Southampton-2
Join Date: Jan 2014
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There seems to be a negative theme about SOU which is most unfortunate. Perhaps operators and prospective carriers are realising that it's ability to increase it's runway length is very limited and therefore the chance for route development is minimal. It's a great shame if the airport can only attract niche carriers. In aviation it's either grow or die. I hope I am wrong.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Southampton
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Sharklet 321
Sou has a vast catchment area, excellent transport links,the real problem is that that the likes of Easy,RYR, etc simply can't operate from the airfield profitably with the present airside restrictions.
Simply SOU is in a no win situation,even with the proposed runway extension I believe it will struggle to attract any meaningful airlines.
Time will take,but I think SOU has had its best years.
Sou has a vast catchment area, excellent transport links,the real problem is that that the likes of Easy,RYR, etc simply can't operate from the airfield profitably with the present airside restrictions.
Simply SOU is in a no win situation,even with the proposed runway extension I believe it will struggle to attract any meaningful airlines.
Time will take,but I think SOU has had its best years.
Airside restrictions trotted out again - the 'real problem' is why can't airlines like KLM make destinations like AMS work? As has been pointed out, they won't have been affected by airside restrictions.
Join Date: Nov 2015
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As I said SOU has a vast catchment area,people would love to fly locally,but prices determine PAX numbers,larger capacity plane: lower fares,SOU could have done this,but simply can't ( contrary to other subcribers to this post) it's all about fares and good management!
Join Date: Sep 2008
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The underlying point-to-point demand still seems strong though, given the number of pax flown by both KLM and Flybe from SOU.
Flybe's loads held up well after KLM's arrival, so no doubt this route will go back to being a money-spinner for them once the competition disappears.
Join Date: Nov 2018
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With circa 20k pax per month it's a well used route. KLM were filling most of their flights but the above would seem to indicate that there wasn't enough long-haul feed for them, possibly due to LHR's proximity as Sharklet 321 says.
The underlying point-to-point demand still seems strong though, given the number of pax flown by both KLM and Flybe from SOU.
Flybe's loads held up well after KLM's arrival, so no doubt this route will go back to being a money-spinner for them once the competition disappears.
Join Date: Sep 2008
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I wonder if LHR's dominance in longhaul over the years has led to a lot of business travellers in the south building up FF miles/points on BA and other LHR carriers which won't be easily ditched in favour of a shorter drive to SOU. Plus also just the general ingrained habit of looking at flight options from London given the historical lack of local options.
KLM only started the SOU route a couple of years ago so it needed to be more developed - seems that did not happen to get the SOU locals on board unlike the folk at MAN LBA NCL NWI BRS CWL etc etc whereby they use the AMS connections fully to their advantage.
I for one was looking to book flights to ATH IST NBO and CPT from/to SOU in the past year and looked at the KLM connections but it simply didn't work due to poor timings or got too expensive - although the IST return at £253 was competitive with LHR except for a 6 hour wait at AMS on the way back so I didn't do it.
Join Date: Dec 2017
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I’d agree 100% it’s about mindset, timing and TOTAL cost vs convenience. Marketing is the only antidote to mindset and well outside of ‘enthusiast’ and industry forums let’s be honest ‘who knew?’
Explaining an international ‘Hub’ to the general public isn’t easy - they don’t perceive for example Dubai or Singapore as a Hub - they see it as a ‘stop off’ -tradition says long haul Heathrow or maybe Gatwick - especially in the South.
Its not all doom at SOU let’s remeber it’s communications - rail especially - is second to none - it probably either has to accept its a regional small airport and rely on FlyBe or whoever takes over viable routes or it works on its grand plan and actually delivers a runway extension and stand alterations and tap into the EU City market with EZ and put all endeavours into courting them. As a city break or EU business hub it could work as a viable alternative BUT only if a a320 can land and take off unrestricted. But they know that, let’s hope they stop saying and get on to more doing.
lets keep positive the plus points of the airport are huge. As I have said before leave the buckets and spades to the airport better equipped with FR on board at BOH.
Lets think positive!
Explaining an international ‘Hub’ to the general public isn’t easy - they don’t perceive for example Dubai or Singapore as a Hub - they see it as a ‘stop off’ -tradition says long haul Heathrow or maybe Gatwick - especially in the South.
Its not all doom at SOU let’s remeber it’s communications - rail especially - is second to none - it probably either has to accept its a regional small airport and rely on FlyBe or whoever takes over viable routes or it works on its grand plan and actually delivers a runway extension and stand alterations and tap into the EU City market with EZ and put all endeavours into courting them. As a city break or EU business hub it could work as a viable alternative BUT only if a a320 can land and take off unrestricted. But they know that, let’s hope they stop saying and get on to more doing.
lets keep positive the plus points of the airport are huge. As I have said before leave the buckets and spades to the airport better equipped with FR on board at BOH.
Lets think positive!
Join Date: Dec 2018
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I had flights booked to/from China using KLM's SOU-AMS connection in April and have utilised the same onward transfer previously. The reason I used it was because it was both cheaper and far more convenient than travelling via Heathrow. However, as alluded to in FrequentFlyers #1075 post, most of my friends/colleagues are simply not aware of the onward transfer feasibility so do not consider it.....and the reason they are not aware of the feasibility is because the best flight deals often only came up if booked direct on the KLM.COM website. Using the popular aggregate flight search websites, which I expect most people do, rarely gave as good offers as going direct to KLM so it is hardly surprising they took their business elsewhere.
So. with better marketing, I'm sure the route could prosper with onward transfers.
I should end with crediting KLM already re-booking (same day/EGHI) using FlyBe.....just pray I don't end top rebookng them too.
So. with better marketing, I'm sure the route could prosper with onward transfers.
I should end with crediting KLM already re-booking (same day/EGHI) using FlyBe.....just pray I don't end top rebookng them too.
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Join Date: Apr 2008
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If point to point leisure traffic is so strong and load/yield good, would the likes of EZY not be interested at a time when there is uncertainty with BE? Wouldn't be much of a load restriction using a 319 on a hop across the channel of under 300 miles surely, just a thought!
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Demand is obviously there and its always been said on this thread that EZY would fit the high density routes that support the regions business/leisure market, after all this is what the airport are supposedly going after with their expansion plans. In any case you would hope that some discussions have/are to take place with carriers now this situation has arisen although I won't bet on it!
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What I did say was the fact that the flights were regularly full (therefore including the more expensive business class seats) might indicate that at least some money was being made. But again that's just my opinion, I've got no facts to back that up. It didn't look like a little-used route whose days were numbered, that's for sure.
I agree with StewyB though, two airlines flying mostly full aircraft several times a day would indicate (to me at least) that there's a strong demand for this route, even if only point to point, based on KLM's experience.