HUMBERSIDE - 2

[Chitty]

well if ryanair ever do fly back to humberside i dont think thay will fly to malaga thay will fly to Girona thay allways do thay did to leeds doncaster and teeside i think thay should fly to reus i think more people would fly to reus and i think jet2 should fly to monastir and Tenerife

[pug]

With respect i dont expect FR to return any time soon, they will be more intent on getting LBA up and running, dont forget they also have a large base at EMA and seem to want to maintain some presence at DSA.

Assuming the weekly Malaga flight works then perhaps FlyBE may see potential for routes to ALC PMI and FAO too.

There is strong demand for TFS and LPA, i believe ALC and AGP have worked year round in the past. I would disagree about Monastir though as i believe that is the only one which under-performed.

We must not forget that one of the busiest years the airport had was the year after DSA opened so i believe the threat from over there is somewhat exaggerated at times. It seems that its all about getting the right operators in to support a modest and sustainable schedule. It seems that putting all their eggs in one basket is not realy an option they want to go down.

[GrahamK]

FlyBe will be starting flights from Humberside to Belfast City, 4 x weekly starting at the end of May.

[ryanair1]

They have announced Malaga too, from 29th May 2010

Operated by Embraer 195

3 routes in booking engine: BHD, JER & AGP

[Chitty]

thats good for humberside but bad for doncaster because thay have a belfast city and a jersey route to i think that flybe are pulling out of doncaster and i think that flybe are thinkin of seting up a small base at huberside and doing small flights to geneva, london gatwick and the isle of man maybe flight to faro and Alicante

[dsatristar]

With all due respect Chitty this summer Flybe will be flying from Doncaster to Jersey 4 x weekly against the 1 x weekly from Humberside. Also Flybe will be flying from Doncaster to Belfast 6 x weekly against the 4 x weekly from Humberside.

I don't think it will be bad for Doncaster and welcome the good news at Humberside, but disagree that they will pull out of Doncaster and/or base at Humberside.

[pug]

This is good news for HUY, i cannot help feeling thoughthat it is a strange choice of destination.

I hear their Dash 8's can run at a low load factor and they still make money so i dont see why it wouldnt work though, unless it realy does perform that poorly.

Still any expansion is good at this time. :ok:

[niknak]

The Belfast route is indeed good news but there are a number of other regional airports will be wondering how HUY pulled it off.

Late last year BFS was approaching it's maximum passenger numbers permitted by the planning permission in force at the time - I know of at least two airports who had set up deals with airlines (at least one was Flybe I think) to fly to BFS but City Airport Management turned them down, prefering to do business on more financially lucrative routes.
It maybe that the planning permission has been renegotiated and/or that the flight is operating on days and at times which are acceptable to BFS Management.

and i think that flybe are thinkin of seting up a small base at huberside and doing small flights to geneva, london gatwick and the isle of man maybe flight to faro and Alicante

No they wouldn't and with the possible exception of Alicante, no they wouldnt.

[aeulad]

I would'nt wholy agree with that niknak. While I do agree LGW and IOM would be very surprising destinations, Alicante, Faro and Geneva in the winter could all be possible, as could a small base be. On E95 and one DH4 may not be so far off if the current routes can be made a success.

Regards

Mike

[pug]

I agree with Niknak, however i do believe that at the very best we could hope for is an outstationed DH4 if loads to BHD are encouraging.

That could open up potential for a route to DUB and perhaps LGW or CDG.

That would be in the very best circumstance as i say. There would not be enough trade for a stationed EMB at HUY, possibly a few w patterns to ALC, FAO, AGP and PMI but i would not expect much more from them.

Its certainly encouraging to see that the airport/MAG are actively seeking expansion now though.

[Going loco]

"Its certainly encouraging to see that the airport/MAG are actively seeking expansion now though"

The implication being that the airport/MAG have not been actively seeking expansion up until now? Where has this gem come from?

[pug]

Sorry, perhaps i should have worded it differently, i meant visibly i.e it is showing that they have been.

Many people have believed that MAG have been sat on HUY for the last few years, waiting for the economy to pick up so they can sell the place.

It has been made aware to me (rumour) that similar discussions have taken place with other airlines but these have yet to bare fruit.

I meant no offence to the development teams by that comment just that its good to see some expansion finally, without just listening to rumour. :ok:

[john2408]

I wonder if the Belfast flights will get any help from Yorkshire Forward 'Quango', as they have done at DSA?

[goldeneye]

Flybe are launching flights from BHD to Humberside from 27 May, Flights will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays on a Q400 aircraft.

[john2408]

This is old news 'Goldeneye', first reported 16/02, thanks anyway.:ok:.

[pug]

Shame about lack of local press release or anything on their website. Good luck to BE on this route though... They may need it :ugh:

[tonto68]

Belfast? What the hell is there of ANY interest in Belfast? Maybe a few paintings on the end of buildings? Oh and a decrepit dock area where the Titanic was built!!! :bored:

I think i shall give it a miss! :=

Now Dublin, that would be a different matter! :ok:

[pug]

I can see where you're coming from 'tonto' but it would seem not much more than BE trying to utilise their aircraft more when they are on downtime. Look at the others announced, MAN-BOH, EDI-MSE...

I would hope that on a much reduced weekly schedule they could break even on the routes and perhaps look at other routes such as DUB in the future..

AGP on the other hand looks more promising in terms of interest from BE... Hopefuly that service is selling well as it could encourage them to add more next year.

[aidoair]

Belfast? What the hell is there of ANY interest in Belfast? Maybe a few paintings on the end of buildings? Oh and a decrepit dock area where the Titanic was built!!! http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/wbored.gif

I think i shall give it a miss! :=

Now Dublin, that would be a different matter! http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif


Well that must be a matter of opinion and i'm taking it that you have never been to Belfast/Northern Ireland, at least over the past couple of years or so anyway?

There's so much more to see, do and explore than what you have mentioned and what many people probably imagine it to be like.

Comparing it to Dublin, well yep they are totally different types of cities and Dublin being one that I was very dissapointed with, in the way that it seems to have lost almost all of its Irish identity and very cosmopolitan (even though i have been six times ;)). The people for a start are what makes Belfast for me, so friendly, total stark contrast to what you experience in most major towns and city's here on mainland Britain... So maybe if you havn't been don't give it a miss just yet!:ok:

[Wellington Bomber]

Humberside to Aberdeen operating 3 flights tomorrow

[airhumberside]

Thomas Cook adding Monastir for summer 2011 :ok:

[Chitty]

how do u know that thomas cook is flying to Monastir and if thay are will thomas cook fly it or a other airlines flying on behalf of thomas cook

[john2408]

Chitty, the 2011 summer brochure came out today,that's how.:} the flight will be by Tmomas cook Airline.

[Chitty]

ok i havet seen it yet

[tonto68]

there is already serious talk of Thomas Cook adding some completely new destinations for 2011 (as opposed to NEW destination Tunisia which HUY have actually had before), and also FlyBe! :ooh:


Keep your lugholes to the ground.......could be big! :mad:kin 'ell

Security wont know what's hit them. No more cups of tea every 30 minutes....there are jobs to be done! :eek:

[pug]

I'd take it with a pinch of salt, rumours like these usualy come straight off the forums.

It would be good if it were to happen though, but i dont understand what 'brand new' destinations TCX could offer except perhaps SSH? The return of TFS and LPA would perhaps make sense if they were to add anything to their current plans.

I guess what BE do all depends on how well AGP and to a lesser extent BHD perform. I have a feeling BHD may be short lived, though AGP may well work so perhaps additions such as ALC and FAO for S11. At a push DUB could be considered again.

[aeulad]

BHD route pulled before it even starts!

Crap!

Regards

Mike

[pug]

A shame but cant say im surprised, sales must have been dreadful to non existant for them to pull it. All bets are off for a DUB flight from them now. Hopefuly AGP is selling alot better.

[wyrwb1]

I have to say there has been no pulicity in the area to let anyone even know the route exists.

[pug]

I agree.

I get the impression that this route was not a serious attempt to become established, more just using an aircraft that would have otherwise been sat on the ground. Obviously there were hardly any seats sold if any at all. Must have been dreadful for them to not even operate one service. I dont think any potential pax actually knew of it either, the advertising budget must have been pretty small, hence my belief that it was not a serious attempt.

I do believe/hope that AGP is a different matter however, afterall it did get more attention from the media.

[ALLMCC]

Maybe if the route had been launched as a Loganair franchise one, it might have worked. A lot easier to fill a SF340 than a Q400 - just a thought but then, maybe, LC wouldn't have an a/c to spare unless they retimed the DND - BHD to run DND - BHD - HUY - BHD - DND.

[pug]

As i say, i dont believe it was a serious attempt at setting up a route, more trying to use aircraft which would otherwise have been sat on the ground, so using Loganair would have been a non-starter, afterall they have a route from DSA which hardly fills the aircraft. Obviously the bookings were that bad that it would be more cost effective having the aircraft sat on the ground. It is a shame and could preclude any further short hop flights from BE, though with the right routes and marketing im sure they could work. Not likely to happen though.

[niknak]

May I be bold enough to go one step futher and hypothosise thus:

As I have previously posted, there were a number of UK regional airports trying to establish the route to BHD, they were all offering considerable concessions to whichever airline took up the route and all of them had greater revenue potential than the HUY - BHD service.

I happen to know that, believe it or not, Belfast City Airport have a local authority planning permission limit regarding the number of passengers allowed to use the terminal each year (2 million i think) and there is also a strict limit on the opening times of the airfield.
For last couple of years, BHD have been sailing very close to the wind regarding the passenger figures, if the local authority can prove that there aren't the routes to sustain the agreed limit, they can reduce the numbers permitted.
This leads me to suspect that BHD may have been agreeing to certain routes in advance to convince the planners that there is an established need by agreeing to additional services (such as BHD - HUY), which can then be thrown into the bin when the summer season comes along and more viable and sustainable (bums to the sun) flights come along.

Pure theory of course, but ...................

