Newquay Airport
 

Newquay Airport is suffering a cash crisis. See the following BBC article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/3124374.stm

I think Sutton Harbour Holdings plc were the operators of Newquay Airport until last year, but not the owners. Can anyone confirm?

If so, I wonder what effect, if any, their pulling out had on the airport. It is interesting to see that Sutton now owns Air South West, the airline that says it cannot afford the landing fees that BA is apparently paying.

I guess that the sub region will consider Air South West's presence at the airport, with its LGW connection, more important than economic landing fees.

It looks then that public money of some sort or other will have to be found if the airport is to continue. Cannot see MOL putting his hand in his pocket for the good of Cornwall, and why should he.

Well NQY is actually an RAF base with the PAX terminal on the otherside of the field so I guess that Sutton harbour did not actually own the airport.

Having seen the regional news in Cornwall last night, it seems a tad ironic that the council are up in arms because to quote what they say, will leave them short of funds by some £500,000 in landing fees with BA pulling out.........meanwhile they went on to say Ryan are not paying a bean in landing fees as they argue they are bringing buisiness to the region.
So who's the fool here? certainly not MOL!
:oh:

St Mawgan is up for sale from, I believe, early 2005, when the MOD pull out.
I can't see that the beleagured Cornish rate payers would tolerate subsidising a regional airport that can only attract 2 flights a day from Stansted, no matter how long it takes by road or rail to travel to London or anywhere else.

Prior to Ryanair, the town thrived with tourism of the proper and decent kind, it's these people who actually "invest" a lot more money into the region by spending two weeks holiday there, than the vast majority of the B.A or Ryanair passengers.

Let the poor little spoilt brats who are the vast majority of Ryanairs NQY passengers, take their surfboards and drugs by road, it will take them so long to get there, by the time they arrive they'll have forgotten why they went in the first place.

At least it will return to being a decent place to take the family, and the residents of Newquay might be able to get some kip at night. :rolleyes:

At fifteen quid each way I'd expect not so thick Mick is highly delighted to be lugging waterproof ironing boards to and from pastieland. I'm sure he'd take a dim view of drugs on his planes though, wouldn't he?

Down here in the southwest this was all forseen (except of course by the regional development agency).

How b****dy stupid can you be. You have a regional airport operating on a knife edge financially with one major commercial operator. You then say, 'I know that the current operator has kept us afloat for donkey's years, but let's subsidise a rival operator, (foreign operator I might add), by allowing him free/susidised access. This will give us more airport through traffic and hopefully bring more people to the area".

Oops! now we've upset the current operator who has seen profits drop and they have now pulled out. Still, at least we have the new one. Oh s**t! but we don't charge him anything to land so the airport is now financially in trouble.

Never mind there will be another operator coming along to operate that route. Ah! but will they want to pay any more than the one we have subsidised? .....I'll give you one guess!

Having seen the latest press coverage of this issue, I found it incredulous that when the airfield operators cried poverty and losses, not one of the reporters asked why. Just what sort of business school did these guys attend?

Ah! I feel better to get that off my chest.

niknak and the dude,

Is the majority opinion in Cornwall that it would be better not to have an airport if it means a large subsidy from local tax payers?

Without a London air connection would not the region be even more isolated, and I am thinking of Cornish people wanting to travel rather than tourists coming in?

Without an airport it means a surface jaunt to Plymouth (for LGW, always assuming that Air Southwest would find a LGW-PLH route viable without NQY), Exeter (for slightly more choice given flybe's new plans) or Bristol (for more choice again, but still only European destinations). Otherwise it means a road or rail trip to the capital.

It seems to me that the Southwest Regional Development Agency is alive to the needs of the far southwest as they out it, mainly Devon and Cornwall in plain language, when it comes to air services.

They commissioned a survey earlier this year into air travel in the far southwest and certainly subsidy of routes is something being considered, but that would not come from local tax payers directly.

MV,

actually the point I was trying to make was not anti-subsidy, but one of anti-one-sided subsidy. You can hardly subsidise one party only to complain when the other pulls out. :cool:

thedude,

I take your point, but because I see you live in the southwest, probably nearer to Cornwall than me, I was wondering if you had a view on the feelings of local people, local government on putting hands into local tax payers' pockets to keep the airport going, as opposed to route subsidies which might eventuate as well but from a different, not directly locally funded, public purse.

I would have thought that NQY is important, if not vital, to the economy and social fabric of Cornwall.

NIKNAK

I doubt if Cornwalls' tourist industry will have any future if it hopes to rely on families driving down for a 2 week holiday.

