NEWQUAY

[cornishsimon]

New chairman appointed at Cornwall Airport Limited
Tim Jeans is appointed as new Chairman of Cornwall Airport Limited | Newquay Cornwall Airport (http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/about/media-center/news/tim-jeans-appointed-new-chairman-cornwall-airport-limited)






cs

[Phileas Fogg]

Tim Jeans has over 20 years experience in the industry having held executive management positions with some of the UK’s leading airlines, including Ryanair, MyTravel & Monarch Airlines

Ah yes, that leading UK airline Ryanair and precisely what market are, or were, MyTravel leaders of?

[VickersVicount]

Are there no flights at all this year from NQY to GLA ?
Thats NQY and GCI which operated last year.

[cornishsimon]

NQY-GLA was dropped by flybe/logan sadly




cs

[compton3bravo]

How the mighty have fallen. He has a really good pedigree ask them at Monarch and My Travel Light (cannot at the last one, no more).

[Coffin Corner]

cs

Just to be a pedant and correct you. Flybe hasn't dropped the GLA, it's actually nothing whatsoever to do with Flybe. Loganair had sole ownership of the route, they just use our corporate identity as you know. It's not Flybe's fault.

[Skipness One Echo]

Didn't Loganair pick it up after flybe dropped it on the Dash 8?

[GROUNDHOG]

Tim has many years experience in the business and will be an asset to Newquay Airport, respect where due please.... trouble is put O'Leary, Branson, Lord Sugar and The Pope in charge but it is still a tiny loss making regional airport with a hugely seasonal passenger requirement and little chance of any change.

The Council coming out with such continuous bullxxxx about vast expansion of passenger services just typifies where we are with committees and quangos.

Good luck Tim!

[compton3bravo]

He will certainly need it - luck that is!

[VickersVicount]

Flybe most certainly did operate it and then dropped it. Loganair took it up on their very own. Not sure what "Coffin" is getting at

[Coffin Corner]

It's very simple to understand, even my youngest offspring gets it. Flybe did NOT operate the NQY-GLA flight using Loganair's Saab340's. It was a loganair route when it was dropped. Who did it before Loganair is quite irrelevant. I was refuting the veracity of cornishsimon's statement that flybe/loganair dropped the route. Flybe did not drop it, Loganair did. Just because their planes are painted in Flybe's livery under a franchise agreement does not mean Flybe dropped the route. It really is quite simple.

[Phileas Fogg]

Flybe did NOT operate the NQY-GLA flight using Loganair's Saab340's. It was a loganair route when it was dropped. Who did it before Loganair is quite irrelevant. I was refuting the veracity of cornishsimon's statement that flybe/loganair dropped the route.

Even my dog ''Harry'' gets this one ... FlyBE operated the route but dropped it, Loganair took the route on and dropped it also.

So Cornish Simon was quite correct that both FlyBE and Loganair dropped the route whilst he made no mention that FlyBE dropped any SF340 operation on the route!

[rutankrd]

And an easy under hour connection remains available every afternoon over the Manchester domestic mini hub.

After all that's what it was set up for radial feed from all points- You know that US invented Hub and Spoke concept !

[GROUNDHOG]

Wasn't it the Egyptians in about 2000BC that invented the hub and spoke system :8

Whatever I reckon the airport has lost about £10k since my last post. :bored:

[cornishsimon]

Looks like a small planet 737 in today, also looks like the "work" on the dc10 is progressing as is the work on the apple hangar.

Classic Air Force looks to be doing well also.


cs

[cornishsimon]

From the Apple Aviation website:




Apple Aviation Group new build MRO facility, location Newquay UK is ahead of plan and due to open July 2014, slots available from the 1st September 2014 onwards. Contact [email protected]







Looks good so far !


from what iv heard its upto and including 757 & 767 B & C checks and any other work plus the recycling facility.




cs

[Phileas Fogg]

Where are these maintenance and hangarage facilities happening, on the airport side or across on the ex RAF side?

[PlymouthPixie]

RAF side in between the HAS hangars. Think it used to be the Nimrod dispersal.

[Phileas Fogg]

Ah ... Back in my youth I had an interesting drunken experience with a C130 (or few) on the Nimrod line, I posted about it on PPRuNe previously, I'll try to find it :)

[cornishsimon]

At a guess I would say that tomorrow will be the busiest day for NQY so far this year, movement and passenger wise I would say........

2x MAN
2x LGW
1x BHX
1x EDI
1x SEN
1x DUS
1x NCL & Multiple IOS

Nice to see
cs

[Cloud1]

Certainly will be busy - and an influx of tourists, and locals returning for the bank holiday with a few full Q400's coming in. Loads this weekend are extremely good across the network with inbounds to NQY fairing highly

[Phileas Fogg]

Multiple IOS

Multiple flights to/from Brazil Simon?

