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Harry Wayfarers 20th Dec 2017 02:10

NWI sn't so important to me to go checking reviews, I'm a hotelier and some of the reviews of my place :) , but I have fond memories of living both in Watton and some years later Norwich, the fish & chip stall in Norwich market, the Colman's Mustard shop etc. etc. etc.

Mike Flynn 20th Dec 2017 02:20

I have fond memories of the airport being run by the council and the excellent staff they had there in the 1990's.

I am not anti Norwich but think it's sad the managment don't want to make the place more user friendly.

I took this on the apron some years ago. The car used to belong to me and a friend flew the aircraft for Air UK which is now in the museum.https://preview.ibb.co/ca5676/IMG_0199.jpg

Harry Wayfarers 20th Dec 2017 02:50

I worked for Air UK and of a quiet weekend shift, if we weren't in 'Red Roofs' :) , one of uswould nip off to AMS for 6 crates of Grolsch.

One Sunday I was coming back, we had to hold in our Shed 360 for the Red Arrows to do their thing, and as I came thru the terminal, in uniform, the Reds asked me how they could get back out on the tarmac, I told them to follow me and observing my 6 crates of Grolsch they willingly agreed :)

no slots 20th Dec 2017 06:51

Mr SATA. Pilot for 36 years? Clearly you have forgotten your 'met' training. In the UK, it is rare to have fog with a wind above 5kts as it tends to disperse it so landing on 27 is rarely an issue. As with comparing the Far East with the UK! You know ( but to enhance your criticism you forget to mention) that the Far East is by far the fastest growing economy and aviation sector in the world and national governments are investing huge amounts of tax payers money into it. Most scheduled services in Europe are served by 'modern' aircraft now due to strict air pollution regs which is why a lot of the older aircraft have gone to less developed countries ( including many parts of the Far East). You know nothing about what is going on in Norwich except the bad press that you're so eager to share. So stay where you are and talk about something you might have some knowledge about because what is happening out there is of no concern to us over here. The airport is showing an increase in passenger numbers and flights year on year. Clearly these people have a choice and are exercising that choice by walking through the door.

Planespeaking 20th Dec 2017 07:09

The car is Jersey registered and looks strangely similar to the one driven by Jim Bergerac in the 1980s TV series of the same name. I know because I lived in Guernsey in the 1980s and worked there for AirUK.

Mike Flynn 20th Dec 2017 09:56


Originally Posted by no slots (Post 9995897)
You know nothing about what is going on in Norwich except the bad press that you're so eager to share. So stay where you are and talk about something you might have some knowledge about because what is happening out there is of no concern to us over here. The airport is showing an increase in passenger numbers and flights year on year. Clearly these people have a choice and are exercising that choice by walking through the door.

Clearly you work at Norwich and are out to defend the place.

I certainly do have contact with it via a couple of friends who have the misfortune to work as pilots for KLM. Most of the traffic growth has come from the closure of the helicopter base at North Denes.

Have you seen the sad file picture in the Eastern Daily Press a few days ago? Rust stains showing through the paint on the entrance canopy supports. How much of the 'development fee' goes on paint and maintenance of the passenger areas?

I suggest you spool back three years and read some Pprune comments to you from 2014.



GASAX
"As far as the 'growth of Norwich traffic' is concerned it would appear the East Anglian IQ continues to decline - or have the thieving airport management stopped ripping off passengers by charging them to get into the departure lounge with the 'Airport development fee'?

Without paying it of course you cannot get on a flight..................inspite of buying a ticket etc...

When exactly is the airport going to be 'developed'?"
This from Shaggysheepdriver



As for Norwich - the airport 'development' fee has according to their own site been used to pay for;
Quote:
Over the last four years the ADF has helped investment in the following projects at the airport:

- Increase in holiday destinations (both summer and winter) and retention of scheduled services
- Terminal building extension and refurbishment
- Flight information system
- Main apron upgrades for aircraft parking in front of the terminal
- State of the art radar equipment
- Fire training and emergency response facilities and equipment
So in other words the basic running of the facility

canberra97 20th Dec 2017 19:07

Although it looks VERY similar to Jim Bergerac's car the actual registration for that particular vehicle was J 1610.

I worked for British Channel Island Ferries for 8 years and it was a regular vehicle on the Corbiere ferry.