1. The weather is too unreliable- it is far cheaper to holiday in a more sun sure destination.

2. The current surfing craze has brought the first investment for years to many of Cornwalls' north coast resorts. Newquay was not thriving before the advent of Ryanair, but was cheap and tacky a classic example of the worst of English run down seaside resorts, it has degenerated into its current mess precisely because of the decline in people taking family holidays in Corrnwall, not the other way around. However due to the new found and increasing popularity with the surfing community and probably more particularly the Sloan hangers on who aspire to buy in to the surfing community, there is now evidence of properties being renovated and new projects, for example Rick Stein is proposing a substantial and quality redevelopment to an old and run down cliff top Hotel in the town centre. The national surf centre on Fistral beach is a recently completed example of what the new investment has achieved, more of this type of high quality development and Newquay could start to rival some of the best surfing resorts of Southwest France.

3. In my view the future of Cornwalls' tourist industry depends upon being able to continue to attract the growing number of people who come for a short break at short notice when they know the weather and/or surf is good. It is easy to knock those who come down with out much money to spend, but their presence is vital to creating the 'surf dude' atmosphere that attracts those with the money to places such as Newquay.



As any one who has attempted to drive to/from Cornwall on a Friday/Saturday and increasingly Sunday will know, the traffic can be appalling, definitely no incentive especially when driving with children.

The rail service is such a joke as to be hardly worth a mention, but even if you were to use it, once in Cornwall a car is essential due to the lack of useful public transport, unless you plan to stay in Newquay for 2 weeks (it is one of the few resorts with a railway station).

Unless road/rail links are improved substantially.....(2 chances), then air travel is the only way of making Cornwall more accessible to the rest of the UK and vice versa. This was stuck in a rut with the BA Dash 8 service, which stifled demand through high fares and poor capacity. The Local authorities might have begun to realise this but they are not noted for their sharpness and foresight as THE DUDE points out, and are probably terribly confused by the turn of events they just need a little firm guidance. Hopefully this will be forthcoming before RAF St Mawgan/Newquay airport is sold off and turned into a business park. It is already too late for Plymouth airport due to local authority weakness in the face of the NIMBYS.

Not withstanding the double standards shown by the French regarding subsidy, their local authorities have all realised that finding the cash to attract Ryanair pays dividends, all that is required is for Cornwall County Council, R.D.A. etc. to get the message, and put the case to the taxpayers that this is a good investment of their money and will make us all richer in the long run.

Greetings from the far west of Cornwall and one of its 'taxpayers'.

Here are a few facts.

the dude speaks the truth, those that control the airport pursestrings shouldn't be suprised a new carrier isn't paying mlanding fees, but surely this is an interim situation. Do the new owners know the airport will be for sale in 2005?

Plymouth and Exeter are east of the Taimar and therefore not in the West Country. Bristol is bl**dy miles away.

Cornwall does not revolve around Newquay, 99% of surfers drive vans and cars they do not fly on Ryanair. They have always been here - though the popularity has increased. The few whinging residents of Newquay are the same ones who own the bars, restaurants, taxi's, campsites that are happy to take their cash. They are the few.

The passengers that fly down here are either business, vfr or leisure ( many second home owners). Cornwall has more than beaches and a great way of life to attract them down.... Eden project, Maritime Museum, Minnack Theatre... how long have you got.

Rick Stein has had a big influence on Padstow (and property prices there) but I doubt the residents of Redruth or Camborne have felt much of his influence.

Would I pay money to keep St Mawgan open ... NO! Switch all the flights to Culdrose, develop Truro or Perranporth. ( both of which the Council have rejected so far)

Would I pay money to maintain an air service to Cornwall.... YES!

Finally if anyone from St Mawgan reads this.... think about engineering companies. freight services, a private jet centre, storage etc after all there is a lot of money around for attracting business to these regions!!

MV,

unfortunatley, as my lively-hood is aviation related, my opinion on whether St. Mawgan should get local subsidy is irrelivant. It would be like asking someone if they wanted a pay rise.

I do believe, that contrary to current aviation commercial belief, an airfield central to the Devon and Cornwall area, ie. St. mawgan, can be productive, with a little forsight and if correctly managed. After all, this area is the nicest in England!
I'm gutted at having to leave. :(

Newquay Airport
 

My spies tell me that Newquay's debts are nearer £1 million, not £500,000. Cornwall County Council has apparently agreed a £350,000 bailout as an interim measure and Restormel Borough Council is apparently being asked to stump up the same. The authorities jointly own the airport.
Ryanair is reportedly paying £1 a passenger and £100 a plane as part of a 10-year deal.
The other local authorities in Cornwall are now being asked to put their hands in their pockets and stump up some cash, the argument being that the airport supports the whole county.
I expect to see the airport groomed for privitasation and sold off in the next 18 months - exactly the same, in fact, as what is being proposed for Exeter.