[cornishsimon]

Ha ha !
** ISC **


cs

[VISCOUNT58]

..plus a charter to Bourgas this morning I believe (BH Air A320)

[Skipness One Echo]

Why does the security woman pour over passports as a proper ID check at NQY. I got stuck behind a young family as each child's passport was examined in great detail and then the flybe "acceptable size" baggage tags were attached. She looked utterly shocked when mentioned they didn't bother with the bag tags at Gatters. Then the usual passport check was dome at the gate as per flybe's practice. Why was security woman checking passports at all when the whole lounge was a domestic flight? Has Cornwall finally done a Scotland?

[VickersVicount]

she probably found the term "Gatters" annoying.

[Skipness One Echo]

she probably found the term "Gatters" annoying.
Unlikely as I used the term "Gatwick", I just use it here to annoy you.

[Cloud1]

Security regulations require security staff to ensure that only authorised people are allowed airside - this includes passengers in possession of a valid boarding card. The latter can only be valid if the person holding it is the name on the card - hence the check of the photo id. At LGW you scan your boarding card but the security checks will vary depending on how much the staff are prepared to allow errors or not.

[davidjohnson6]

Might be worth considering the likely normal daily activities of 2 low ranking police officers, one in a tough / deprived inner city area, and the other in a rural village.
Both have sworn the same oath, but they are likely to have different day-to-day priorities. There are plenty of things that have to be ignored in a sink estate that would be picked up by a village resident.

I'm not saying Gatwick is under attack from rioters, but it likely has rather bigger problems and credible security threats compared to Newquay.

[Skipness One Echo]

Oh come on, every other airport I have been through in the UK is happy for boarding card to suffice, there's no ID check beyond that required. Are they all just reckless?

The sheer randomness of security theatre is wearing, forensic examination, and this daftty really did go through the pages as if she was UKBorder staff, of a four year old wee girl, on a domestic sector, is *comic*. Passenger safety is not meant to be funny and each step should have a sensible logic and rationale behind it.

To be clear, the security checks at LGW, don't vary, they've always been boarding card to enter the secure area, passport check at gate.

[Cloud1]

The lady in NQY is doing what is expected of her. That is all I am saying.

If you do not like it, take it up with Newquay Airport Security team

[Phileas Fogg]

Photographic ID being required is something that the LoCo's introduced whilst there is no legal requirement to carry a passport between Cornwall and West Sussex.

One's UK passport remains the property of HM Government who forbid it being passed to any unauthorised person.

Have HM Government authorised Newquay Airport security access to one's passport during one's travels between Cornwall and West Sussex? ... I very much doubt it! :)

[Cloud1]

Security check passport to ensure the boarding card is valid and in the possession of the correct individual. This is a check to ensure the passenger is allowed airside

Airlines check passport to ensure the boarding card is valid and in the possession of the correct individual. This is a check to ensure that the passenger is boarding the correct flight

Two similar checks but for very different reasons

I suspect there is small print everywhere that contradicts regulations and legislation. That's just the barmy world we live in

Anyway this is a boring subject really when we could be talking about NQY busy day on Saturday. Anyone know what the inbound loads were like and how many people descended on to NQY arrivals?

[Phileas Fogg]

Cloud1 from Cloud9 :)

Only the British would be stupid enough to accept passport control between Cornwall and West Sussex.

The Yanks would be arguing "This is against our democratic rights, get out of here", much of the EU don't travel inter EU country with passports because there is no requirement for it, but between Cornwall and West Sussex you're suggesting that passengers need a passport to get airside?

Are you familiar with the landscape of St. Mawgan airfield, that if one wanted to "mess" with it the last thing one would need to do is transit through the terminal building? :)

It's a case of the modern day "jobsworth" mentality whereas they dictate a requirement whilst little do they realise that what they are dictating is actually unlawful ... I have a similar problem where I am with the local council.

[cornishsimon]

Is it not a case of requiring some sort of photographic ID whatever that might be ?



cs

[Phileas Fogg]

Simon,

Go and copy and paste to here any kind of lawful legislation that passengers are required by Newquay Airport PFU to hold passports and/or photographic ID to board their aeroplane?

[JC25]

There is no law that requires passengers on domestic flights to show photo ID. Many airlines require it to prevent people transferring bookings to another person as they offer that service for a significant charge.

Security only need to check boarding passes not ID.

ID is not checked at security at any of the UK airports I travel through regularly (MAN, EDI, GLA, ABZ, BHD, SOU etc), for domestic or international flights. ID checks are done at checkin and/or the boarding gate. But technically, for a domestic flight, there is no requirement to check ID at all. I have travelled BA to London several times without being asked for ID.

[turbroprop]

Yes Cornishsimon

I have used my driving licence and passes I hold for other airports. I think BHX have got it a#se about face. Go into security, have boarding pass and ID checked. Put them away securely for later. Remove coat, laptops and empty pockets to go through X-ray. Then have a demand to check boarding pass again. So retreave case remove boarding pass and ID, but all they want to see is boarding pass. Fail to see the point and no point query with security as they are getting stressed as the queue is getting longer. Put boarding pass away go through X-RAY and all is good.

