Great news that one of the ex-ASW routes has been picked up.
But I struggle to understand how Cornwall's tax-payers can support an airport which, during the winter months at least, has only a handful of flights each day and has already received tens of millions of public subsidy.
Don't take this comment the wrong way - I really want to see Newquay Airport survive and prosper - but I just don't understand the business case particularly in these times of public sector cut-backs.

It is a huge burden on the Cornish council tax payer but there is a degree of pride involved in retaining an independent commercial airport for the people of Cornwall. Someone needs to ask the question - how much would be knocked off each council tax bill if the airport was disposed of (and all the EU grants paid back presumably). Stack that up against the supposed economic benefit to the local area of having it there.

They should sell it. Only Gloucestershire and Newquay really still out there ready to be sold off - two quite different assets but both should be sold off and run privately.

Stobart anyone ??

However commercial flights arent everything, i was around the area today and noticed that NQY was busy with a take off or landing every 5-10 mins.

U2 were in again and i assume doing training flights

cs

While we're at it, what's the "business case" for the roads and railways into Cornwall, the ports and harbours owned by the council?

Answer: there is no business case. They're publicly-owned because private interests wouldn't want to run them in a way which would be acceptable to the public. And long may that continue, otherwise we descend even further into the abyss of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.

NS

The NQY facebook page is saying that a new route will be announced via facebook page:

cs

Also worth noting that the CO of RAF st Mawgan was interviewed on bbc radio Cornwall this morning and has suggested that the RAF base has at least a 25 year life now in its current form and that other flying training contracts were in the pipeline !

bbc news article here:
BBC News - RAF St Mawgan 'safe for 25 years'

and im sure that the interview is available on the iplayer if you want to search for it !!

The CO was very clear that NQY's future was certain as long as the RAF base was in existance, one couldnt survive without the other but together they were both going nowhere !

cs

It has been announced that Newquay has been designated an enterprise zone, hopefully this will help in encouraging new business opportunities. Of course the local news reports it will attract thirty million jobs ( joke) but just a few would be good, so at least positive news for the area.

The hard work now begins, let's hope the council and its partners are up to it.

GLA-NQy, BE operated by Loganair has just been announced:

This is Cornwall | Airline steps in to rescue Scottish route

5 weekly starting April 5th, to be operated i would guess by the Saab 340 with 34 seats

cs

Super news. Seems to be well used in the previous daily Dash service. Long way in a Saab though !

Not too many miles GLA/NQY
 

-Great news on this service. For info, from a flight miles calculator, NQY/GLA is given as 76 more miles than LSI/GLA.:)

Any chance or loganair starting up ABZ & INV into NQY ?

cs

BE Have released the timetable for there new GLA-NQY service.

The route will be operated by a Loganair SF3..

Flights will start 05 April and will initally operate 4 x Weekly.

BE6871 GLA 10:50 NQY 12:30 SF3 4 5
BE6871 GLA 12:30 NQY 14:10 SF3 6
BE6871 GLA 17:10 NQY 18:50 SF3 7

BE6872 NQY 13:00 GLA 14:40 SF3 4 5
BE6872 NQY 14:40 GLA 16:20 SF3 6
BE6872 NQY 19:20 GLA 21:00 SF3 7

Flights will increase to 5 x Weekly from 25JUN.

BE6871 GLA 10:50 NQY 12:30 SF3 4 5
BE6871 GLA 12:30 NQY 14:10 SF3 1 6
BE6871 GLA 17:10 NQY 18:50 SF3 7

BE6872 NQY 13:00 GLA 14:40 SF3 4 5
BE6872 NQY 14:40 GLA 16:20 SF3 1 6
BE6872 NQY 19:20 GLA 21:00 SF3 7

Any truth in the rumour which I heard in Plymouth that Aurigny are stepping in to fill the breach left by ASW on the Jersey route sometime soon?

Aurigny to look at feasibility of Newquay flights » News » Travel » This Is Guernsey

I've noticed on several occasions this week (at least according to the NQY webiste) that Skybus services which normally operate direct from St. Mary's to the likes of EXT, SOU and BRS have been operating via NQY.

Is this due operational reasons (eg, weather) or is it an attempt by Skybus to pick up some extra pax at an otherwise very underserved NQY?

Wycombe - this is normal for this time of year as the pax numbers drop off.

Apparently Flying Club going to operate out of Newquay as of November, not sure from what Date though.

on the local news last night, cornwall council are looking at options for selling the airport, is this good or bad? who would buy a loss making airport in this financial climate. i think the council should stop the millions it pays to the airport and see if it sinks or swims.

Expanding on devonish's comments, the local BBC website reports that the estimated pax total for Newquay in 2011 will be 195,000. This compares with:

2004 253,000
2005 335000
2006 348000
2007 356000
2008 431000
2009 359000
2010 285000

A two month review for Cornwall Council is being carried out by Pricewaterhouse Coopers into the airport's use and proposals from airlines.

This year Cornwall Council is subsidising the airport at a cost of £3.6 millon, a figure which is expected to rise in future.

The Council is also looking at selling off some land around the site.

If it was Plymouth City Council, they'd approve it for closure at those figures! It should see a rise though next year I'd expect with PLH's imminent closure.

But for an airport with such a juicy runway - I'm not too sure those figures are sustainable - private or public owned.

Newquay Airport Sale
 

If Cornwall Council sell Newquay Airport presumably that would be on cash-free debt-free basis, freehold, not leasehold. If so, what's the deal on all those tens of millions they received in EU funding? Does that all have to be repaid by the buyer or by Cornwall Council? Likewise is a buyer oblidged to pick up all the Newquay staff under TUPE with all those public sector obligations, pensions etc? Any due dilligence on this opportunity would need to be a fine toothcomb job. Assuming Plymouth is shut down in December there's a small glimmer of hope for more to happen at Newquay but the cost of running and maintaining all that infrastructure over the years doesn't stack-up as a small regional airport - needs peripheral revenue as a business park with property income, a little bit easier now with their enterprise zone status, but those beneffits don't last many years.

What's the honest drive time between Newquay Airport and Exeter Airport?