[pug]

That could have some weight in it niknak. It would certainly explain the lack of advertising (except for adding it to the current Malaga ad in the local papers) and also perhaps why Tony Lavan didnt sound too impressed with the news when the route was announced. There has certainly been no visible attempt at selling the route.

There is certainly some interest in HUY by BE, i dont think you could apply the same principles to the AGP route this summer, so its clear there is some interest with a view to establishing niche routes from HUY. It was clear when the BHD route was announced that it was unlikely to do well, and was a surprising choice of route when i would argue DUB would come head in terms of bums on seats and revenue potential.

Im still hopeful there will be more from them next summer, though i suspect it will be the likes of ALC and FAO rather than more frequent routes.

[niknak]

I rather suspect that HUY would struggle to get the DUB route reinstated given the cat fight over charges that ensued and led to Ryanair pulling out of what the vast majority of people considering to be a very worthwhile venture at HUY.
Who was finally responsible for the pulling of HUY - DUB route operated by Ryanair will probably be revealed when we know the length of a piece of string, but BE are not in a strong position to operate routes to and from DUB.

BE operated a service from our place to DUB and, like the HUY - DUB route it was very well patronised - the average payload was greater than 75% but it stopped when BE decided not to base aircraft with us and had to start the route at DUB.
Because they don't have a base in Dublin, and are extremely unlikely to do so at any time in the future, it meant them having to operate an aircraft into DUB from elsewhere to then operate to us - the costs just didn't add up.
The same will apply to HUY, even if BE based an aircraft and crews there during the summer for other flights, it wouldn't be cost effective to have sufficent numbers of staff there to operate a year round service to DUB.

I think that our new management are keeping close tabs on Ryanair and the market trends, possibly with a view to biting the bullet, inviting them in on a "free charges - passenger numbers performance basis", perhaps the bean counters at MAG should consider doing the same.

[pug]

I realise that a DUB route would most likely require a based machine at HUY which would also require other routes in order to require a based machine, so it is unlikely.

I dont think they problem was fees with Ryanair, more than likely it was the low loads they were achieving, i think the load factor was only around 50% but then it was running alongside the DSA route at the time.

I do believe there have been other cases of not willing to 'sell out' to airlines, a couple of them spring to mind, though i can never be 100% on that.

Still maintain that BE could be one to watch with regards to the summer sun routes that the tour operators have neglected in recent years.

[airhumberside]

With regards to FR/DUB the average load factor was indeed around 50% but reports indicated busy weekend flights, therefore the midweek flights must have been seriously empty

As for Flybe adding more 'sun' routes, I'm not sure it will be anything significant. Firstly they are w patterns, and will probably require a crew change at HUY. Secondly most Flybe EMB-195's are busy in weekday morning/evening with domestics (BE's core business) and don't have time to do say SOU-AGP-HUY-AGP-SOU in between domestic flights. So apart from maybe peak summer when domestics get cut back, I don't see any weekday Flybe flights. Hopefully for Summer 2011 Malaga will get a longer operating season, maybe a midweek flight in August. Maybe a Palma or Alicante on a Saturday. But not much more than that.

The only option for significant growth at HUY I can see is Jet 2, and how long has that been talked about ... Sadly I think we will be getting excited about extended operating seasons and a new weekly flight to Tunisia for quite a while yet. Talking of charters, I hope the HUY team have been taking note of NWI's recent charter growth

[aeulad]

H4u are adding two more weekly flights, for a total of 3 in S11.

Weekly Bodrum on Wednesdays
Weekly Dalamans on Thursdays and Fridays(high season)

Good additions, fingers crossed Goldtrail come up with something new too!

Monastir, Bodrum and Dalaman is'nt a bad start!

Regards

Mike

[tonto68]

and where has this little gem come from. Its not showing on either Humberside Airport Travel website or even the H4U website!!

[airhumberside]

The Aegean Flights booking engine

[tonto68]

either they are keeping it very close to their chests OR they havent got a clue about those extra flights as there still havent been any official mention of them around the airport. :ugh:

[temptage]

ill believe it when i see them touch down on the runway next year :rolleyes:

[pug]

The new BE AGP flight looks to be doing very well. An average Load of 92% in June and i hear even busier for July and August!

Any whispers if they intend to return next year?

[tonto68]

There are whispers that the Malaga flight may be continuing through the Winter. :D

Also Sharm El Sheikh for Summer 2011 :ok:

You heard it here first :cool:

[pug]

Surely its a bit late to put the AGP flight on sale in time for the winter??

Sharm next year would be a great addition, but would it not be with TCX and would they not have already announced this by now?

[aeulad]

Flybe Malaga flights boost Humberside Airport
27.08.10

Thousands of extra passengers have used Humberside Airport this summer after new flights to Malaga boosted demand. The summer route from Flybe was launched on May 29 and will continue to fly until September 11. Over 3,500 seats were made available on the flights, and airport bosses have declared it a 'roaring success'

Mike Rutter, chief commercial officer for Flybe, said: ‘Our confidence in forecasting the popularity of our new Humberside to Malaga route this summer appears to have been well placed. The load factors on this route are among the highest of any of our summer sun routes this year.’

Surely this is a clear sign that there is room for more sun routes and frequencies from BE?

Regards

Mike

[pug]

Must be some more expansion of sorts next year. Not sure if it will be just a longer operating season of the AGP than this year? I find it hard to believe there will be more routes from BE though, as it must be hard to find space for more 'w' patterns surely?

I notice that the friday HER flight is to be dropped next summer, with TCX taking seats of the tuesday one. This is a shame though not surprising (Crete is dead this year) but should everything else goes to plan there should still be some growth next year with Enfida and H4U.

[john2408]

Perhaps T/C will replace Crete with another destination or destinations.:ok:

[pug]

Doubt it john, the flight was perated by ECA anyway i think, so they've got no worries about filling capacity..

Unless an airline comes in to base at HUY then i guess it will be extended operating seasons for next years flights.. One positive, though, is the BE flights to AGP doing so well, despite many people, including more than a handful on here, doubting such flights were viable with the spaceport down the road.

I cannot see a BE base, but hopefuly they will have a couple more 'w' patterns to other Spannish destinations next year if they find the space, though i find this unlikely.

[Cloud1]

Just a thought, what about when the E175's come in. They would possibly allow for additional sun routes from airports where BE withdrew due to low pax numbers....such as Norwich, Birmingham etc. I wouldn't at this early stage, rule out more W patterns in to HUY!

[niknak]

The most important thing to remember is that BE don't do anything for nothing and they aren't going to base any aircraft anywhere but their current bases.
All services wherever they may fly to, will centre around these bases and nothing else.

Certain airport authorities have been wildly optomistic about potential passenger throughput on certain routes and, whilst some may say they were sucked in to believing what they were promised, common sense would tell the most naive airport director that some routes work and some don't.

Basically, any route to a destination which is popular with second home owners, if marketed correctly, should work year round, its just a question of getting the right airline which can be assured of at least 90% capacity in the Summer and around 75% the rest of the time.

A bit of clever planning would see BE's nose put out of joint in the Winter, but sadly, too few airport marketing teams have the nouse to put that together.

[pug]

Niknak, forgive me for being a bit daft, but im not sure what you're driving at here.

Clearly the route has been a success, wether yields were good enough or not is impossibe to say, but they have been seeing load factors of 90% right through. Ive already posted about why i think expansion from BE is unlikely, but if they do have ample space in their schedules then i dont see why places like ALC could not work too.

Ive posted so many times about why airlines like Jet2 are more suited to HUY, particularly as they have their own package company and sell seats to TCX, and despite them showing interest more than once they are still to be forthcoming.

I do think the management at HUY know their limits all too well (if only Peel had realised what was in store for them when they were going for go on Finningley) but they have obvioulsy been persuing a replacement for their Spannish flights and BE have come in to prove that there is demand there for the right airline.

Im not too sure if BE will even be back next year, it could have been a ploy to see if it actually works, but im sure in the next few years we will see all of the routes that have been lost recently being replaced by another operator.

[tonto68]

Oh its all gone quiet over there,
Oh its all gone quiet over there,
Oh its all gone quiet,
all gone quiet,
all gone quiet over there,

[pug]

Theres probably nowt going on!!!

:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[pug]

Despite consistent load factors in the 90%s throughout, it looks like FlyBE will not be operating the Malaga flights next summer. A press release on their website states that all of their summer 2011 schedule is now on sale, and though HUY has reappeared in the booking engine, the only option is Jersey. :ugh:

I suppose one good thing to come of it is that they were filling their flights, so the airport have that to show to other airlines, no matter how narrow the chances are.

[pug]

Why Tony Lavan is still a top flight director at Humberside airport

Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 08:00
Comment on this story (http://www.humberbusiness.com/news/Tony-Lavan-flight-director-Humberside-airport/article-2775254-detail/article.html#StartComments)


That was until the start of this financial year, when the now infamous Icelandic ash cloud grounded flights across Europe, sending aviation into chaos.
The Humberside Airport director said: "It's been an interesting year. I've been more than 30 years in this business but it's the first time I've spent a week watching what was happening with a volcano.
"For everyone in the whole airport community, there was no income whatsoever – no flights, no passengers, no spending in the shops or buying food in restaurants. "It affected everybody."
On top of the ash cloud, there was also the recession to deal with and the Kirmington-based business faced another headache when Goldtrail, one of its passenger operators, went into receivership, affecting 18,000 holidaymakers from the airport.
Mr Lavan said: "Year on year, passenger numbers over the summer have remained static, if you take away Goldtrail.
http://iad.anm.co.uk/house/1x1.GIF