Having allowed plenty of time, due to the random obstacles thrown up in the line of duty, I have time to buy and read a paper. At check out demand to see boarding pass. Polity said it is packed away. Net result no pass no paper.....

[nonemmet]

My airline used to require ID for domestic flights, no longer.

You can check in online, go direct to security, they want to see your boarding pass, boarding pass checked again at the gate (not ID), boarding pass checked again on entering aircraft.

My company even allowed a domestic passenger to fly without his boarding card on one occasion I remember - he claimed it was lost in the terminal, shouldn't have got past the gate though.

[cornishsimon]

Well we will soon see who gets the PSO for NQY-LON.
Its now open for tenders with the winning bidder expected to take over the route from October 2014.
Airlines invited to bid for Newquay to London air link | Newquay Cornwall Airport (http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/about/media-center/news/airlines-invited-bid-newquay-london-air-link)

cs

[mog745x]

forgive my ignorance, who currently operate this route? Remember BA or one of their partners operating it back in the day.

[cornishsimon]

Flybe currently operate the NQY-LGW route twice daily.


cs

[Heathrow Harry]

"winning bidder expected to take over the route from October 2014."

just as the weather goes sour and the tourist trade goes south

hell of a time to take over the route - probably 6 months of losses up front...................

[SWBKCB]

If it was profitable year round there wouldn't be a need for a PSO!

[Phileas Fogg]

If it was profitable year round there wouldn't be a need for a PSO!

It was profitable year round when Brymon operated it, all it takes is careful management and the appropriate size of equipment and FlyBE don't operate the appropriate size of equipment!

Someone like CityJet could make it work with the F50.

[Set 1013]

It would be very interesting to know who bids and what their proposal is. I find it hard to believe Flybe won't win the bid. They have invested a lot into NQY recently. The current Q400 night stopping there supports 3 other routes MAN, SEN & BHX. Newquay would be putting all these other routes at risk is some way if Flybe wasn't awarded the PSO route to LGW. I appreciate these routes could be done in reverse etc but that is quite a card Flybe hold over NQY. I'm biased of course and hope Flybe get the contract.

[SWBKCB]

Even though the Council also own NQY, I wouldn't have thought they would be able to take the impact on other services/operators in to account when deciding the contract.

[Phileas Fogg]

The current Q400 night stopping there supports 3 other routes MAN, SEN & BHX. Newquay would be putting all these other routes at risk is some way if Flybe wasn't awarded the PSO route to LGW

But wouldn't this represent a conflict of interests.

Back in the day the only mainland route out of NQY was LON, if one wanted to fly out of Cornwall there was only one route to travel.

But routes such as BHX, MAN and particularly SEN will be taking punters away from that subsidised LON route and, let's face it, if the operator can fill those seats and take the PSO subsidy aswell then they could be laughing all the way to the bank.

[Coffin Corner]

I wouldn't say laughing all the way to the bank. From what I understand the PSO will only subsidise a proportion of the aircraft on each route. I am led to believe it's about 20 odd seats. I still can't see how Ryanair and easyjet can make it work.

[Phileas Fogg]

I still can't see how Ryanair and easyjet can make it work

How many times do the people in the know need to repeat it ... The NQY catchment area demands a 50 seater aircraft or less to operate any kind of route structure successfully, for Christ's sake stop thinking medium haul jets, this is quaint little Cornwall we're talking about!

[Coffin Corner]

Yeah but just for your information, I also hear Ryanair have actually tendered. Reliable source and all that. We'll see how reliable when it's published.

[NickBarnes]

Interesting if Ryanair did, but flybe have probably got it from LCY which could well win them it in my opinion

[Phileas Fogg]

But LCY is useless for international, particularly long haul, connections, LGW or LTN are the airport(s) that offer the best all-round solution, PDQ trains in to London or National Express to/from LHR.

But FlyBE's equipment is too large for the route, and it is likely that it shall always be too large for the route, and I would suggest that it inappropriate to offer a subsidy to an operator that is never likely to break in to profit on a route either because the route and/or the equipment are wrong.

And as for Ryanair, if the quoted 20 seat subsidy is correct, well that's going to be hilarious, particularly during the winters, I bet the council tax payers of Cornwall are really welcoming the though of their council tax subjecting them to gawdy cabins, stale sandwiches and warm beer!

[cornishsimon]

Does anyone have a real idea of who's tendering ?

Flybe
Ryanscare
Eastern ?
Easy ?
BA ?


cs

[NickBarnes]

True Phileas that is where LCY falls down with its lack of onward connections

[sxflyer]

Are long haul connections via LON that important anymore? Doesn't the MAN route offer that?