Mike Flynn 21st Dec 2017 13:55

J1656 one of three cars used in Bergerac and a genuine Jersey registered Triumph Roadster. I believe the vehicle you refer to was the main car and actually owned by someone on the mainland which had a UK registration number.

The series featured the number plate J1610 but I understand that was never issued to a Jersey based car.
http://images.car.bauercdn.com/pagef...jpg?scale=down

Now enough of this history lets go back to the future.

I am tempted to pay £20 for a couple of litres of blue paint to cover the rust on the steel supports over the entrance canopy at 'Norwich International'.

Perhaps No Slots will match my generosity?

The owners of Norwich Airport are not exactly poor.


Regional and City Airports is part of Rigby Group plc, the parent company for a portfolio of family-owned and highly successful businesses operating across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Rigby Group plc has evolved across the last 40 years into a £1.6Bn British success story with six divisions and 7,500 employees.

Rigby Group comprises six key divisions: Aviation (British International Helicopters and Capital Air Ambulance), Technology (SCC – Europe’s largest independent IT services business), Airports (Regional & City Airports, Norwich Airport, Exeter Airport and Coventry Airport), Hotels (the Eden Hotel Collection), Real Estate (Rigby & Rigby super prime property development, Rigby Group Real Estate and Imperial Park, Coventry) and Finance (Rigby Private Equity, Rigby Investments and Rigby Capital).
source https://www.norwichairport.co.uk/rigby-group/

Can I suggest you climb down from your ivory tower No Slots and look at the reality of the airport development fee being the rip off every else recognises.:ok:

With all that money behind them why is Norwich singled out for a "development fee " when other airports in the Rigby portfolio such as Bournemouth, Exeter and Coventry are not?

Looking forward to your reply:=

Mike Flynn 21st Dec 2017 14:34

Norwich to Durham Tees Service Axed
 
This from Loganair.

Unfortunately, the Norwich – Durham route wasn’t performing in line with expectations with no signs of improving so we’ve taken the decision to withdraw the service from January 7th”
https://www.loganair.co.uk/loganair-...=december+2017

Expressflight 21st Dec 2017 14:45


Originally Posted by Jay Sata (Post 9997272)
J1656 one of three cars used in Bergerac and a genuine Jersey registered Triumph Roadster. I believe the vehicle you refer to was the main car and actually owned by someone on the mainland which had a UK registration number.

Sorry to go off topic but what was your car J1656 doing on the apron at NWI in your photograph? Just curious.

Mike Flynn 21st Dec 2017 15:02

No problem and always happy to reply.

I sold the car to a friend in Jersey when I emigrated to Australia in the 1980's.

He owned the Lucas agency for the Channel Islands and the production team spotted the car when sourcing parts at his dealership for the main car which had broken down.

They then added it to the props.

Three cars were used in the series.

I moved back to the UK and Norfolk in the 90's and he wanted to dispose of the car which was a pig to drive. I loaned it to a friend who was an Air UK captain and he flew the aircraft in the picture which was taken in 1997 at Norwich.

J1656 is now UK registered with a Swansea number.

The aircraft is now in the museum at Norwich.

At least we have a bit more discussion on a small airport thread.

Expressflight 21st Dec 2017 15:18

Thanks J S

SWBKCB 21st Dec 2017 17:15


With all that money behind them why is Norwich singled out for a "development fee " when other airports in the Rigby portfolio such as Bournemouth, Exeter and Coventry are not?
The tax was in place before Rigby got involved.

Mike Flynn 22nd Dec 2017 01:53

They could lower or drop it.Or at least spend some money on the place.

More bad news for Norwich / Amsterdam passengers today.


1 KL1502/KL1506 NORWICH- AMSTERDAM AND KL1505 AMSTERDAM- NORWICH 22nd DEC 2017 CANCELLED

Can someone please explain why Norwich has never encouraged a competitor to KLM on the Amsterdam route?

SWBKCB 22nd Dec 2017 06:35

https://www.schiphol.nl/en/page/poss...er-conditions/

Not just Norwich.


Can someone please explain why Norwich has never encouraged a competitor to KLM on the Amsterdam route?
How do you know they haven't? Who would you suggest?

NickBarnes 22nd Dec 2017 07:12

Flybe did it briefly before the £10 fee even came in. It failed. I paid around £30 one way to AMS back in 2006, earlier KLM flight that day was near full, My Flybe flight 26 pax, need I say anymore.