"The aviation industry as a whole has only just started to see a small amount of growth after the recession.
"Our passenger numbers probably dropped by 25 per cent and I'd anticipate for UK airports it'll take three years to get passenger figures back to where they were three years ago."
Mr Lavan said his target now was to "start to grow back the leisure market in sustainable and incremental steps", much of which depends on introducing new destinations.
And with market research showing the majority of travellers would opt for their local airport, if their choice destination was available, why aren't airlines banging down Mr Lavan's door with offers?
"It's very difficult to get airlines to take a risk in this environment," he said.
"If we go for a big step change and introduce routes, then don't provide passengers for them, they'll have gone forever; you never get the chance again.
"Our strategy is to pick out what we believe are locally strong routes."
Flybe's service to Malaga from Humberside is a fitting example, with the majority of flights this summer operating at full capacity.
Mr Lavan said: "We knew from the information from our own travel agency, the level of demand was there and it has exceeded everyone's expectations.
"This allowed us to have a different conversation with the airline about extending the service and other routes that will work."
"It is about building confidence, so airlines can trust what we are saying, understand the market and deliver."
Of course, not everything works as well in reality as it does on paper, as was the case with the proposed Flybe flights to Belfast, which were pulled this year – before they even took off – following low ticket sales.
Mr Lavan said: "Using data from the Civil Aviation Authority we know at least 40,000 passengers with a Humberside and Lincolnshire postcode travelled there in the previous year, and also know a percentage of those were travelling from Doncaster, or further afield.
"On that basis we anticipated the route would be successful."
Mr Lavan said with hindsight he wishes the route had been operated for a month, to prove demand, adding: "I still firmly believe that for that type of market, people only book a couple of weeks ahead."
About four years ago Ryanair operated flights from Humberside to Dublin, but they too were pulled due to what My Lavan describes as "an overcapacity in that market".
However, he maintains there is a place for so-called budget airlines to fly from Humberside and said he was in talks with "a number of airlines" about new routes.
Mr Lavan also has his eye on the cruise market, which has experienced significant growth among UK holidaymakers, and using its link with KLM, the airport has booked a number of 2011 cruises out from Dubai.
This connectivity, to 700 destinations across the world via KLM, was "the absolute jewel in the crown" for Humberside, according to Mr Lavan.
But he accepts awareness needs stepping up.
"With families travelling to far away destinations I think they probably expect it to be quite expensive to go via KLM, so there's some education to do in terms of the offers available."
While attracting holidaymakers remains an important feature of the airport's future plans, one area showing no sign of slowing is the offshore business.
This has enjoyed year-on-year growth and now 60,000 passengers are flying annually from Humberside to the North Sea rigs.
And it has got Mr Lavan thinking about another market he believes will bring huge benefits to the local economy, particularly the airport.
He said: "The link to Europe with KLM will be more important to us and will grow if we can deliver what I think are fantastic opportunities in developing this region.
"If this region becomes a centre of offshore developments and renewables, construction and shipping, then investors and business people from Europe will need airport travel to this region.
"This airport is six miles away from what could potentially be one of the largest construction development sites in the UK over the next ten years.
"I think there are massive opportunities for the airport and absolutely for this region to make a big step change."



humberside airport direcotr tony lavan (http://www.humberbusiness.com/news/Tony-Lavan-flight-director-Humberside-airport/article-2775254-detail/article.html)

Interesting and seemingly rare interview with the airport MD. I know its full of theusual rhetoric, but at least its promising, particularly about growing the airport sustainably :ok:

[tonto68]

what i find unbelievable is the fact that HUY has NO winter holiday flights AGAIN. One year can be accepted as a blip, but for the airport to fail to get any airlines to do anything for a second winter season is beyond the pail.

Anybody would think it was a part-time airport, or maybe a summer airport only!

Tony Lavan - forward thinking? Where? When?

[goatface]

Tonto.

If you knew anything about the markets you'd know that the Winter season is one of the most competitive and difficult for regional airports to service.
Be they skiing or winter in the sun flights, they make very little money for anyone and operators will only take them on from the larger airports where they know that most flights will be full.
There's no point in any business taking on loss making services, most regional airports will cut down to core operations in the Winter and stick to what they can make money from.

[airhumberside]

Be they skiing or winter in the sun flights, they make very little money for anyone and operators will only take them on from the larger airports where they know that most flights will be full.
Theres no issue with flights not being full at HUY. When TCX had their outbased B757 for a half a week a couple of years ago load factors were 90%+. Even the January figures were good. What seem to have killed the TCX 'outbase' was the costs of such an operation

I am personally hoping that Tunisia may go year round in winter 2011/12, or at least operate for part of the winter. Thomas Cook are doing Norwich-Tunisia this winter on a w pattern basis, so hopefully they will do the same for HUY next winter, assuming the flights do well next summer

[pug]

Tony Lavan - forward thinking? Where? When?

The above interview suggests he is trying to attract routes back.

Its dissappointing that there are no winter flights again, but there are still frequent movements by KLM and Eastern still throughout the winter. Still waiting for more on FlyBE which could be next month.

[tonto68]

trying? has it taken 2 years to TRY to get a single flight? If he didnt spend his time showing little kids around the airport, a job that anybody can do, maybe he could try a little harder.

[temptage]

Having had the reasons explained at a recent staff forum, its very clear why we dont have any winter flights. Unless flights were to operate almost 100% every time they fly, the airport will lose money hand over fist. In other words, it is not commercially viable. Even the larger airports have a much reduced winter programme, but they have the all year round international flights that still bring the money in.
Unless some travel company came up with a very interesting W flight plan, Humberside will be happy to maintain what it has for the winter season, Eastern, KLM and a large Offshore business. :}

[pug]

It is rumoured that FlyBE will expand its summer offering significantly next year, supposidly to be announced next week.

[tonto68]

still havent heard anything!

[Jamie2k9]

New Ryanair route to Alicante. Twice weekly from April.
Ryanair Announces 4 New Manchester Routes to Alicante, Faro,? (http://www.ryanair.com/ie/news/ryanair-announces-4-new-manchester-routes-to-alicante-faro-madrid-and-tenerife) Read half way down.

[pug]

This is good news and i would think probably be a success, but how long will they actually operate the route for? I suspect if BE were even still considering running AGP again they would be put off now also.

[Jamie2k9]

Route will run from April 12 until the end of October.

[pug]

What i meant was, are they likely to return next summer or are they going to do a BE and not come back even though it may be a success. I suppose they have done a straight swap with MME so they would have the availability though.

[Jamie2k9]

If the route does well they would return it. Will the Doncaster - ALC route take a hit??

[john2408]

A spokeperson from FR said on Radio Humberside that if the AL:C flights sell well, they will be looking at further sun detinations from winter 2011 onwards.:ok:

[temptage]

Lets put it this way, I cant see it failing really. :O The airport has been screaming out for something like this for a couple of years now. :ok: Fingers crossed, and even more so for winter 2011 :D

[pug]

Jamie2k9, i would hope it has no effect on their ALC route from DSA. I dont see why it should, HUY goes for a very local market really.

Im still not completely convinced of their motives. Someone posted elsewhere that is part of a bigger MAG deal which demands they meet a certain number of passengers from BOH and EMA to recieve cheaper fees?

Saying that, im sure it will do well and hopefully will bring more here.

[Teevee]

I'm with Pug, it won't have any effect on anywhere else! For crying out loud it is Alicante! There's nowhere more attractive to the South/East Yorkshire mindset than Alicante! You could probably put a couple of A380's a week on the route from both Humberside AND DSA and they'd still be full ....

[Jamie2k9]

FR - ALC operated on Tuesday and Saturday:

Alicante - 09:20 - 11:05
Humberside - 11:30 - 15:15

[tonto68]

:mad: Here we go again. Ryanair will do exactly what they did with the Dublin flight. Once their landing fees change or time slots are missed etc etc they will be out like a shot leaving HUY to rue its BIG mistake once again! :ugh:

[tonto68]

:oh: I wonder if the MD will apologise to all the staff after he told them that 'we' didnt want budget airlines at HUY and that he doesnt like their way of working! I bet not! :oh:

[pug]

To be fair 'Tonto' the Dublin route was operating at 50% loads most months on average. I'm aware of only one occasion where FR missed their slot at DUB and had to hang around until the next one, but I dont believe it was the fault of the airport.

As for landing fees, well it seems they get an MAG deal on that, so it may not be as clear.

I hope they do well, though its probably better to be cautiously optimistic. I do think the flights will work though, a much more realistic offer than the previous attempt.

[2Planks]

DSA keeps 3 a week, as HUY and DSA are quite close are FR are setting one against the other to keep charges down?? Otherwise it would be easier to operate out of just one.

[Teevee]

Don't want to go on about DSA but it will also probably have TOM flights to ALC also. However FRI aren't dealing with airports they are dealing with companies, HUM = MAG DSA = VAS. I'd also speculate that somewhere along the line VAS and MAG have other 'business dealings' with each other. It would be nice to think that could benefit both airports ....

[Nimrod6]

also speculate that somewhere along the line VAS and MAG have other 'business dealings' with each other.


What!? Really?!?! :ugh:

[Teevee]

Irony is wasted on some people ...:ugh:

[pug]

Ryanair to Alicante not part of a bigger MAG deal apparantly..


It is owned by Manchester Airports Group (MAG) but O’Leary confirmed that the timing of the announcement was coincidental and was not linked to its Manchester growth. “We were approached by Humberside Airport and have an independent arrangement with them. We will see what the route is like this summer before we look at our long-term plans,” he said




Ryanair Returns to Manchester :: Routesonline (http://www.routesonline.com/news/36/the-hub/98662/ryanair-returns-to-manchester/)

[N707ZS]

Did they cross his palm with silver. I think Murcia had to pay 8 euro's per flight!

[pug]

I heard last time it was half priced fees. Maybe it was a similar offer to what they got at MME.

[tonto68]

Keep your eyes peeled. All I will say is 'three letters and one number' :ok:

You heard it here first

[andy mach 1]

Three letters one number = SKY1, BBC2 or ITV3!!:) Only kidding. Interesting.

[ryansf]

Keep your eyes peeled. All I will say is 'three letters and one number'

You heard it here first
Actually, we've heard it on here, and many other places, a number of times before! And I'm still yet to see a Jet2 aircraft at Humberside...

I think it was yourself that mentioned it... ;)

[tonto68]

The usual answer to a statement like mine is 'I wouldnt hold my breath' but i can assure you that with this one, you CAN hold your breath!!:E

[aeulad]

tonto68, you can't blame people's scepticism.

