Southend-2
TartinTon has it about right.
It's much too early to speculate on the route's success or whether it's making money. Naturally fares are currently at a level to induce potential travellers to book, which is normal for a new route. Ask again in six months time once some historic pax numbers are available and fare levels have settled down. It certainly looks as if there is a reasonable level of demand though at this stage.
It's much too early to speculate on the route's success or whether it's making money. Naturally fares are currently at a level to induce potential travellers to book, which is normal for a new route. Ask again in six months time once some historic pax numbers are available and fare levels have settled down. It certainly looks as if there is a reasonable level of demand though at this stage.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: bishops stortford herts
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Several of the comments portray unreality & reveal perhaps the tenuous nature of the business being conducted at SEN.
It appears Stobart are being regarded in some posts as a "sugar daddy" & with a rather carefree attitude to burning the cash medium/long term in support of SEN ops.
Rather ironic that a post mentions Ryanair,easy & Wizz as not hanging around "if it ain`t making money".
I guess that's what makes all three by many yardsticks the most successful & profitable airlines in Europe then.
If STK hope to become a major player perhaps they may wish for the recent speculation here that easy were ceasing GLA-STN becoming reality & making a move themselves on GLA-STN!.
After all they will have many of the figures as part of the "Empire" now handles easy at STN..
Lease in a few airbus (no money to be made with EMB`s) & make a move on STN-MAN
STN-IOM to name another two,to start.
It appears Stobart are being regarded in some posts as a "sugar daddy" & with a rather carefree attitude to burning the cash medium/long term in support of SEN ops.
Rather ironic that a post mentions Ryanair,easy & Wizz as not hanging around "if it ain`t making money".
I guess that's what makes all three by many yardsticks the most successful & profitable airlines in Europe then.
If STK hope to become a major player perhaps they may wish for the recent speculation here that easy were ceasing GLA-STN becoming reality & making a move themselves on GLA-STN!.
After all they will have many of the figures as part of the "Empire" now handles easy at STN..
Lease in a few airbus (no money to be made with EMB`s) & make a move on STN-MAN
STN-IOM to name another two,to start.
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Outer London
Age: 43
Posts: 604
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On ANR specifically I’ve also heard of loads around 20-25 though that does represent a significant improvement on their last attempt and my own experience.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Sydney
Posts: 729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
easyJet hardly has any kind of meaningful base at STN anymore. It’s being totally eclipsed by Jet2 and Ryanair. I wouldn’t be surprised if Stobart manage to persuade easyJet to close their base there and consolidate at SEN. They would be given special treatment with no direct competition.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,851
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The same argument could be applied to Ryanair at Luton then? They have plodded on with just a 4 aircraft base operation at the airport for what seems like forever. Although they did increase that to 5 for just one season before returning back to 4. In the meantime easyjet and Wizz have shown real commitment.
The mention of no competition if easyjet closed their Stansted base and moved their operation to Southend is untrue. The competition still comes from other carriers including easyjet at other London Airports particularly Stansted that even shares the same London railway terminus. Easyjet will be well aware of the lack of any form of public transport for early and late flights athough this must eventually change if passenger numbers reach a sweet spot to support an early and late running train service.
The mention of no competition if easyjet closed their Stansted base and moved their operation to Southend is untrue. The competition still comes from other carriers including easyjet at other London Airports particularly Stansted that even shares the same London railway terminus. Easyjet will be well aware of the lack of any form of public transport for early and late flights athough this must eventually change if passenger numbers reach a sweet spot to support an early and late running train service.
Last edited by LTNman; 14th Apr 2018 at 07:02.
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: looking out of the window
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
*IF* EZY decide to pull out of STN their slots will get gobbled up by Jet2 who already wanted more aircraft based this summer then there is currently room for.
As LTNman says, the EZY operation at STN is almost twice the size of the LTN FR operation.
I can't see that being withdrawn either. Airlines will go/stay where they make money and EZY make plenty out of their 7 aircraft STN operation. Moving it all to SEN and losing the bar is a big risk they won't take.
As much as SEN fans would like to see 9 EZY tails on the ramp
As LTNman says, the EZY operation at STN is almost twice the size of the LTN FR operation.
I can't see that being withdrawn either. Airlines will go/stay where they make money and EZY make plenty out of their 7 aircraft STN operation. Moving it all to SEN and losing the bar is a big risk they won't take.
