Great move for him,and for BOH, shame we lost him,the present SOU management are yet to shine!

German Airways are operating an Embraer 190 on behalf of KLM for the next few months due to concurrent engine issues with their existing fleet.

German Airways Embraer 190 D-AMWO is currently planned to operate KL919/920 Amsterdam to Southampton and return on Saturday, 18 November 2023. I'm not sure if the aircraft has already been seen at Southampton, but it's due to operate on the route on a regular basis over the next few months.

Although German Airways is operating on behalf of KLM, it's still nice to see a new airline on the apron at Southampton Airport.

D-ANJK has been a fairly regular visitor for KL for a couple of weeks now, and IIRC D-AMWO visited once, last week.

Many thanks for the further information it's appreciated 👍

I personally don't tend to keep up with aircraft movements. It's good to know that the German Airways Embraer 190 has been a recent and also a frequent visitor to Southampton Airport.

So, many of you are getting your Xmas wish....EasyJet Europe now serving SOU to Faro and to Alicante yay!

With EZY Swiss going all apace to GVA for this SKI season (and also to GVA and LYS from BOH)

There will be more.....

SEN also gets the ALC too,
along with PMI FAO AGP GNB GVA CDG and AMS
(SEN is really picking up, with BH Air doing a high season summer charter to Bourgas too)

Would expect to see AGP/PMI added soon with maybe further frequency on ALC/FAO

No sign of any other airline starting from SOU,and Easy Jet has gone quiet!
An we expect any news as December approaches?

No one knows the answer to your question. We've been told numerous times before by a couple of poster's that "all will become clearer in October/November" and all we've had so far is an announcement by easyjet confirming that BFS and GLA are to be year-round and a measly summer season of flights to Alicante and Faro.

I know you always ask the same questions, but to be honest, you will have to wait it out like the rest of us.

I think that our only hope is for easyjet to eventually announce AGP and PMI, but considering that December is fast approaching, I'm not holding my breath. It is a pity that easyjet announced BOH to LYS rather than SOU to LYS.

I'm also hoping that Loganair eventually announces a long-awaited service from MAN to SOU.

In the long term, I would like to see Lufthansa announce a route from either Frankfurt or Munich.

Other than that, I can't think of anything else to look forward to in the coming months at SOU 🤔

What you mean the huge ski schedule of 4 BOH departures for LYS!

Yes, considering that easyjet is obviously interested in expanding from Southampton. Regardless of the fact that it's only 4 departures. If LYS was at SOU rather than BOH, it could well have operated for a slightly longer period for winter 2024/25. At least it would have been another destination offered by easyjet from SOU, irrespective of the fact that it's only 4 flights.

I do find it bizarre that those flights couldn’t be operated from SOU when its clear EZY see their future at the airport, maybe keeping AGS on their toes!

Exactly and that's why I made my initial comments. I'm pleased that you now agree to what I originally stated 🤗

Yes. By all accounts EZY are due to release a 2nd batch of routes anytime now so would expect/hope that as you say PMI/AGP at the very least shall be added. Small steps but I can envisage a sizeable presence from orange over the next 12/18 months!

As well as Lyon, Easy have more Geneva flights from Bournemouth, so maybe not that bizarre. They've been growing that market for years.

I think you will see something more very soon, but don’t get too excited. If that’s to be the lot from easyJet, the airport must be sorely disappointed. The more I hear, the more it looks like easyJet are only in SOU as a spoiler in an effort to deter anyone else growing there and it becoming a threat to Gatwick.

Why disappointment, for the past 6 years easyjet has only ever operated one seasonal ski route, now with a runway extension hardly dry the airport possibly has 6 additional orange destinations for sun and domestics. Outside of based aircraft being present, what on earth more can be expected in such a short space of time?

If you are assuming that "easyjet are only in SOU as a spoiler in an effort to deter anyone else growing there and it becoming a threat to Gatwick" then surely they would have started routes that currently don't have any existing operators.

The measly summer season of flights to Alicante and Faro aren't really a long-term threat to Gatwick nor is competing with Aer Lingus or Loganair at SOU. Regardless of what routes they announce, SOU will never be a threat to LGW. The likes of AGP, ALC, FAO, IBZ, PMI can easily exist at SOU without ever becoming a threat to LGW.

