Time for a change?

Commercial director leaves Durham Tees Valley Airport (From The Northern Echo)

The public? one person who repeatedly bangs a familiar drum... :suspect:

Boris Island
 

A piece on Simon Mayos drivetime today gives mention to Humberside Teesside and Inverness. Airports that have long been forgotten when it comes to links to the capital. The guest was Lawrie Price an 'Aviation expert', who reckons it will be 2030 or 3 succesive governments before a decision is made on air expansion in London. Should dovetail nicely into Peels Masterplan.
We should be on Mars by then!

Inverness has flights to two London airports going up to three this winter, just not Heathrow anymore.

Plus INV needs a London services given the options are a 12+ hour bus ride or 8+ hour train ride. A London service would bring nothing to MME that can't be done via AMS. A London service for those terminating in London is nonsensical given the quick and regular train service.

The BA 787 looked nice on the approach yesterday presume it will be back if they need somewhere quiet for a bit more training.

BA 787 and fire cover
 

Yes great sight to see a large aeroplane again!! Just a thought...is the correct fire cover in place..I seem to remember we are only covered for the jet streams and fokkers? Maybe it doesn't apply to training???

I stand to be corrected but my understanding is crews on larger types can waiver the fire category providing there are no pax on board.

Hangar 4 area already has planning for industrial use.

The last Flybe Jersey flight for 2014 is next Saturday, 13th of September
In the absence of a summer 2015 timetable on the Flybe website, does anyone know whether Flybe will return to DTV for S15 ?

Sycamore
 

From the lack of movements, assume this company have ceased operations. Can somebody confirm either way please? Thank you.

Went from MME yesterday for the first time in about 6 months. The new business lounge is clean, simple and was fairly full for an early morning.

The cafe has relocated next door into the area of the old business lounge. This is a much more inviting place than the departure area but no one was sat in it. Maybe some directional signage to let people know about the new cafe would drag some passengers into the area.

Didn't know about this, so good to hear something positive, helps to generate a bit of momentum - airport should be giving the local press a bit of good news.

The Sycamore website still seems to be up and running but a movement website shows that nothing has happened since April 14.

Lounge
 

I agree, the new cafe is tidy but is well hidden away. Also some confusion as the entrance is via the business lounge so invariably you get people wondering from one to the other unsure what is going on.

Sat on the tarmac the other morning, delayed half an hour because, according to the pilot, "a member of the fire crew had slept in and we couldn't leave until everyone had arrived for work". Had many delays in my life but never because a fireman had slept in.

Noticed also the lack of activity at Sycamore. Hopefully a blip?

Sycamore
 

They are still trading, but sadly the airport have had to place a repossession notice on their hangar due to unpaid bills.

I heard somewhere they've potentially got a couple of aircraft in the pipeline for around October time, and they are hoping to find enough cash to carry on trading until then, but alas it sounds to me like they are clutching at straws.

A great shame as they didn't deserve this, they have had A LOT of bad luck during their short existence. Always seems to happen to the best ones.

Disappointing - also, weren't they one of the key potential clients for the aviation related industries part of the Masterplan?

I was hoping for their sake it would be kept off here, never mind.

SWBKCB - until the worst happens - IF the worst happens - they still are.

Has the airport really reduced to 3 ABZ and 3 AMS rotations and only 200 departing passengers per day? How did the skydiving operation work out, did it fit in smoothly with the scheduled flights?

bb