LCY is actually quite useful from the Cornish perspective, and could connect to an array of major European business centres and some leisure destinations. Though it perhaps doesn't maximise the inbound potential to Cornwall, so depends what the objectives of the local authorities are.

If course, a FR is is 1/3 full would probably being in far more tourists than the other options

[Phileas Fogg]

Are long haul connections via LON that important anymore?

To the people of Cornwall, YES!

Doesn't the MAN route offer that?

Is the MAN route morning and evening, and perhaps middle of the day also, five and two half days per week?

[SWBKCB]

The PSO appears to be for a link to London not to a hub airport for international links, so wouldn't expect that aspect to be taken into consideration (and depending on the terms, may not be considered)

[Phileas Fogg]

The PSO appears to be for a link to London not to a hub airport for international links, so wouldn't expect that aspect to be taken into consideration (and depending on the terms, may not be considered)

Yes, but wouldn't the fares to/from LCY be that much higher simply because LCY charges "business class" charges?

FlyBE had already announced they were pulling off the LGW route when CCC persuaded them to change their minds, at a time when FlyBE were in deep financial "doggy do" perhaps, just perhaps, a PSO deal has already been done and if it is to be to LCY then I guess the people of Cornwall will vote with their credit card details and might just decide to take the car or the train instead.


CCC need to realise that they are not in charge on this one, the traveling public are!

[SWBKCB]

I'm not familiar with the PSO process, but if it's anything like the similar processes I do know, the PSO contract will have strict criteria to judge the applicants - and only those criteria can be considered, whether or not they are what the travelling public want.

[Phileas Fogg]

I'm not familiar with the PSO process, but if it's anything like the similar processes I do know, the PSO contract will have strict criteria to judge the applicants - and only those criteria can be considered, whether or not they are what the travelling public want.

It's quite amusing, sometimes, the way the modern world works, never mind what the traveling public might actually want, never mind perhaps putting it to a public vote, "let's have a bunch of overpaid eggheads sitting in a back room someplace deciding how much public money we can waste this time".

The more I hear the more I know I made the right decision to get out of it and semi-retire to an island in the middle of nowhere.

[cornishsimon]

Lets be hobest here, if you live in Cornwall and want to travel around the world a airline to LHR with onward connections would be ideal, to anyone living in wherever wanting to travel to Cornwall, a flight from LHR is ideal.

Now to offer the ideal you can only really look at BA/VS/EI.

However, that's an ideal world scenario.

Reality as it is, you might well find Ryanair winning the bidding process and operating to London Liverpool.

As far as Manchester goes, yes I can see more flights being added to that route, it's already being Maintained at daily during winter 14/15 which is the first time BE have done this, however to offer this up as a decent alternative you have got to be looking at the SZ days of 2 or 3 daily to really make it viable.

Also I seriously think that an opportunity exists for EI to step into DUB-NQY, with the onward connections available on EI ex dub which could well make that route viable again.


cs

[Phileas Fogg]

Lets be hobest here

Thanks for being hobest with us Simon :)

[GROUNDHOG]

I am flying out of Heathrow next week, flying NQY/LHR with Hertz and when I come back in August my return is with Avis......:ok:

[VickersVicount]

cant see it being BA with no mainline PSO contracts, no slots (at LHR anyway) and few spare aircraft rotations, just look at the domestic W14 cancellations

[Phileas Fogg]

As far as Manchester goes, yes I can see more flights being added to that route, it's already being Maintained at daily during winter 14/15 which is the first time BE have done this, however to offer this up as a decent alternative you have got to be looking at the SZ days of 2 or 3 daily to really make it viable.

Simon,

You're kind of supporting what I and others keep saying, you talk of MAN in words to the effect, that if MAN is going to be a viable alternate to connections via LON, then "we" need to go back to the Air SouthWest days and ASW just happened to operate 50 seater aircraft.

Before ASW there was BA with 50 seaters, before BA there was Brymon with 50 seaters, before Brymon there was BMA with 50 seaters and before BMA there were the likes of Islanders operating the route.

The Q400 is too large an aircraft for the NQY catchment area and as for A319's and B737-800's, well really.

Need 50 seater or less operations to offer a higher frequency of flights but no doubt CCC will go and make a pig's ear of it again.

[Heathrow Harry]

BBC News - Newquay Airport passengers rise as storms hit rail use (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-27894810)

"Newquay Airport saw its passenger numbers boosted by the storms of early 2014 which cut Cornwall off to rail users for weeks.


In the first five months of 2014, there were 79,000 passengers - a 28% rise compared with the same period in 2013.


The railway line at Dawlish in Devon was out of action from February to April after storms wrecked the track.


Newquay Airport received a government grant to give a £5 reduction per person per flight during the disruption."


interesting - that works out at approx 1000 extra passengers per week - which presumably is number of people who currently use the train but who MUST travel relatively quickly to/from London

[Wycombe]

Have I missed something??