As much as SEN fans would like to see 9 EZY tails on the ramp
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm pretty sure that EZY will NOT be moving their STN operation to SEN. The very idea is unrealistic. They may, of course, move an additional airframe to SEN but even that is unlikely at this stage.
For now let's just enjoy the return of Air Malta to SEN.
For now let's just enjoy the return of Air Malta to SEN.
I'm sure that Stobart have tried their best to get EZY to move airframes from STN to SEN, and will no doubt continue to do so, but I cannot see it happening to any great extent. If EZY see SEN as being more commercially advantageous for additional routes or even the transfer of existing routes from STN then it will happen but I cannot see that being on a large scale. What we may see as a way of increasing their presence at SEN is more use of W-pattern visits to SEN by EZY aircraft as is currently happening on the GVA route.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,781
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The article link mentions how in the 1960's SEN was the 3rd largest airport in terms of passenger numbers. The current congestion at London airports mean that it is only a matter of time until SEN comes into its own. I believe it will take off in a big way. If you like convenience, it is a super little airport.
It does need to attract another airline who has a brand presence abroad in European markets and can sell a London route, like Wizz, Vueling, Transavia (FR/NL markets), and perhaps the likes of Air Arabia. Though there are reasons why some of these airlines dont fly there (Wizz scale at LTN for one), I do believe that with small improvement the dial will finally turn.
The current challenge I believe is that the services being provided rely too heavily on the local catchment (which Stobart puts at c.600k). The Flybe brand is virtually unknown in continental EU, and though easyJet is well known the lions share of its routes are to sun spots that will always be mostly suited or supported by a Southend/London/SE England audience. Those routes by easyJet which operate from big markets like AMS where Easyjet is well known do great.
EI-BUD
It does need to attract another airline who has a brand presence abroad in European markets and can sell a London route, like Wizz, Vueling, Transavia (FR/NL markets), and perhaps the likes of Air Arabia. Though there are reasons why some of these airlines dont fly there (Wizz scale at LTN for one), I do believe that with small improvement the dial will finally turn.
The current challenge I believe is that the services being provided rely too heavily on the local catchment (which Stobart puts at c.600k). The Flybe brand is virtually unknown in continental EU, and though easyJet is well known the lions share of its routes are to sun spots that will always be mostly suited or supported by a Southend/London/SE England audience. Those routes by easyJet which operate from big markets like AMS where Easyjet is well known do great.
EI-BUD
only a matter of time until SEN comes into its own. I believe it will take off in a big way. If you like convenience, it is a super little airport.
While it remains a little airport, it will continue to be convenient.
More changes this morning. The SEN flight on 26th April is again bookable but it looks as if the start of the Lyon and Toulouse flights has been put back to the beginning of June.
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IGavion uses Hahn Air as its ticket distributor to enable their flights to appear on the GDS system and therefore more accessible to the buying public but Hahn Air themselves were offering tickets at a much higher price than IGavion themselves. They told me a few weeks ago that they were trying to get this disparity reduced and it seems they have succeeded .
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 791
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I explored many date options and found tickets for around EUR110 return if you have no check in luggage. But the website looks amateurish to me. What did you guys think? No local advertising in Essex so Stobarts may not know about these flights yet?
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Essex
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Of course, this is what separates SEN from other London airports. If you can't even accommodate 738's you have a problem that inevitablely limits your potential.
We know that Stobart talk about taking a modest and humble percentage of London's market. But they fail to mention that the majority of pax (2/3rd's?) fly on aircraft that cannot operate from the airport. This is a real game changer in terms of what needs to be achieved to meet the publicly stated targets Stobart have set.
So if Stobart tell you there's a huge catchment within 25 miles - divide it by 3. Because the other 2/3rd's are not available. And I would suggest that if you divide their 10 million pax pa ambition by 3 - you may get close to a figure that represents the airport's realistic potential.
None of the above stops me doffing my cap at what Stobart have achieved so far.
We know that Stobart talk about taking a modest and humble percentage of London's market. But they fail to mention that the majority of pax (2/3rd's?) fly on aircraft that cannot operate from the airport. This is a real game changer in terms of what needs to be achieved to meet the publicly stated targets Stobart have set.
So if Stobart tell you there's a huge catchment within 25 miles - divide it by 3. Because the other 2/3rd's are not available. And I would suggest that if you divide their 10 million pax pa ambition by 3 - you may get close to a figure that represents the airport's realistic potential.
None of the above stops me doffing my cap at what Stobart have achieved so far.