Dontgothere 22nd Dec 2017 07:43

What about to a different hub? It’d mean both KL and AMS would have to be competitive.

Naturally, I’d be arguing for EI regional through DUB, but that is only good for connections going west. Also for my own selfish needs, it’d be handy to fly into NWI rather than STN or SEN when flying home to see the folks.

ara01jbb 22nd Dec 2017 08:19

J S ... I refer you back to post #23 on this thread. Almost no-one flies NWI-AMS O&D. As NickBarnes reminds us, FlyBe tried and failed. KLM's route exists to feed KLM's worldwide network at Schiphol. The handful of passengers who are flying to Amsterdam are happy to pay roundtrip fares that start at £120 for a weekend return.

Norwich might be served by another airline to another hub (logically AF to CDG) but I suspect NWI management know on which side of the bread their butter lies. For a city with a population of >200,000 (and a realistic airport catchment area population of >750,000) still managing to sustain three daily flights to a global hub is not bad going. NWI-AMS has more passengers per annum than Cityhopper's equivalent routes to BHD, HUY, MME... even CWL.

(Incidentally, I'm guessing from everything that you have written so far that you are able non-rev as far as Schiphol and are upset you have to pay so much to hop across the Channel to visit Norwich.)

Merry Christmas all. :ok:

canberra97 22nd Dec 2017 20:42

Yes I think your assumption may be correct and he has been moaning about the airport ever since, what was once a very quiet thread it has recently been well and truly really ignited by someone from the other side of world concerned about a bit of paint here and there and the downfall of Norwich airport.

Mike Flynn 23rd Dec 2017 01:18

There is a big difference between stating facts and moaning Canberra. I see you are in Southampton however I still have a house in west Norfolk.

I also had an airstrip next to a house I owned near Acle for many years and my use of the NWI goes back decades.

When in the UK I still call in to collect arriving friends.

I think that qualifies me to comment.

I see firsthand what a shabby run down airport Norwich has become since privatisation.

Where does the £2.5 million extracted every year from passengers go?

Certainly not in making it a more pleasant and comfortable facility.

In my opinion the owners see the place as a property investment not a transport facility in much the same way as the train operating companies extract as much money as they can from the travelling public.

The Eastern Daily Press has run the following story today.


Flights from Norwich to Durham Tees Valley have been axed – less than three months after they were reintroduced.

Scottish airline Loganair said the route, which had an onwards connection to Aberdeen, had performed below expectations and had shown no signs of improving.

The last flight will be on January 7 and passengers who have already made bookings between Durham and Norwich will be able to get a full refund, said Loganair.

Kay Ryan, Loganair commercial director, said: “Unfortunately the Norwich – Durham route wasn’t performing in line with expectations with no signs of improving, so we’ve taken the decision to withdraw the service from January 7.

“Regardless, as the airport’s lead operator, connectivity from Norwich remains a key priority for us.”

A spokesman added the firm’s sister-company BMI Regional would continue to run a service to Aberdeen.

Loganair brought the six-days-a-week flight, which offered an onward connection to Aberdeen, back on October 15 with the aim of serving the energy industry – which has hubs in East Anglia and Scotland.

At the time of the announcement in August Loganair’s managing director Jonathan Hinkles hailed the route as an “important milestone” for the airline.

A spokesman for Norwich Airport said: “As Loganair were unable to provide warning of their decision to cancel the Durham flights we are not in a position to speculate about their reasoning for doing so.

“As ever, however, our first thoughts are for any passengers who may have relied on the service, because we know how important services linking Norwich to other parts of the country are to local businesses and the regional economy.

“This decision is very much at odds with the big picture at Norwich Airport. Even if the Loganair cancellations were taken into account passenger numbers continue to rise year-on-year, with an additional 15,000 travellers passing through the facility in 2017 and several initiatives to introduce new routes in 2018 already well under way.”

Loganair still offers flights to Edinburgh, Manchester and Jersey from Norwich, where it employs 25 staff including pilots, cabin crew and engineers.

Norwich Airport revealed its 30-year masterplan in July which sets out a vision to increase passenger numbers to more than one million by 2045 and forge international links.
Passenger numbers may be rising but they have a long way to go to reach 773,000 which was the figure for 2007. Once the development fee was introduced the numbers dropped.

Scheduled traffic has declined over the years and movements have only increased for gas platform helicopters. Part of the reason for this was the poaching of the North Denes heliport traffic at Great Yarmouth which has now closed.

https://i.imgur.com/9K2NfcW.jpg

The offshore helicopter traffic is propping up the movements via Aberdeen and Schipol.