The Flybe online timetable is now showing NQY-LGW flights up to 6th Jan 2015.

[cornishsimon]

I also noticed this but decided not to post the info.

Seems to be scheduled for 3 daily until 6th jan ?

Also on the subject of flybe and NQY, the MAN numbers seem very good, upto 4000 carried in May on the route. Is it beyond the realms of possibility that the route could go 2 daily for summer 15 ?



cs

[cornishsimon]

According to this:
Airlines invited to bid for Newquay to London air link | Newquay Cornwall Airport (http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/about/media-center/news/airlines-invited-bid-newquay-london-air-link)
The PSO winning bidder should of been announced by the end of August !

I take it nobody has heard anything ?

Does anyone have any ideas what's occurring or any suggestions how this is likely to turn out ?


cs

[Wycombe]

Just bumping this back into our attention.....

Any news on the PSO award?

Seems the deadline described by Cornishsimon below passed a while back and the Flybe online timetable only shows NQY-LGW flights up until early Jan.

What's going on?

[Heathrow Harry]

Flight on 9th June said there was a 61 day tendering period = day 221 or 9th August

no doubt they have so many bids its taking them a while........ ;);)

[cornishsimon]

Yeap it does all seem to of gone quite quiet !


My money is on Flybe being awarded the PSO and starting NQY as a base with 2 or 3 aircraft.


I would of thought that the 3 daily departures will be kept and the route will remain at LGW or LCY.


Looking at the numbers from this summer I would of thought that BHX will return and probably SEN, MAN is where I also see growth, so perhaps that will increase to double daily for the summer period ?


Surely BE is the only logical operator to be awarded the PSO ?




cs

[Fairdealfrank]

My money is on Flybe being awarded the PSO and starting NQY as a base with 2 or 3 aircraft.


I would of thought that the 3 daily departures will be kept and the route will remain at LGW or LCY.


BE are out of LGW now so probably LCY?


Surely BE is the only logical operator to be awarded the PSO ?


Yes, it does look that way.

[Set 1013]

The PSO route will be to LGW not LCY;)

[mikkie4]

WHY NOT SEN ?

[cornishsimon]

BE are out of LGW except the NQY route which continues to operate x3 daily.


cs

[EI-BUD]

My money is on Flybe being awarded the PSO and starting NQY as a base with 2 or 3 aircraft.


Cornishsimon,

I really do think 2-3 aircraft is extremely wishful thinking. Best of luck to NQY though.

EI-BUD

[Centre cities]

Was not there talk about BE opening a new base next summer on the Flybe thread. There is no reason why this base should not be at Newquay.

Centre cities

[Wycombe]

If that was to be the case, I think what would really be needed is some smaller aircraft down there to test the market and build the base up.

It seems like only London, and perhaps Manchester are likely to sustain a Q400 year round, so maybe get Loganair down there (if they have the aircraft, or can acquire a few) to operate a few 340's and test the market that way, to places like EDI, DUB, AMS, CDG ??

[Skipness One Echo]

There is no reason why this base should not be at Newquay.
Aside from an incredibly limited and seasonal market with little in the way of corporate travel.....
get Loganair down there (if they have the aircraft, or can acquire a few) to operate a few 340's and test the market that way, to places like EDI, DUB, AMS, CDG ??
SF340s in that market would be extortionately expensively priced unless the taxpayer was to gift 'em yet another subsidy.

I would of thought :(

[cornishsimon]

Keep in mind that the current flybe operations tend to operate with w patterns. An example being this summers EDI based aircraft operating EDI-NQY-BHD-NQY-EDI.
There's no reason that this can't work in reverse on a NQY based aircraft.


cs

[mikkie4]

1,390 PAX SEN-NQY pretty good,with those sort of numbers will FLYBE return next year?

[cornishsimon]

Local radio are reporting that an announcement will be made in the next two days re the PSO and other NQY services.


cs

[insuindi]

BE has loaded NQY-BHX and NQY-MAN flights for summer 2015 (both 7/7), possibly other routes also bookable now.

[PAXboy]

Key air link between Cornwall and London secured - at a cost of £3.1m in taxpayers? money - Home News - UK - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/key-air-link-between-cornwall-and-london-secured--at-a-cost-of-31m-in-taxpayers-money-9819894.html?origin=internalSearch)

Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill said: "Keeping our regions connected with London is a vital part of our long term economic plan. That is why we have worked so hard with Cornwall Council to protect the route to Newquay and make sure we do all we can to support the local area.Pity they didn't have that policy when NQY and many others had links to LHR and then got turfed out by BA, with the then Tory govts blessing. :rolleyes:

plus ça change ... :hmm:

[cornishsimon]

So NQY-LGW set to continue with flybe 3x daily !

Couldn't of seen that one coming ;)


cs

[Skipness One Echo]

What period's that £3.1M spread over? The article doesn't say.

