Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport in £300m expansion plan
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Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport in £300m expansion plan
I think someone is having a laugh here but this is what is being reported.
Wolverhampton Airport is planning to change its name - because it says that foreign travellers have never heard of the Black Country city.
It hopes to become Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport if it wins permission to go ahead with a £300 million expansion plan, which would see an extension of the runway and the launch of low-cost flights to Europe within three years.
Airport development director David Poyner said today that the name change was purely a matter of recognition.
"People sitting in a hotel lounge in, say, Dusseldorf or Munich, would probably say 'Where is Wolverhampton?'," Mr Poyner said.
"Adding the name Birmingham would make the region instantly recognisable. As far as we here are concerned, the name of the airport is of vital importance. I have run it past a number of local businessmen, and they think it is a great idea." he added.
Wolverhampton Airport owner Graham Hampson Silk has changed the name of the airport's holding company from Bobbington Estates to Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport, with the details lodged at Companies House.
But the move has been criticised by Birmingham International Airport managing director Brian Summers, who says the name change would create confusion.
"We are surprised that there is any intention to change the name of Wolverhampton Airport to Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport. It will only create confusion, something other airports without a clear geo- graphic identity have discovered.
"We have always acknowledged that, at some time in the future, there might be a role for Wolverhampton to develop over the longer term and serve niche markets, but nothing more," he said.
Mr Hampson Silk said it was important to promote the name Birmingham because it was instantly recognised. He said he would be following the example of airports in south-east England which had incorporated London into their titles - Luton, for instance.
"No-one abroad knows where Luton is, but they know where London is," he said.
"We are only 40 minutes down the road from Birmingham. We service Birmingham, the Black Country, Staffordshire and Worcestershire, and we are only 22 miles from the Welsh border."
Wolverhampton Airport is planning to change its name - because it says that foreign travellers have never heard of the Black Country city.
It hopes to become Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport if it wins permission to go ahead with a £300 million expansion plan, which would see an extension of the runway and the launch of low-cost flights to Europe within three years.
Airport development director David Poyner said today that the name change was purely a matter of recognition.
"People sitting in a hotel lounge in, say, Dusseldorf or Munich, would probably say 'Where is Wolverhampton?'," Mr Poyner said.
"Adding the name Birmingham would make the region instantly recognisable. As far as we here are concerned, the name of the airport is of vital importance. I have run it past a number of local businessmen, and they think it is a great idea." he added.
Wolverhampton Airport owner Graham Hampson Silk has changed the name of the airport's holding company from Bobbington Estates to Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport, with the details lodged at Companies House.
But the move has been criticised by Birmingham International Airport managing director Brian Summers, who says the name change would create confusion.
"We are surprised that there is any intention to change the name of Wolverhampton Airport to Birmingham Wolverhampton Airport. It will only create confusion, something other airports without a clear geo- graphic identity have discovered.
"We have always acknowledged that, at some time in the future, there might be a role for Wolverhampton to develop over the longer term and serve niche markets, but nothing more," he said.
Mr Hampson Silk said it was important to promote the name Birmingham because it was instantly recognised. He said he would be following the example of airports in south-east England which had incorporated London into their titles - Luton, for instance.
"No-one abroad knows where Luton is, but they know where London is," he said.
"We are only 40 minutes down the road from Birmingham. We service Birmingham, the Black Country, Staffordshire and Worcestershire, and we are only 22 miles from the Welsh border."
£300 million expansion at Halfpenny Green!? I doubt that. Also I wouldn't like to operate a 737 off of their runway and parking would be an issue. The lack of a terminal wouldn't help either.
I'd love to see it but it ain't happening.
The growth of RAF Cosford as a Bizjet base is much more intriguing and plausible.
WWW
I'd love to see it but it ain't happening.
The growth of RAF Cosford as a Bizjet base is much more intriguing and plausible.
WWW
Unless it's changed a lot in the past few years, there going to have to spend a few bob on the ground access as well as everything else - not the easiest place to get to. However, these are the plans of a guy who thinks he's 22 miles from the Welsh border...
Cosford has much better ground links - virtually on the M54 and doesn't it have it's own railway station?!?
Cosford has much better ground links - virtually on the M54 and doesn't it have it's own railway station?!?
fanjet - the Shropshire Star carried numerous articles about 6 months ago which outline plans to make Cosford available for Bizjet use. At the time the issue was getting planning permission from Wrekin county council or some such.
As I recall permission was eventually granted. Don't know who or what was behind the plans but it does look doable. The runway is suitable and there is both apron and hangar space kicking around. As has been pointed out the location has excellent motorway and rail links and also a good deal of inherent security which is becoming important.
WWW
As I recall permission was eventually granted. Don't know who or what was behind the plans but it does look doable. The runway is suitable and there is both apron and hangar space kicking around. As has been pointed out the location has excellent motorway and rail links and also a good deal of inherent security which is becoming important.
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Friends of mine fly from Halfpenny Green and are very upset that the hike in charges there has virtually destroyed private flying from the airport.
LTN man thinks that the £300 m exapnsion plan is someone having a laugh.
Wee Weasley Welshman says he would love to see it but it ain't happening.
Are there any technical reasons - adjacent topography - air traffic space etc. why the expansion can't happen or is it just difficult to believe that the managment will find the money they will need to get 737s into the airport?
Can anyone help me here?
LTN man thinks that the £300 m exapnsion plan is someone having a laugh.
Wee Weasley Welshman says he would love to see it but it ain't happening.
Are there any technical reasons - adjacent topography - air traffic space etc. why the expansion can't happen or is it just difficult to believe that the managment will find the money they will need to get 737s into the airport?
Can anyone help me here?
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Calling it Birmingham Wolverhampton is ridiculous! How can an airport claim to be somewhere that it actually isn't?
Fair enough, some airlines (three guesses...) claim the airports they operate into are near the place they apparently serve, but come on!
How about West Midlands Airport?
Fair enough, some airlines (three guesses...) claim the airports they operate into are near the place they apparently serve, but come on!
How about West Midlands Airport?
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Never heard of London Luton, London Stanstead, London Manston, London Southend.
Appears that few people name airports after places they aren't actually that near too. (sorry really should double check stuff before posting)
Appears that few people name airports after places they aren't actually that near too. (sorry really should double check stuff before posting)
Last edited by 103; 29th Apr 2003 at 21:35.
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Well Manston is between 60 - 70 miles from London. I wouldn't call that near.
In fact I woulds almost say that would be a good reason to fly from Manston into LCY.
I wouldn't want to fly into Manston from Europe and then have to spend an hour and a half in a taxi trying to get into london for a meeting.
In fact I woulds almost say that would be a good reason to fly from Manston into LCY.
I wouldn't want to fly into Manston from Europe and then have to spend an hour and a half in a taxi trying to get into london for a meeting.
