Southampton-2
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ACL Slots W20
Thought I'd summarise the relevant ACL slot requests that concern SOU for W20. Am aware some people have previously found some of these, but it looks as if Blue Islands are planning on having a base of sorts at SOU and have pointed themselves squarely at Eastern. I would have thought them focusing on EXT first where there is no competition would perhaps be a less risky endeavour for an airline that currently only has 5 aircraft but I guess we will have to see how it all plays out... Still quiet on the international route front but I am less surprised than many by this as most airlines primary focus at the moment is likely to get their core routes up and running and hopefully making some money again before looking into starting or resuming other routes.
MAN:
- Eastern have slots for a 4 daily (23 weekly) SOU-MAN service on an AT7.
- Blue Islands have slots for a 3 daily (21 weekly) SOU-MAN service on an AT7
DUB:
- Eastern have 13 weekly new slots. Commentary mentions a year round SOU service. If MME continues 6 weekly over the winter that suggests that SOU will be 7 weekly.
- Blue Islands also have 14 weekly slots for SOU-DUB.
MAN:
- Eastern have slots for a 4 daily (23 weekly) SOU-MAN service on an AT7.
- Blue Islands have slots for a 3 daily (21 weekly) SOU-MAN service on an AT7
DUB:
- Eastern have 13 weekly new slots. Commentary mentions a year round SOU service. If MME continues 6 weekly over the winter that suggests that SOU will be 7 weekly.
- Blue Islands also have 14 weekly slots for SOU-DUB.
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It does remind me of the BE/LM bloodbath in Scotland. But what do you expect 'airline management genuis' to do? Sit still and only cherry pick unserved routes? No. Competition is inevitable and they just have to roll with it.
Well it remains a possibility that Blue Islands will pull off some of these SOU routes, given that stonking £10m loan from Jersey and the master plan.
It does remind me of the BE/LM bloodbath in Scotland. But what do you expect 'airline management genuis' to do? Sit still and only cherry pick unserved routes? No. Competition is inevitable and they just have to roll with it.
It does remind me of the BE/LM bloodbath in Scotland. But what do you expect 'airline management genuis' to do? Sit still and only cherry pick unserved routes? No. Competition is inevitable and they just have to roll with it.
Or, with that £10 million stashed away, you could take on & attempt to beat the competitor &, eventually, have the route for yourself. Who knows ? I tend to think that , having got a "bail out" & agreement from & with the States, Blue Island will concentrate on Jersey routes. That is what the loan (will it ever be paid back ?) is all about. Or , so the States of Jersey think.
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The thing to remember is that before Covid and the collapse of Flybe, SOU-MAN and SOU-DUB were trunk routes with up to four or five flights a day in each direction, and good loads on those flights too.
Obviously air travel demand is low at the moment, but it's increasing slowly. As long as both airlines increase capacity in line with demand I don't see why there can't be room on these routes for both of them. Even if they both offer two flights each a day that'll still be less capacity than when Flybe were operating.
Looking at the flight timings on the Blue Islands website, it appears that an aircraft may be based at SOU as there's a 0730 departure to MAN.
Obviously air travel demand is low at the moment, but it's increasing slowly. As long as both airlines increase capacity in line with demand I don't see why there can't be room on these routes for both of them. Even if they both offer two flights each a day that'll still be less capacity than when Flybe were operating.
Looking at the flight timings on the Blue Islands website, it appears that an aircraft may be based at SOU as there's a 0730 departure to MAN.
Last edited by The Nutts Mutts; 8th Jul 2020 at 11:24.
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I agree it does seem strange. It’s almost like LM, T3 and BI are all trying to scare each other off so they can assume the role BE had of complete control over SOU. It would make much more sense if they just picked the routes that served their existing operations. So LM doing the Scottish routes, BI the Jersey route and T3 the midlands. Ultimately none of these operators have the scale to provide what BE offered to SOU though, we will have to wait for new operator or EZY to fully fill that void. Obviously this is a while off, but I could see a new operator being formed out off BE’s ashes with 20 or so q400s.
Loganair CEO said publicly last month that LM have no intention of trying to be a major player at SOU on routes other than Scotland or Newcastle
Jump to minute 24 or 25 of the video recording
https://www.anna.aero/2020/06/15/30-...key-questions/
Jump to minute 24 or 25 of the video recording
https://www.anna.aero/2020/06/15/30-...key-questions/
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Based Airline
Loganair CEO said publicly last month that LM have no intention of trying to be a major player at SOU on routes other than Scotland or Newcastle
Jump to minute 24 or 25 of the video recording
https://www.anna.aero/2020/06/15/30-...key-questions/
Jump to minute 24 or 25 of the video recording
https://www.anna.aero/2020/06/15/30-...key-questions/
SOU needs a based airline to serve all their routes with an early morning departure
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Before Covid, Loganair's proposed summer schedule had an aircraft overnighting at SOU to operate an early-morning EDI. Obviously all bets are off at the moment but I'd like to think they'll still have the intention to do that at some point as things recover.
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How are the new operating hours likely to impact on any current and future new routes? Surely going to be a massively limiting factor moving forward, once you add in the possibility of slot delays, fog etc.
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would imagine operating hours are currently very much dependent on demand. If the volume is there, I’m sure the airport will revert to normal timings!
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There's an article about the Blue Islands routes in the Daily Echo today- apparently one aircraft is being based at SOU with another aircraft and more routes to follow once demand improves.
Good news for the airport, here's hoping it doesn't take too long for it to happen.
Good news for the airport, here's hoping it doesn't take too long for it to happen.