The way I see it, if you're looking for more than a once daily service to LGW then your only option is EZY.

There are lots of ideas about other airlines but remember who has the slots. Vacant slots to facilitate any other airline operating double daily services that would suit the business traveller simply don't exist. NQY can talk to as many airlines as they like but I suspect only one (EZY) has a slot portfolio large enough that it can manipulate in order to provide services.

The other thing to bear in mind is that all the slots EZY will get from BE are early inbounds from remote locations. EZY's business model will not support a based aircraft in LGW and to over night a LGW crew in NQY on a daily basis will only serve to increase costs of operating the route. Regrettably, I think you'll find that if EZY do anything, it will be once a day, or potentially twice a day at best, but in my own view, the likelihood of an early flight to LGW beyond March 2014 is remote.

Should the blame be laid at the door of Flybe or NQY airport?. Personally I don't think so. Any regional operator would have had to absorb precisely the same fee and fuel cost increases as Flybe have and I doubt that they would have made things work any better. It's worth noting that in November 2013, LGW Airport announced a 4.8% increase in half yearly profits of £172million.

The blame can be laid squarely at lack of any coherant aviation policy in this country to protect regional connectivity to the capital, along with the excessive tax burden that successive governments have placed on the industry.

Very well said, JobsaGoodun

NQY to London Southend starts on 20th June. Maybe EZY will run this service through the winter in future....?

Visited the Classic Air Force at Newquay today. A really nice set of folks there and a good setup. It was great to sit in the Dakota's cockpit and to see the rest of the collection. It was a bonus to see the Thomson Dreamliner doing touch and gos.

Having never been to Newquay Airport before, I was dismayed by the lack of signposting to the Classic Air Force. The result was that I followed the Airport signs and drove to the passenger terminal. Now I knew the Classic Air Force was there somewhere, but it took me two more attempts to find it - it's a big airport with several roads around it. Once I'd finally arrived over the far side of the site, on enquiring I was told that the County Council refuse to allow any signs to be put up until the museum has approved its attractiveness as measured by "footfall". The museum has put its own signs up but Council officials have removed them! Seems a crazy situation to me - why would the Council make it more difficult for the Museum to prove its attractiveness? Apparently they are currently attracting about 80 visitors per day, but I'm sure they would get more if the museum was appropriately signposted.

The museum isn't entirely blameless though; their leaflet leaves a lot to be desired - no map, for a start, and no directions either......

I wish the Classic Air Force well; they deserve to succeed. And good luck to NQY too. It was pretty quiet today apart from the 787, just one Dash 8 and one Hawker Hunter while I was there.

Never underestimate the ability of Cornwall County Council to utterly cock something up.

80 visitor numbers a day doesn't sound healthy, it was obvious that the winter season would be dead, but we're in early June now and things should be really starting to pick up.

It is still pretty quiet out and about at the moment, most emmetts haven't arrived yet but when the petrol prices start to rocket and the cars with the grockle boxes on show up it you will know it has started.

The signage issue is unforgivable but typical of the Council as already stated, I have never understood either why there isn't someone walking up and down the beaches in Newquay and round Truro in the School Holidays offering pleasure flights on something small and suitable.....

Sounds like a plan Groundhog especially as we know a man who can. I am hiding already........

Groundhog, I will try not to take offence at your "emmett" and "grockle" jibes, as one who comes with my family to spend my cash and help the economy in Cornwall for at least a week every year :hmm:

I was in the St Ives area last week (schools half term) and it was anything but quiet. Almost as many Deutsch "emmetts" as Brit "emmetts", as usual.

I love Cornwall, so less biting of the hand that feeds please.

You make a valid point about the Germans.

Me thinks that Cornwall and NQY could make more of the German opportunities. Once a week during peek summer on LH ex DUS, think there's other opportunities NQY-Germany.


cs

Wycombe - Sorry if you find my comment offensive it is only a joke, I am an emmett myself despite living in Cornwall for may years and always will be, down here it is seen as a term of endearment for visitors and incomers... meanwhile back at the airport...

Cornwall has to be one of the most unwelcoming societies on the planet..where else do people drive round with `Non Emmett` stickers on their cars and even mention such names in ordinary conversation??..its probably one of the reasons a lot less people now visit and Newquay Airport will always struggle to be anything more than the last outpost of the aviation empire...Sadly such things are also noticed in airlines route planning departments..

Have you ever tried North Wales? ... As soon as an English speaking tourist may walk in they'll change their converse to the Welsh language!

Where I live I'm often referred to as a "pom", an Australian friend only popped in to my resort yesterday and the "Pom/Aussie" banter started, nothing to be offended about much the same as nothing offensive about "Emmett" and "Grockle.

About the only thing wrong with Cornwall is the weather during the winters.

hell fire we agree for once! Am Welsh and proud of it but have also experienced the move to welsh as soon as a non welsh speaker enters some of the rural pubs and restaurants! So rude

Before FR and NQY fell out I used to think they could make a good go of flights from Hahn, though at that time they only did daily flights year-round so perhaps they felt there wasn't enough in the winter for them though Kerry seemed to work, or perhaps no route support was forthcoming.

Nowadays of course FR do low frequency seasonal routes, which would fit NQY perfectly from the likes of Hahn, Neiderrhein, Charleroi and possibly even Skavsta. If someone at Cornwall County Council had some imagination it is just the sort of opportunity that should be explored.

Didn't NQY receive Swiss flights at one time?

Fair enough, Groundhog.

I actually don't agree with paully - although one does see the car stickers and the like, I generally find the locals friendly, although there are probably a few pubs in the poorer parts of the County that I might stay out of.....but that would be the same anywhere in the UK to be honest.

Phileas is right about Wales though.....I visit west Wales a lot, and often notice the language turn to Welsh as I enter a shop, pub etc, even now.

Meanwhile, back at NQY, I agree with cornishsimon. Look at how many flights the Channel Islands get from Germany during the Summer....yes, I know they are islands, but getting to Cornwall by car/bus/train from somewhere like Munich must be a lengthy and arduous journey.

Revisiting their WWII occupation perhaps! :)

One issue with attracting more German/Dutch visitors is how they get about once in Cornwall should they fly. The hire car options are quite limited at NQY - I tried arranging just such a set up for German friends last year, but they ended up driving instead... and found it enjoyable, much to their surprise. Canterbury, Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Clovelly - they found as many sites to see on the trip down and back as they did in Cornwall.

The whole Emmett/Grockle terminology is a light hearted nickname. There is however genuine frustration when it comes to the influx of summer visitors.

Well I guess the locals can't have it both ways, that influx is probably the main source of income for many of them!

For me, it all comes down to lack of good transport infrastructure:
- sections of the busiest parts of the A30 in Cornwall that are still single-carriageway
- trains capable of 125mph that can't do more than 75mph west of Plymouth,
- an airport that can accept all current types of pax aircraft (ok, maybe not an A380), but is hampered by extreme seasonality and being run by a Council.

same people that complain about second home sbut are more than willing to sell you there place..................

I just can't see Newquay surviving - there aren't a lot of non UK visitors cp Scotland or Ireland and the road connections to the airport are poor. The train service is good (far better than to say N Scotland or even N Wales) and offers much higher frequencies than any airline will ever manage

Heathrow Harry - Newquay not sustainable you say ?
What shall we do ? Maybe someone might want to build an airport near Plymouth. Oh hang on, I think someone tried that before...