Earlier in the year you sang of BE carrying the AGP into the winter, and SSH for S11, neither of which have happened.

You have heard rumours at the airport, and if it comes off, I will take my hat off to you, but otherwise, your predictions are not always the most trustworthy.

Regards

Mike

[pug]

I believe this one...

[niknak]

And I'm still yet to see a Jet2 aircraft at Humberside...


The only reason Ryanair are operating this flight is because a large proportion of the seats have already been bought by tour operators, so that's the majority of the operators costs paid for if indeed it doesn't already put the route into profit.
The remainder will be sold to the general public, which will be the icing on the cake for Ryanair.

You haven't seen Jet2 into HUY for the same reason that you don't see them at many other similar airports:

1) they are already operating very profitable routes elsewhere,
2) they don't have the same aircraft numbers as Ryanair to bid for extra summer work and,
3) almost certainly, their operating costs are higher so they can't be as competetive as non UK based operators when bidding for extra summer work.

[ryansf]

niknak, I think you may have quoted the wrong person, or at least misunderstood what I said. I didn't mention anything about the Ryanair (Alicante, I presume) flight from Humberside. I know why I haven't seen a Jet2 aircraft at HUY - I only said that because there have been countless rumours on the subject without any substance.

[pug]

The only reason Ryanair are operating this flight is because a large proportion of the seats have already been bought by tour operators, so that's the majority of the operators costs paid for if indeed it doesn't already put the route into profit.
The remainder will be sold to the general public, which will be the icing on the cake for Ryanair.



That is utter rubbish.

Ryan, there is substance, still doesnt mean it will come to anything, but hopefully it might.

[TSR2]

The only reason Ryanair are operating this flight is because a large proportion of the seats have already been bought by tour operators

I did not think that Ryanair sold seats to Tour Operators.

[pug]

TSR2, they dont. The same was said about BE to Malaga and that turned out to be false.

[mikerawsonderby]

Well there's going to be lots of disappointed people around the country then. Many of the 'Reader's Holiday Offers' in our local newspaper use RYR flights.

[pug]

Well there's going to be lots of disappointed people around the country then. Many of the 'Reader's Holiday Offers' in our local newspaper use RYR flights.

Who make use of flights that are there. But do they block book seats?

Its going off topic anyway, BE to AGP was not run on behalf of a tour operator. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that is why FR are running the ALC flights this summer either.

[Fernanjet]

Readers holidays offers are just adverts - nothing is blcok booked and the price will increase as the ryanair prices increase....try calling them for a quote and then do the same a couple of weeks later as the ryr price increases.....

[niknak]

Pug,

perhaps I am better informed than you, but it doesn't really matter.

Facts are that "Tour operators" have indeed taken up enough seats to guarantee that the flights will happen, the rest will be on sale to the general public.
As Mr O'Liary stated, if things work out, Ryanair will review their options at the end of the season.
Alicante should be a sustainable summer route for any airport - given HUYs management failure in the recent past to do anything constructive without the power of MAG, if it isn't Ryanair in 2012 they don't deserve anyone.

[pug]

If you are 'better informed' then perhaps you could name some of these tour operators, as you may find it hard. Clearly you have been misinformed.

I do agree on the route having a future though, the people of the Humber region are not all 40 years behind, and are actually capable of booking flights and accommodation seperately ;)

[tonto68]

£29.99 flight eh? Not bad price but watch out for the little extra required by HUY. :eek: :mad:

A little sting in the tail for all travellers? :=

[pug]

Tonto, are you bi-polar by any chance??? :rolleyes:

[pug]

Prices are the same on the FR flights as they are from the other airports, assuming one 15kg bag each.

Im struggling to understand the 'little extras' you are refering to?

[niknak]

I haven't seen the adverts for the flights, but would the "little extras" be things like airport security charges (often twice the air fair), on board catering (2 day old cheese rolls at £4 each, train tickets to central London from Stansted, irish lotto tickets or use of the lavatory?).

[pug]

Yes it will of course be subject to the usual Ryanair gubbins, but as far as airport charges, the fares are the same as LBA, EMA and DSA.

[shaftr1]

Sounds like tonto68 has a grudge against HUY is he from DSA by any chance?:confused::confused::confused:

[Teevee]

That's a cheap shot. Most of us DSA'ers want HUY to succeed tho' obviously not at too much expense to DSA - but given that when EZY came to DSA tonto hoped it'd kick start Jet2 into a move to HUY I somehow doubt he is closely connected to DSA!

[shaftr1]

Apologies Teevee didn't mean to offend. Just seems there are certain people want airports to fail.:ugh::ugh: Seems Tonto68 may be one of those. But he dos seem to have gone quiet all of a sudden.:ok:

[pug]

I notice that Larnaca will now be operated for only two months this summer, from May to July. This is a shame as it was one of the remaining routes that has been operating year round. It would seem aircraft availability is the issue here, now that ECA have gone.

[niknak]

Pug,

not so much aircraft unavailability as the economic situation in Cyprus.

Few, if any hotels on the island are full and they're fighting tooth & nail to get the trade.

Simply put, there isn't the trade there used to be and a number of other regional airports have had their flights cut too.

[pug]

Then why operate the flights at all? If they just were'nt selling then HUY would be the first to be chopped, but instead they are to run a short season before the school holidays. Suggests the aircraft are to be used elsewhere.

Someone who works in the industry told me last year that the holidays were still doing well financially, as the costs were always higher than most other euro destinations. Likewise, flights from HUY always popular.

[tonto68]

Shaftr1......how wrong you can be. Stop accusing when you havent got a clue. :=

I may work at DSA :yuk:, I may work at HUY :yuk: , I may work at EMA :yuk:, I may work at LBA :yuk:. I may not even have anything, directly, to do with Aviation.

But one thing is certain ............................. I know what I am talking about. :8

I shall wait for the apology, but i wont hold my breath :rolleyes:

And BTW, I havent gone quiet ........... a little thing called work occasionally rears its ugly head. Some of us cant be on here every day :p.

[temptage]

Pug, is that Larnaca the Wednesday or the Saturday one?

[aeulad]

I have to reitterate tonto68, your predictions have never come to anything. You post rumour after rumour on here and nothing happens. Still nothing from Jet2, and I doubt there will be! You posted about HUY adding a little extra to FR bookings, which is completely untrue. You say you know what you are talking about. We have yet to see this in evidence.

Regards

Mike

[pug]

Temptage; I'm talking about the wednesday flight. You probably know that the Saturday (Thomas Cook) flight was canned after the announcement that ECA were to be closed down. The demise of Eurocypria has thrown a spanner in the works for a number of regional airports.

[tonto68]

Didnt know any of that Pug. The staff are always the last to know! I might look forward to the late Wednesdays now!

[pug]

I might look forward to the late Wednesdays now

Well the flying clubs will have to get the night ratings out of the way before summer now. Have you seen how much it costs to keep the relevent staff on past normal operating hours? :eek:

[temptage]

I havent seen costs but i can well imagine!

[shaftr1]

Looks like Andy Mach 1 was right. Sky 1 BBC 1 or ITV 1 was probably closer to the mark than an airline with three letters and one number.:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[pug]

It seems Thomas Cook have binned Tunisia from Humberside. Not completely surprising considering the troubles, but they are still on sale from DSA so far.

[pug]

New FBO for Humberside..

Weston Aviation opens new FBO at Humberside International Airport on the 1st June 2011 (http://www.westonaviation.com/news/weston_aviation_opens_new_fbo_at_humberside_international_ai rport_on_the_1st_june_2011)

Welcome news Im sure.

[PARKINGBRAKEON]

This is great news, there is currently no one on the aerodrome dealing with such business therefore Weston Aviation will be well placed to provide a first class service. They also provide regional business aviation development, well placed for the potential Humber Bank development(s). Some positive news for Humberside!

[Danscowpie]

They also provide regional business aviation development, well placed for the potential Humber Bank development(s). Some positive news for Humberside!

No they don't, they're just another charter operator and handling agent, no different from anyone else and don't necessarilly bring anything new or more to the airport that the likes of NetJets appointing Servisair as their nominated handling agent could.

Unless Westonair build a new dedicated large handling FBO facility, including hangerage, they offer nothing that isn't already available.

[pug]

There perhaps isn't enough info released so far so its open to speculation, but what they do say is it will be creating jobs for local people, something not to be sniffed at.

[Danscowpie]

but what they do say is it will be creating jobs for local people, something not to be sniffed at.

Concur and I sincerely hope that you are right.

[SWBKCB]

This quote was in the Northern Echo in respect of the DTVA operation, so maybe they will bring something new to the party?


Weston Aviation general manager Becky Carver says the firm has been actively promoting the benefits of business aviation to North-East firms. Ms Carver said: "we have gone out to the local community trying to make people aware how viable chartering your own jet is, it is a business transaction rather than a luxury. It has taken a little bit but it is slowly changing, we are making people aware of what we do."

[BristowXJ]

Cracking piece of news, about time we heard something positive come out of Humberside. So much for the rumours that Humberside had a limited life span left.

Don't get me wrong this is good to hear, but I thought the guys over at Hangar 9 were looking to develop exec handling?

[pug]

Aviators plan to double private passenger traffic

Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 07:00
Comment on this story (http://www.humberbusiness.com/hull/Aviators-plan-double-private-passenger-traffic/article-3359050-detail/article.html#StartComments)


HIGH flying executives and business leaders from around the world will soon be receiving a VIP welcome at Humberside International Airport.
Weston Aviation has finalised a deal with the airport to open a Business Aviation Centre there on June 1.
And the company said it hoped to "significantly increase" the number of private passengers jetting to and from Humberside.
Nick Weston, founder and managing director of Weston Aviation said: "We opened similar facilities at Durham and Newquay about eight yeas ago and in both we have doubled the number of private passengers.
"There are already private aircraft using Humberside, but we feel we could develop that significantly."
http://iad.anm.co.uk/house/1x1.GIF

As well as opening the first dedicated fixed based operation (FBO) at the airport, Weston will also promote and develop the use of business and private aviation through a new regional charter...

