Flybe to move to BOH

[Wolfman857]

Rumours going round that Flybe is moving to Bournemouth... any truth in that ?.

[salsaboy]

I very much doubt it, although it would be very very convenient for me!
Where did you hear this rumour?
Was it a credible source... or typical BS'er?

[ConstantFlyer]

The veracity of a rumour can often depend greatly on its source. What's yours?

[jerboy]

Moving what to BOH?

A new base?

SOU relocating?

A new HQ instead of EXT?

All are fairly unlikely I'd say. BOH is pretty close to SOU, so setting up a new base would be eroding territory they're already have more or less the monopoly on.

Why would they ditch SOU? Perfect airport with the perfect runway length... not much bigger can get in and out (read EZY/FR), so they effectively own the airport. SOU authorities would give them a very good deal I'm sure if they threatened to pull out.

Moving HQ could be tricky. Aren't they in the process of building a training academy there?

[Bigt]

A fair bit of work going on at EXT for Flybe.....this sounds more like a few routes additional during the summer

[TCAS FAN]

BOH is everything operationally that SOU isn't, plently of runway length a far superior taxiway system and precision approaches both end. If BEE are considering moving, a few less than subtle hints to BAA SOU (they don't do subtle at SOU) is what is needed.

Categorisation of the ILS, which should have happened 6 + months ago but for BAA refusing to repaint the runway and add taxiway stopbars, addition of a northern taxiway to stop the ridiculously long departure delays experienced almost daily, and enough controlled airspace to remove the requirement for me to fly a vectored orbit around Winchester when inbound from the north, to get the height off to establish on the (as yet uncategorised) ILS.

It really p*****s me off seeing the new fancy "Welcome to Southampton Airport" sign, the cost of which would have probably paid for the runway repaint, when I've just arrived back from EXT by coach in the early hours of the morning, after diverting out due to a lack of CAT 1 ILS.

The BEE balance sheet would have looked a lot healthier had it not been for the fuel burn needed at SOU to accomodate current depature delays, daily hours building orbits, and diversions out with a MET vis of 1800 metres (or more) due to a cloud base of 200ft.

Rumour has it that CAT 1 may finally be coming this summer, keep the subtlety on hold until the northern taxiway and additional controlled airspace appears.

[Knife-Edge]

Wolfman hasn't been back with a source... so perhaps just speculation or wishfull thinking, especially as BOH doesn't have the stands to accomodate the SOU FlyBe operation even with the new terminal.

However it might make sense for FlyBe to operate their bucket and spade / holiday home / ski destinations out of BOH where the less convenient road / rail links are not such an issue. This would then free up slots and stands at to SOU to further expand the business routes.... and perhaps get a few more out on time.

[BOHEuropean]

I too have heard this rumour, originating from Engineers being asked if they'd like to move to B'mth - so I hear.

I can't really see them moving their operations from SOU to BOH, the transport links to SOU and it being located in the city of Southampton doesnt quite compare to Hurn.

I could see them starting some more leisure routes, to utilise their fleet more however?

[Groundloop]

SOU and it being located in the city of Southampton

SOU is actually in the Borough of Eastleigh - (just being awkward!):\.

[dixi188]

And Bournemouth (Hurn) airport is in Christchurch!

[Phalconphixer]

I do hope this is only a rumour although logistically it makes a lot of sense. SOU and EXE bases could both be closed and a centralised operational base set up at BOH.

BOH is ideal for EMB 195 operations with plenty of runway length available and plenty of available hangarage. When the rest of the South Coast airports are fogged in /snowed in BOH is invariably open.

BOH does have one major problem however and I speak from 15 years of having worked there for a certain Dark-Blue Biz Jet Centre. It was a problem in 1990 when I started work there and its still a problem today; its called Passenger Access.

It was a chicken and egg situation then and it still is; the airport owners and the money grabbing local councils of Bournemouth, Christchurch and the New Forest would not agree or finance any access improvement until pax numbers increased but airline operators wouldn't go there until access was improved. Instead the councils financed the more guaranteed revenue earning project of installating speed cameras on the A338... I used to commute by car from Portsmouth by car each day because public transport travel time was a minimum of 2hrs 30mins to 3hrs in each direction.

