what new airlines are interested in MJV?

[javier.mjv]

hi to everyone!!!

I´ve just registered and this is the first time I´ve take part in this forum
I´ve worked as a flight dispatcher at MJV since July last year and I am really interested what the future will bring to MJV.
AS everybody fancing commercial Aviation knows, MJV has experienced a terrific growth in the last 3 years (from 155,000 pax in 2003 up to 800,000 expected at the end of 2004)
AS I do not live in the UK it happens to be a bit more difficult for me to know what plans the different carriers are carrying out to include new destinations.
I would like to ask if you know if there are any carriers, apart from the ones already flying to MJV, planning to include MJV in their destination networks.

Thank to all of u and sorry 4 my english if not very correct

[big.al]

Javier - your English is very good, much better than my Spanish anyway. Lo siento, pero mi Espanol no es muy bueno!

Can't answer about new airlines using MJV but I will watch this thread with interest. Having been in to (and out of) MJV twice this year (MyTravelLite and BMIBaby) and as I'm expecting to travel this route a couple of times a year, I'd also like to know which airlines are planning on using this. The airport seems to be getting somewhat overloaded at peak times with only the 6 check-in desks. What are the expansion plans at San Javier and how will these plans be affected by the new airport opening near Murcia in a couple of years time?

A pure guess, but I can see Easyjet being interested in operating to MJV because of the huge growth in demand to fly there. Whenever I look at the daft discounts on offer at Ryanair, it almost always seems that Murcia is the last destination to be reduced (or is often simply excluded from reductions). Perhaps this is because the load factors are very good on these flights anyway at current prices, without having to give seats away.

Easy do seem to be going into direct competition on routes with Ryan, but perhaps they might first launch a LTN/MJV route to test the water....

[Powerjet1]

Easy would be in direct competition with ryan if they launched a LTN-MJV route as ryan start this route on 12 Jan 05.

[javier.mjv]

hello big.al!!!!

Yes you are right!!! I had also noticed that FR routes from/to MJV never get cut downs or promotions. I can assure you the reason of high occupation is the right one. FR flight never land or depart carrying less that 110-130 passenger (there are some exceptions of course but quite queer!!)
The latest airline adding MJV to its network has been EUJET. Flight are running quite well and they have also decided to add a third weekly frequency on Thursdays from October 21th to MSE.
It would really nice if they happend to add a second flight to SNN (preferebly midd week)
No Eujet flight has departed from MJV with less that 50 pax except for the first ones on each route.
Regarding Easyjet, it would be really good if they decided at last to fly MJV. I do not know for sure what happend with their LGW-MJV route announcement. I´ve been check´-in the website regularly and the route has never been lauched for sale.
Other companies such as JET2 or BA are planning to increase frequencies for next year (2 daily to MAN and LBA for Summer05 with JET2)
An company I think has understimated MJV has been BMIBABY. I think it serves them right that Jet2 has added 7-14 flights a week to MJV. BMIBABY could have bet for MJV instead of reducing flights as they did this summer with EMA-MJV-EMA route.

Thanks 4 your kind email and if you ever find out anything on new plans for MJV let me know!!!!

c u

[jabird]

Javier,

Could you shed any light on the new airport plans. According to AENA:

"Murcia-San Javier airport has one main runway, the 05-23 (2,300 by 60 metres) as well as a parallel taxiway. At the start of the 1990's, different work was undertaken in the airport to equip it with a passenger terminal building of 3,500 square metres to enable it to handle four flights simultaneously. Aena also plans to develop a series of actions to equip San Javier airport with the infrastructures and facilities to meet air traffic demand with the appropriate level of security and quality. Of note among these actions are the construction of a runway parallel to the existing one for use by the General Air Force Academy and a taxiway parallel to the new runway, as well as the construction of a new control tower."

Only article I could find mentioning new airport was at http://www.costablanca-news.com/archives/30may.htm

Are they talking about the same thing here, or two separate locations. Presumably, if AENA run both, the former would be closed?

[tb10er]

Schipol gets my vote - yep, I know it's not in th UK - but most travellers there seem to be from the UK. Besides, whenever I go there I feel at home.;)

[javier.mjv]

hi Jabird,

The answer to all the questions you made is.
The new airport in the Region of Murcia is just a question of politics. Politicias use this toppic as a promotional arm for their campaings before generla elections.
MJV was built up in 1967 and ever since it has been said that Murcia/San Javier was an dead airport with no future and that a new airport would be buit somewhere.
The new airport, now apparently located in Corvera, which is a little village not far away from Murcia-City (good location due to the fact that is quite close to the capital city= more votes in the general ellections from the inhabitants of the capital city)
The actual truth is that MJV has been expanding since last year and it will continue till the aiport has all the necessary infraestructures and facilities for pax and airlines (works for the new runways started two months ago, the same as for the new control tower)
If everything goes right, the current runway will be used by commercial aircrafs and the new, now being buit, will be for military use. Works are right on the way and it is expected that MJV will be open 24h June next year.

Fingers crossed ´cause that means that passengers figures will be increased even more than now.


Cheers,

[jabird]

Javier,

Thanks, I've read a few articles on it - the ones in English tend to talk about the investment opportunities in the area, whereas the ones in Spanish (using Google's translate tool) seem to talk of the waste of money.

A new runway at MJV, and a completely new airport at Corvera, capable of handling the A380 (says one report) - is there really the demand?

Yes, we know about politicians using airports as a vote generating tool, although the trend around here is to announce hoax airports, gain lots of popularity fighting them, and then, having stirred up a voracious nimby lobby, to placate them still further by opposing the more modest plans of existing airports, using every white lie and scare tactic possible.