More at; HIGH-flying executives and business leaders from around the world will soon be receiving a VIP welcome at Humberside International Airport. (http://www.humberbusiness.com/hull/Aviators-plan-double-private-passenger-traffic/article-3359050-detail/article.html)

The awaited press release.

[pug]

Airports Council International have HUY ranked as the UKs best and the Worlds 9th best for customer satisfaction.

Unexpected bit of news today, even for the airports spokesman on Radio Humberside today it seems.

[Hotel Uniform Yankee]

Dont think it will be getting any awards for customer satisfaction at the moment with no hold baggage scanning facilities. This was after a visit from the DFT. Everything is having to be carried down to the same area where the hand baggage is scanned. Should be interesting with this if they are able to achieve the turnround times when th Ryan Air starts in a couple of weeks.

[tonto68]

Yay. HUY are £1000 in the red already after their crap effort at getting RyanAir turned round in 25 minutes on Tuesday. A matter of 45 minutes later the plane took off again.

Must try harder, and get the refuelling done quicker or it could cost the airport a lot of money!

[pug]

Tonto, where do you get this crap from? You surely know that the FR arrival was late dont you?? :rolleyes:

[FR-]

If an a/c is late, we try and go for a 20min turn around, But the airport will still get 25 mins before we dont pay for turn arounds

[Cazza_fly]

Yay. HUY are £1000 in the red already after their crap effort at getting RyanAir turned round in 25 minutes on Tuesday. A matter of 45 minutes later the plane took off again.

Must try harder, and get the refuelling done quicker or it could cost the airport a lot of money!


Achieving a 25 minute turnaround on most routes and on most LCCs is achievable. However, Ryanair have some very daft policies, at least at the airports i've worked at, which in our opinion are designed to put any delays down to various parts of the ground crews. e.g; PRMs can't be offloaded/boarded during refuelling, which can take around 20 minutes sometimes!!! That leaves you with 5 minutes to board/offload PRMs. Not to mention they insist if there is more than a certain number of PRMs that they are loaded at the front and back in equal numbers, a long process if you only have the availability of one ambulift....

Finally I would like to point out that HUY would not be the ones in the ''red'' as you say. It's the ground handling / fueller / ambulift etc who would be the ones in the ''red'' if a delay was put down to them...(should they not be able to prove otherwise). HUY would actually be better off as they would then be getting paid by ryanair as they have gone over their planned parking time.

[bob marley]

Tonto, the tuesday flight was only that long turning around due to the shear number of PRM's that needed boarding! todays flight was much smoother due to fewer numbers requiring the Ambulift.
It does annoy most of us when the likes or youself try your best to badmouth the airport, but as with most minor irritations, we can easily ignore you

[shaftr1]

Well said Bob Marley this isn't the first time Tonto has been negative towards HUY.:D:D:D

[BristowXJ]

Any more news on the Weston Aviation development being now under a month until the scheduled opening? Where precisely on the airfield will they be based?

[pug]

What do people make of this article?

“No future� for smallest airports | ABTN (http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/1615793-%E2%80%9Cno-future%E2%80%9D-smallest-airports)

[Danscowpie]

Bailey said he “wouldn’t give a categorical no” that MAG won’t close “some of the smaller airports”.
“That is sad,” he said, “but I think it’s just about the cost of making those businesses operate.”

What a complete and utter feckin idiot:rolleyes:
If there's a better way of pissing off some of the MAG major shareholders I've yet to see it. To think such things or discuss them privately is one thing, to utter them publicly is commercial suicide.

I would suggest that the "UK's smaller airports" have a better chance of survival than Mr Bailey.

[Helen49]

Mr Bailey speaks common sense.

Small airports with limited numbers of big aeroplanes have all the associated costs and little of the associated revenue. Just do the sums!

Low cost operators have changed the face of airports. May be good for the passengers but not good for the airports.

[pug]

I think its more likely that MAG have their sights on STN and GLA/EDI, therefore offloading its smaller airports would make sense, perhaps even EMA!

Closing either BOH or HUY would not be without cost, and I fail to see the benefit of closing either of them down. HUY couldn't be used for much else.

It also seems to be a bit of a pop at Government due to increasing cost burdens. Still though not the best way of going about it like Danscowpie says.

[tonto68]

With Ryanair constantly failing to be down and up again in the allotted time of 25 minutes (the fastest so far being 33 minutes) it seems the finger of blame is being pointed in just one direction towards an individual company.

According to the Duty managers every other company involved are managing to get their tasks finished in time, where as A.N. OTHER is failing.

Even the refuellers are on time now.

NOTE - NO MENTION OF COMPANY INVOLVED!

[Cazza_fly]

NOTE - NO MENTION OF COMPANY INVOLVED!

Don't quite get where you are coming from with this...

33mins is actually quite good for ryanair... yes a 25 minute turnaround can be achieved but will be very very hard on a longer sectors such as Alicante where the re-fueling can take 20 minutes alone and the loading usually close to full each way! Dont forget turnarounds are calculated chocks on to chocks off not wheels down to wheels up...

Check some of the turnarounds at DSA, LBA and even STN their biggest UK base and you will see despite handling in excess of 20 turnarounds an hour at times on a daily basis they will rarely achieve 25 minute turns. Hundreds of factors can cuase this, just intrigued to find out what you mean :confused:

:ok:

[maverick.86]

Tonto, The refuellers have always been on time, the fact that they cannot pump until the PRM's are off loaded is what delays them....Ryanair's own procedure!! so quit the jibba jabba until you know!!! :D

[Teevee]

... joining the discussion late ... if it is anything like DSA does a 25 minute turn around really matter that much when they're frequently landing +15 minutes early???

[shaftr1]

I see Tonto68 is talking a load of rubbish again. This is not the only thread he waffles on.

[frfly]

Its always the same in new airports. It's actually a 20 minute turnaround door to door, with the 5 mins for the F/D to do their final checks and call for clearance.

Unless the handling agent preboards PAX as the A/C pulls onstand, it's very difficult to achieve. Although it is regularly achieved in all aiports (well, maybe not Italy!!) and is doable, but it takes some getting used to! Preparation is key, with the PAX assebled -40 and pre Q checks done in the 15 minutes before the A/C is due onstand.

[Cazza_fly]

... joining the discussion late ... if it is anything like DSA does a 25 minute turn around really matter that much when they're frequently landing +15 minutes early???


Yes they do just like at any of their airports, though they regularly arrive ontime / late too which we are talking about. Regardless of if they arrive early though, the procedure for the swift turnaround is still pretty much the same!

Unless the handling agent preboards PAX as the A/C pulls onstand, it's very difficult to achieve. Although it is regularly achieved in all aiports (well, maybe not Italy!!) and is doable, but it takes some getting used to! Preparation is key, with the PAX assebled -40 and pre Q checks done in the 15 minutes before the A/C is due onstand.

Exactly true!

[pug]

Anyone know if Ryanair are to return next year? The annual MAG accounts suggested FR yields are strong and it opens the possibility for other services for summer 2012.. Also said that KLM loads are building up again and hints at another long-term agreement having been made.

FR load factors have been around 80% so far, though I suspect August will see the highest due to school holidays.

[tonto68]

Keep your ears to the ground about Tenerife, Malaga and even more Palma, plus A.N.OTHER

:ok:

p.s. not all with one company either!

[Chitty]

tell us more and where u hered this from

[pug]

Would I get health problems due to keeping my ear to the ground for prolonged periods?

Hopefully youre right on this one though.

[shaftr1]

I doubt it Tonto68 is full of these statements and not one has come true. I sincerely hope I'm wrong this time as this would be excellent for HUY, But I'm affraid this guy has cried wolf too many times.:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Aero Mad]

To name but a few of Tonto68's previous 'tip-offs':

serious talk of Thomas Cook adding some completely new destinations for 2011 (as opposed to NEW destination Tunisia which HUY have actually had before), and also FlyBe! Keep your eyes peeled. All I will say is 'three letters and one number'i can assure you that with this one, you CAN hold your breath!!As Samuel Beckett says in Waiting for Godot: 'We wait. We are bored. (He throws up his hand.) No, don't protest, we are bored to death, there's no denying it.'

[john2408]

I went to the airport open day today. asked HUY staff about possible new flights. 'Suprise Suprise' nio one had heard anything.:{

[tonto68]

What you all seem to forget is that this is a Rumour Network!

I only tell you what the latest RUMOURS are that are going round the Airport.

RUMOUR - Noun:

a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts.

So I would appreciate it if you would stop your whining. As they saying goes

DON'T SHOOT THE :mad: MESSENGER

[Aero Mad]

tonto68, thank you for giving us all the rumours.

However, you may have gathered that 95% of people on this forum quite like rumours which actually come to something, as opposed to non-news - that is, as I'm sure you'll agree, totally pointless. Perhaps get at least some sort of confirmation before posting them online.

[eltonioni]

Perhaps you should find a forum that meets your own expectations more fully if you don't like this one?

[temptage]

Anybody got a contact number for Stelios?

Give him a nudge for HUY to be a hub for his new airline!

:ok:

[Chitty]

i dont ryanair will be operating the alicante flights next summer coz most of ryanair summer 2012 flights for on sale but humberside isnt

[pug]

I think there are quite a few of FR's Spanish to yet go on sale so there is still time. Leave judgement for a couple of months.

[Jamie2k9]

i dont ryanair will be operating the alicante flights next summer coz most of ryanair summer 2012 flights for on sale but humberside isnt


Alicante summer 2012 schedule will not be out for a while. Both FR and ALC airport going to hold talks.

[pug]

Looks like HUY-ALC is not returning next summer. By the looks of it due to FR cutting back at ALC that may be announced tomorrow.

No positive news currently. Chance of BE coming back to serve AGP supposidly..

[Hull City AFC]

Unfortunately it has been chopped. Confirmed below with a full list of airports chopped.

Bratislava, Brno, Cochstedt, Doncaster, Fez, Gdansk, Humberside, London-Gatwick, Madrid, Marrakech, Palma de Mallorca, Pisa, Poznan, Santander, Sevilla, Treviso, Valladolid and Zaragoza

Once again the airport loses out due to external factors beyond their control. :(:(:(

[tonto68]

New MD appointed as of 1st January. :eek:

All reports I've heard this week so far is that he has started off where Lavan left it. :ugh:

Another one who doesnt speak, acknowledge or interact with the workers. :=

I bet everyone at HUY is really excited! :ok:

[pug]

Who is the new guy? Anyone know where Tony Lavan has moved onto?

[pottwiddler]

Believe to be the old EMA ops Director...part of MAG's Transformation 2011 or Night of the Long knives...sorry make that 3 months of the long knives... Heads have rolled in Manchester Airport Group

[Chitty]

hi does any one know what aircraft will be doing the thomas cook humberside to palma flight because its normaly done by the leeds based a320 but the leeds based aircraft this year is a monarch 757 will thomas cook be useing the monarch 757 on the humberside route

[pug]

Anyone know anything about this outfit..

jetXtra.com | Low Cost Flights & Holidays (http://www.jetxtra.com/)

They plan to do weekly flights to PMI and AGP by the looks of it..

[TSR2]

With B737-400 aircraft ?

[pug]

They say they will be using albastar airlines.

AlbaStar.es Airline (http://www.albastar.es/)

[LBIA]

Both new routes from Humberside to Palma & Malaga will be operated 2x weekly on Mondays and Fridays commencing from June 1st and running until October 8th using Spanish based albastar airlines Boeing 737-400 aircraft.

Timetable

Mondays
PMI 09:30 HUY 11:00 JQ2552
HUY 11:50 AGP 15:45 JQ2153
AGP 16:35 HUY 18:30 JQ2154
HUY 19:20 PMI 22:50 JQ2551

Fridays
PMI 07:35 HUY 09:05 JQ2552
HUY 09:50 AGP 13:45 JQ2153
AGP 14:45 HUY 16:40 JQ2154
HUY 17:30 PMI 21:00 JQ2551

[pug]

It seems this is another attempt by Daniel Reilly, formerly of failed Nexus Airways at LPL.. Hopefully he can make it work this time around, but I'm not convinced :ugh:

[latituded610]

Oh those of little faith. Its clear that an airline with a low cost base and identifying a clear demand for a route can make it work. The travel trade locally is desperate for this service as many people want a regular service to the western med.

have a look at company house for CTT; long established business with significant profits and strong turnover.

it deserves to work and it deserves support.

anyway, thats my view!

[Richard Taylor]

Good evening Daniel! ;)

[pug]

Well lets hope this time it actually works out. HUY has had a pretty poor run of new routes so far, and thats with established operators.

[Cyrano]

Story from e-tid: (http://www.e-tid.com/News-Home/Start-up-chooses-Humberside-as-first-base.aspx)
Start-up chooses Humberside as first base
13 Jan 2012
A new airline will operate flights to Spain from Humberside Airport this summer.

Tickets for flights with jetXtra.com are on sale, with prices for its first two routes, Majorca and Malaga, starting at £69 one-way.

jetXtra is part of CCT Group Ltd and one of the start-up’s directors is Daniel Reilly, who made headlines in 2005 when, as an 18-year-old, he set up Nexus Airlines in his bedroom.

However, the business was wound up when its backer got into financial difficulties.

Since then, he was worked with Hunt&Palmer, the aircraft charter specialists.

Reilly, who is now 25, said: ‘Nexus Airlines sold really well – we sold 1,000 seats in our first week.

‘Everything went exactly as we wanted it to as far as sales and the popularity of flights were concerned but unfortunately, the company that was backing us financially fell into difficulties.

‘No customer lost out – we re-booked them on Monarch.

‘Since then, I have spent a fair bit of time in the industry, have gained a lot more experience and made a lot of contacts.

‘The new airline has the backing and support of an established tour operator, with all the expertise that brings. It is not a fly-by-night operation.’

The Humberside services to Majorca and Malaga will operate from 1 June to the end of October.

If successful, more routes will be added for the winter and summer 2013 seasons.

Reilly said the service will be ‘low cost, with extras’, such as free in-flight drinks and a baggage allowance of 15kg.

Passengers can pay £10.50 per leg to increase their baggage allowance to 20kg.

There are no fees for paying by credit or debit card.

‘Our aim is to bring a better service to the travelling public,’ he said.

Holiday Extras has signed an exclusive, long-term contract to offer travel insurance via the airline’s website.

Its website also says jetXtra.com has partnered with ‘alpharooms.com, holidayautos.com and travelextras.com to allow passengers to self package their holidays with great value hotels, car hire deals and other essentials’.

[Buster the Bear]

Not an airline as such, just a ticketing agency.

[TANGO100]

What an awful website, typical affiliate links, white lable for the car hire etc.

If he wants to make a success of this they need a professional website, its ok for a starter ....

Also, I thought JQ was JetStar

[tonto68]

The Humberside services to Majorca and Malaga will operate from 1 June to the end of October.

If successful, more routes will be added for the winter and summer 2013 seasons.

Bloody hell? Flights in the winter? I thought that idea ended 3 years ago!!!!

[pug]

jetXtra.com | Airline attempts to block jetXtra.com (http://www.jetxtra.com/News3.html)

Interesting, seeing as that Jet2 dont seem interested in the Humberside market.. I do understand their concerns though given that Jet2 is a big brand in this part of the world.

[Monty Gordo]

My, my.... I suppose Air France will now object to the name of Air Lingus, merely because the word air appears in both names!

But how can there be any confusion betwixt Jet 2 and JetXtra does the former offer 'bags fly for free, assigned seats, free refreshments, no change fees and no card fees'?

David and Goliath... but lets hope the ending to this saga is as it was in the biblical story. And we all know who won that.

[sxflyer]

If this gets out in the news it will be the best thing that could possibly happen to jetxtra and HUY....I'd guess current awareness amongst the public is minimal.

[pug]

If this gets out in the news it will be the best thing that could possibly happen to jetxtra and HUY

Hopefully, but then will CTT Group want the potential burden of legal action at this early stage?

[pottwiddler]

Well Ryanair do not advertise, they just come up with a mad idea, (remove a loo, pay for the loo, standing only etc) and hey presto they are in the news and on everyone's mind. Any publicity is good publicity.

On a slightly different note, is anybody noticing tender shoots of recovery? and i must emphasise the operative word 'tender'.

[Nimrod6]

Monty,

Bad example given that it's actually Aer Lingus... but 10 out of 10 for the point!!!

Nimrod

[JSCL]

As someone not clued up on airline operations (that's not my line of business as it were) - who pays the APD? likely to be included in ANY charter quote or paid by jetxtra?

[pug]

It gets worse..

jetXtra.com | jetXtra.com sales temporarily suspended due to legal threats (http://www.jetxtra.com/News4.html)

[JSCL]

Indeed. I would suggest that the CAA are 'happy' to have a reason to block a virtual airline.

[righthandrule]

There must be some substance if the CAA are stepping in..

[TSR2]

My, my.... I suppose Air France will now object to the name of Air Lingus, merely because the word air appears in both names!

No confusion as it's Aer Lingus.

[pug]

JCSL and righthandrule, it does seem there is more to this, and of course it is largely one sided at the moment.

[EuroWings]

Do JetXtra actually have any credibility?

I remember that Nexus Airlines start-up with the routes from Liverpool to the Canaries, which never took off. Ryanair entered that market a few years later and made a tremendous success of it.

[pug]

CAA orders JetXtra to halt ticket sales

Jan 23, 2012 08:45AM GMT
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Content/img/comment.png 0 Comments and 7 Reactions (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2012/01/23/39367/jetxtra+forced+to+stop+selling+tickets+by+the+caa.html#disqu s_thread)




Start-up charter carrier JetXtra.com has been ordered to stop selling tickets by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
A partner of travel group CTT, JetXtra plans to operate flights from Humberside airport to Majorca and Malaga for three months from June. Seats went on sale in the second week of January, with the carrier saying all sales would be protected under the CTT Atol.
The airline claimed it halted sales following a threat of legal action by regional carrier Jet2. However, the CAA confirmed it had acted to prevent the sale of unlicensed holidays.
A CAA spokesman said: "CTT sought permission to trade with JetXtra.com. We have not yet approved that and until we do it cannot sell holidays. We would not allow a company to sell seats it does not have a licence for." The spokesman confirmed: "This has nothing to do with Jet2."
CTT holds a licence to carry just 620 passengers in the year to September and only 150 this summer, when JetXtra hopes to carry 9,000 passengers. The CAA previously confirmed to Travel Weekly that JetXtra would only be allowed to offer the number of seats for which CTT is licensed unless it approved an extension.
However, the JetXtra website claimed the halt in sales was "due to Jet2.com legal threats". Jet2.com has written to JetXtra suggesting its name is "misleading".
According to the JetXtra site: "JetXtra.com have been told by the CAA . . . that until a decision is made by Jet2.com in relation to any legal proceedings, the JetXtra.com trading name will not be allowed on to the Atol licence of CTT Group."
JetXtra director Daniel Reilly said: “We are naturally disappointed by this decision. To be hit with this at one of the busiest times of the year for summer holiday bookings is a massive blow."
Reilly claimed: "The decision would appear to be a knee-jerk reaction by the CAA as our legal team have informed us that until such time that an injunction was granted, or there was a court ruling in Jet2.com's favour, that we are free to continue trading as JetXtra.com.
“We will be appealing this decision as soon as possible in the hope that we can recommence sales under the JetXtra.com brand without too much of a loss to our business.”
Potential passengers are still able to check flight prices on JetXtra.com, but no bookings can be made. Reilly said: “Any customer who has already booked should not be concerned as this decision to temporarily halt trading will not affect their booking or financial protection offered under the CTT Group Atol."