I get the impression that easyJet is just cherry-picking the routes rather than seeing SOU as a real threat to LGW. A very small airport such as SOU with under one million passengers is not really a threat to LGW with nearly 50 million passengers p/a. SOU is almost two hours away from LGW and is able to attract passengers without it being a threat to LGW, especially considering the large operation by easyjet based at that airport.

I don't necessarily think that easyJet is at SOU as a true spoiler. They are operating the routes because they feel that there is a demand not because they want to spoil any further competition.

As my previous post's show, I've never been over optimistic regarding any real expansion at SOU from easyJet. If they were that intent on growing at SOU, I think they would have announced by now more routes than they currently have. After all, they have had every opportunity to do so, but all we have so far is ALC, BFS, FAO, GLA, plus the existing GVA.

Hopefully, as you and others have mentioned, easyJet will announce further routes from SOU in the coming weeks.

People are saying "small steps" or something similar. Well, those steps are certainly small.

Have noticed that Stand 11 and Stand 12 NOTAMed as closed until 21 Feb/10 Jan respectively. What is happening, perhaps the boundary fence being moved to provide longer Stands to accommodate A320s?

Of course SOU must be disappointed. The airport has recently completed a long awaited runway extension costing £17.5 million with the hope of attracting new airlines and routes.

If the airport were pinning their hopes on easyJet then surely they are disappointed with what has already been announced. I know I am and so are others on here.

Regardless of the fact that for six years easyJet have just operated a seasonal flight from GVA, one would have assumed that they would have announced more routes by now than they already have.

It's not really "a short space of time" considering that easyJet obviously knew about the runway extension in advance but made no announcements at the time.

EasyJet have so far announced ALC, BFS, FAO, GLA, thats four routes plus the existing GVA which makes it five routes. Where are you getting the six from, unless you're expecting them to shortly announce PMI. Other than ALC and GVA those other destinations currently see service from other airlines at SOU.

How many extra seats do the new routes equate to? As far as the airport is concerned, that's what matters.

The runway extension is a long term investment and I'm sure the airport owners view it thus.

That there are only comparatively few route developments announced so far for S24 probably doesn't matter. In the longer term I feel sure more services that require the extra runway length will follow in the months and years to come.

Patience is a virtue as we were told as kids!

Organic growth is far superior to “throw a load of routes at it and see what sticks.” A company who expands on the basis of using data to figure out where demand is will make better, more informed and hopefully more sustainable investment decisions which ultimately benefits everyone employed by the airlines, airport and the ancillary businesses linked to both.

Also, what is the opportunity cost of taking those aircraft off other routes? If an airline was to show up tomorrow with ten airframes and forty routes you need to question what has this company been doing with their assets that they feel confident that trying them in an untested market is likely to give them more return than what they have been currently generating.

Additionally there is a lot of work that needs to be done around schedule to make sure that the aircraft are being used in an efficient manner. Arrival and departure slots, especially at holiday destinations during peak season are very valuable to a company and need to utilised to the company’s maximum benefit. To give capacity to these destinations ex SOU means that a company has had to reduce capacity on an existing route or apply for additional slots. Airlines do lots of market research before launching a route but the proof of the pudding is in the eating and if demand is high and yield is strong then it would be reasonable to expect more long term investment and growth.

The impatience on here is really something.

here is a question, does the runway extension mean SOU is instantly ready for a large increase in routes and larger aircraft? Or do all other facilities need time to be upgraded first? We have had the work to the stands after the runway extension, maybe next is the security areas? Maybe the third party that serves the aircraft is waiting on new equipment to serve more larger aircraft at once? Maybe the terminal extension is needed? Etc etc. I’m sure low cost operators have a list of requirements before they move in.

It’s going to be gradual growth whilst those things are dealt with.

I see Jet2 have just ordered a load more A320Ns….

Yeah, low cost operators are renown for demanding a lot of requirements before they move in. Usually it's a shed and a runway long enough.....

The issue with the patience aspect is Southampton's operators are losing millions of pounds a year and are on their latest accounts as saying there is a material concern to their ongoing viability.

The new routes may well be coming soon, but they need to be as the airport needs to return to pre pandemic numbers sooner rather than later.

Good points,the question is will there be enough routes to make SOU profitable again?

LCC’s can be tough cookies to deal with. Whilst they might not necessarily be demanding of all the bells and whistles, they are very demanding of efficiencies, behind the scenes as it were.

Airports want the LCC’s because, whilst they may not have the prestige of a hub carrier flying to their hub, they do bring volume and destinations. With that in mind, the LCC can be fairly picky and demanding.