[cornishsimon]

Nicely edited skippy ;)

From my understanding its over the duration of the PSO, not per year.

This award to flybe also raises another question. The NQY-MAN & BHX daily rotations have already been loaded and are on sale with schedules showing operating on a NQY based aircraft, that aircraft can't do those and 3 LGW at the times scheduled ........


cs

[Skipness One Echo]

So how long is the PSO running for then?

[Wycombe]

http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-29783162

According to the above, 4 years.

To continue the speculation from CS, there appears to be a 1hr "gap" between the BHX flight arriving in NQY and the MAN flight departing according to the times published so far.....this suggests to me that the BHX and MAN flights won't be operated by the same a/c.

Currently the "based" aircraft operates the 3 LGW and 1 MAN trip scheduled for the winter.

We shall see.

[Skipness One Echo]

=£3,100,000/(4*365) / (6*78)= £4.54 per seat.
Was under a fiver really all it took ?

[Heathrow Harry]

poor use of taxpayers money TBH

[Deano777]

yeah, so is paying out 100s of millions per year for layabouts to sit on their arses and laughing at everyone else earning the money they receive. What's your point Harry?

[Charley B]

Well said Deano777 :)

[Non Emmett]

Seems reasonable value for money compared to the vast sums poured down the drain in the name of international aid. Eleven billion pounds a year if memory is working more or less properly today. By the standards Cornwall Council usually follow this seems acceptable use of public money.



i

[Wycombe]

=£3,100,000/(4*365) / (6*78)= £4.54 per seat.

I would venture that a fiver for every seat on every flight for 4 years sounds like quite a lot.

But if Flybe sell all those seats for £100 each, it looks like little more than an addition to their ancillary revenue stream (and not great taxpayer value)

I guess the reality is something between the two, and if it means the service continues....and in time leverages more Flybe commitment to NQY, then all well and good.

[GROUNDHOG]

Looking back Newquay was BA's only profitable route on the turboprop fleet when they ditched the lot.

[Fairdealfrank]

Pity they didn't have that policy when NQY and many others had links to LHR and then got turfed out by BA, with the then Tory govts blessing.


Indeed, inadequate rwy capacity at LHR was an issue all those years ago. The government declared LHR "full" in 1977.


So NQY-LGW set to continue with flybe 3x daily !

Couldn't of seen that one coming ;)


cs


Good news though, Simon!



=£3,100,000/(4*365) / (6*78)= £4.54 per seat.
Was under a fiver really all it took ?





poor use of taxpayers money TBH


Do you think? Compare and contrast with the billions poured down the EU black hole every week.

Now that really is a "poor use of taxpayers money", especially as the EU is completely unable to get its accounts audited year after year.

And there's another £1.7 billion. Dave's only said that he won't pay it on 1-12-14 (not that he ain't paying it), and that's only because there's a "difficult" by-election on 29-11-14.



yeah, so is paying out 100s of millions per year for layabouts to sit on their arses and laughing at everyone else earning the money they receive. What's your point Harry?


These payments pale into insignificance in comparison, with our EU contributions.



Looking back Newquay was BA's only profitable route on the turboprop fleet when they ditched the lot.


There are other carriers, or there would have been but for the inadequate rwy capacity at LHR back then.

[VickersVicount]

"Looking back Newquay was BA's only profitable route on the turboprop fleet when they ditched the lot."
Would be interested to see the figures behind that claim...

[cornishsimon]

In what could be flybe/NQY related news, apple aviation are recruiting DH8 and E-Jet engineers for urgent start at NQY for a contract.....

Anyone think flybe are outsourcing some mx to apple and will rotate aircraft through NQY for mx ?


cs

[Centre cities]

Line maintenance and overnight maintenance for the based fleet, my guess anyway.

Centre cities

[Heathrow Harry]

At a time when all local budgets in Cornwall are being cut subsidising airlines should NOT be on the list

Not enough people are willing to pay a commercial price for the service - so we pay them... this is madness

[GROUNDHOG]

VickersViscount - Not a claim, it was well documented at the time but agree it would be great to see the numbers now though perhaps their relevance to today's costs would be meaningless.:ok:

[cornishsimon]

Flybe announce new service between Newquay Cornwall Airport and London Stansted for summer 2015 | Newquay Cornwall Airport (http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/about/media-center/news/flybe-announce-new-service-between-newquay-cornwall-airport-and-london)


NQY-STN loaded at 3 weekly so far............






Wednesday, 12 November, 2014
Today Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline has announced a new service between Newquay Cornwall Airport and London Stansted as part of its expansion plans from the Airport. This service will commence in May 2015 and operates from Newquay Airport as part of its summer schedule until September 2015, offering a minimum of 3 departures per week.
Flights will operate on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday and one way fares are available from £29.99 including taxes and charges and can be booked at www.flybe.com (http://www.flybe.com/)
Al Titterington, Newquay Cornwall Airport’s Managing Director commented “This is a further boost to the Airport and the tourism economy and follows on the back of the Gatwick announcement at the end of October. In previous times Stansted had been a key route for Cornwall bringing high value inbound tourism from its affluent catchment like Cambridge. We expect passenger demand to be strong and will be working with our partners to promote Cornwall”.

