LTNman

Blackpool's terminal was already small so it makes me think a portocabin would be the next terminal. The council should be condemned for giving planning permission for the terminal to be knocked down.

What then for the apron and hangars as well as the gas platform terminal seeing that all the airports infrastructure is based mainly along that road as it is all prime building land?

This seems like the slow death of the airport by a thousand cuts.

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/ne...zers-1-7674442

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/ne...oved-1-7692609

Ernest Lanc's

I doubt BLK will be BLK for very much longer Sandgrown.


BB never comments on anything, bit by bit the airport shrinks. just a runway long enough for a 757 remaining.



Can't say I understand that......click here

LTNman

Well they won't need a 6000ft runway that needs maintaining without a route network that demands a runway of that length.

I can remember walking around the airport years ago on disused sections of runways after their lengths had been reduced.

OK I am going to make a prediction. The main runway will be closed thus freeing up a large amount of land while the airport keeps its 998mx23m runway for light aircraft with all of the land to the east of taxiway Echo being built on.

Still Grounded

Quote "Blackpool and The Fylde College has submitted plans for a two storey college building constructed with 40 solar panels and 12 solar thermal water heating panels"

I assume this building will be on the North side of BLK and the solar panels will be on the South side of the building. That could make things interesting when the sun is out and reflecting of the panels. Nearly ditched the car the other day driving past a field full of panels - brighter than I ever experienced.

Sandgrown

Well, Gentleman - Here it is.


Airport is ?open to big jet return? - Blackpool Gazette

Ernest Lanc's

Look what London City Airport can do with just 100 acres.


Destinations

LTNman

Well they need that 6,000 ft runway for airlines to return. Also I always thought the terminal was small and very basic and they have knocked that down. So what would replace that once basic terminal apart from a couple of portocabins bolted together?

The truth is that it won't happen as they would need fire cover, staff and services that they have just got rid off.

RexBanner

That London City self promotion is slightly disingenuous in the fact that technically London City doesn't serve JFK directly, which is the inference, they do fly to Shannon though where the aircraft can actually depart with the fuel load it needs to cross the pond.

Ernest Lanc's

I am not sure BB could build on that runway, I am sure there is a protection clause somewhere..


As for the terminal the one just pulled down was adequate for BLK, even in 2006 when numbers were peaking.


It depends on why BB closed the airport, to help get rid of their contract with Jet2? There could have been no other way.



Yes that happened with BLK - they did fly to New York, but it was via Dublin, so I never counted that as other than a flight from Dublin.


LondonCityAirport do have more destinations though from 100 acres than Blackpool did from 400 aces - We must assume there would be room for a new terminal.


Large jets for BLK again, all posturing at the moment it would never happen unless it paid, the pax would be there, would the landing fees?

LTNman

If there was any intention to bring back the passengers they would not have auctioned off everything that was even bolted to the floor like check-in desks, security scanners etc. Why would they sell everything and then have to buy it all again at a price no doubt higher than what they got. It won't happen I am sorry to say.

The land is an asset but the airport is a liability. The company is known as a builder and not an airport operator so the writing was on the wall they day they got their hands on the airports land bank.

Fairdealfrank

....and with its pax already cleared for USA border control and customs, making a New York arrival "a walk in the park". BTW, the eastbound flight is nonstop.



Some sort of airport facility is required for the Irish Sea gas and oil industry in the future (oil prices will rise again, it's cyclical) and for the fracking industry which eventually will get the go ahead as the UK needs "energy security". Overseas suppliers are seen as "too unreliable".

That will probably generate pax business as well is the case with Aberdeen. So clearly, it's common sense to safeguard the rwy area and parts of the airport. If all 400 acres is not needed for aviation, some land can be released for other uses, but it is necessary not to go overboard and ensure that enough land is retained for future airport expansion (for infrastructure, not another rwy!).

LTNman

There is a separate private terminal and a helipad that serves the needs of the gas industry.

LTNman

If I was Mr Builder I would be looking at all the land to the east of the red line that is out on a limb as potential building plots. It has good road access and already has a mix of housing, industry and retail around the airports border. That leaves 2 short GA runways and the hangars intact.

SWBKCB

Although Mr Builder is currently saying...

eye2eye5

Having considered the map above and being aware of further development for the Enterprise Zone, my main concern would be the scarcity of land for car parking. Airports rely on ancillaries to generate income and Blackpool has already proven that the ADF model doesn't work. Without car parking income, I can't see how a return of major airlines can be attained.

LTNman

Except the main runway is just over 6,000 ft long and the GA runway is 3,275 so which one are they protecting???

As I have already said if BB had any intention to welcome what they describe as major airlines they would not have sold off everything needed to operate a passenger terminal which I remind everyone has been torn down in double quick time.


Even if BB kept the main runway would a major airline now approach BB to operate services when there is no terminal to operate from, no fire cover, no equipment and no staff.

If BB agreed to build a new terminal, apron, fire station etc it would take a couple of years to sort out drawings, planning permission and to actually build it. By the time that was all done would the airline be still waiting?

What then if the major airline decided to pull out after one season leaving BB with yet another terminal and staff to get rid off?

It's not going to happen I am sorry to say.

Sandgrown

Does anyone know whether or not the ATIS will ever transmit again?


Contacted ATC by tel, can't get any sense out of them.


It has been Notam'd out month after month now. Probably go the same way as the terminal.....




S

Ernest Lanc's

This is 2016, I don't know if any commercial jets will fly from BKP ever again. I expect even BB don't know that.


I doubt the ATC will go, this is 2016 current.


General Aviation

Ernest Lanc's

Sorry but this makes no sense at all. If an airline did seek to operate from BLK, then they would know there was no terminal ect and they would know they would have to wait.


BB have said they are building a new terminal closer to the runway, that would have to be the main runway, the terminal would be no use to 3,294 ft runways, what would a terminal be used for.


As for you comment about an operator coming in and going out within a year, that is wild speculation and not even informed.


I doubt BLK will rise from the ashes - BUT if BB did sign up with a new operator it would have to pay - BLK had the pax, just nothing from Jet2 - That would never happen again as BB would not sign a loss making contract, and BLK CAN attract pax.

LTNman

There is going to be no new operator that will sign up on a promise of a new terminal. Blackpool had a small terminal and BB destroyed it, it also had the equipment to run a passenger operation and sold the lot.

The best that can be hoped for are a couple of portocabins bolted together for a small IOM operation and that is it. The days of Airbuses and Boeing's operating out of Blackpool are gone forever as there is no profit in a handful of flights operating each week at random times in the day out of a newly built terminal that like the old one will be empty for most of the time. Also with the introduction of the living wage, wage costs would be no doubt higher than before.