The suggestion that they will ever reach a million is pie in the sky.

Harry Wayfarers 23rd Dec 2017 01:54

Durham Tees Valley Airport has an airport rail station still named 'Teesside Airport" that see two train services per week ... Is that NWI's fault also?

canberra97 23rd Dec 2017 01:54

Have you emailed Norwich Airport to discuss your concerns regarding the airport because it doesn't matter how much you continually moan about it on here no one can do anything about it so I don't understand your agenda.

And by way the fact that I live in Southampton makes no difference to whether I comment on the Norwich forum just as yourself still owning a home near to Norwich airport and living thousands of miles away in Indonesia gives you any more right, that sort of attitude is immature and I think we all understand that you have issues with Norwich Airport and you seem to be making that statement in all of your posts.

Whatever your trying to gain on Pprune by your continuous rants there is nothing anyone of us including yourself can do about so once again I suggest that you put your comments directly to the management of Norwich Airport and see if they answer to your requests appropriately.

Merry Christmas or should I say 'selamat hari natal'

Mike Flynn 23rd Dec 2017 02:10

Are you suggesting threads like this are just to puff airports PR or for aircraft spotters?

One of my critics is an ATCO at the NWI so he is bound to defend the place.

I am merely stating facts.

The airport management don't care as the bulk of the traffic is related to the oil and gas industry hence the demand for the Aberdeen flights.

Reviews in Skytrax and other sites plus the constant negative comments at the bottom of airport stories in the local paper mean nothing. The development fee is a case in point.

As for my location...north of the equator and certainly not Indonesia which has serious human rights issues.

canberra97 23rd Dec 2017 02:23

Well in that case who actually cares except yourself and don't we know it!

I'm leaving our discussion at this point because of your same rhetoric posts with the same agenda and that's to make a point of how much Norwich Airport has declined but know one really cares and more to the point there is nothing that anyone on Pprune can do about it so your continuous rants are not going to make any difference what so ever so as I mentioned earlier this discussion is over as it's totally pointless.

Now go get yourself a nice coffee then go outside and sit on your balcony and enjoy the sunshine.

Good day to you sir :-)

azzbo 24th Dec 2017 13:20


Originally Posted by Jay Sata (Post 9997780)

Can someone please explain why Norwich has never encouraged a competitor to KLM on the Amsterdam route?


Originally Posted by NickBarnes (Post 9997913)
Flybe did it briefly before the £10 fee even came in. It failed. I paid around £30 one way to AMS back in 2006, earlier KLM flight that day was near full, My Flybe flight 26 pax, need I say anymore.

Flybe had some quite healthy loads on the route, and at one point were operating lots of flights out of Norwich all over the place until they had a spat with the airport manager at the time and it all went bad.


Originally Posted by ara01jbb (Post 9997992)
The handful of passengers who are flying to Amsterdam are happy to pay roundtrip fares that start at £120 for a weekend return.

I'm not, well £120 is at the better end of the scale - I've paid double that at short notice before to attend a funeral. What choice do I have though? It's an easier option that travelling to Stansted.

I've flown NWI to AMS 2 to 3 times a year for the past 30+ years on Air Anglia, AirUK and now KLC as I have family there and I think the fares are a rip off but I do prefer the experience over Stansted. If I travel further afield I often connect via Schiphol too for convenience, and do find it unfair that the cost of the NWI- AMS leg then goes down significantly.

In the beginning the development fee was just £3, then £5 and they remodelled the airport substantially (the departures hall was horrible when it had the toilets and offices in the middle). I agree it does look a bit unloved now though. There is also definitely a lot of resentment locally at the £10 departure tax.

Cant agree with some of the other points, security have always been fine and in line with any other airport I have used (in fact friendlier than many). The Fokker's were always well turned out, and the Embraers are really nice aircraft. Majority of cabin crew are young, and provide a good service. It's been eroded significantly over the past 15 years but it isn't just KLM doing that and on a 30 minute flight I don't think many people really care.

The lack of public transport to and from the airport for the past 30 years also doesn't help at all, I'm in Norwich and a pre booked minicab doesn't set me back too much but the lack of a dedicated bus route must be perplexing to passengers not from the area. Often there aren't even taxi's hanging around (although I would advise anybody to use a local company as it's far cheaper).

