Blackpool Airport - Whats Happening?

[BPL321]

Just wondering if anyone knows whats going on at Blackpool Airport? Airport was sold recently to City Hopper who promised an announcment 4weeks after they took over about new routes and airlines. That was what seems months ago now. The local paper in conjunction with City Hopper stated the destinations ie Belfast, Malaga, Tenerife, Paris and some others and they also said there will be 2 new airlines but all has now gone quiet. Its annoying when you here the likes of Manchester and Liverpool announcing new routes on an almost weekly basis at the moment. Anybody?

[Godfroi]

BPL3211 see private messages

[TRISTARLOVER]

Usual story , expect things to happen next year (2005). Despite
recent low cost operators announcing new routes from Manchester , Liverpool and Leeds Bradford ...Blackpool doesn't get anything as usual.

Must be bad promotion or just a sheer lack of interest from the
operators.

Well at least we've got a fire tender in a different colour scheme to brighten the ramp ! Even if it does say Wolverhampton on it !

[dada]

hot air and waffle me suspects. there are very few routes that can be consistently sustained from blk.

[BPL321]

It just seems like such a shame to me. I honestly thought Ryanair might have been moving a little more forward by now with increased frequencies and perhaps new routes. I don't know if you feel like this but as soon as you turn off the M6 onto the M55 you seem to go into another world ie Lack of ambition, keep things the way they are and so on. Sounds like the council the airport the football club.

What have we got? BNWA - Well thats a joke if ever I saw one. Trust me, ive been on the receiving end of that bunch. I suppose KeenAir are doing well but thats just about it. I would hate to think what would happen if Ryanair were not at Blackpool - nothing probably. Ok we have winter charters but the list of destinations has not been added to in years. I'm sure if Manchester has upwards of 10/15 flights most days going to Palma I think Blackpool could just about manage a 737 load.

I would just like to be a fly on the wall at these board meetings because to the general public it does not appear that they are talking about 'the airport'.

Do you agree or disagree?

cheers

[Sean Dillon]

Lets be honest - the whole of Blackpool is a dump, the town alone needs £10 million spending on it....and with MAN and LPL within spitting distance of BLK, I can't really see it becoming anything other than lots flying schools and a few exec movements. Surely MAN and LPL take most of BLK catchment area...

[BPL321]

I agree with you but I am sure Blackpool Airport can acheive more than what it is doing now. No law says you can only fly from MAN or LPL but it would help if alternatives were available ie from BLK.

[TRISTARLOVER]

Guys , I whole heartedly agree with your comments , as a "sand grown un" , with onsite links , its just another case of the airport operator spouting forth what they would gladly like to see happen...dream on , its all PR waffle. Their's more chance of supermarkets and shops starting up on adjacent land than flights.

In desperation they're offering park and ride for the illuminations !

No extra flights to be seen , in fact I think they have lost one weekly IT flight this time round for the period Nov - April ?

Bandeirante's and Navajo's , what kind of operation is this when you can go down the road and hop on a 737 for peanuts from LPL and go to Belfast ?

God help us if Ryanair just plod on with the current destinations , passenger numbers must dry up eventually.

With JET 2 announcing new routes from MAN , their is no hope for Blackpool , even the odd 7 day specials - for example , one flight got the chop , last month.

Anyway must dash , I'm off on my hols tomorrow , and yes I'm going from Manchester .......... Blackpool has no warm destinations year round so its onto the M6 for me !

[dada]

like we all think then - what's happening

NOTHING.

Watch this space and nothing will happen!

[LTNman]

Every year I call in at Blackpool and this year for the first time ever I saw some passengers in the terminal. I see that the salt air is starting to take its toll on the new terminal. It won’t be long before the terminal will be in the same condition as the Vulcan bomber.

[BPL321]

Yes I heard a charter was cancelled last week, in true Blackpool
style I might add. I believe there is another one this weekend going to Lake Garda. Lets just say I will believe it when I see it. A website pic that is, I'm used to BLK dissapointing so I won't een waste the 50p in petrol it takes me to go down and have a look. Perhaps the airport was sold to this company for the reason of running it into the ground - more shops,homes etc. But hang on, BLK council did not want major development on the outskirts of town because it was worried about business being taken away from the sorry sight that is the town centre. I really don't get Blackpool logic.Never will I don't think. An R22 vircled over my house earlier on - must have been put in a hold to get that PA31 in and a C150. BLK - Going higher! not!!

[boynefly]

What have we got? BNWA - Well thats a joke if ever I saw one. Trust me, ive been on the receiving end of that bunch.

Surely you're not suggesting that Mr Burgerlloyd is not operating anything but a highly efficient and successful venture?

[Ballymoss]

Noone could possibly take any owner/Management team of BLK seriously until RM is kicked off that airfield for good PERIOD:mad:

[jabird]

Thinking long term, how much inbound will BLK start to attract when the "Las Vegas on Sea" plans materialise? Casinos and lo-cos work on a very similar model - give the punters a lead product very cheap, and pile on revenues from ancillary income streams. Vegas is after all the busiest point on the Southwest network.

[BPL321]

I would agree with you jabird but its become one of those things - believe it when I see it! The way BLK council works is it comes up with a great idea, tells everyone about it then decides it does not want change by which time another town has stole the idea. Ive been to Vegas, would be nice if BLK was 10% as busy as Vegas.

I think RM is a fantastic business man. After all he went bankrupt, took £6000 of my money, still drives(or did do) a BMW and the company is the same as it was before it went down the pan. Great work! Except who is going to give me my money back I lost 2 years ago because thanks to him I can't afford to fulfil my dream to fly now!

Will just have to make do with my PPL now.Not a bad thing don't get me wrong but I planned on being more than a plane spotter at Manchester Airport.

[dada]

nothing nothing nothing and nothing

[BPL321]

sorry dada, what is that supposed to mean?

[phoenix son]

BPL321,

I suspect that's the answer to the Topic Header...(in that order...)

PHX

[Godfroi]

Well, there may be a hornets nest about to be stirred up here. Flybe. have just announced routes from LPL however, it was always AJ's Emerald / Janes's aviation fame) intention to operate pax routes from LPL or BLK. Now if flybe. have trodden on his toes then he may have no option to re-evaluate or even excercise his options from BLK by operating such routes from there albeit, they will be in the dreaded 748 family.

:{ :{

Anyone from the darkside of Emerald wish to comment on this?

[BPL321]

godfroi. That sounds interesting. At this moment in time HS 748s would be better than nothing. They have also got ATPs. Yes, hurry up FLYbe then we might get emerald. To be honest I thought they might have been at BLK before now. I know they have an engineering base at BLK. Wouldn't be far to travel if the plane goes U/S.