EZY at Blackpool

[BPL321]

Don't quote me on this but I do have this info from a reliable source that EZY are about to announce flights from BLK. I dont know the exact routes but apparently a deal has already been signed. Can anyone at EZY or otherwise confirm this?

[mmeteesside]

Presumably Malaga seeing as Monarch have jumped in :}

mmeteesside

[easyboy]

Don't quote me on this but I do have this info from a reliable source that EZY are about to announce flights from BLK. I dont know the exact routes but apparently a deal has already been signed. Can anyone at EZY or otherwise confirm this?

Who is this reliable source, do they have connections with either EZY or BLK airport?

Would be interesting if it's true

[dada]

dont think he has any, just seems to live in a dream world.

[bycrewlgw]

Could the North West seriouly support another low cost base? I seriously doubt it not with liverpool turning into the new STN (based on Low cost movements not pax figures!!) Plus would easy jet really draw people away from LPL to fly from BLK? Same sort of thing is going on in the 'cardiff happenings' thread with someone suggesting that EZY will commence flights from CWL - its really not going to happen. These areas do not have the population to sustain so many bases like in LTN / STN.

BYCREWLGW.

[easyboy]

thats what I was thinking, as thave had ruled out opening a base in Manchester, so opening one in Blackpool would be a daft move, after all it would draw passengers away from LPL

[DDF]

Who says easy have given up on Manchester.... As for Blackpool and the Liverpool argument.... Hmmm simple just dont fly to the same destanation.

[easyboy]

easyJet have, Im an employee with them and have been told that we have no plans to open a base or even fly in and out of there

[Nakata77]

its not BLK its BOH

[phil_2405]

its not BLK its BOH

Is this from a reliable source? What routes, when will they be announced etc?

[Powerjet1]

GVA is one I believe & very soon. EDI-GVA also.

[easyboy]

would this be a base or just aircraft flying in and out from another base on the network?

[BPL321]

Hey dont shoot the messenger.

This info is what I have heard although it wouldnt be fair to say who from. True or untrue I dont really care. Say if it were true though, why on earth do people keep bringing the LPL and MAN argument up. FR fly BLK and LPL to Girona, a shock to some of you but people actually fly on the BLK service. Oh and the small matter of Monarch starting a daily Malaga service from you guessed it - BLK. What a silly thing to do when they have that route at MAN. Not that the 1000s of seats already sold out of BLK would make a difference to some people.

Dada - get back in your box unless by miracle you have something constructive to say this year.

[Sheikh_Yerbootee]

Sorry to dissapoint but no more uk bases for the forseeable future, There will be a few interesting routes to geneva this winter though ;) :ok:

sheikh it baby, sheikh it real good

[garethjk22]

DOnt know about EZY although it would make sense for them, much of the Lancs and Cumbria market travells from Manchester.

However, the comment surely the NW can not support another low cost base prompted me to respond.

The point about BLK which sets it miles apart from either MAN or LPL is that it is a resort airport. It serves the UK biggest tourist attraction, and the third largest Theme park in Europe - Blackpool. Blackpool alone attracts an estimated 21 million visitors each year. Add to that the Golf on Fylde and even just around 20 minutes from the airport you have a potential inbound market of 22 million pax. It doesnt stop there, the airport is the gateway to the Lakes. I know Manchester would claim this, but like it or not, their is no denying that bLK is the closest airport to the Lakes (although surface access needs improving - this is easily solved with a coach, and would happen when the services are there).

The lakes attracts 17 million people a year.

So, can BLK support a based operator, well look at like this, the BLK catchment has around 40 million tourist visits each year. If BLK could attract just 1% (one) then that is 400,000 passenger a year - enough for 1 and a half aircraft. Get 2% and you have 3 aircraft. This would not have ANY EFFECT AT ALL on the incumbents from MAN or LPL. Now, if BLK could stimulate 10% of the traffic currently originating in Lancashire and Cumbria, they have another 300,000 passenegrs - another aircraft ... Stimulate more international tourist traffic and you have another 2 or 3 aircraft ...