If Newquay's debts are what has been speculated, and their entire customer base revolves around no more than a couple of commercial flights a day, the limited catchment area means that it has no future as a commercial airport.
Unlike Exeter, there appears to be an insufficiant business case for anyone wanting to buy the airport, and if I were a local politician, burdening the ratepayers with the cost of running it would not be the major item on my manifesto.
However, local authorities seem to like having an airport to burn ratepayers money on, and that, combined with the EEC money that is available to independant nations such as Cornwall, should see the airport survive in some entity or other.

A previous report said that the future of the RAF presence at the airport was subject to a further iteration of the "Strategic Defence Review" to be published in July or August '03. I don't seem to be able to find this, although a previous version, published about a year ago, had St Mawgan earmarked for "quick reaction alert aircraft".

What has changed since then? Is the JMCC still active?

Serco Group are currently running the civil side of the airport, until 2007.

Newquay Airport
 

Local press has been carrying a story about the trialling of a freight service out of Newquay Airport. Due to start flights in January 2005.

Anybody know who will operating the flights?

Newquay Future
 

With the RAF announcing that St Mawgan is to be mothballed within two years and Cornwall CC already subsidising the civil operation to the max, what does the future hold for commercial flying?

Will a private buyer be sought, and could that work if the RAF want to retain the site?

Will this have an affect on operations at PLH?

Perhaps look at it from a different angle....would the major commercial operator Ryanair want to pay the going rate for keeping the airport open.

Maybe they could apply for a RDF to subsidise the service??

Hello Air Hop .... another local eh?

I know the council were half expecting this and they are looking at other ideas, I believe the media as usual are blowing things a little out of proportion.

I cannot see Newquay closing as a civilian airport, there are plans afoot to get in new revenue streams and it is too commercially important to Cornwall to let it fade away.

If you keep watching I think you will see more positve news in the not too distant future.

Groundhog,
I agree that the commercial importance of Newquay to Cornwall should be a major consideration, but speaking to a senior Serco Aviation Head Office Bod recently, they are convinced (and very concerned) that without a major (and we are talking seriously major) subsidy from someone, the place will close.

It looks like they rate payers of Cornwall will have to foot the bill and I am sure there are more pressing needs within the county for that money.

Obviously Ryanair, or any other airline, aren't going to put any money into the place, and Serco would only take over the complete operation if they were given a long term (20 years or so) contract to do so.
That option may have a large initial cost, but long term it would be relatively painless and rid the locals of the burden whilst still giving them a much needed airport.

Ryanair have already stated that they don't intend to pay any higher or extra charges in order to keep Newquay open - "there are 50 to 100 other airports in Europe that are begging us to start services", to paraphrase yesterday's announcement from the airline.

So the future has to depend on a major investor, or several major income streams. I can't imagine either Cornwall County Council or the District Councils increasing their subsidies to the Airport, year after year, to the extent required to keep the place open.

My own guess/hope is that the importance of the airport to the Cornish economy is so widely recognised in local government and the business/tourism sectors, that a very major and imaginative effort will be made to find new investors or income streams.

These initiatives could include a major new business park on surplus land, which would itself be dependant on the continuation of existing air links, and other aviation related activities (local news last night mentioned jet engine maintenance, a major professional flight training company, and a cargo transhipment hub).

Regarding new flights, it has always surprised me that more effort hasn't gone into attracting inbound foreign tourist charters to Newquay. Cornwall gets a lot of foreign tourists from Germany, the Netherlands, USA to name but a few places. Maybe there's scope for regular charters from these and other places, especially with the popularity of Eden Project and other major tourist attractions. Or how about a regular link Newquay-Exeter-Amsterdam to connect with KLM, like so many other UK airports?

kala87... spot on and I have had discussions at the top level with the owners suggesting how they might do it. But we are west of the Taimar so as you know things take a little longer.

Niknak... Interesting comment from SERCO but under any major review as they only run the airport as a third party I wonder what the long term position would be anyway? If I were the council I would want to manage my own asset not leave it to SERCO long term.

Air Southwest are of course the other major operator there, would there be any likelihood of them (presumably them being Peel?) getting involved or are they too focused on PLH?

If it came to the piont when Newquay had to close (Unlikely) Air southwest might have to change their Gatwick service to :

A 2xDaily Dierct from Plymouth

or...

Change to Plymouth-Exeter-Gatwick

I don't really think it would effect Plymouth dramaticly but it will effect people in cornwall as i have heard it brings Millions to the local economy.
And they would have to travel to Plymouth and Exeter

WOWBOY

Groundhog

I can understand that as a local business person, why you would be happier that the local authority run the airport than a contractor.

However, when Serco (or any other private contractor) take on a local authority contract, they offer better value for money for the council tax payers because the staff take on "multi function contracts" wherever this is feasible, ie with operational staff at the airport, it means that if the the grass doesn't need cutting, the grass cutters will be allocated another task, and overall, ground staff will encompass a number of roles.
It also saves the council a lot of employer costs, which should eventually mean a better return for the council tax payers, which probably includes you.
I accept that with the exception of a few specialist trades (such as ATCOs), it will also mean that employees at the base level will lose out in the long term, but that is a risk that exists in almost every industry these days.
If that's what it takes to keep the aiport going, so be it, there will always be a ready supply of people willing to take those posts.

Niknak ... But the point I am trying to make is that no one looks after your asset and runs it more economically than yourself. It may well be that after running the numbers a third party operator is the best deal but neither of us I suspect are privy to that information.

In any event the whole future of the airport rests not on this but on what other revenue streams the Council can derive from its asset. It will never cover running costs from Ryanair, Air Southwest and Skybus alone so will either have to develop extra aviation related income or make up for it by developing the property itself to make return.

There is potential but for sure it will not be easy, but it could be done.

If not there is always Culdrose, Truro, Perranporth.....

NEWQUAY
 

I haven't heard anything of note re Newquay for ages. Given the amount of funds that have gone in to the airport and Cornwall Council's present budget problems plus the pull out by Ryanair, how does this affect the set up? I read a comment not so long ago by the newish Chief Exec suggesting that the Council might well sell the set up in due course.

Cornwall needs the airport and I wish it well but these, I imagine are tough times for the airport management. As we tend to put it down this way, whos on ?

Who's on....?

Newquay airport is never really going to do anything in all honesty is it...?

Seasonbal visits by party people.....thats about your lot to hope for really.

or close it down and save money - probably the better option

Would it be sensible to shut down Plymouth and concentrate on Newquay? As far as I'm aware, developing Plymouth is not possible and having three minnow airports in the far South West just dilutes their strength.

and the whole 'lets shut Plymouth' debate starts all over again for about the 30th time in as many years!

Not seen the other 29 D7L. Just me thinking out loud.

One would hope the new council and 'non exec director' who has actually run an airport before are now doing an audit as to why the facility is 'laaking like a baasket'. Bottom line is though only new businesses and facilities will make it viable and I am not referring to more scheduled flights.

Closing Plymouth would have no significant effect on Newquay.

Derelicte - what is the third minnow airport then?

Exeter.
















I'll get me coat :oh:

Yeah, probably a good idea....

This will come back to bite CC on the backside big style.They were the ones who held a gun to the RAFs head asking for more civil slots and when the RAF refused and elected to pull out of St Mawgan they thought they could take it on and make it a go. Councils and airports have never been a marriage made in heaven.

It would be a pity though, it seems all the smaller good airports are really taking a hit

Then you obviously missed the NQYLGW route winning Anna Aero's cake of the week just before Xmas! New routes launched during the last week (Saturday 12 - Friday 18 December) | anna.aero

This is the most exciting thing to happen in the South West since the publication of Sutton Harbour's last set of accounts..........

well lets just see what the new year brings as things pick up in the world economy.

i wouldnt be too surprised to see SZ expand the current fleet and route offering, perhaps a couple of extra dash's and i could see a year round route to Germany, Paris and Amsterdam operating NQY-PLH-xxx and i cant see any reason why if FR dont come back on the STN route why SZ couldnt pick it up.

EW- will be back for summer 2010 to operate for Lufthansa to DUS and i wouldnt be too surprised to see the frequency increased and maybe FRA added in due course as Cornwall is a popular destination for German visitors.

BE- well who knows, the one nightstopping aircraft will operate LGW x3 daily and EDI daily

everything at WW is up in the air currently so i wouldnt expect to see too much extra from them.

i expect that at some stage we could see INV, ABZ and BHX from either SZ or BE but like i say it will depend on the financial situation!

Cargo and maybe some aircraft support work could well help with movements in the long term, i know currently the airfield is used to store several aircraft. i dont honestly think that things at NQY are quite as bad as people are making out!

CS

Thanks Drink Up Thee Cider - a tasty morsel but will Newquay Airport give the Cornwall Council charge payers indegestion ? I agree with earlier comments that new routes will not solve the financial problems but diversification will take time. Have the Council got the time, the money and the will power ? Let's hope so.