SOUTHEND 5
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Peterborough
Age: 61
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Having given this some thought. I think any thought of looking at anything other than sunshine destination carriers is out. Unless anyone knows something I don't. Mainland Spain is now effectively covered by Ezyjet. So, pretty much leaves Greece and Turkey but these are pushing the limits on the performance issue front. Any takers?
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Peterborough
Age: 61
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Keep on harking back to Malta. But Air Malta are at least once daily into LHR. But it has worked in the past. Is there the demand for Lisbon perhaps? Verona is possible but it's a tricky market, I know that from experience. Really close to running out of ideas, unfortunately.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Between the flower pots
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I suppose there are two schools of thought about Southend depending whether someone is an optimist or a pessimist.
As it was not that long ago that Southend had next to no passengers and is now used by more than a million passengers per year Southend is a fantastic success story.
On the other hand just like Doncaster, Sheffield and Coventry, which were other recent airports with new terminals, after the initial success operations were scaled back as operators found it tough going. Could it be that Southend is now entering this phase?
What can't be disputed, as has already been pointed out, is that London's airports are on a growth spurt and Southend is up there with them for 2014 but it looks like Southend will be hitting negative numbers for 2015.
What Southend needs at the moment is a little bit more comittment from Easyjet and for them to base just 2 extra aircraft at Southend. Unless easyjet gives that commitment I can't see any other airline helping Southend to reach the 1.25 million passenger mark let along pass it.
As it was not that long ago that Southend had next to no passengers and is now used by more than a million passengers per year Southend is a fantastic success story.
On the other hand just like Doncaster, Sheffield and Coventry, which were other recent airports with new terminals, after the initial success operations were scaled back as operators found it tough going. Could it be that Southend is now entering this phase?
What can't be disputed, as has already been pointed out, is that London's airports are on a growth spurt and Southend is up there with them for 2014 but it looks like Southend will be hitting negative numbers for 2015.
What Southend needs at the moment is a little bit more comittment from Easyjet and for them to base just 2 extra aircraft at Southend. Unless easyjet gives that commitment I can't see any other airline helping Southend to reach the 1.25 million passenger mark let along pass it.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 791
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Neile1
What good is it to local people to know there is a daily flight from Malta to LHR? We have many retired people in Essex and they supported very well the weekly Malta flights from SEN using B737 and the occassional B727. Stobarts need to attract the tour companies (like Malta Air Holidays) or Easyjet Holidays. I was not talking about a daily scheduled flights by Air Malta.
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Peterborough
Age: 61
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Top Hat
I totally agree. All I was doing was pointing out that the LHR flights existed. Ergo the flag carrier may say we are operating that flight. Obviously a daily route would be totally untenable. A weekly rotation is the obvious solution but someone needs to sell the possibilities and likely take up of the route. As for linking up the holiday/tour operators. Which comes first, the chicken or the egg. The airline announcing the route and then hoping operators will piggy back on that or vice versa? Over to you.......
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Essex
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tour Operators
I don't know why this has happened, but SEN struggles to keep/start tour operator flights. For example:
- Newmarket Holidays: Milan/Bergamo (operated by Mistral Air - B737-400) - put on sale, then dropped.
- Balkan Holidays - Bourgas (BH Air - A320) - press release and put on sale, then dropped.
- Thomson Holidays - Ibiza (operated by Jetairfly - B737-300) - press release, some TV coverage and put on sale, then dropped.
Why did this happen on so many occasions?
- Newmarket Holidays: Milan/Bergamo (operated by Mistral Air - B737-400) - put on sale, then dropped.
- Balkan Holidays - Bourgas (BH Air - A320) - press release and put on sale, then dropped.
- Thomson Holidays - Ibiza (operated by Jetairfly - B737-300) - press release, some TV coverage and put on sale, then dropped.
Why did this happen on so many occasions?
I don't know why this has happened, but SEN struggles to keep/start tour operator flights. For example:
- Newmarket Holidays: Milan/Bergamo (operated by Mistral Air - B737-400) - put on sale, then dropped.
- Balkan Holidays - Bourgas (BH Air - A320) - press release and put on sale, then dropped.
- Thomson Holidays - Ibiza (operated by Jetairfly - B737-300) - press release, some TV coverage and put on sale, then dropped.
Why did this happen on so many occasions?
- Newmarket Holidays: Milan/Bergamo (operated by Mistral Air - B737-400) - put on sale, then dropped.
- Balkan Holidays - Bourgas (BH Air - A320) - press release and put on sale, then dropped.
- Thomson Holidays - Ibiza (operated by Jetairfly - B737-300) - press release, some TV coverage and put on sale, then dropped.
Why did this happen on so many occasions?
Next question please.
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Peterborough
Age: 61
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll keep throwing my tuppenyworth in......
Tour operators dropping out...
IBZ - suffice to say Cooks have pulled out of mainland Spain altogether.
BOJ - or Borgas is currently struggling and culling that route is definitely on the cards.
Pax are going seat only and then packaging themselves, so tour operators are simply facing an uphill challenge for run of the mill bookings. High end stuff is still there, take Kuoni, but that falls quite firmly into the long haul remit.
Other views please.....
Tour operators dropping out...
IBZ - suffice to say Cooks have pulled out of mainland Spain altogether.
BOJ - or Borgas is currently struggling and culling that route is definitely on the cards.
Pax are going seat only and then packaging themselves, so tour operators are simply facing an uphill challenge for run of the mill bookings. High end stuff is still there, take Kuoni, but that falls quite firmly into the long haul remit.
Other views please.....
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 35,000ft
Posts: 983
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Neile1 I think you're somewhat misinformed. Thomas Cook have not pulled out of mainland Spain. And on that note IBZ is not mainland Spain either so I fail to understand your point here?
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Peterborough
Age: 61
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I stand corrected, my source has now told me that, more correctly "they are running the routes down as they have contractural commitments to meet".
Last edited by Neile1; 12th Jan 2015 at 12:35.