SOUTHEND 5
Join Date: Mar 2006
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There is an old saying that no news is good news. In this case it is the exact opposite with no good news stories being generated by the airport so they have nothing to report on.
Join Date: Jan 2008
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I often wonder who is working in the office at SEN to attract new business. In the days of Burstins Holidays their flights to FARO were full every time (but I guess that is covered by EZY now) but nobody has jumped in to operate MALTA 2 or 3 times a week, and perhaps weekly in the winter, or NICE.
Next year I am convinced, because of the migrants invasion into many tourist areas, less Brits will want to return to some of the Greek islands, Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. They will be wanting safer quieter destinations to spend their holiday money. Therefore EZY and Stobart must work together and try to predict where they will go. Not everybody wants Spain do they?
Next year I am convinced, because of the migrants invasion into many tourist areas, less Brits will want to return to some of the Greek islands, Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt. They will be wanting safer quieter destinations to spend their holiday money. Therefore EZY and Stobart must work together and try to predict where they will go. Not everybody wants Spain do they?
Join Date: May 2014
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Media Centre
I realise that there is nothing new to report at the moment but if the media centre latest news had been up and running it could have plugged Mahon, Lyon and Lanzarote. At the moment it's just sitting there waiting, it seems, to be worked on/activated. I just think SEN could do more to promote itself.
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Expressflight, I think the fact that that the negotiations with Stobart took three years speaks volumes. Business planning, due diligence etc.. should take quite a while, but three years.....? I'm sure the protracted timescale wasn't of your making.
In fairness the long time scale was not the fault of Stobart in any way.
The plan came originally from before Stobart Air existed as an airline and would have been operated by Aer Arann. Then Aer Arann decided to concentrate on developing Aer Lingus Regional instead and the plan was deferred for about 18 months IIRC. I think all this is pretty much in the public domain.
The plan came originally from before Stobart Air existed as an airline and would have been operated by Aer Arann. Then Aer Arann decided to concentrate on developing Aer Lingus Regional instead and the plan was deferred for about 18 months IIRC. I think all this is pretty much in the public domain.
July 2015 figures
A total of 93,030 pax passed through SEN in July, a figure which reflects the reduction of one easyJet A320 from the base compared with 2014.
The MBX-SEN figures are interesting as I believe all July flights were operated by the CRJ900 and 1,836 pax were carried. I believe this equates to a load factor of 82% as the Adria website gives a seating configuration of 86 on that aircraft. The BRN-SEN route carried 1,107 pax and that seems to equate to a load factor of 64%.
The Stobart Air/Flybe route figures are:
CFR 1,559 + 8% on July 2014 (54% load factor)
RNS 3,459 + 30%
FMO 1,645 + 2%
GRQ 2,085 no change
The MBX-SEN figures are interesting as I believe all July flights were operated by the CRJ900 and 1,836 pax were carried. I believe this equates to a load factor of 82% as the Adria website gives a seating configuration of 86 on that aircraft. The BRN-SEN route carried 1,107 pax and that seems to equate to a load factor of 64%.
The Stobart Air/Flybe route figures are:
CFR 1,559 + 8% on July 2014 (54% load factor)
RNS 3,459 + 30%
FMO 1,645 + 2%
GRQ 2,085 no change
Join Date: Jun 2011
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Adria
A Slovenian news article today states how a final decision on whether to keep the MBX-SEN route going will be made in the coming days. Think they're leaving it a bit late in terms of lead in time (?) but would be good to see it continue. Seems to have been successful so far in terms of pax.
"Adria will fly to London from Maribor airport for certain until the end of September. A decision on a possible renewal will be taken in the coming days."
"Adria will fly to London from Maribor airport for certain until the end of September. A decision on a possible renewal will be taken in the coming days."
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Adria
As I understand it, the CRJ900s were always marginal on SEN's runway if landing during rain. Their ops would check the TAF and decide well ahead if the flight should be operated from Stansted instead, or replace it with an A319. As it turned out, it wasn't necessary during July. I suspect the airline will be looking at this "hindrance" for next year, or maybe they are also thinking again about Maribor.
I know that the CRJ900 has a very high Landing Distance Required for an aircraft of its size but I'm surprised if the Colas BBA surface on SEN's runway is often declared WET. The BBA surface course is normally laid un-grooved due to the fact that it retains good friction characteristics during rain. Runway 05L/23R has this surface as does that at IOM.
If that is not the case then surely grooving should be carried out to ensure that the runway very rarely has to be declared WET. After all, SEN's runway length is one of its disadvantages so it would be most unwise not to ensure that such limitations are minimised.
If that is not the case then surely grooving should be carried out to ensure that the runway very rarely has to be declared WET. After all, SEN's runway length is one of its disadvantages so it would be most unwise not to ensure that such limitations are minimised.
Join Date: Aug 2012
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I took the Adria Airways flight last evening with my family and must say that we were very impressed. As usual at Southend, the check-in and pre-flight experience was great and we had a very pleasant meal and drink at Lakers before being called to board. I was travelling with my elderly grandmother so the usual experience of being made to wait in the covered walkway before being cleared to board was unwelcome.
