Stumbled across a document when I was looking for something totally unconnected with Southend Airport. It’s a report on the Socio–Economic impact of the expansion of Southend Airport and it was published in January of this year and produced by an aviation consultancy for the East of England Development Agency. At 179 pages long, it certainly highlights many of the issues raised on this forum over previous months.
Although the report was obviously based on discussions which took place late last year, among the many subjects it covers is confirmation that a certain airline has plans (or certainly did have in January) to start services from spring of 2007 probably with 2 based aircraft.
For anyone interested in what has been going on behind the scenes re the airports expansion/route development, or even just for insomniacs who need something bland to read, there is a link below. If for any reason the link doesn’t work, type ‘east of england observatory southend airport’ into your search engine and the east of England observatory website will give you access to the PDF document.

http://www.eastofenglandobservatory.org.uk/searchResponse.asp?categoryGEOID=902

Sorry to contradict you Buster, but my contact on the 'other' side of the negotiations says today that this is not firmed up at all and anything to the contrary is just rumour.

Any comment Buster?

A strong indication that Flybe seem to have definite plans to inaugurate additional SEN routes is that they apparently applied for 3 x daily slots at AMS for SEN rotations two months ago.

I don't know if a commencement date was mentioned in this application - anyone at AMS have access to slot allocations?

Expressflight


Would like to think you are right Expressflight, are you sure it wasn't
AMS/ SOU?

I know Flybe applied for 1344 slots at AMS this winter but only got 840. Maybe the SEN slots were ones Flybe didn't get?

Yes, I wondered if it might be a mistake in itially, but I checked and it was definitely 'Southend'.

Expressflight

Thanks for that, and encouraging. Watch this space!!

Much of the same. Yesterday the local rag also stated that planning permission approved for 68 bed hotel at Sen. This to coinside with the 'games' by which time the airport would be handling at least 20 deps/arr each day. At the present FlyBe do not have the a/c to operate any services thay are hard pressed to meet the current flight plans. That in addition to an article in last weeks Sat Tele. When the Sen M/D was aked about all these happenings he replied it was news to him.

HZ 123

If it was "news to the SEN M/D" (do you mean Andrew Walters?), how come that Bruce Campbell, Airport Director said earlier this week that early next year he expected SEN to be handling 1,400 pax per day?

He was quoted as saying this in an Evening Echo report yesterday on the fact that planning permission had been applied for to build a 100-room hotel adjacent to the airport entrance roundabout.

A 100-bedroom hotel could be built next to southend airport, to respond to an expected surge in passenger numbers. Plans submitted to Southend Council include a restaurant, conference and parking facilities on the eastern side of the airfield.
Airport director Bruce Campbell said as early as next year, he hoped there would be a total of 1400 passengers flying in and out of the airport each day, amounting to about half a million passengers a year. In the long term, it is expected this will rise to two million. Mr Campbell said the new hotel, which would be built at the airport main entrance at the Harp House roundabout, was part of a wider plan to upgrade the airport's facilities and transport links.
He said: 'I think it would be a great addition to the region. There is a shortage of hotels around the area. It would be of benefit both to the airport and to the area.'

HZ 123

Surely Q400s are still being delivered are they not? That should result in sufficient extra capacity being available by Spring 2007 I would have thought.

Could you also elaborate on the 'Sat Tele' comment - exactly what "happenings" were news to the 'Sen M/D'?

Well I was there when the question was posed. That aside surely this is just another snippet that may lead nowhere once again. If he is reporting 1400 (Dash 8 - 20 flts s a day 70% load) a day then just who is going to provide the service and to where. Hardly FlyBe they are unable to meet there weekly obligation with most flts being late. Before any of this comes off there will need to be inward investment, not this weeks resealing of the leaky terminal roof. Before anyone starts flying there will be a need for staff / equipment / parking / fencing / access control to the airside. Presently and I do not wish to spoil anyones hopes but the airport is as far away as ever from this goal. The application is for a 68 bedroom hotel and judging by its location will hardly aide access issues which if the airport does take off will create many problems as at present access is rubbish and dangerous. Just look at how many years (30 & 25 respectively) it took to get STN / LCY up and running.

HZ 123

I'm sorry, and I don't mean to be obtuse, but what do you mean when you say "Well I was there when the question was posed."

What question? From who and to whom?

I assumed 'Sat Tele' referred to the Telegraph newspaper, but perhaps I am mistaken..... Where did this article appear and what was it about?

I don't see that however long it took to get STN or LCY up and running (even if your timescale was accepted) has anything to do with the introduction of limited scheduled services at an established, existing London area airport.

Pessimism is one thing and perfectly valid, but I think your remarks are way over the top, e.g. access being "rubbish and dangerous" -substantiate please.

to be honest i don't think Flybe will operate to many services as it is fairly close to Norwich Airport

NickBarnes

Nick Barnes I feel your geography is a little suspect. Do you honestly think
that Southend has the same catchment area as Norwich?!

Norwich is getting on for 90-100 miles from Southend.

sorry yes i was thinking southend was in the north of essex:O no i think it's far enough away from Norwich to become another succesful Flybe base. Sorry about that

Well, i think SEN could start to become an alternative for a considerable number of STN passengers due to the now apparent congestion at STN most times of the day.
Many passengers start to "hate" STN already (me included)
For a long time SEN was at the "wrong end" of London but it seems times are changing as the other London LCC airports (STN in particular) get more congested.:yuk:

What´s missing in my opinion is a suitable connection to public transportation to London to provide acceptable transfer times to London!
Don´t know if it´s possible to connect the airport to the rail network without problems.
The resp. destination Fenchurch Street station would be not bad at all for Londoners AND foreign visitors like me!!!:ok:

The clue's in the name...:cool:

:mad: :ok:

You haven't visited their website then?

SEN is slap bang on the Southend to Liverpool Street line. 40 - 45 mins to Stratford or 50-55 mins to Liverpool Street.

IF that line goe's tech, short taxi ride to Fenchurch street line.

Rochford station is about 1 mile from the airport, until the new terminal and 'station' are built (one day!) :rolleyes: , a shuttle service would be feasible.

By road you have the A127 or A13 or A130. Ok they are not ideal, but then with a limited amount of parking at the airport and the rail links, the train would be the best bet.

Like you say, EGSS is so busy. Its 4 hours out of your day before you get on the plane, and sometimes 45 mins just to get to your car when you get off your plane.

Roll on flights from SEN!!!!! :ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ok: