I didn't know they were in to airports (owning rather than building), but they are a large construction firm with various interests, including LHR T2, publicly quoted so plenty of info out there.

However, there is a big difference between EXT & MME afaik - the former is a thriving regional airport with the right airline offering good range of routes, using the ideal aircraft for the regional market. MME is struggling, and if there were deals to be done to bring someone in, wouldn't Peel, who already have plenty of loco activity at LPL have done them?

I know exactly what BB would be interested in here at CVT, and it is under the runway not on it. As for MME, how much is the airport worth as development land?

Exeter Airport's situation is different to Durham Tees Valley, if only because of its strong links with Flybe which is headquartered at EXT and has a training academy and engineering base there too.

Flybe is the dominant airline at the airport and operates nearly all the scheduled services.

Exeter's fortunes in terms of passenger numbers are therefore inextricably linked with Flybe and, mainly because the airline has been cutting back on frequencies and some routes from the airport in recent years, especially in winter, the overall annual passenger throughput has dropped from just over one million in 2007 to 710,000 in 2011, a reduction of around 30%.

I think its general knowledge that BB caught a cold with EXT. They expected to be there for a couple of years and sell on but the recession hit them hard.

The plans they announced on purchase have failed to materialise and they are praying for an uptick in business.

Looks like Balkan holidays have quietly dropped Bourgas for the summer season as nothing showing on there web site to book

New routes for S13
 

Flybe will be introducing twice weekly to Barcelona (which I am very pleased to see!) and the return of Nice.

Looks like Air Transat / Canadian Affairs are dropping Exeter to Toronto next summer after many years of operating from this airport
They are offering a connection via Manchester or Glasgow with Flybe instead to Toronto

Flybe are upgrading it looks like to a second based EMB190 for next summer during the week , with one aircraft pretty much working the Manchester 3 weekday flights and moving else where at the weekends

Heard all this before at the other BB airport at BLK.If it's general knowledge that this is FACT and not gossip, can you post a link as to why they would buy EXT to sell, and to who, and why?..Let me guess, to build houses on?.

A380
 

I have just seen A380 F-WWDD fly through the Exeter overhead. What a fantastic sight:D. Does anyone know the reason behind?

Think it was en route Filton.

The A 380 paid its last visit to Filton today prior to the runway there closing at the end of the month - though the various aviation industries on and around the site will continue.

To mark the occasion the 380 took a number of Filton employees on a short flight around the West Country/South West. That's probably what you saw.

I'm told the 380 also did a low flypast at Bristol Airport today as well. It's done that sort of thing before and must have put the wind up the local nimbys again.

380s have been regular visitors at Filton in recent years in connection with testing etc.

VIDEO: Airbus A380 lands at Filton Airfield for the last time | This is Bristol

It was indeed from Filton today, a sad day, here's a few pictures...

http://www.michaelbuckle.co.uk/image...1620653404.jpg
View on Flickr

http://www.michaelbuckle.co.uk/image.../704816298.jpg
View on Flickr

Thanks MV. Also found photos here Flickr: Exeter International - EGTE think it will be along time before one visits EXT again.

can anyone please give me the around 30 year history of flights from Exeter to Toronto.

I know it started i think back in the 80's with DC8's of crownair and worldways and their tristars ( saw a crownair DC8 once there) and air transat has of course operated for many years into the airport until recently.

IIRC Wardair did not use EXT despite going to almost all of the other UK airports.

who else please?
thanks indeed :)

nice photo here in 1989 https://www.flickr.com/photos/easyflyer9/4975265942

Not much reported here about Exeter but a few things noted

Thomson Summer 2017

Dalaman dropped down to 1 flight operated by Freebird A320 , the Thomson based aircraft now operating to LPA and an extra flight to ACE using the 2 Dalaman slots previously flown by Thomson

Malta dropped completely

Flybe look to be keeping there 195 at Exeter operating the winter sun flights to ALC and AGP on a W pattern with Norwich
Chambery at the weekend but not to Norwich , and 1 Faro service a week
Geneva back to a Sat only flight on a Dash

Thomson Summer 2018

Looks to be the same as this year with no new routes but a full programme operated by the based 738

Thomas Cook not bookable to Palma at the moment on a Sat , this is usually operated by a Bristol based A321 , could go on sale later though

Looks like after many years of the Thomas Cook A321 / 757 visiting on the Saturday morning Palma service , this is stopping in 2018

Palma is now operated by Flybe on a Sunday throughout the summer on what looks like to be a Dash 8 judging by the flight time

propellers to Palma??? - are we in the 1960's!

at least it was Vanguard Britannia or a Viscount back then :hmm:

Flybe have been using Dash 8's from Southampton to Palma for a few seasons as well as the odd flight to Alicante so it's nothing new although personally I would prefer not to.

no nor me, cannot bear the Dash 8-
the Dash 7 though was nice though - we handled Brymons when brand new at LHR to replace their old Herald on the NQY EXT and PLH

however my last big prop sojourn of any length was when i worked for BMA at LHR and we still had Prop night charters from LPL-PMI and also BHX-MAH on Viscounts
this was very late 70's early 80's and I often jumped on for a free ride down to start my hols -
took almost 5 hours plodding through the night - hot dinner, plenty of drinks - Capt came back and sat in the cabin (it was not full) to eat his dinner!
those were the days

Really don't know why so many people have problems with the Dash!

It cruises fast (only a couple of minutes behind a jet on most UK/close Europe sectors), climbs quickly, is economical, is not too noisy (when the NVS is working) and is reasonably comfortable (I prefer the 2+2 layout dictated by the narrow fuselage).

Fair to say that there are a lot of regional/hub feed and point-to-point sectors around the world that wouldn't be operating if it didn't exist.

But the simple fact of the matter is the Q400 was not designed to fly 900 mile sectors. EXT-PMI is not a close European sector, it doesn't cruise fast and isn't a couple of minutes behind the jet on a 900 mile sector, it only climbs fast in the lower levels and most certainly doesn't climb fast at max weight and in high ISA temperatures.