The flight itself was almost fully booked - I think I only saw one free seat, although there may have been more. Our return flight on 1st September appears to be fully booked. The passengers were mostly Slovenians / Croatians as far as I can tell, with one or two other English groups. The arrival experience at MBX was almost better than at SEN. We were waved through passport control and the bags were arriving almost before we were off the plane!
The only gripe I would have would be that the flight arrives in MBX so late. It's clearly intended primarily for locals and presumably allows Adria to use an aircraft that is used elsewhere earlier in the day but by time we arrived at our final destination in Austria, it was nearly 2am!
It's early days yet but hopefully the flight continues in the winter or at least makes a return next summer.
The flight itself was almost fully booked - I think I only saw one free seat, although there may have been more. Our return flight on 1st September appears to be fully booked. The passengers were mostly Slovenians / Croatians as far as I can tell, with one or two other English groups. The arrival experience at MBX was almost better than at SEN. We were waved through passport control and the bags were arriving almost before we were off the plane!
The only gripe I would have would be that the flight arrives in MBX so late. It's clearly intended primarily for locals and presumably allows Adria to use an aircraft that is used elsewhere earlier in the day but by time we arrived at our final destination in Austria, it was nearly 2am!
It's early days yet but hopefully the flight continues in the winter or at least makes a return next summer.
Although figures I have show a slightly greater LDR of 1,660m for the CRJ900, even your 1,596m gives a WET LDR of 1,840m. That is well above comparable types and the A320/321/B717 for example so it's perhaps not surprising that SEN's 1,604m LDA can cause a problem.
I should be interested to know how often the SEN ATIS states the runway as being WET.
I should be interested to know how often the SEN ATIS states the runway as being WET.
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I should be interested to know how often the SEN ATIS states the runway as being WET.
It doesn't take much moisture for "Wet, wet, wet" to be declared.
Usually followed by "Damp, damp, damp" until it's perfectly dry.
I rather doubt that take off considerations are an issue for the Adria CRJ900 at SEN. That figure of 1944m above appears to apply to the heavyweight CRJ900LR. The appropriate " take off field length" figure I am finding for the standard CRJ900 is 1780m. That is at MTOW, which would provide a full payload range nil wind capability of 1350 nautical miles. SEN-MBX distance (great circle) is just 665nms so there would seem to be no need for these flights to depart at anything approaching MTOW.
I do not see that anything declared on the ATIS or any other method would be relevant to the situation discussed here. We were talking about flight planning decisions that have to be made 2-3 hours before the scheduled time of arrival. I have no specific knowledge of the SEN ATIS but UK practice has not been to publish runway state unless there is degraded braking action.
Also it has been standard industry practice to use "dry" data for landing on grooved runways (or those with other appropriate surfaces) in rain unless of course there is flooding or standing water. Is this changing ? In any case it is up to individual airlines to adopt more conservative SOPs if they see fit. For example, one might understand that the LDR of the CRJ900 might be considered too close to the SEN LDA. Though the figures quoted are for MLW and I suspect the Adria aircraft will usually be lighter
I do not see that anything declared on the ATIS or any other method would be relevant to the situation discussed here. We were talking about flight planning decisions that have to be made 2-3 hours before the scheduled time of arrival. I have no specific knowledge of the SEN ATIS but UK practice has not been to publish runway state unless there is degraded braking action.
Also it has been standard industry practice to use "dry" data for landing on grooved runways (or those with other appropriate surfaces) in rain unless of course there is flooding or standing water. Is this changing ? In any case it is up to individual airlines to adopt more conservative SOPs if they see fit. For example, one might understand that the LDR of the CRJ900 might be considered too close to the SEN LDA. Though the figures quoted are for MLW and I suspect the Adria aircraft will usually be lighter
Last edited by Tagron; 19th Aug 2015 at 12:41. Reason: minor addition
Join Date: Aug 2014
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I've been looking at a late August break today and Maribor came up because the days it operates match the days I've been looking at travelling.
Regardless of whether it returns next year or indeed gets poached by another airport, what is positive for SEN is that loads are reportedly good and based on the £314 return quoted for two weeks time, they are filling it without dumping bargain-basement fares on the market.
The Stobart figures are also promising - nothing spectacular but Munster seems to be continually creeping upwards, Groningen is doing OK and Rennes looks a good solid route. If the Skywork loads are maintained perhaps they really will keep it as a 'leisure' route as indicated.
Perhaps there is room for some cautious optimism rather than the negativity I've seen here lately.
Regardless of whether it returns next year or indeed gets poached by another airport, what is positive for SEN is that loads are reportedly good and based on the £314 return quoted for two weeks time, they are filling it without dumping bargain-basement fares on the market.
The Stobart figures are also promising - nothing spectacular but Munster seems to be continually creeping upwards, Groningen is doing OK and Rennes looks a good solid route. If the Skywork loads are maintained perhaps they really will keep it as a 'leisure' route as indicated.
Perhaps there is room for some cautious optimism rather than the negativity I've seen here lately.
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Skywork will fly from Southend to Bern on M, T, Th and Su throughout the winter. From 25th October the flights will arrive at Southend at 1250 p.m., departing for Bern at 1.20 p.m. That's a great result for Southend, but how long will it continue, I wonder?
Last edited by Barling Magna; 20th Aug 2015 at 10:07.