Southend-2
Join Date: Apr 2016
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I don't quite see why you're questioning the future of SEN-CAG, especially when you are taking your source from the Echo which is notoriously inaccurate. Apart from a six week suspension of flights from mid-January SEN-CAG is bookable on the Air Malta website at 2 x weekly as it was in 2018. SEN-MLA is bookable at 3 x weekly direct and 2 x weekly via CAG. It's just SEN-CTA that appears not to be operating in 2019. It had been rather surprising to me that SEN-CAG continued after the end of the 2018 summer season at all as I thought it likely to be a summer-only route.
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Outer London
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This all seems a bit odd to me. What is actually confirmed to be on sale and operating?
Its only a couple of weeks ago that I posted about Cagliari not returning and it definitely wasn’t on sale for summer 2019 at that point. Malta non-stop 3x weekly and Catania 2x weekly were on sale.
Cagliari hasn’t operated since near enough the end of the summer season, it’s not just a Jan/Feb suspension. Perhaps the Echo have their destinations mixed up?
Its only a couple of weeks ago that I posted about Cagliari not returning and it definitely wasn’t on sale for summer 2019 at that point. Malta non-stop 3x weekly and Catania 2x weekly were on sale.
Cagliari hasn’t operated since near enough the end of the summer season, it’s not just a Jan/Feb suspension. Perhaps the Echo have their destinations mixed up?
Air Malta have been cancelling flights from Southend to Cagliari and Catania, in Italy, because not enough people have been booking them.
An Air Malta spokesman said: “Air Malta offers services twice daily from Malta to London Heathrow and daily from Malta to Gatwick. The Malta - London Southend routes remain unchanged. Air Malta has affected some seasonal capacity trimmings on the Cataina/Cagliari to London Southend routes, diverting them to London Gatwick."
Join Date: Aug 2014
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The number of CAG rotations operated in recent months was : August 9, September 9, October 9 and November 6 but I don't have the December numbers yet, if any. As you say it's a couple of weeks since you posted that SEN-CAG would not return in 2019 and that MLA would be 3 x weekly and CTA 2 x weekly (then onwards to MLA) and that is the current situation. The Echo have tried, successfully, to give the impression that major reductions are being made now for 2019 and that is not the case. As far as "diverting them to LGW" is concerned in the Echo story, the LGW-MLA operates via CAG on Sunday and Wednesday, until 24th March only, with direct MLA flights on the other days of the week. After 24th March LGW-CAG seems to be dropped with LGW-MLA direct operating daily. I don't know if that's a recent change but maybe Air Malta have decided that LGW-CAG-MLA is more commercially viable than SEN-CAG-MLA twice weekly for the rest of this winter. Whatever the reason it hardly warrants the Echo's headline.
Last edited by Expressflight; 5th Jan 2019 at 20:27. Reason: clarification of figures
Join Date: Aug 2014
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I thought Cagliari may be a harder sell from the beginning. It isn’t so popular (though very nice) and was up against both Ryanair and EasyJet at STN. Catania is a more recognised destination serving a popular package resort (Taormina) and unserved from STN.
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Sad news today no more Stobart/Flybe Budapest, Manchester, Prague and Caen taking a six week break. Plus Paderborn suspended until the end of March, will it return I doubt it and the already forementioned reductions by Air Malta; but wait the cavalry will soon be coming over the hill in the shape of the harp and paying practically nothing or nothing at all for the privilege!
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Sad news today no more Stobart/Flybe Budapest, Manchester, Prague and Caen taking a six week break. Plus Paderborn suspended until the end of March, will it return I doubt it and the already forementioned reductions by Air Malta; but wait the cavalry will soon be coming over the hill in the shape of the harp and paying practically nothing or nothing at all for the privilege!
Join Date: Jan 2008
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You don't think RYR will stick it out at SEN ? Blimey. Talk about pessimistic and lack of Goodwill. It's sad that the aviation industry has become like this.
Join Date: Apr 2016
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FR are sure going to a lot of trouble just to say nah...... let's both bother with all this shinanigans, we' ll fly to SEN with a DUB based aircraft and skim the cream.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if a route or two didn't last and the extra capacity used on the DUB route. But so what?
If Ryanair are as pessimistic as Sharklet_321, I really don't think they'll come.
However, I wouldn't be surprised if a route or two didn't last and the extra capacity used on the DUB route. But so what?
If Ryanair are as pessimistic as Sharklet_321, I really don't think they'll come.
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I’d be more sceptical of their medium term intentions if there was a lot of overlap with STN. As it is, a fair few routes are unique to London. This seems to be LTN mk II, a base that has also stuck around for many years when it could easily have been subsumed into STN.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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EI-FZX
Here is something to consider, Ryanair were taking deliver in 2017 of its first example of a 738 with short field performance, EI-FZX. I'd suggest these will be the vehicle of choice at SEN. Couldn't find details of how many examples in the fleet, but I heard 5 at DUB. I'd also suggest with capacity drying up in London, SEN will be big for Ryanair. A Dublin based 737 most unlikely to do SEN as there are no early morning take off slots available, certainly not pre 8am, so would be highly inefficient use of a frame .. details from internet on EI-FZX...
The 737 design enhancements allow operators to fly increased payload in and out of airports with runways less than 5,000 feet long.
The design enhancements include a two-position tail skid that enables reduced approach speeds, sealed leading-edge slats that provide increased lift during takeoff, and increased flight spoiler deflection on the ground that improves takeoff and landing performance.
The short-field performance changes were developed in 2004 in response to Brazilian airline GOL's needs at Santos Dumont airstrip in Rio de Janeiro. The 4,300-foot runway is short compared to other runways and could not accommodate larger aircraft at higher approach speeds with full payloads."
for those interested;
Short Runway Package Technical Aspects:
The 737 design enhancements allow operators to fly increased payload in and out of airports with runways less than 5,000 feet long.
The design enhancements include a two-position tail skid that enables reduced approach speeds, sealed leading-edge slats that provide increased lift during takeoff, and increased flight spoiler deflection on the ground that improves takeoff and landing performance.
The short-field performance changes were developed in 2004 in response to Brazilian airline GOL's needs at Santos Dumont airstrip in Rio de Janeiro. The 4,300-foot runway is short compared to other runways and could not accommodate larger aircraft at higher approach speeds with full payloads."
for those interested;
Short Runway Package Technical Aspects:
- A winglet lift credit, achieved through additional winglet testing, that allows the use of lower landing-approach speeds
- Takeoff performance improvements such as using sealed leading-edge slats on all takeoff flap positions, which allows the airplane to climb up and away more rapidly on shorter runways.
- A reduced idle thrust transition delay between approach- and ground-idle speeds, which improves stopping distances and increases field-length-limited landing weight.
- Increased flight-spoiler deflection from 30 degrees to 60 degrees, which aids brake performance when landing.
- A two-position tailskid at the rear of the aircraft. The tailskid protects longerbodied 737-800s against inadvertent tailstrikes during landing, which allows higher aircraft approach attitudes and lower landing speeds.
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IMHO no way will an A321 be able to operate with a full load to any economic destination, eg PMI, IBZ, ALC or further afield. The runway surface improvements appear to only relate to grooving in order to faciltate draining thereby increasing the chances of it being reported damp/damp/damp or dry/dry/dry. If its reported as wet/wet/wet or worse, perfomance limiting crtieria will still apply.