc. Plus it would be closer to the airport buildings, which might also be a problem.

In other words, it's more trouble than it's worth, and it aint happening.

[mikkie4]

i know its a listed building ,but 1/2 dozen people preying there every sunday( if your lucky) should have been moved when they had the chance.but the powers that be in the church said #NO maybe if they had moved it they might of got more people through the front door

[Expressflight]

mikkie4

I don't think this discussion is going anywhere. The runway will not be widened or lengthened - full stop. Move on.

[dc9-32]

If Gatwick gets the go-ahead to build a new southerly runway, a church will have to be moved. How will that be any different to the church situation at Southend ?

[maliyahsdad2]

Because at SEN Most of the locals would see any further extension or threat to the church as a big no no. What we have have now is about the limit of what most locals (even avid supporters of the current expansion) would accept. I think the two councils and the airport fully understand this and in time hopefully everyone can.

[Barling Magna]

Here's an article in a national newspaper concerning one of the new routes from Southend - a great example of a niche route. Let's hope the publicity generates increased traffic.

A Normandy landing, 70 years after the D-Day invasion: Echoes of war - and plenty more - in the often-overlooked city of Caen | Daily Mail Online

And no, I don't normally read this "newspaper", just picked the article up while googling away.....

[vulcanised]

From what I recall. the church (little used though it may be) were extremely co-operative at the time of the expansion.

[mikkie4]

TCX

G-JMAB 757-300 ARRIVED SEN THIS AFTERNOON (EX JMC) ALL 178ft 8ins second largest plane to land at SEN

[Neile1]

Aha, one of those wonderful museum pieces. Not sure if that's the one that deposited a piece of wing after departing LGW last weekend....

[LTNman]

Don't think the 757 was ever allowed into SEN with passengers on board.

[mikkie4]

CAME IN EMPTY,

[Neile1]

Naturally, but will cause TCX to have to re-jig flights for whatever reasons maybe?

[tophat27dt]

Skywork

It seems a bit odd (sad) that some days Skywork has only operated one flight per day instead of the scheduled 2 flights. Even if the flight has only 1 pax booked on it, I thought there is an IATA rule that the flight must still operate. Anybody know why these cancellations?