Could someone explain the commercial logic behind Flybe launching Stansted-Newcastle ?
I'm struggling to figure out who will be prepared a big enough fare to make the route profitable, compared to the train or using BA to connect onwards via Heathrow.

I'm also wondering how this route will work given Flybe will operate a 78 seat Q400 against Easyjet previously operating a 150+ seat Airbus which presumably makes it harder to spread fixed costs across the passengers being carried..

If these routes had been announced to operate from down the road and up a hill this thread would have been on fire today. Wondering when the haters will arrive?

I must admit though the IOM route does seem an odd ball, surely BHD would be a better fit all round? But who can say? I'd like to see further routes announced from London's third airport once they've settled in. They are still by far a better choice of routes than those that in my opinion were possibly plucked from a hat over at SEN. But then I guess that's a Stobart issue not FlyBe's.

STN-NCL
 

DJ6 - agreed, and you didn't even mention the odd timings. Thought at first they might be fillers between the three IOM flights, but appear to be NCL originating?

NQY-STN
 

Flybe announce new service between Newquay Cornwall Airport and London Stansted for summer 2015 | Newquay Cornwall Airport


Wednesday, 12 November, 2014
Today Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline has announced a new service between Newquay Cornwall Airport and London Stansted as part of its expansion plans from the Airport. This service will commence in May 2015 and operates from Newquay Airport as part of its summer schedule until September 2015, offering a minimum of 3 departures per week.
Flights will operate on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and one way fares are available from £29.99 including taxes and charges and can be booked at www.flybe.com
Al Titterington, Newquay Cornwall Airport’s Managing Director commented “This is a further boost to the Airport and the tourism economy and follows on the back of the Gatwick announcement at the end of October. In previous times Stansted had been a key route for Cornwall bringing high value inbound tourism from its affluent catchment like Cambridge. We expect passenger demand to be strong and will be working with our partners to promote Cornwall”.




Could be a revised schedule on the way going by at least 3 per week !




cs

Passenger numbers up 16.9% in October, fastest growth rate since February 2005.
Also average load factor on STN flights up from 81.6% to 85.2%. Also BE's announcement yesterday is a good addition to STN.
Great news where based on 1 or 2 people's comments in the past, this must have come as a bit of a shock!

Just a bit interested really, there was 8899 pax between Stansted and Larnaca in October, what was the schedule in October? just interested how Cyprus airways are doing since moving to Stansted

Edit if it is once daily 7 days a week as I have found on google, that means 144 average pax, which means 85% load factor if I'm right

Easy did a 3x daily A319 some years ago, which I used from time to time and it was always well filled. Stansted is nowhere near Kings Cross train station, which unlike STN is a pig to reach by car and worse to get parked there. This is true for many places around the M25. Although I am nearer to Kings Cross as the crow flies, it is far quicker to get to Stansted.

This is exactly why we need domestic flights as well as rail services. Rail often wins on city centre-city centre, but elsewhere flying can be a more convenient, and often cheaper, alternative. This is especially true in the London courbation, where an onward journey from a central London terminus can be over 2 hours.

Re NCL, BE have on london Newcastle before from LGW. As easyJet are axing the ncl LGW from end of Winter, it may make the STN connection attractive to BE.

Hoping BE carve STN for themselves like EZY did before they dropped it. I couldn't see many other airlines turning away 300,000 pax per year but ho hum, bit better timings and more frequency in the future could/should sort NCL-STN out again. Completely different market to LGW/LHR. On a somewhat separate note, NWI was the second most called for domestic route out of NCL recently (after MAN) and STN covers Norfolk much better than any other airport served from NCL.

I think BE only came to STN on the back of a better agreement with MAG at MAN, but I would be pleased to be proved wrong. IOM has been tried by Euromanx & Manx2 before, both failed!

I love the way MAG have got the duty free farce up and running forcing you to walk through the entire shop with loud music on the way to departures but have done f*** all about the ridiculous situation at immigration:ugh:

Yes immigration at Stansted can be ridiculous

Blame for the ridiculous situation cannot be laid at MAG's feet, but at those of Her Majesty's Government and their mindless pampering to the xenophobic tendencies of the Daily Mail, Telegraph, Express et al who can't bear the thought of people crossing the UK border in the same, uncomplicated way that they do virtually all other (western) european borders.

With the level of border control that people in UK (seem to) want the price is delays, delays and more delays.

Key difference being there's millions more displaced young men who want to come here mate. Look at Sangatte, the reason the UK is a magnet for randoms to vanish into the black economy is that there's enough Africans,Pakistanis, Iraqis and Afghans here already that can support them quite against the law. Not quite the same in rural Belgium now is it? If you have an out of control immigration policy, you're not going to fix that with open borders!

I was referring to the amount of desks they have open (and yes its not a MAG issue but htey could have an input) Always minimal, no matter what time of day. If they manned up a bit it would at least lessen the problem a little.

My experience at immigration at STN LGW and LHR is border force will do their own thing with no regard to amount of queuing or inconvenience despite numerous BF agents standing around and could be manning additional desks. There are more auto gates installed now at these airports but again how often do you see a number of these closed.
Not a good advert/welcome for the genuine tourists coming to the UK.

Air Asia X?
 

AirAsia X to restart London flights - Australian Business Traveller

But will it be STN?

Where else has room?

They used to use every inch of the STN runway getting their A343 airborne so unless they've bought some new kit Luton or Southend would be exiting

A343 is not the most athletic aeroplane but remember you cannot judge performance by take off length - thrust is often de-rated to save engine wear etc.

But really would have to be LHR,STN or LGW with a 343.