Southend-3
The route development team at SEN are very experienced and have no shortage of contacts in appropriate places. They will know exactly what they are going into when starting (continuing?) negotiations with the appropriate LCCs and I'm sure they are relishing the prospect. I know I would be.
Yes, he talked a good talk, but I got the feeling he ran Stobart like a personal fiefdom rather than a quoted company, and it's not clear what, if any, shareholder value was created.
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https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/241...-new-airlines/
A RESCUE deal has been agreed for Southend Airport which could pave the way for new airlines and passenger numbers soaring to six million a year.
“Getting Wizz or someone to base three or four aircraft there would not solve the issues overnight.
“One issue is whether it’s simply a marketing issue with the airport failing to make its case to the London catchment area and the airlines.”
“One issue is whether it’s simply a marketing issue with the airport failing to make its case to the London catchment area and the airlines.”
Putting aside the fact that the Pandemic would have happened with or without Tinkler, there are some who thought he was part of the problem rather than the solution. After all, there must have been a reason he was ousted.......
Yes, he talked a good talk, but I got the feeling he ran Stobart like a personal fiefdom rather than a quoted company, and it's not clear what, if any, shareholder value was created.
Yes, he talked a good talk, but I got the feeling he ran Stobart like a personal fiefdom rather than a quoted company, and it's not clear what, if any, shareholder value was created.
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Putting aside the fact that the Pandemic would have happened with or without Tinkler, there are some who thought he was part of the problem rather than the solution. After all, there must have been a reason he was ousted.......
Yes, he talked a good talk, but I got the feeling he ran Stobart like a personal fiefdom rather than a quoted company, and it's not clear what, if any, shareholder value was created.
Yes, he talked a good talk, but I got the feeling he ran Stobart like a personal fiefdom rather than a quoted company, and it's not clear what, if any, shareholder value was created.
As I said, there was a pandemic which would have happened whoever was in charge. That eliminated SENs USP at a stroke.
You can speculate all day long about what may have happened if he had stayed. We'll never know. I would only add that it's easy to be impressed by what you see on the surface; new terminal, dedicated railway station, based aircraft. That doesn't necessarily mean the underlying business was healthy or well run.
You can speculate all day long about what may have happened if he had stayed. We'll never know. I would only add that it's easy to be impressed by what you see on the surface; new terminal, dedicated railway station, based aircraft. That doesn't necessarily mean the underlying business was healthy or well run.
From the outside, it looks like Esken sold off all their sustainable businesses and stuck it all on SEN. That would seem to be a strategic error which has killed the business.
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We can agree that we will never know. I would only add that the airport was only a part of the Stobart Group and there were events such as the ill conceived purchase of Flybe with Virgin and Cyrus that weakened the company to such an extent that the commercial damage from the pandemic could not be recovered from using their own resources. I guess some credit should be given to Esken for keeping the airport limping along the best they could after that.
Actually Andrew Tinkler deserves a lot of credit for his purchase of SEN in the first place and his vision to turn it into a modern airport which scored highly in passenger satisfaction surveys. He also oversaw the runway being developed to its maximum potential within its physical constraints. Without that there would be no chance of it perhaps regaining a respectable position among the London airports in terms of commercial success, as now seems at least a possibility.
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Pax numbers are vanity, profit is sanity...
I think certain posters on here need to be reminded that pre-pandemic SEN was losing money despite good pax numbers. LCCs were using SEN because it was cheap to use. That benefitted the LCCs and not SEN.
The only hope for the airport going forward is a good mix of scheduled, charter, GA, cargo and biz-jets. Build suitable facilities for each sector, rent at attractive terms and be a landlord not a competitor to the tenants. Finally understand the runway limitations and target near Europe destinations utilising regional turboprops/small jetliners. The big London airports can concentrate on the 156+ pax market.
The only hope for the airport going forward is a good mix of scheduled, charter, GA, cargo and biz-jets. Build suitable facilities for each sector, rent at attractive terms and be a landlord not a competitor to the tenants. Finally understand the runway limitations and target near Europe destinations utilising regional turboprops/small jetliners. The big London airports can concentrate on the 156+ pax market.
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New facilities are needed to tempt new tenants but I don't see any likely commitment on that front. Just look what has been invested at Oxford, Biggin & Farnborough.
The 727s live in / outside a facility unfit for purpose, Air Livery could quite easily close and work go to Norwich.
The LCCs will screw you, don't see Easyjet currently looking at a new base, Ryanair will want to be paid to come back. Wizzair cannot keep the current operation going due to Airbus engine issues.
I would love to be proved wrong but this time next year, I see alot of the cash being burnt through without significant gain in passenger services. The passenger terminal being restricted hours is an inefficient cost burden along with fire cover.
The $B investment company will want a return - trouble is I don't see it currently.
Glad to be corrected.......
I was talking about the period from December 2008 through to when Brady arrived. He just got carried away with his vision for SEN.
Finally understand the runway limitations and target near Europe destinations utilising regional turboprops/small jetliners.
We now seem to be back in the position where it is a bet on the other London airports filling up and SEN picking up the overflow. Looks like a long game, with deep pockets and a strong nerve needed.
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The figure of 30 million was published by the serious press at the time so I have assumed it was correct.
To be fair to Mr Brady, if I was on one tenth of that incentive I would get carried away as well.
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I have said this before. Picking up crumbs in the Summer when Luton & Stansted have night time restrictions cannot be lived upon.
New facilities are needed to tempt new tenants but I don't see any likely commitment on that front. Just look what has been invested at Oxford, Biggin & Farnborough.
The 727s live in / outside a facility unfit for purpose, Air Livery could quite easily close and work go to Norwich.
The LCCs will screw you, don't see Easyjet currently looking at a new base, Ryanair will want to be paid to come back. Wizzair cannot keep the current operation going due to Airbus engine issues.
I would love to be proved wrong but this time next year, I see alot of the cash being burnt through without significant gain in passenger services. The passenger terminal being restricted hours is an inefficient cost burden along with fire cover.
The $B investment company will want a return - trouble is I don't see it currently.
Glad to be corrected.......
New facilities are needed to tempt new tenants but I don't see any likely commitment on that front. Just look what has been invested at Oxford, Biggin & Farnborough.
The 727s live in / outside a facility unfit for purpose, Air Livery could quite easily close and work go to Norwich.
The LCCs will screw you, don't see Easyjet currently looking at a new base, Ryanair will want to be paid to come back. Wizzair cannot keep the current operation going due to Airbus engine issues.
I would love to be proved wrong but this time next year, I see alot of the cash being burnt through without significant gain in passenger services. The passenger terminal being restricted hours is an inefficient cost burden along with fire cover.
The $B investment company will want a return - trouble is I don't see it currently.
Glad to be corrected.......
That hangar could then perhaps have an engineering use - probably of more benefit to SEN in fact.