[tregeseal]

New route just announced for 1st May 2015 Newquay to Dublin.
http://businessandleadership.com/business/item/48452-aer-lingus-regional-to/
:ok:

[cornishsimon]

NQY-DUB on EI

Wouldn't of guessed that, oh actually seem to remember getting flamed for hinting at such a route !

Well done NQY.


cs

[Dontgothere]

We never believed it would happen, to most of us it just didn't make sense and was wishful thinking, ah well, never say never. I'm still a bit in disbelief, but expansion anywhere is good news as far as I see, so long may it thrive, the only question now whether it will be served by an AT43 or an AT76?

[cornishsimon]

Must admit I'm surprised its not going to be a BE route on a NQY based Q with an EI codeshare as the current BE schedules have some gaps that would appear to need some new routes to fill.


cs

[Dontgothere]

Perhaps they don't think a Q400 would be best utilised on a marginal route year round, which kind of puts it in my mind that an AT43 will be used to cut on fuel and crew costs, I'll put my theory to the test by trying to book a flight when it becomes available on the EI website.

[Jamie2k9]

It will be operated in place of DUB-BLK with the 42.

[Dontgothere]

Thanks for clarifying this Jamie

[cornishsimon]

MD of NQY just announced on radio that a batch of new routes will be announced best week and these will be daily return flights to airports to allow connectivity above and beyond the existing route network.

This can only be referring to flybe considering the currently released schedules would suggest 3 aircraft NQY based for summer 15

Also stated that LHR will ringfence slots for NQY if R3 gets built.


cs

[cornishsimon]

Also HAM & STR possibility for summer15


cs

[Heathrow Harry]

"LHR will ringfence slots for NQY if R3 gets built"

ho ho ho - desperation setting in near Slough????

[cornishsimon]

Ha ha ha
I'm just quoting the MD from an interview on radio Cornwall, it's available on listen again .......

cs

[Cloud1]

Interesting for NQY - did the MD say whether day returns were possible each way? I am wondering if maybe they would do, say a NQY-AMS-XXX-XX-XXX-AMS-NQY

What routes would be day returns with connectivity - maybe MAN is going double daily. Maybe there will be a CDG link or wonder if they will go head to head with EI on a DUB and overkill on capacity. Cannot think of a huge list of destinations with a market in NQY that would allow better connectivity if I am honest. Will be a nice surprise I suppose

[AirportPlanner1]

Could EI to DUB be one of those routes? Has it actually been officially announced?

Otherwise maybe the routes are EDI and NCL, both of which would offer long haul connections. Flights may leave NQY every day, but each route needn't be daily.

AMS is a good shout, but I saw elsewhere only 2 BE code shares are allowed by KL unions both of which are taken.

[cornishsimon]

EI DUB-NQY was announced last mid November. 4 weekly rising to 5 for the main season and is year round on an ATR42.

Currently BE @ NQY show 3 departures daily at 1100 ish, LGW, STN and BHX all showing as operating ex NQY.

Currently only 1 Q400 is "based" aka night stops and operates MAN & 3x LGW.

Clearly either more routes/rotations or changes to the schedules to operate BHX as an example ex BHX.


cs

[Fairdealfrank]

"LHR will ringfence slots for NQY if R3 gets built"

ho ho ho - desperation setting in near Slough????


It might end up being a condition for the permission, along with other thin "routes". Apparently, many MPs in the north and west are keen for thin domestic routes to/from LHR to reinstated, for obvious reasons.

[Heathrow Harry]

yeah - they get a sweetheart deal from BA IIRC - or they used to............

[GROUNDHOG]

NQY/LHR...... oooh suits me Sir!:ooh:

[Fairdealfrank]

NQY/LHR...... oooh suits me Sir!


Me too........

[toon22]

NQY - DUB now bookable on ei.com
Let's hope it does well.

[cornishsimon]

Only available for point to point currently
No onward connections bookable


cs

[j636]

Only available for point to point currently
No onward connections bookable


cs

Times don't allow it.

[cornishsimon]

Still seems odd that EI don't offer any form of connections. NQY-DUB-EDI etc

Don't know if it's been fully loaded as yet.

Also seems to be loaded as an ATR72 not 42

[toon22]

It is scheduled for 72-600 - which is a great product, more like a jet than any prop I've flown on. Ei don't offer online connections except for T/A.

