Carlisle-3
Charlie Geller, communications director at Esken, said: "The company’s short to medium term strategy is to get the airport operational again following the period of inactivity associated with the pandemic, which has had a significant impact on the UK’s aviation sector. Once operational with general aviation, we will explore opportunities including business jet, military and other general aviation. Building upon the strong logistics history of Esken and our freight operations at London Southend Airport, the company is additionally exploring opportunities to develop the airport as an air freight hub for a gateway to northern England and Scotland.
At last some press coverage! Think we’ve heard most of it in some form or other over the years though!
Two points to note..mentions the success of a Southend Airport..mmm
and during the closure the airport has moved to a new site 5 miles north of Carlisle..they kept that quiet!
Two points to note..mentions the success of a Southend Airport..mmm
and during the closure the airport has moved to a new site 5 miles north of Carlisle..they kept that quiet!
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I’d love to have seen the figures for the Loganair ops of past. Pax, profits, outlays, subsidy etc, to see if any of the routes were vaguely worthwhile. I suppose must have been borderline at best or there may have been further efforts to restart.
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The clue is that they have not returned. If they were profitable for the airline then they would not have been for the airport due to economies of scale. To make a profit to cover the extra cost of running a scheduled passenger operation, the extra staff required would need to stay busy and work up a sweat. Waving goodbye to a departure and then putting their feet up was always going to end in tears.
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It would depend also on how the operation was staffed on Stobart’s side. If they had people in specifically for handling scheduled flights I’m sure it would have been unsustainable without much greater volume. If they were multi-tasking across the wider HQ and other airfield activities perhaps it was OK.
I suspect an issue isn’t that the routes aren’t attractive, because actually BHD and DUB seemed to do reasonably well, but that there isn’t anyone suitable to operate them. Logan aren’t a substantial operator at either and doing a W from other bases looks tricky. If they had a base at BHD or DUB it may be a different story.
I suspect an issue isn’t that the routes aren’t attractive, because actually BHD and DUB seemed to do reasonably well, but that there isn’t anyone suitable to operate them. Logan aren’t a substantial operator at either and doing a W from other bases looks tricky. If they had a base at BHD or DUB it may be a different story.
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With no disrespect to SEN fans, running a schedule to and from London East Coast Airport was never going to maximise the appeal of the service when the hourly train service went into the heart of the Capital. The other problem was that Southend was London’s least connected airport for onward travel.
LTN is correct - Carlisle is well connected by surface routes to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham all of which are very well connected
It has a small population and no major, international class, employer - not even a large University. If it was purposed like Gloucester it might have a future - otherwise a housing estate and distribution centre beckon
It has a small population and no major, international class, employer - not even a large University. If it was purposed like Gloucester it might have a future - otherwise a housing estate and distribution centre beckon
Carlisle is well connected by surface routes to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham
It has a small population and no major, international class, employer - not even a large University.
Last edited by SWBKCB; 30th Jul 2022 at 08:24.
I understand why people want flights to their local airport but it isn't a Human Right
People see many advantages to living in and around Carlisle compared to being in Glasgow or Birmingham - but part of the price is you don't get the airline service
People see many advantages to living in and around Carlisle compared to being in Glasgow or Birmingham - but part of the price is you don't get the airline service
I agree - but that's a different arguement to saying you don't need airline links because all these other alternatives are easily available. The market is just too small.
If opening to operate unlicensed, one person with a ROCC in the Tower to provide AGCS and a couple of staff as duty crew to provide a nominal level of fire cover, assuming that the fire vehicle (s) hasn’t already been disposed of, could work to provide Mon-Fri day cover. That assumes that staff with the required level of competence can be found locally. Doubt with the aerodrome operator’s track record that anyone is going to give up a current job and move to Carlisle!
Last edited by TCAS FAN; 31st Jul 2022 at 16:32.
If opening to operate unlicensed, one person with a ROCC in the Tower to provide AGCS and a couple of staff as duty crew to provide a nominal level of fire cover, assuming that the fire vehicle (s) hasn’t already been disposed of, could work to provide Mon-Fri day cover. That assumes that staff with the required level of competence can be found locally. Doubt with the aerodrome operator’s track record that anyone is going to give up a current job and move to Carlisle!