Have you seen the passenger figures? In 2017, KLM had a load factor of just 59% on their AMS-MME route. Here are the annual load factors for KLM's other UK routes where it has a monopoly;

AMS-ABZ: 80%
AMS-BHD: 77%
AMS-CWL: 73%
AMS-HUY: 65%
AMS-INV: 72%

As you can see, KLM's MME route is performing very poorly, and unless these numbers improve drastically, either the frequency will be reduced, or the route could even be axed altogether. That is why the mayor is wanting to create a dialogue with KLM. One of his campaign promises was to revive the fortunes of MME, and ultimately talking to the airport's largest operator is a sensible and proactive approach to take.

The load factor is the same now as it has been for years or thereabouts, how do the yields compare on those routes one wonders

Good grief - it's like being back at work, a load of numbers being quoted with no context or analysis! Load factors tell you nowt without any details of what is being paid. KLM could probably fill the flights with lots of loss-leading fares, but this route has survived for years on connecting local industries with the rest of the world - yes "global connectivity" - and we must assume they are happy with the "yield".

In fact, "global connectivity" is the one thing that everybody in the DTVA saga agrees on.

In normal times, the mayor meeting with KLM wouldn't be an issue, but it really is time for him put up or shut up. He got elected on a manifesto which included sorting out the airport, but so far he's done nothing but stir the pot and damage confidence, and has yet to explain how he intends to buy something Peel don't want to sell, where he's going to get the money for it, and what he's going to do with it once he's got it.

Whatever, KLM must be rubbing their hands...

Amsterdam - Newcastle in 2017 (as above) I read recently was 87.4% - "The same percentage as for KLM's total flight network" - can't find the source, maybe someone can supply.

DTVA suffered a 5.7% decline in volume, although more seats were available. Leeds Bradford increased by 1.3% with similar capacity in terms of aircraft used. Newcastle declined 4.3% mainly due to capacity constrained by smaller a/c being used on some sectors.
DTVA - 96,000 pax
NCL - 364,000 pax
LBA - 254,000 pax

This should help the new house sales...


https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/t...t-hit-14470733

Perhaps the date may have something to do with it!

Oh aye :O - there again, it is DTVA so nothing surprises...

Not forgetting that Jet2 fly rotations every day between LBA and AMS

DTVA Ltd board of directors.
 

Changes to the DTVA Ltd board.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/c...filing-history

More details.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/c...20423/officers

Can anyone explain what these charges are which have been filed against the airport?
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/c...020423/charges

Google Debenture and dig around there! Someone else might come along.

The council could sell the hotel if they didn't keep up payments to the pension fund.

2019
 

Have to say I'm a little confused and am wondering if anyone more informed can explain.

Some years ago Thomson and Balkan were kicked out for being unviable. That decision has been discussed at length here in the subsequent years. I think most of us understand the rationale now even if we don't agree with it.

Now Balkan are back for 2019 with one flight a week. One would assume the economic arguments of the past remain, so I was expecting more flights to be announced to make things viable. But now TUI, Thomas Cook and Jet2 are on sale for next summer and there is no mention of MME.

So, the questions are....

Is there a plan for someone else to come in and who could they be?

If not, what has changed economically to make Balkan work this time?

Or was there more to the story when the original axe fell that we don't know about?

I am guessing that Balkan and the rest of the IT program wasn't 'kicked out' but rather the deal at the time wasn't renewed?? Again guessing, I think Balkan may be back with a new more favourable contract for the airport this time??
Well that's how a normal airport might operate so????

No - Balkan had just signed a new contract, but hadn't started operations before they were "kicked out". The point made at the time was that cost of servicing the flights was more than the airport would make, so they weren't economic (which begs the still open question as to why the contract was signed in the first place...).

Presumably this has now changed and Balkan are paying at a level where the airport aren't losing money.

There are two scenarios; 1) the airport were anticipating more to come which would have made the overall charter programme viable; this seems to have been confirmed by that Sue Jeffries woman in a press release a couple of months ago and is consistent with rumours I heard going back long before that. Unfortunately the Mayor seems to have blocked anything else that might have been coming, however, I suspect Peel as a ruthless operator would in such an event just axe Balkan again, which makes scenario 2 far more likely - that Balkan are simply paying a fair price.

Another point is that the Balkan flight is a Saturday so staff should be available with only a couple of KLMs and the Jersey.

Judges ruling on council not providing FOI requests re DTV and Peel sale documents.
 

Judge decision regarding FOI request for DTV sale documents.

"Peel’s case asserted that disclosure could weaken its position in negotiations with potential new investors in the airport and could be used by competitors against it.

“What Peel has completely failed to do, however, is to support its assertions with evidence,” the judge said.
“There are no witness statements, and no evidence or even arguments to link the disclosure of any specific aspect of the information with any specific business interests that would or would be likely to be prejudiced by its disclosure.”

Peel had “failed to show the causal link between the disputed information and the claimed prejudice”, the tribunal concluded, ordering Hartlepool to send Latimer the information within 35 days.”

14th March 2018.
Hartlepool Borough Council v IC & (Dismissed : Freedom of Information Act 2000) [2018] UKFTT 2017_0057 (GRC) (09 April 2018)

https://eastdevonwatch.org/2018/04/1...ial-prejudice/

Wonder how much money that waste of time cost, hopefully it wasn't money that could of been spent on the airport.

Lets call it the price of doing business in a democracy. In reality it will be a pittance, Peel have plenty of money to spend on the airport - if they want to.

Judges ruling on the FOI appeal - D Day is approaching.
 

The full ruling document into the councils appeal makes interesting reading.
Hartlepool Borough Council v IC & (Dismissed : Freedom of Information Act 2000) [2018] UKFTT 2017_0057 (GRC) (09 April 2018)

I wouldn't be surprised if a few council officers are worried about what now finally comes out into the public domain.

Too many people have wondered why a certain few in the councils gave away 835 acres pius airport buildings to a multi billion pound land company for the very small sum of only £500k? :ugh:

The judge gave the council 35 days from 14th March 2018 to provide ALL of the information which had previously been kept Secret by the councils and Peel.
I wonder if there will be any government inquiries into this sale? :ok:

The press should be now asking the 6 council leaders and the DTV Airport council board members what they have to say about the latest legal findings?