Has everyone forgotten that SOU is doing really well already? The BA network is something that other UK airports would kill for.

The problem is that the runway extension has been a long and protracted affair,even when all objections have been delt with only recently work has commenced .
The declared distances will probably not be forthcoming till the end of the year.With this being the case its probably to late for the 2024 season and airline planning for summer routes,in meantime BOH continues to expand and increase there PAX with new routes.

I would suggest that you are being a bit pessimistic in respect of the the formal notification of the extended declared distances.

The ball is firmly in AGS’s court to schedule the “as built” survey. Until the airport’s survey contractor has completed the survey, compiled the new Report and submitted it to NATS AIM, with a copy to their designated Aerodrome Inspector, nothing can happen.

NATS will verify the results, liaise with the Aerodrome Inspector, who will, acting on their verification, then rubber stamp the new distances. A NOTAM can then be sent by the Aerodrome Operator to formally notify the distances.

The time scale? I would have the surveyors on-site as soon as the paint markings have been applied. One day for the survey, allowing for disruptions caused by aircraft movements, one possibly two days for compilation of the new Report, then sent electronically to all recipients.

Even at the speed that NATS AIM and Aerodrome Inspectors work (from personal experience of the latter, not renowned for fast turnarounds) I would not be surprised if the much awaited NOTAM appears by early/mid September, possibly sooner if AGS get lucky.

Seems a bit pessimistic. What the new declared distances will be is well known and if I was (still) in airline management I would be confident about planning for S24 using them. I suspect that there are far more pertinent factors influencing airline planning at SOU than any doubts about the runway extension being completed for S24.

Goodness me Summer 24 !!

Plenty of time to sort out a flight schedule from TUI , EasyJet or Cityflyer

Sorry, are you having a laugh?

Don't read this then, https://simpleflying.com/uk-airports...february-2023/
SOU is in the worst recovered airports section.

These figures are are quite stark! ,and only underlines the need for Easy,or another airline to take up routes from SOU asap.

Proof of the runway extension pudding will come around December 2023 or January 2024 ?

Runway extension PUDDING 🤔

With your use of the unnecessary 'question mark' are you telling us this or actually posing a question.

We are now three weeks into the project, anyone an idea when the next update might appear on the development App?

I hear all is going well and keeping to project timescales (early/mid Aug completion)

This means November/ December with another few months added for approval of distances and checks.

Suggestion for AGS, a weekly drone view of progress, could then be incorporated into a time lapse record.

Plenty of local drone operators, who with the offer of repeat business over a
few months would no doubt be able to offer a very realistic price for their services.

Get real, bar a monsoon or the contractor going bust over the next few months cannot see any significant project overrun.

See my post 1403, if AGS get their act together the new declared distances should be available within a few weeks of project completion.

You mention “checks”, agree that friction testing and lighting checks are likely to be needed post construction completion. Should be scheduled in the project completion phase of their CAP 791 approval process.

I have been watching different Luton projects for many years. Never seen one yet get finished even close to time. The latest one is a 4 stand Apron started last August. After 8 months it is still not finished.

I lied, just found photos dated July of the apron under construction so that makes 9 months of work and it still isn’t complete. So SOU runway extension complete in 4 months? Unlikely. Realistically airlines will be looking at the summer 2024 season for using the extra length.

The airport has uploaded latest pictures of the construction on their runway app and seems good progress is being made

A lot more could be seen with a few seconds of drone video footage.

Rumours of a new base being announced by Jet2 soon, stranger things have happened and is exactly what the airport requires