CAA orders JetXtra to halt ticket sales - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2012/01/23/39367/jetxtra+forced+to+stop+selling+tickets+by+the+caa.html)

Is this not exactly the same as what happened to Nexus Airways? :ugh:

[pug]

JetXtra withdraws claim after CAA halts sales of unprotected holidays

Jan 24, 2012 07:30AM GMT
http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Content/img/comment.png 0 Comments and 3 Reactions (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2012/01/24/39381/jetxtra+withdraws+claim+after+caa+halts+sales+of+unprotected +holidays.html#disqus_thread)




JetXtra.com has withdrawn its claim that a threat of legal action by an established carrier forced it to stop selling tickets, following a rebuke from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Start-up carrier JetXtra, a partner of travel group CTT, plans to operate flights from Humberside airport to Majorca and Malaga for three months from June. Seats went on sale in the second week of January, with the carrier saying all sales would be protected under the CTT Atol.

JetXtra claimed yesterday that it halted sales at the weekend following a threat of legal action by regional carrier Jet2. However, the CAA confirmed it ordered a stop to sales to prevent the booking of unlicensed holidays.

A CAA spokesman said: "We have been in contact with JetXtra.com and we are talking with CTT Group. We have not sorted out an increase in seat allocation, but are in coversation about extending it."

CTT holds a licence to carry just 620 passengers in the year to September and only 150 this summer when JetXtra hopes to carry 9,000 passengers. The CAA previously confirmed to Travel Weekly that JetXtra would only be allowed to offer the number of seats for which CTT is licensed unless it approved an extension.

The CAA said: "CTT sought permission to trade with JetXtra.com. We have not yet approved that and until we do it cannot sell holidays. We would not allow a company to sell seats it does not have a licence for." The spokesman confirmed: "This has nothing to do with Jet2."

However, the JetXtra website claimed yesterday that the halt in sales was "due to Jet2.com legal threats". Jet2.com has written to JetXtra suggesting its name is "misleading".

In a statement, Jet2.com said: "JetXtra published an article on its website that falsely blamed Jet2.com for the CAA's decision to halt its ticket sales, something the CAA has confirmed as 'entirely untrue'. The CAA verified its decision had nothing to do with Jet2.com and was made solely to protect consumers."

Jet2.com commercial director Steve Lee said: “For JetXtra to claim Jet2.com was responsible in any way for the cessation of ticket sales is untrue and totally misleading. We had communicated with JetXtra in private over legal concerns."

Lee described the public use of this correspondence as "amateurish and damaging and a clear example of why we do not want any confusion among consumers between JetXtra and Jet2.com".

He said: "As an Atol-protected leisure company, Jet2.com adheres to the highest levels of professionalism within all areas of our business. We are understandably keen to protect the good reputation of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.”


JetXtra withdraws claim after CAA halts sales of unprotected holidays - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2012/01/24/39381/jetxtra+withdraws+claim+after+caa+halts+sales+of+unprotected +holidays.html)

[pug]

A further update, jetXtra have been instructed by the CAA to remove the ATOL badge from their website. The CAA are considering an increase in the ATOL cover, is it really likely to happen?

JetXtra told to remove Atol badge from website - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2012/01/25/39390/jetxtra+told+to+remove+atol+badge+from+website.html)

I guess this may turn into what HUY didn't need? :ugh:

[tonto68]

Ryanair have definitely pulled out AGAIN after 1 summer season. All signage in the Terminal was removed this week. What a surprise! :ugh: I bet they never saw that one coming did they, O'Leary? What a :mad:



The JetXtra debacle may not be over just yet. Talks are being held with another carrier, an established one this time. One that isnt likely to make HUY metaphorically bend over and be shafted AGAIN.

The company I work for is happy with their lot at HUY as we only have to start a rumour that we may up-sticks and they are changing their underwear again and bow down, scrape and grovel. Its quite funny to see really.

[pug]

Who is this 'established carrier' then?

[Affretage]

Just checked their website, and all it says is

WEBSITE UPDATE IN PROGRESS


www.jetxtra.co.uk (http://www.jetxtra.co.uk) or www.jetxtra.com (http://www.jetxtra.com)


Have they folded ?

AFF

[JSCL]

It's been like that for a week or two now I think?

[Aero Mad]

Probably an excuse whilst they deal with the Jet2 hassle.

[pug]

Jet2 arent the problem. There are issues with the CAA regarding the ATOL licence they were selling flights on. I would assume they are having to take the website down in order to not mislead people with ATOL badges that were on there, and are awaiting further information from the CAA so they can get the site in order so as not to.make the same mistake again.

Its certainly not looking good for a June launch, and the fact that they put the flights on sale without the correct licences may suggest they arent as prifessional an operation as was hoped. Shame really as HUY could do with an extra few flights.

[tonto68]

Have just had it re-confirmed that the established carrier they are talking to as an alternative to run the routes is Monarch. Its good when you know who has the loosest mouth of the senior/middle management. :ok:

[pug]

I assume you mean to replace jetXtra. If so then they will be cutting it a bit fine for a June start.

Also, when Nexus failed werent all affected passengers rebooked onto Monarch from MAN? Could that no be the case with this?

[Teevee]

tonto ...

Hope something comes of it but there is huge flaw in your conclusion. YOU might know, or think you know, the loosest mouth in senior/middle management, but you can bet your bottom dollar so do the people who REALLY matter! So it's odds on they won't tell 'em ANYTHING really worthwhile knowing that is commercially sensitive!

[tonto68]

Absolutely Pug. All I said was they were in talks with another carrier, which as you correctly point out may mean that they dont fly out of HUY at all.

[LGS6753]

Olympic Holidays has signed a deal with Aegean Airlines to provide flights on key routes this summer.

Among the first routes announced is Humberside to Crete.

[pug]

Hopefully this will bring some stability to Olympics programs from some airports. Hopefully LCA can return to a full season again next year.

[pug]

Nothing in the Thomas Cook booking engine for S13 from HUY or LBA. Anyone know if they are dropping HUY altogether?

[shaftr1]

Heard a rumour that Richard Lake has bought HUY and surrounding land. Anyone know any more about this?

[pug]

Possible new route, from possible new airline Europort Express..

Exit3 Design :: Europort Express (http://exit3.co.uk/europort.html)

Europort Express :: Routesonline (http://www.routesonline.com/airlines/12341/europort-express/)

[onyxcrowle]

where is the mention of Humberside there?. Seems like someone is just talking about this as the 'website' is just a logo and nothing. No doubt it will come to nothing, Just like jetxtra

[pug]

where is the mention of Humberside there?. Seems like someone is just talking about this as the 'website' is just a logo and nothing. No doubt it will come to nothing, Just like jetxtra

The website has clearly been built, it is just not 'online' yet. Humberside is mentioned if you scroll through the screenshots on the first link. Whether it will come to anything remains to be seen, but we cannot judge (or compare it to Jetxtra) until more information becomes available.

[pug]

An update from jetXtra has appeared..

Hi folks, to keep everybody updated, we were left with little time to sell our summer flights after Jet2 dropped their legal challenge, as a result we had to take the difficult decision not to go ahead with them. We are not going anywhere though and wish to thank all those that sent in messages of support. We believe like many of you, that Humberside can be a great airport for the region and we are now working on future flights we can offer.

[pug]

Heard a rumour that Richard Lake has bought HUY and surrounding land. Anyone know any more about this?

Posted elsewhere that Manchester Council minutes released from April suggest that the possible sale of shares in Humberside Airport were going to a vote.. I'm not sure of the outcome, but it seems already Summer 2013 is looking poor, possibly partly as a result of this?

So far only the weekly BH Air flight to Bulgaria on sale for Summer 2013. Crete is not on sale with Olympic, it appears that the tuesday Aegean flight has been transfered to BFS. Thomas Cook are offering nothing whatsoever so far, though it looks like something is happening between HUY, LBA and DSA.

KLM next? Though would they really abandon their well established market there?

[onyxcrowle]

What do you mean something is happening between DSA n LBA etc ?

[pug]

I didnt say something is happening, just that it looks like tgere is something going on. People have been assured by Thomas Cook customer services that LBA and HUY will be on sale by mid June, however it is strange that these are the only airports omitted from the initial S13 program.. Particularly with LBA being a base.

[cuban missile]

off topic, but is humberside up for sale, there seems to be alot of rumours going about !!

[airhumberside]

Wigan Council agreed to vote in favour of MAG selling it's HUY shares at the Extraordinary General Meeting on 16th April. However I've no idea if that was 'just' Wigan wanting HUY sold, or if someone else had suggested the idea
http://democracy.wigan.gov.uk/documents/g2119/Printed%20minutes,%2005th-Apr-2012%2015.00,%20Cabinet.pdf?T=1

I have also checked a number of other Greater Manchester council meeting agendas/minutes, and found nothing about any HUY sale. There is nothing on the North Lincolnshire Council website either

Also, if there had been a decision to sell HUY made in April, I'd have thought it would have been public by now

[northernmonkeyninja]

I'm led to believe that HUY has been sold to the above mentioned.
This all falls into line with new Management that are currently seriously over paid for jobs within EA but may be suited within the AP itself.

only time will tell.......

[pug]

If Eastern Airways were to purchase HUY, would that not raise competition issues?

[tonto68]

Late night tonight. Dont you just wish sometimes that Pilots would learn to fly their planes without buggering them up once in a while?

Talks are still ongoing with RL. He will probably end up changing HUY to a Warbird airfield if it all goes through. But then again, would that be such a bad thing? :bored:

[pug]

From Bolton Council website..


Manchester Airport Plc (MAPLC) sought the approval of shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 16 April 2012 for the disposal of shares in Humberside International Airport Limited.

Given the urgency of this matter under rule 16 of Part IV of the Council’s Constitution, an urgent decision was required for the Council’s minority shareholders vote to agree to the disposal, as set out above.

A strategic review carried out by Manchester Airport Group identified Humberside would not form part of the longer term asset base for the Airport. MAG has identified that:
1. Humberside International Airport Limited is forecast to generate earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of £0.1M and make an earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) loss of £0.4M for the year ending 31 March 2012.
2. Humberside International Airport Limited has a defined Benefit Pension Scheme with an estimated £6.6M deficit as at September 2011 (valued on a cessation basis).
3. Humberside International Airport Limited has a short term cash funding requirement of £3M over the next 3 years.
4. The Airport makes up a disproportionate amount of Senior Management Time relative to its size in MAG.
5. Humberside International Airport Limited is considered non-core to MAPLC’s strategy.

