SOUTHEND 5
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Passengers using Southend airport increased by 9% to 1.09 million in 2014 with capacity now available to handle five million a year.
The figures were released today in a trading statement from parent company Stobart Group.
The company admitted that passenger numbers on existing operations are likely to be “slightly lower” in the next six months.
“However, discussions with existing airlines and a number of new airlines should together bring strong sustainable growth in volumes in the coming years,” Stobart said.
“Airlines are attracted by the peak time capacity availability and superfast point-to-point travel experience.
“We are also exploring revenue opportunities in non-passenger-related activities from the unused land not required for the airport operation.”
The figures were released today in a trading statement from parent company Stobart Group.
The company admitted that passenger numbers on existing operations are likely to be “slightly lower” in the next six months.
“However, discussions with existing airlines and a number of new airlines should together bring strong sustainable growth in volumes in the coming years,” Stobart said.
“Airlines are attracted by the peak time capacity availability and superfast point-to-point travel experience.
“We are also exploring revenue opportunities in non-passenger-related activities from the unused land not required for the airport operation.”
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“We are also exploring revenue opportunities in non-passenger-related activities from the unused land not required for the airport operation.”
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I hope they are not going to start flogging off the family silver to raise money. Unused airport land today could be long term car parks etc in the future and once sold it has gone forever for a short term gain.
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Stobart Group chief executive Andrew Tinkler, Chief Executive Officer, said: "Our investment in London Southend airport is now largely complete and we are well placed to grow the profitability of that business.
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So it looks as though the DUB route is about to be cancelled.
A cynic might suggest the timing is such to prevent any chance of Stobart relaunching it under the EIR brand for summer.
A cynic might suggest the timing is such to prevent any chance of Stobart relaunching it under the EIR brand for summer.
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EDIT- Sorry I have just realised the jump in conclusion was from LTNmans statement that making some money from activities from unused land equals selling land that they don't own, when they probably mean leasing it for further cafes/ storage or something.
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I have completely lost the plot with the Dublin route.
So who first brought it to Southend and then which airlines have operated it and when?
Did it not start off as 3 x daily? Were not all the reports here that the route was doing well?
So who first brought it to Southend and then which airlines have operated it and when?
Did it not start off as 3 x daily? Were not all the reports here that the route was doing well?
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NImbys
I don't think the NImbys have anything to worry about when the airport reports that the upcoming summer season is going to be quieter than the outgoing winter season. 5m pax? I think not.
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Who needs airline partner friends like FlyBe? I wonder how Stobarts see their enemies! FlyBe have stole our Newquay service (to Stansted) and now the Dublin route. I also can't see 5 million pax within 10 years. If anything it's all going pear shaped.
On what basis are FlyBe either a 'partner' or 'friend'?
I don't pretend to be an expert, so I'm happy to be corrected, but as far as I'm aware the relationship is purely a commercial one and FlyBe are well within their rights to act in their own, best commercial interests.
I don't pretend to be an expert, so I'm happy to be corrected, but as far as I'm aware the relationship is purely a commercial one and FlyBe are well within their rights to act in their own, best commercial interests.
LTNman
The SEN-DUB route commenced in April 2012 I believe and it was 3 x daily from the start, although operated mainly by ATR42s at that time. It changed to DUB-SEN in April 2014 and ATR72s appeared on the route and eventually became the norm with 42s used from time to time. At some point it was announced by Stobart that the route was planned to become 4 x daily but that never happened. At all times it operated under the Aer Lingus Regional brand and through connections were offered to US destinations. Traffic on the route was normally between 6,000 and 7,000 pax per month last summer.
It was only at the end of October 2014 that Flybe started a once daily DUB-SEN with Stobart Air operating a second flight on some days. This diminished over the winter to as few as three fights weekly at times. At present a daily flight is bookable through the summer but only at around £266 one-way, so shall we say "bookable in theory". It therefore looks likely that the route will cease to operate on 27th March 2015.
The SEN-DUB route commenced in April 2012 I believe and it was 3 x daily from the start, although operated mainly by ATR42s at that time. It changed to DUB-SEN in April 2014 and ATR72s appeared on the route and eventually became the norm with 42s used from time to time. At some point it was announced by Stobart that the route was planned to become 4 x daily but that never happened. At all times it operated under the Aer Lingus Regional brand and through connections were offered to US destinations. Traffic on the route was normally between 6,000 and 7,000 pax per month last summer.
It was only at the end of October 2014 that Flybe started a once daily DUB-SEN with Stobart Air operating a second flight on some days. This diminished over the winter to as few as three fights weekly at times. At present a daily flight is bookable through the summer but only at around £266 one-way, so shall we say "bookable in theory". It therefore looks likely that the route will cease to operate on 27th March 2015.
DUB-SEN Route
Following on from my last post, regardless of what Flybe have done and whether or not they can consequently be considered a "partner", Stobart Air could relaunch DUB-SEN under the Aer Lingus Regional brand so a solution to the problem is in their hands.
One could even say that it would be obvious to do so in a situation where a now vacant route was carrying 6,000 plus pax per month last summer. Would they have the aircraft availability? Well, EI-REL is currently on a maintenance check and it would have operated from SEN on Stobart Air's European routes this summer had they not been cut back from six to four, so perhaps that aircraft is not yet fully committed elsewhere. On the other hand perhaps the highly competitive situation on the LCY-DUB route makes such a move commercially unattractive.
Whatever the pros and cons may be it is certainly a blow to SEN if the route is lost completely. It must have been a selling point when Stobart are trying to attract new operators to give them as an example of SEN's success the previously existing 3 x daily DUB-SEN with through bookings to a number of US cities.
One could even say that it would be obvious to do so in a situation where a now vacant route was carrying 6,000 plus pax per month last summer. Would they have the aircraft availability? Well, EI-REL is currently on a maintenance check and it would have operated from SEN on Stobart Air's European routes this summer had they not been cut back from six to four, so perhaps that aircraft is not yet fully committed elsewhere. On the other hand perhaps the highly competitive situation on the LCY-DUB route makes such a move commercially unattractive.
Whatever the pros and cons may be it is certainly a blow to SEN if the route is lost completely. It must have been a selling point when Stobart are trying to attract new operators to give them as an example of SEN's success the previously existing 3 x daily DUB-SEN with through bookings to a number of US cities.
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Also (might be a bit far off but) aren't we expecting EIR to return anyway in the summer for the CAX flights subject to the construction work and CAA legal stuff being completed? Wasn't part of the original plan that a 4th daily DUB rotation would be operated via CAX?
Also cannot see all the LCY-DUB routes remaining. One airline will lose out eventually, and when they do maybe SEN can get the route back...
Also cannot see all the LCY-DUB routes remaining. One airline will lose out eventually, and when they do maybe SEN can get the route back...