The big problem for STN is that it causes traffic dilution between LGW (much higher yield) and LTN (HO and a good North London catchment area). Before the 'GO' merger (takeover!), 'GO' were approached by LTN Airport Authority and were offered a very good deal to operate there because they were at the time, sick of Stelios. The numbers were crunched and of course, traffic dilution was a big factor, hence the decision to open a base at EMA which doesn't dilute STN, but does dilute LTN. SEN could prove to be a bit of a master stroke, it's customer friendly, in a way that STN used to be on the Northside and as long as EZY keep the routes simple, the whole of the East End will turn up! My Daughter pressed the 'S' button when she came back from AMS at the very start of the EZY operation, she wanted STN, not SEN! so I went and picked her up, a very pleasing experience, car parking right outside the Terminal, etc. This was a Sat morning and I thought 20, maybe 30 people on the flight, it was full!

Aegean Airlines return for Summer 2014
 

In addition to the short period over the Christmas Hols, Aegean will be making what appears to be a more regular/permanent service from Stansted to Athens.

The service restarts from 30th May 2014 and is on sale right up until October 2014. It operates twice a week on Friday's and Sunday's.

From 30th June until 10th September 2014, it will increase to 4x weekly with the addition of Monday and Wednesday service.

The route will be operated by an A320 Aircraft.

The only bad thing in my opinion is that all flights depart from Stansted at 23:00, arriving in Athens at 04:30 the following morning.

Flights from Athens leave at 20:15, arriving in Stansted at 22:15 local time.

Anyhow, still more good news!!

Lot's of Greek connections with those times though! You can probably connect to all the Greek Islands as well as Thessaloniki I'd imagine?

I'm surprised there haven't been more flights to Greece from STN and LTN tbh. There is a big Greek community in North London and a lot of them complain about a lack of options to getting back home or the rubbish flight times meaning they miss connecting flights and ferries.

Aegean were operating upto 2/3 return flights a day before they 'upped sticks' and relocated their operations to LHR. It's good to see them back even though it's much reduced in comparison to a few years ago. :ok:

Could Air Europa with their Embraer LGW-MAD service be tempted to relocate due to the upping of charges at LGW?

Somebody mentioned Belavia moving from LGW. That could be a strong possibility as they sometimes use the Embraer 175.

With quite possibly 1.5 million extra passengers in 2014, Stansted should be back up to about 19 mppa (more than the 2010 levels).

Luton should definitely be well into 10 million by 2014 and is likely to be their best ever year so far. Quite a bit of an increase from Monarch and Wizz in particular as well as the couple of new operators they've had.

It's great to see both airports potentially doing extremely well next year. So far it's looking like Stansted and Luton could be the UK's fastest growing airports in 2014.

Air Europa's LGW-MAD is mostly on 738's now, plus is does very well for connections to Central/South America. But I could possibly see Belavia moving northwards.

Have been to Minsk only once and that was 10 years ago as a tourist

Does anyone have any knowledge of the UK-Belarus air market given the current Belarus political system, the reciprocal visa regime and the relative dearth of major mainstream tourist sites in Belarus ?
I'd like to understand what motives Belavia might have for Gatwick, Luton or Stansted besides airport charges and perceived airport prestige.

Certainly not a mainstream destination. All you can get from the UK is either 3 weekly E175/737 from LGW or 1 weekly B737 from MAN. I would also hazard a guess there are more inbound than outbound passengers.

The short summer weekly Manchester service has/had a contract bringing Chernobil victims for rest-bite care and medical attention to the North West - Primarily the Christy Cancer Foundation.

Belorussians are subject to similar VISA restrictions as other CIS nations including Russia.

The nation politically remains pretty much a traditional soviet state controlled by a Politburo and family mafia.

Beyond Minsk Belavia offer very competitive prices and easy connections into the Caucuses and especially the gas fields around the Caspian Sea

The short summer weekly Manchester service has/had a contract bringing Chernobil victims for rest-bite care and medical attention in the North West - Primarily the Christy Cancer Foundation.

Belorussians are subject to similar VISA restrictions as other CIS nations including Russia.

The nation politically remains pretty much a traditional soviet state controlled by a Politburo and family mafia.

Beyond Minsk Belavia offer very competitive prices and easy connections into the Caucuses and especially the gas fields around the Caspian Sea

Belavia
 

I don't see Belavia moving, As has been pointed out they are very conservative and they don't change unless they have to. LGW works for them and therefore there is no reason to move.

Stop Stansted Expansion delay bid fails in High Court
 

As per title

BBC News - Stop Stansted Expansion delay bid fails in High Court

Good.

Though I suspect this is far from the last time we will see anti-airport expansion protests around all London sites.

SSE seem to be well funded at least - as if not I wonder who is going to foot the £10,000 legal bill

I'm struggling to see what expansion they are trying to stop ?

Based on LGW figures STN could easily handle 30M pax a year
(assuming that is the airspace can take the strain)

BUT are we really suggesting RYR could actually put anything like that amount of traffic through the place ?

SSE are trying to stop just about anything.

The latest attempt was to delay the whole London airports expansion on the basis a single consultant used to be employed by MAG

They are a typical nimby group who all moved into the area knowing there was an airport there yet want it to just go away

The locals around stansted are only to pleased to accept the handouts that the airport gives to the local community.if the airport didn,t give this money they would be alot worse off

Stansted Airport’s new security search area receives its first passengers
 

Have Ryanair closed the summer seasonal route to Dole in eastern France, or is it just taking a very long time for schedules to appear ?

Interesting...

This could run and run....

Stansted owner 'to challenge Airports Commission figures' - www.travelweekly.co.uk