I hear that the long awaited access road is to be built from the A338 Wessex Way out to Parley Cross and this is fine for car owners, but Public Transport is still a joke. Fast trains do not call at Christchurch and there is no onward Publlic Transport from there to the Airport. The bus service is based on Bournemouth.

With Ryanair, Easyjet and Thomson all operating successfully out of BOH the airport authority have no excuse now; the much vaunted and much needed passenger terminal is I understand well underway but, just as it always did, BOH desperately needs a train service, one that serves Christchurch, Southampton and stations to Brighton, and to Exeter and Bristol in the opposite direction.

As I said I hope its just a rumour though, because on a purely personal basis the Flybe service from Malaga to Southampton route is a godsend since it cuts out the need to use the cattle-market that is Gatwick.

Even better would be Granada to Southampton because that would give me an airport on my doorstep at both ends but that's not likely to happen...

[Wycombe]

One could perhaps forsee a scenario that would allow Flybe to expand beyond the constrained confines of SOU, by moving leisure-oriented (and mainly 195 operated) routes to BOH, whilst keeping the domestics and near-Europe business-oriented (and mostly Q400 operated) routes at SOU.

But would they want to go head-to-head with the Harps and Thomson?

If and when the economy improves and the 195 options are taken up, there isn't room for many more at SOU, but a few more Q400's could be accomodated if the Embraers moved to BOH.

[Capot]

although logistically it makes a lot of sense. SOU and EXE bases could both be closedEh?

Relocate several thousand people to a much more expensive, and much less nice, area, forget the Training Academy, invite someone to take over the nice hangar Flybe invested in?

And all to go to an airport that's been dead for 30++ years because of Southampton and Gatwick? Sorry; apart from a travel agent's tiddly little airline, and an Aussie's toy one. Now, what happened to them?

OK, I take it back; it's got some no-service airline activity. I accept that. But why would Flybe want to go head on against other locos in a place like that? They are only there because SOU is not for them in a number of ways, and BOH is soooo cheap.

I can't imagine what motivated the first post, but I very much doubt that it was a real "rumour". Simple mischief?

[Groundloop]

Christchurch may be the nearer station to BOH but the road link from Bournemouth Central is often better and just as quick. Also the Bournemouth bus link does not just serve Bournemouth Central but other areas as well.

apart from a travel agent's tiddly little airline, and an Aussie's toy one. Now, what happened to them?

I do believe the "travel agent's tiddly little airline" is still there and doing quite nicely, thank you!

[Sky Wave]

Interestingly the majority of the track bed between Christchurch and Avon Causeway (Hurn Station) has never been built on. That said the line was closed in 1935 so the track bed itself would be useless, however it wouldn't cost a fortune in compulsory purchases to re-instate the line.

[BOU_PAX]

Here is the current state of the trackbed and a brief history of the line from Christchurch to Avon Causeway...

Ringwood - Christchurch railway (http://www.users.waitrose.com/%7Erod99/pages/rail/ringwood-christchurch.htm)

And here is a map from 1947 showing the exact route from Christchurch onwards.

New Popular Edition Maps (http://www.npemap.org.uk/tiles/map.html#414,95,1)

And yes, I do have too much time on my hands this afternoon :ok:

[Otto Throttle]

Relocate several thousand people???? Really? Who would they be then?

Seeing as the airline only employs 3000 personnel and less than half of them are based in EXT I'm not sure where all the hangers-on would be coming from.

But it's all a moot point, as EXT is not about to shut down any time soon as the company's admin/engineering HQ.

[Wycombe]

Perhaps the rumours that started this thread are due to this, announced today by Flybe:

Flybe.com | News Archives | February 2010 (http://www.flybe.com/news/1002/11.htm)

Didn't see that coming. Demand must be there if this is complimentary to the SOU-MAN operation.

[Diver_Dave]

Few biggish insurance companies in Bournemouth.

It may save me doing Southampton then train, but,
the flight timing could have been a little better!

Lose a morning going down and a big chunk of the day back...

Regards

DaveA