If you think 10% stimukation is high, EZY stimulated markets by between 50% and 300% at LPL.

So, the point .... well, BLK could attract significant inbound volumes of tourists, stimulate the existing markets by a very modest 10%, plus a little element of dilution and you have enough traffic for 4 or 5 aircraft ... then you have the government forecasts of a doubling of traffic in the next 15 years.

Can BLK support a base? I would say 3 aircraft is not totally unreasonable.

GK

[symphonyangel]

Garethjk - Re your tourism stats, i think you would find that the only reason you get to 21 million users is because at Blackpool they count each payment separately and at Blackpool you have to pay separately for each thing including rides. Many other theme parks only charge once on entry and a visitor counts as one visitor for the whole day. At Blackpool, if the visitor tries ten rides, they count ten visitors. Well done on the Monarch service though.

[garethjk22]

symphonyangel,
I beg to differ. The 21 m visitors are not ones to the theme park, but ones to the resort as a whole, and include both leisure and business tourism. Blackpool is the UK's largest conference and exhibition centre, not hard to see how they could attract so many people. The illuminations attracts millions, pleasure beach around 7 million - BLK is a much bigger resort than most people think.

This is BLK's unique selling point, and the reason it can co exist quite happily with LPL and MAN, and not have a real impact on operations there, as someone above pointed out, take the Ryanair services as a perfect example.

[MrDearne]

The 21 m visitors are not ones to the theme park, but ones to the resort as a whole, and include both leisure and business tourism

Surely though it's a single edged sword. I am not disputing your stats......anyone can see for themselves how busy Blackpool gets, but isn't that the crooks of Blackpool. It's a tourist destination not tourist departure point?.

[lasernigel]

It's a tourist destination not tourist departure point?.

As someone said before IT IS the gateway for the Lake district.Blackpool to Windermere 45 mins to an hour tops.Manchester to Windermere??? Get through the M56/60 interchange,then the M60/61 interchange finally the M61/M6 then go at 10 - 15 mph upto the M55 junc.
Trust me I lived in Blackpool and flew a lot in my last job.I wrote at least 10 letters to KLM to try to get them to come to Blackpool.
Manchester is not as convienient as people make it out to be.
Good luck Blackpool.:ok:

[nick b]

It would not be unreasonable for EZY to operate to BLK from one of its European basis say ORY as by doing this it would not have the trouble and expense of establishing a base at BLK and would also not dilute traffic on the LPL - CDG route. It has already been pointed out in a previous post that most outbound travellers in the Lancashire and Cumbria regions travel via MAN, so it would only be right of EZY for wanting to gain a share of this traffic.
It has also been said before that BLK is the closest airport for around 6 million outbound travellers in the North West taking in the University cities of Lancaster and Preston, other major towns like Blackburn, Burnley, Southport along with the Fylde coast itself. BLK is by far the nearest and quickest airport to reach from these locations, despite what anyone says.
It is no secret that BLK has been attemping to gain a Paris route for a number of years now, along with the AMS and AGP routes which it has now gained (hopefully the A2B AMS service will go ahead as planned) so hopefully EZY will open up a daily ORY - BLK route with a 319 in the not too distant future.

Well I can dream!

Regards

[kriskross]

I'm sure that if EZY had some vacant space on their flight lines in ORY, there would most likely be a more profitable place to send a 319 than Blackpool!!!

[dada]

most of the people who come to blackpool these days are on hen and stag nights - they come on buzzies (as some people say) from anywhere in the north west, get shedded, be sick and go home about 4am after getting sha**ed by a stranger. who is it thinks they'll be using an air service (air ambulance more likely).
this is a local airport for local people - there's nothing for you here............
p.s will the ams service actually happen ? me thinks not.