"Errrr No Greggs was still there last week when I was diverted in by the smell of a stake bake"

OK, I stand corrected, just what I'd been told.

Passenger figures down over summer months
 

We already knew this was going to happen last year when the "big 4" merged. Aren't we 5 based aircraft down on last summer and with Excel going :mad: up that also hasn't helped. :ugh:

Can anyone tell me if there are going to be any EZY NCL-NCE flights over winter, particularly in March 2009? If not anyone else doing that route?

5 a/c down
 

"Aren't we 5 based aircraft down on last summer and with Excel going up that also hasn't helped"

That must help with the Stand planning though OPSGUY? :ok:

Topjet it's been a while.

Yes the reduction in based aircraft has made the stand planning alot easier than previous years. Most nights we have had 21 - 25 empty. :{

:ok:

Caviar House
 

Yields and Load Factor are key indicators in aviation -are there any stats on occupancy of seats in the new designer Caviar house Prunier dining facility occupying the space where I used to be able to sit whilst waiting for the flight ? I have yet to see anybody using it.

Gate Aviation
 

New handling agent due to commence operations in next few weeks, handling the busy programme of Eastern Airways - but anyone got any ideas why there is equipment large enough to handle 737/757 sized aircraft, are they about to gain something else?

just looking to the not so immediate future I assume. Best be prepared as you never know whats round the corner

mind you, not much given the current recession and the not so helpful airport tax increase expected next year

maybe they know something we don't ...

Expansion was always part of Eastern's deal when they sold a stake in their handling company Manx Regional:ok:three months back.

Eastern are getting 737s - hadn't you heard???

Summer 2009
 

Ryanair on sale Girona 4x weekly as 2008
Dublin 2x Daily Tue Wed and Thur--- 3xDaily Sat Sun and Mo
Shannon 2x weekly.


KLM --- Winter changes mainly due to aircraft availability not demand i dont think, but 4x daily revised service will have about the same or even slightly more seats than the original 5x daily due to 733 and 738 being used, instead of F70s

Looks more like 737, 100, F70, 737 to me (thats what OAG is showing in November anyway?)

Ryanair
 

Perhaps finally Ryanair are beginning to realise that money can be made in NCL. Five more flights a week (DUB 3, SNN 2) is hardly opening a floodgate but let's hope that it at least puts Tyneside in their field of vision when they consider which new routes they should launch from their existing bases.

AMS
 

mmeteeside yes

originally 733-F70-F70-733-F100

Now 733-F100-F70----738

So perhaps a few less seats overall, but not a lot I think about 36. My counting is obviously not good. But still believe reduction mainly due to aircraft availability.

Passenger figures down over summer months

From the Newcastle Journal.

Caravan beats the hassle of Tenerife
Going through to departures at Newcastle airport earlier this year, we were met with instructions to "get in line", "you take your shoes off". I replied, My shoes? A person with a plastic card round his neck said, "Yes, the things on your feet." He made us really welcome.
When you go to the departure lounge, you have to have a mortgage for tea and a bacon sandwich. Meanwhile the car park is a total joke. You have five minutes to get in and out, if you miss that, bang goes another mortgage. It seems to be just another way to rip people off.
My daughter comes from Dublin six or seven times a year and I used to park the car and go in for a cup of tea and a sandwich while I waited for her, same when I dropped her off. Not now. You are forced to wait in a lay-by until she phones and pick her up as a matter of urgency.
Low cost airlines are not low cost anymore. It costs £39 out to Tenerife and £159 back, must be a longer way on the return. On board the planes, it's £2 for a cup of tea made with warm water and the drinks cost more than a nightclub in Newcastle.
Do these people think we are a bit stupid? Can't they see if something is good value we will buy it?
We used to go to Tenerife three times a year, now we have a caravan in Northumberland. There's no hassle, you just go when you want and come back when you want.
I can see airports going out of business especially if they continue to pay their managers £200,000 a year. Tell them to go and ask people their views, they will get a big surprise.
Comments like above do not give a good image of our airport, what do you think?