You could argue there isn't the demand for a dedicated bus route and probably be right, but with 1 or maybe even 2 trains an hour direct to Stansted (extended from Cambridge) in the next couple of years negating the change at Ely the lack of one isn't helping the airport at all.

canberra97 24th Dec 2017 19:21

azzbo

Please don't encourage Jay Sata to get involved in the discussion again please I beg you :-)

Harry Wayfarers 24th Dec 2017 23:04

According to http://www.traveline.info/ there is a 501 bus route from Norwich bus station to the airport!


From Bus Station (Stand J), Surrey Street, Norwich City Centre, take 501 bus to Amsterdam Way O/S Passenger Terminal, Norwich International Airport
21 minutes. Depart 09:15, Arrive 09:36

ara01jbb 25th Dec 2017 07:00

Around about the time of the change in operators last year (from Norse to Konect Bus), the 501 Park & Ride was re-routed to swing through the airport at the end of its outbound journey to the Airport P&R. You can now catch a bus from the terminal every 15 - 30 minutes on a weekday. Inbound towards the city you'll spend a few minutes waiting at the P&R site before the bus runs express to Anglia Square, Tombland, Castle Meadow then on to Thickthorn.

tommynwi 4th Jan 2018 20:09

TUI now have Dalaman on sale from may 26th, although flights state other carrier. These will complement thomas cooks flights throughout the summer so there are now 2 weekly flights to Dalaman in summer 18 compared to none in summer 17.

Mike Flynn 5th Jan 2018 14:07

Flybe from Alicante to Norwich diverted to Birmingham for "safety issues".
 
Am I missing something here?

BE4326 Flybe flight was diverted to the Midlands over a “suspected technical issue”, according to the airline.

“All passengers on the flight will be assisted back to Norwich once they’ve arrived,” said a Flybe spokesman. “This flight has been diverted as a safety precaution due to a suspected technical issue.”

The spokesman added they “sincerely apologise” for any inconvenience caused.

Birmingham is further than Norwich.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norwich-...gham-1-5344239

Mike Flynn 5th Jan 2018 14:11

The latest here from Alan Partridge International in Norwich.



A flight from Alicante due to land in Norwich at 1.40pm has been diverted to Birmingham as a “safety precaution”.

The BE4326 Flybe flight was diverted to the Midlands over a “suspected technical issue”, according to the airline.

“All passengers on the flight will be assisted back to Norwich once they’ve arrived,” said a Flybe spokesman. “This flight has been diverted as a safety precaution due to a suspected technical issue.”

The spokesman added they “sincerely apologise” for any inconvenience caused.



Norwich flight diverted Birmingham | Latest Norfolk and Suffolk News - Eastern Daily Press
Good news for passengers flying for the convenience of departing Norwich.

JustPrivatePilot 5th Jan 2018 14:16

Maybe because Birmingham has a much longer runway....?
Not knowing what the 'technical issue' was that could have been a deciding factor

Reverserbucket 5th Jan 2018 14:29

Quite right but principally because BHX is a base and own engineering.

Deano777 5th Jan 2018 15:12

Is this even news?

c52 5th Jan 2018 16:18

If airlines start flying to their engineering base instead of to the stated destination, it's something that should be nipped in the bud.

RVF750 5th Jan 2018 16:24

Why would that be? It's a sensible decision IMHO. BHX is a main base, and they would be most likely able ot swap aircraft or get fixed quickly enough to fly onto Norwich and pick up the next sectors, long before an engineer could make it from one end of the A47 to the other!

BizJetJock 5th Jan 2018 16:24

Start? They've been doing it as long as there have been airlines! They'd be very stupid not to.

NickBarnes 5th Jan 2018 16:26

Good news that TUI have also added the Dalaman flight.

Presume it went to Birmingham for the ease of engineering cover, different aircraft has positioned in from Birmingham to cover the rest of the schedule for the day.

DaveReidUK 5th Jan 2018 16:49

A "suspected technical issue" on a Dash 8 could well be a euphemism for "we won't know for sure until we try to lower the gear and land on it".

If I was a passenger on board hoping not to see the gear collapse and the prop start gouging chunks out of the runway, I'd far rather be landing at BHX (Cat 9 RFF) then NWI (Cat 6).

Expressflight 5th Jan 2018 17:50

DaveReidUK

It would have been an E195 not a Dash 8.


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