Southend-3
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That’s actually quite interesting as it presumably means they’re expecting a winter programme. Doubt taking the terminal out of mothballs and getting in the staff in would be worth it for a one-off.
Join Date: Apr 2008
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I find SEN quite an interesting airport - they have gone from being really quite busy pre Covid to barely anything.
Is the airport ever likely to recover to what it once was? Easyjet appear to be dipping their toe again but I imagine there is a lot of cost at maintaining border control, airport handling staff for passenger operations etc for such a minimal list of destinations and frequency?
Is the airport ever likely to recover to what it once was? Easyjet appear to be dipping their toe again but I imagine there is a lot of cost at maintaining border control, airport handling staff for passenger operations etc for such a minimal list of destinations and frequency?
Join Date: Apr 2016
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When the Business Development Director of the airport believes that Groningen is a French city I wonder if there is much hope left anymore.
I would like to think he was misquoted.
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/234...h-city-dinard/
I would like to think he was misquoted.
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/234...h-city-dinard/
I'm sure that Expressflight will clarify, but isn't this going back to one of the original Stobart concepts - offer a London destination to those secondary cities that don't have a London service.
The big question is who would operate such flights, the pool of candidates is a lot smaller (I know, they could start their own....
)
The big question is who would operate such flights, the pool of candidates is a lot smaller (I know, they could start their own....
)
I'm sure that Expressflight will clarify, but isn't this going back to one of the original Stobart concepts - offer a London destination to those secondary cities that don't have a London service.
The big question is who would operate such flights, the pool of candidates is a lot smaller (I know, they could start their own....)
The big question is who would operate such flights, the pool of candidates is a lot smaller (I know, they could start their own....
)
I thought Dinard CCI / local Govt decided that it wasn't worth subsidising the airport to the level required to retain Ryanair, and made many of the airport staff redundant. St Malo is just across the harbour and has regular and very large ferries to Portsmouth and Poole - the local council decided this was a better way to attract UK-resident tourists
Last summer, the doors of Dinard's terminal were locked and the lights turned off - it felt very much like a general aviation aerodrome rather than an airport. The only "scheduled" flights to Deauville + Geneva that took place were classed as private flights. Deauville, relatively nearby, is about to open a brand new arrivals terminal - the new departures section will (I think) open in 2024. Brest, Rennes and Caen nearby are all properly open, fully functioning and equipped to handle passenger flights from the UK. Even Cherbourg airport (at a push) currently has the ability to handle an A320/B737 as long as it's not when the UK ferry is in port.
St Malo is a beautiful town, while Dinard across the harbour has a wonderful beach - both are lovely to visit in summer. I would happily buy a ticket from London to Dinard... but will Dinard's terminal really be re-opened and staff hired along with all the formalities needed for a Schengen border for a handful of prop flights to Southend ?!?!
Separately - the Echo article quotes Nigel Mayes as saying Rennes no longer has service to London. Easyjet flying from Gatwick may have a different opinion.
The Echo article makes me think somebody at SEN has had an idea, and decided the first thing to do is tell the news media all about it before checking whether the idea is feasible
Last summer, the doors of Dinard's terminal were locked and the lights turned off - it felt very much like a general aviation aerodrome rather than an airport. The only "scheduled" flights to Deauville + Geneva that took place were classed as private flights. Deauville, relatively nearby, is about to open a brand new arrivals terminal - the new departures section will (I think) open in 2024. Brest, Rennes and Caen nearby are all properly open, fully functioning and equipped to handle passenger flights from the UK. Even Cherbourg airport (at a push) currently has the ability to handle an A320/B737 as long as it's not when the UK ferry is in port.
St Malo is a beautiful town, while Dinard across the harbour has a wonderful beach - both are lovely to visit in summer. I would happily buy a ticket from London to Dinard... but will Dinard's terminal really be re-opened and staff hired along with all the formalities needed for a Schengen border for a handful of prop flights to Southend ?!?!
Separately - the Echo article quotes Nigel Mayes as saying Rennes no longer has service to London. Easyjet flying from Gatwick may have a different opinion.
The Echo article makes me think somebody at SEN has had an idea, and decided the first thing to do is tell the news media all about it before checking whether the idea is feasible
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 23rd Mar 2023 at 19:17.
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Summer 2023 is almost with us. Right now it is all hands to the pump in the terminal: floors being polished, shelves being stacked with drink and snacks airside. CEO John Upton is no doubt checking that each cubicle has an adequate supply of toilet paper for all those nervous tummies.
In the morning the queue for the car parks, the fight to exit the train with bulging cases before the doors start to close leaving poor Johnny or Kevin left behind. Come on, hurry up! they all mutter waiting in line to hand over their baggage. That nagging doubt, Is that our flight number - is this the right desk?
Time pressing now, squeezing through security. At last! A heaving horde of humanity wandering headless in departures. If only they would display our gate number we could start to relax.
It sure feels good to be back.
In the morning the queue for the car parks, the fight to exit the train with bulging cases before the doors start to close leaving poor Johnny or Kevin left behind. Come on, hurry up! they all mutter waiting in line to hand over their baggage. That nagging doubt, Is that our flight number - is this the right desk?
Time pressing now, squeezing through security. At last! A heaving horde of humanity wandering headless in departures. If only they would display our gate number we could start to relax.
It sure feels good to be back.
Last edited by DC3 Dave; 28th Mar 2023 at 14:14.
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Summer 2023 is almost with us. Right now it is all hands to the pump in the terminal: floors being polished, shelves being stacked with drink and snacks airside. CEO John Upton is no doubt checking that each cubicle has an adequate supply of toilet paper for all those nervous tummies.
In the morning the queue for the car parks, the fight to exit the train with bulging cases before the doors start to close leaving poor Johnny or Kevin left behind. Come on, hurry up! they all mutter waiting in line to hand over their baggage. That nagging doubt, Is that our flight number - is this the right desk?
Time pressing now, squeezing through security. At last! A heaving horde of humanity wandering headless in departures. If only they would display our gate number we could start to relax.
It sure feels good to be back.
In the morning the queue for the car parks, the fight to exit the train with bulging cases before the doors start to close leaving poor Johnny or Kevin left behind. Come on, hurry up! they all mutter waiting in line to hand over their baggage. That nagging doubt, Is that our flight number - is this the right desk?
Time pressing now, squeezing through security. At last! A heaving horde of humanity wandering headless in departures. If only they would display our gate number we could start to relax.
It sure feels good to be back.
According to easyJet only 1 cafe be open!
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The first two outbounds are full and the third next week has limited seats at high cost. Perhaps EZY were too quick to reduce the schedule all those months ago.
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I can count 11 airport workers in this screen shot. I wonder what Easyjet is paying for this flight to be handled yesterday and what did they do for the rest of their shift.