Well as regular SLF at Newcastle, usually 4 times a week both short and long haul, a few thoughts.....

I agree the staff are occassionally poor at the customer relations side but no more or less so than any other busy airport.

Whilst it is expensive you don't have to eat there and in reality it's no more or less than say a typical motorway services area. You are a captive customer expect to pay more. Same applies at anything of that ilk where you have limited choice; pop concerts, airshows, motorways, football matches etc, it goes with the territory. Eat before you go if you don't want to pay those prices.

I travel the same route every week. Car parking is extortionate and poor reliability on the barriers and ticket machines. You aren't forced to wait in a lay-by you do it by choice. Incidentally the "stottie" van on the layby on the A697 does a mean bacon sandwich for less than £2 if you are waiting there. People blocking the access roads, turning circles and site entrances are actually making it worse for everyone whilst they dodge paying £1 as they delay the traffic flow around the airport.

I have to disagree. Low cost is exactly that. Try pricing an alternative route to say Tenerife with either a charter (crazy flight only prices for less room than EZY or RYN and even higher charges for food and drink) or perhaps go to LHR and then onwards with BA or Iberia. I suspect it will cost a lot lot more. It's simple supply and demand. Book early, get a bargain. Again, where else are you going to buy a decent cuppa in town for £2. It's the same (or similar prices) at Costa, Starbucks etc. You don't have to buy one remember.

I think you're either having a bad day or a distinct lack or perspective. You exercise your choices according to your wishes, preferences and budgets.

Airports will not go out of business until the personal hoverplane arrives or the green party get elected, either way, no time soon. Paying top executives top money is what happens in every line of business so get used to it. It also has no bearing on the cost of the flights or the price of a brew in the scheme of things.

I think you are a million miles away from the reality. Every business has positive experiences for customers and negatives. Such a generic swipe at the airport isn't going to achieve anything. If you don't want to pay those prices you're doing well going caravanning. Just watch out for them hiking the prices in high season, charging for electricity, water, extortionate site shop prices etc.....ah no, they are in business too !

Relax and instead of airing it here alone, write to the £200k CEO and tell him what you think, otherwise, how will he know?

Relax and instead of airing it here alone, write to the £200k CEO and tell him what you think, otherwise, how will he know?

Hi Andrew,
The chap was airing his views in a letter to the Journal this morning.
As it happens I agree with your comments, however the car parking can cause a problem if there is a delay, plane or luggage. I think if you are polite to airport staff, in general they tend to return their politeness. I have only used Ncl once this year, found airside could have been better, but on a whole not too bad.

I have to say I am one of those SLF who swan up as late as possible now to make the whole airside experience shorter !

Car parking is an abject disaster, walking in the hissing rain because no buses are running to long stay etc

Airside is ok as long as you don't want a hot meal after 8pm, I actually would pay the price just to get one but seemingly that's unreasonable.

On the whole it's a good airport and I want to see it do well. I don't know the ins and outs of the airside operational responsibilites, most of it is operated by licensees and franchisees so outwith the remit of the airport management but hopefully next time round on contracts they can do something.

My own personal rant is against the vermin that promote credit cards everywhere hijacking my right to a peaceful transission to the shopping mall, er I mean airside.

Rant ends.

Newcastle Airport settles with former boss
 

breaking news from the Journal:

NEWCASTLE Airport and its former chief executive have reached an out-of-court settlement in their £6m High Court case, The Journal can reveal.

The case was due to be heard tomorrow but has been called off after the parties reached agreement today.

It centred around a financial package worth £8.5m, which was paid to Mr Parkin before he resigned from his post last May and to the estate of former finance director Lars Friis, who died in 2006.

He was suspended in March last year, three months after a major re-financing deal which released £80m to the five Tyne and Wear councils and Northumberland and Durham county councils, which between them have 51% of the airport's shares.

Mr Parkin, who went on to take charge of Leeds Bradford Airport, had previously insisted he would clear his name at court.

The High Court confirmed the case has been settled and removed from its listings. Mr Parkin’s spokesman offered no comment to The Journal. The airport has told The Journal it is preparing a statement.