Southampton-2
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We've had the air side development news and now await the planning application and decision. This award is very commendable but unfortunately it won't mean for a lot if the airport continue to loose routes/airlines and subsequently passenger numbers!
The Tree folk were out in protest last week over SOU airport expansion so planning etc might be delayed/affected ?
Don't get me wrong I don't want to see rare natural habitats disturbed too much or destroyed for the sake of more emissions progress
Don't get me wrong I don't want to see rare natural habitats disturbed too much or destroyed for the sake of more emissions progress
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KLM
I find it astonishing that KLM isnt staying at SOU. Access to worldwide connections is one of the main attributes of this service and surely there is demand for two operators on AMS. Look at BRS, NCL, LBA etc etc. Did the airport really do their best to keep KLM or is this a sign of the times? Can we expect KLM to reduce other UK routes?
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I find it astonishing that KLM isnt staying at SOU. Access to worldwide connections is one of the main attributes of this service and surely there is demand for two operators on AMS. Look at BRS, NCL, LBA etc etc. Did the airport really do their best to keep KLM or is this a sign of the times? Can we expect KLM to reduce other UK routes?
Talking about bizarre, shall we count up how many hub routes have failed from SOU? 
And what does that tell you? If KLM thought there was money to be made, they'd have found the slots (maybe nicked them from a backwater?)
PS - HUY is Humberside, HUM is Houma-Terrebnne in Louisiane - may well be a backwater, but doubt whether it has a KLM service
the demand was definitely there as flights were regularly full!
PS - HUY is Humberside, HUM is Houma-Terrebnne in Louisiane - may well be a backwater, but doubt whether it has a KLM service
Join Date: Nov 2015
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SWBKCB
Given that planning permission is given for the starter strip,it will be interesting to see if it is the key to Southampton progressing to maintaining a airline like Easy .It's true many have tried and fallen by the wayside.SOU has always been in the frame,but never seems to move forward without taking two steps back.
Given that planning permission is given for the starter strip,it will be interesting to see if it is the key to Southampton progressing to maintaining a airline like Easy .It's true many have tried and fallen by the wayside.SOU has always been in the frame,but never seems to move forward without taking two steps back.
It isn't runway length, slot times, etc, etc which is stopping the major alliances feeding their continental hubs. The money is driving past SOU and flying direct from LHR.
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I guess this is the only logical explanation SWBKCB. If that is the case then SOU doesn't have a future. easyJet have already been very public about wanting a base at LHR when the 3rd runway is operational which would only serve to encourage more driving to LHR.
Unless of course the government incentivises people to actually fly from their regional airport by doing away with local airport APD!
Unless of course the government incentivises people to actually fly from their regional airport by doing away with local airport APD!
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I think SOU does still have a very viable future, but Southampton is completely different from the majority of regional airports. In fact, half the problem is the location, being just 58 miles by road from LHR. So anybody say 30 miles north of SOU is also only around 30 miles from LHR, so For that reason, it will always be very difficult to attract connecting traffic through other hubs, as any convenience in transferring at a hub like Amsterdam for example, can easily be negated by long waiting times or the possibility of missed connections.
Also, whilst there is always a market for a limited range of 'bucket and spade' routes, most of these are used by families, so SOU's excellent strategic land link infrastructure is not such a compelling advantage to this sector of the market, and can easily be serviced by BOH.
As I have mentioned previously, SOU is much more like a mini London City, attracting generally a good deal of business customers as well as leisure traffic. The staple diet will always be frequent domestic and short haul European point-to-point traffic utilising relatively small aircraft. Yes, with the expansion plans there will hopefully be more flights with low cost carriers expanding the city break/holiday product offer, but SOU's primary success will always be convenient short hops for the thriving business community in the region. It is primarily a 'London City' for the Solent metropolitan area.
Also, whilst there is always a market for a limited range of 'bucket and spade' routes, most of these are used by families, so SOU's excellent strategic land link infrastructure is not such a compelling advantage to this sector of the market, and can easily be serviced by BOH.
As I have mentioned previously, SOU is much more like a mini London City, attracting generally a good deal of business customers as well as leisure traffic. The staple diet will always be frequent domestic and short haul European point-to-point traffic utilising relatively small aircraft. Yes, with the expansion plans there will hopefully be more flights with low cost carriers expanding the city break/holiday product offer, but SOU's primary success will always be convenient short hops for the thriving business community in the region. It is primarily a 'London City' for the Solent metropolitan area.
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LHR is generally overestimated when it comes to the variety of short-haul destinations served. There are lots of destinations one can only reach from LHR with a connection at places like AMS, CDG or MUC because slots are too precious to be wasted on them. Here, SOU as an alternative gateway wins hands down compared to LHR given the significant time savings on departure and arrival.
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SOU as an alternative gateway wins hands down compared to LHR given the significant time savings on departure and arrival.
Trying being in the car driving out of the airport 10 minutes after landing (which I have done frequently at SOU) at LHR.
It is primarily a 'London City' for the Solent metropolitan area.
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Agree it's easy but who even knows about SOU unless SOU start advertising the airport to Londoners (or anyone within the LHR catchment). SEN is carving out a niche as it is calling itself London Southend. SOU can't do that; they're caught between a rock and a hard place. So apart from a handful of seasonally-well traveled business people who know about SOU's convenience it will never appeal on a mass scale for the reasons mentioned in posts above.
Very disappointing because for a catchment area of our size we need an airport with similar routes as Newcastle, Bristol, Liverpool, East Midlands, etc etc
Unless of course:
Gov removes APD from regional airports thus making fares cheaper and enlarging appeal
Ryanair starts flights from SOU
Very disappointing because for a catchment area of our size we need an airport with similar routes as Newcastle, Bristol, Liverpool, East Midlands, etc etc
Unless of course:
Gov removes APD from regional airports thus making fares cheaper and enlarging appeal
Ryanair starts flights from SOU
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So today’s EasyJet/SOU weirdness is the arrival being diverted to Luton (pre-planned way in advance by the looks of it) and the departure from SOU cancelled. I bet all those who chose to fly from their local airport rather than LGW will not make the same mistake again. If SOU cannot handle one airbus a day then they might as well just throw in the towel with any future plans. You would think the airport was based in the North Pole with the amount of issues they have with ops. Shambles.
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All "London" airports combined have approx 175m passengers each year, SOU has 2m. If SOU could only attract 0.2 per cent of those currently preferring LHR, LGW, LTN, STN, SEN or LCY, it would mean a 17,5 per cent growth for SOU.....
any other windy diversions at SOU?