Manchester Airport Plc has received an offer to sell its 82.7% shareholding in Humberside International Airport Limited for circa £2.3M. The Airport has confirmed that this offer commercially
represents best value for its shares and fits in with the longer term strategic review of MAPLC.

The proposal to sell Humberside International Airport Limited is classed as a “reserved matter” under the Articles of Association and therefore, needs the agreement of the shareholders by ordinary resolution.





Clearly the RL rumour has substance, could we see the airport become another business airport like Oxford?

[pottwiddler]

Interesting to read that MAG PLC have 'received' an offer to sell it's shares.

£2.3m is a bit of a joke figure considering the assets there, but I suppose taking in the liabilities of the airport in its current form (£0.4m loss, £6.6m pension deficit, £3m over 3 years CAPEX requirement), that it probably is a good offer.
Whoever is buying must have a vision for the airport and it will create jobs as all positions lost in centralising jobs (HR, Commercial etc) will be recreated, so it could be good for the airport.

[onyxcrowle]

Does HUY have the potential for decent growth . Reading back it seems to have lost countless routes and airlines . Even Ryanair haven't been back

[pug]

Depends what you would call 'decent growth'? Clearly the airport has taken a hit both by operators consolidating and DSA competing in the leisure market, but as you can see the relatively small loss can be turned around, and the airport is perfectly located to cash in on the renewable energy industry set to grow in the Humber region.

With the exception of DUB, I wouldnt say routes have failed as much as the airport being unable to lower their fees for a couple of weekly flights to ALC, though HUY was all set to operate this year until FR removed some based units due to the airbridge dispute, so the route itself cant have performed too badly (and by all accounts it didnt).

[onyxcrowle]

It seems odd though especially with its location that it's never expanded much . It's close to the motorway and has hull just over the water ( Though they might have been better buying somewhere like brough) but still it runs almost the same number of flights year round . Not many if any winter holiday flights . Is there any scope for expanding ? Can it take 767/777 for example or larger even ? . Their Masterplan does show expansion of the apron but it seems quite constrained . DSA of course and as we gave discussed to death elsewhere has acres of extra room. Yet HUY established for years hasn't clung onto what it had . Dublin ought to be a good route . Cork and Shannon as well . ( DSA for them too of course ) but being close to Hull and Scunthorpe gives it a good footing to do better . Klm must stay due to the helicopters . But If it got closed by for whatever reason could DSA handle or be in reach of the helicopters or do they alone make HUY uncloseable . I like HUY ok the terminal Is old but last time I went for a nosey back in 2007 it seemed friendly n welcoming . DSA is almost a austere as some of the places it serves used to be in the cold war .
In terms of routes how about Edinburg or Glasgow or even highlands airports such as Inverness and sumburgh . Sumburgh of course is heavily oil . They could run the Emb up there prob be an hour m a half flight straight through . Might be a niche idea . Heck even stornaway all these have oil related Nd fisheries stuff . Seems a wasted opertunity .. So what do you reckon pug ? Bring those routes offer in turn onward connection to holiday routes by changing to a tour operator at HUY . Sumburgh n Stormoway direct links and Inverness tourism route .

[pug]

As a small regional airport it was always built to serve a local market. There will be people working on expanding the route network. Whether a new owner can breath newe life into the place remains to be seen, but if this interested party does make the purchase then they must think there is money to be made.

[pug]

Now looks to be official..

MAG sells its majority stake in Humberside Airport | Manchester Evening News - menmedia.co.uk (http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1585056_mag-sells-its-majority-stake-in-humberside-airport-)

[Flightrider]

RL has been walking around like he owned the place for years anyway. Now I suppose he can because he does!

[pug]

I wonder what impact this sale may have on passenger flights going forward. Paul Litten head of business development seems confident that it will enable them to concentrate on attracting more routes.

[onyxcrowle]

But would eastern start more routes ?? After all now they own it . Then that would be a start !

[LGS6753]

Interesting -
Eastern buy Southwest.
Southwest's Plymouth base closes.
Eastern buy Humberside.

Did they learn something from Sutton Harbour Holdings? (Plymouth's owner, and former owner of Air Southwest).

Plots afoot?:E

[onyxcrowle]

It's all over look north . Eastern claims new routes coming ???

[pug]

LGS, your link between Humberside and Plymouth seems tenuous.

[davidjohnson6]

In the past, when airport and airline have had the same non-Govt owner, things often turn out less well than anticipated.

I don't have a huge amount of knowledge of Humberside airport, but my understanding is that the last few years have been less than ideal for Hull and the region. Since opening, Doncaster airport seems to be doing rather better than Humberside for local leisure based traffic (admittedly not Eastern's customer base) and looks likely to continue doing so given its location.

It seems unlikely that Eastern will merge with Bristow, CHC or KLM any time soon.

So what is the economic rationale for Eastern owning HUY airport ? Unless there is something to do with land value in the accounts, I'm struggling to see how they will be able to make money where MAG could not

[LGS6753]

LGS, your link between Humberside and Plymouth seems tenuous.

It is, but it's deliciously ironic, don't you think?

[pottwiddler]

There's some mileage in davidjohnson's statement of Airline/airport operator not going too well, Manston and Eujet is another example.

But I hope Eastern can make something of Humberside, flights into hubs would be a good start. AMD, MAD, CDG etc...it would certainly avoid much of the APD of flying from LBA/EMA/MAN to the US.

[shaftr1]

DavidJohnson, The reason MAG did not make money was that they never really wanted the airport in the first place, DSA was the driving factor for the purchase. All MAG did was to take flights from the airport and move them either to MA or EMA, The iceland air fish flights is a prime example. 5 days a week from huy then down to 1 with the rest to EMA then eventually all to EMA.

[davidjohnson6]

I notice that the nearest train station to HUY is at Barnetby, about 3.5 miles from the terminal. I note also that Barnetby is a pretty small station, has no taxi rank of its own and is without a bus service to the airport, but that the Humberflyer hourly bus from Hull passes close by.

Does he Humberflyer actually stop anywhere near Barnetby station ? Timetable from Stagecoach makes no mention of any stops between Barton and HUY
If the bus does not stop near the train station, why do the airport / local council not encourage it to do so ?

[pug]

davidjohnson, given the number of passengers using the airport, I would guess the number of passengers using rail via Barnetby to get to the airport would be negligable. The frequency of the Humberflyer service would mean that a stop at Barnetby would make no difference anyway. I believe there is a large information board at the station for people wanting to reach the airport, including numbers for the airports own taxi company.

Also, I would expect another announcement by 'jetXtra' soon.. I wonder if the airport will be talking to any real operators regarding restarting leisure routes? As things stand only the weekly Bourgas flights are on sale for next summer.

[horsebox]

Richard Lake makes money by buying up unfashionable and un loved things, and turning them round. Humberside tick those boxes, and has made either a small profit or small loss in most recent years.

He obviously sees a future for the place where others have lost interest, and since his airline is based there he is now in charge of his own destiny rather than being beholden to someone buying up the place for other reasons.

Doncaster is a white elephant, Huy whilst not that busy, ticks along in a different way.

[pug]

Horsebox, I agree. However white elephant or not, DSA has stolen a march on HUY's leisure routes.

Are the new owners going to be able to get some of that market back?

[tonto68]

If the :mad: staff who are 'in charge' of getting new flights and interest in the Airport are still being employed by Eastern, then there is more chance of me growing 3 extra legs than them getting anything extra, flight-wise. Lets face it, they have done NOTHING for HUY in the last few years, have they? :ugh:

Eastern should get their own people to work on improving the number of flights, or all I can see for the next summer season and the following winter season is tumbleweed rolling down the runway. :ok:

[pug]

Tonto68, at least we will be hearing some news from 'jetXtra' soon... :ugh:

[davidjohnson6]

tonto68 - things aren't quite as bad as you think. If you reckon times are bad, there's always MME to look at as well...

[globetrotter79]

lowcostholidays appears to have on sale humberside charter flights with an unnamed charter airline (presumably someone spanish as flights seem to start in Mallorca) for summer 2013. These don't seem to match with anything that is currently available with anyone else (Thomas Cook etc)..

Tuesdays 28May, 02-16July, 03September
Palma Mallorca 0700 - 0845 Humberside
Humberside 1720 - 2105 Palma Mallorca
and
Humberside 0945 - 1330 Alicante
Alicante 1430 - 1620 Humberside

..I can't quite figure out if these are just random dates or if there is actually a full summer operation but their system isn't fully updated yet?

[pug]

Tuesdays 28May, 02-16July, 03September
Palma Mallorca 0700 - 0845 Humberside
Humberside 1720 - 2105 Palma Mallorca
and
Humberside 0945 - 1330 Alicante
Alicante 1430 - 1620 Humberside

Looks very jetXtra/Albastar..

At the same time, Thomas Cook appear to have finally dropped HUY in favour of DSA with the remaining PMI and DLM capacity from HUY this year having been switched to DSA, and today added to by a weekly Enfidha flight.. Shame as the once strong Turkish market from HUY has been reduced to nothing.

Olympic Holidays appear to have abandoned HUY for next year too, with their remaining weekly flight to HER having been transfered to BFS.

So as things stand, only BH Air to Bourgas is on sale for next year. Will be interesting to see how the new owners plan to take the airport forward. Management have said in interview that the airport will return to profit if the 500,000 ppa figure can be reached again. With over a million people living within 30 minutes of the airport that really shouldnt be too difficult in the longer term.

[pug]

There is talk of the above flights having some tie in with the Monarch Group, operated by a third party airline.

[NorthSouth]

Management have said in interview that the airport will return to profit if the 500,000 ppa figure can be reached again. With over a million people living within 30 minutes of the airport that really shouldnt be too difficult in the longer term.Last time they went from 273000 (=2011 levels) to 500000 pax a year it took them seven years - 1996 to 2003.
NS