LCC's fill the car parks, the bars and the duty free's - that's where the money is made by the airport owners

and a lot of LCC traffic means you can run a full revenue generating operation almost 24/7 - people sitting there from 04:00 waiting for the curfew to end at 06:00 for example.

A few LCC flights isn't nearly as useful- see Doncaster

I agree they can drive hard commercial deals but my point was more about I don't think they're fussed about terminal expansions, security numbers etc. We've all flown with certain airlines, orange, pink and blue, where the airport is completely lacking in that department.

Although I agree with most of your comments in the above post. (Must be a first for me) There's one thing I don't entirely agree with.

Doncaster isn't really a good example is it. At the end they only had TUI and before that Wizz as well. The airport was very reliant on LCCs and IT flights. SOU currently has eight airlines serving the airport, of which one is only an LCC. SOU is also a very important airport within the UK domestic scene whereas Doncaster wasn't. Two totally different airports serving totally different markets. If SOU had the same runway length and terminal size as Doncaster, it would without doubt be a far busier airport than it currently is, with or without a based LCC.

The plan pre-covid was a Hurn base for Jet2, so if they have ordered A320N, Southampton might have a case if 24/7.

SOU-PMI 2024 flight cancellation.
 

Having booked twice in 2024 with BA regional to fly SOU - PMI - SOU have just received text saying flights from SOU cancelled. Very disappointed. Anyone have any updates/news?

What has happened with BA cityflyer 2024, Palma not bookable for summer service? It was a excellent service ,a blow for SOU?

SOU - PMI 2024 flight cancellation
 

Ref my post 2430 - getting my head around it now. My MAY 2024 booking with BA regional SOU - PMI - SOU still okay however 28 SEPT 2024 out & 5 OCT 2024 back now canx. BA programme from SOU to PMI now seems to end mid SEPT 2024. Same airfare ticket price to rebook however hotel price an additional £285 for bringing holiday forward 2 weeks! Annoying to say the least.

At present still operating a Sunday service although Sat and 2nd Sun have been dropped. Would imagine EZY possibly coming in with a summer schedule to PMI has made BA utilise their airframe elsewhere!

Shame I'm sure we will see the end of BA in 2024,good service ,lots of leg room and timing was good ! ,all the hype of 11 destinations from BA for SOU has fizzled out,I guess the demand wasn't there.

The demand is surely there but not with the very limited schedule offered by BA. Week long holidays are not suited to everyone including myself. Being a BA Executive member I'm continuing to use my avios at LGW and LHR. I tend to go away for 3 or 4 days something that you can't do with BA from Southampton. Plus the limited amount of destinations that BA offered didn't necessarily appeal to me.

When you use the BA App the drop down menu has London for LGW and LGW. You have to either search or type Southampton as a departure airport. The App doesn't make it easy for anyone looking for flights from Southampton. I should imagine that the majority of the travelling public are totally unware of the fact that BA offer a limited number of flights from Southampton.

But in saying that it's an absolute shame to see BA go from 13 destinations down to four in 2024. BA in my opinion are a good fit for Southampton, it's just a pity that they never took it seriously. But then again I can often be at LHR T5 within n hour of leaving my front door.

I'm not a huge fan of easyJet but I have travelled with them on several occasions over the years. They have certainly improved as an airline since my first flight with them back in 2003. If easyJet offered more destinations from Southampton with a good schedule I would be more willing to use them especially if BCN was eventually announced.

So far Southampton has lost more destinations than it has gained despite the runway extension?

Maybe the management need to take responsibility for this,they recently lost their main man to BOH owners , perhaps significant!

Unfortunately BA we’re never going to hang around once the runway extension was complete. Prior to this their planes were suited to the shorter runway but now with the likes of easyjet adding routes, they are never going to be able to compete and will instead retrench back to LCY and other weekend charter work around the U.K.

Its very disappointing to see BA reduce their services from SOU but not surprising to be honest
BA as we all know were only ever going to operate until something better came along , look at BRS , STN and BHX operations in the past years

Crewing and hotac was a massive problem and always will be when they operate away from home bases , the cost etc ( as previously discussed )

Alicante and Limoges has also been removed from the booking engine

TUI are still using BA to Palma but with revised flight times now

Would imagine that BA have second guessed EasyJet are lurking and have done the honerable thing and withdrawn