[cornishsimon]

Kind of implies connectivity via (http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/about/media-center/news/newquay-cornwall-airport-announces-new-service-aer-lingus-dublin-2015) DUB

[ATNotts]

Still seems odd that EI don't offer any form of connections. NQY-DUB-EDI etc

As both the UK and Ireland exist within their own "mini Schengen" area this would be perfectly possible, but to really make it so there would need to be flight time coordinated to ensure minimal transfer times in Dublin, and I guess that for just a couple of connecting pairs (eg. NQY to EDI / GLA) it would hardly be worth their while.

[cornishsimon]

Looks like flybe are starting to play around with the NQY-MAN route. Seems they have added a Sunday rotation currently instead of the second Saturday from last year. However it runs from Feb-Aug currently by the looks of it.

Wouldn't surprise me to see more of these second services added on this route.

[Scinfaxi]

Just checked the reservations system.

Sundays is indeed 2x MAN from early Feb onwards

Times seem quite odd though and all over the shop on some dates and quite close together. Probably some changes coming I'd imagine.


Some examples;

22FEB BE352 DEP 1200
22FEB BE354 DEP 1445

22MAR BE354 DEP 11:05 looks like it's switched with the BE803/4 rotation on that day
22MAR BE352 DEP 12:00

12JUL BE354 DEP 1445
12JUL BE352 DEP 1530

The February times in the example are similar to the 2xMAN we had on Saturdays last summer.

Good luck to them and us obviously :)

[EI-BUD]

A distinct sense of positivity about the Newquay thread recently; with new services and commitment from Flybe in its London operations, great to see it.

2015 looks very promising indeed.

[cornishsimon]

NQY-MAN could sustain double daily. However I agree that more changes are probably coming as it would make no sense to have double daily on Sunday's and no other day, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday maybe ?

However I'm certain we will see more to come as currently the schedules loaded ex NQY make little sense and require 3 based Q400s on 3 days a week where there is currently only 1

[TRY2FLY]

Will the GLA summer service appear back this year?

[cornishsimon]

Nothing loaded as yet which is a shame.

I think GLA could easily sustain a 3 weekly, same with EDI which is again only once weekly as it stands currently which isn't much use if you want a short break.

[cornishsimon]

Nice to see NQY busy with training flights today, don't normally find two aircraft doing circuits at the same time.
Currently easyjet G-EZEZ running round as U29 and jet2 as EXS300T

[NewquayJacob]

Passengers numbers for Dec:

London Gatwick...8300 (33%)
Manchester...3764 (112%)
Isles of Scilly...815 (20%)

Provisionally 219,167 passengers in 2014.

[NewquayJacob]

What is the possibility that NQY-ALC is operated again? Or any other sun route?
When Ryanair operated it, it carried 32,000 pax in 2009. Maybe something similar to HUY-ALC/PMI.

[cornishsimon]

There's no reason why not, clearly demand exists for such routes, however an airline prepared to operate a regular scheduled route.........

[EI-BUD]

Cornishsimon,

Feels like a market suitable for an tour operator such as JetXtra, similar to what is offered ex-Humberside to a couple of sun spots. Operated by 190/170's ...

[cornishsimon]

One potential I could see would be for U2 to operate it using the LPL-NQY service to position the aircraft down.
LPL-NQY
NQY-ALC-NQY
NQY-LPL

[adfly]

If they ever find room in the schedules I don't see why a weekly flight to Palma with Thomson wouldn't be considered in the future.

[NewquayJacob]

NQY-MAN now double daily Friday, Sunday, Monday from March 29th operated by a MAN based aircraft.

[cornishsimon]

Brilliant news and very much needed looking at the numbers.

Something Iv been predicting for a while.

Such a shame the times are quite rubbish really but hopefully they will resolve this next year and make it 14/15 weekly with early am and lateish pm departures.

[NewquayJacob]

I agree, the times aren't great - do they offer any better connection timings?
From March passengers number have increased - since April consistently 4,000 pax per month. Somewhere around 44,000 pax for the year (30% rise) I think.

Might see an E-Jet more regularly at NQY if they operate MAN-NQY using the E175 (like the 4th daily EXT flight).

But still no word on those new flights that the MD mentioned in December?

From what I can workout there was growth on most routes LGW, MAN, ISC, LPL, BHX and DUS in 2014. LGW carried around 15,000 extra pax due to the winter storms and ISC an extra 5,000 or so due to LEQ runway works. See if they can sustain pax numbers this year. :ok:

[cornishsimon]

Interesting that the additional Monday and Friday flights are using BE358 when the existing flight is 352 and the current second flight number is 353 which is staying as 354 ok Sundays !!

Me thinks there's more to come from flybe at NQY.
cs

[cornishsimon]

Still nothing on the new domestic and euro flights as mentioned by the MD in December !

Hmmmmm



cs

[Wycombe]

Flybe online timetable now showing the new STN-NQY route, which starts mid-May, as daily until end Sept (was previously 3pw).

By my reckoning, on a Sat. in the height of S15, there will be 18 BEE arrivals and departures.

[cornishsimon]

It's certainly looking up for NQY domestically.

The increased flybe flights are brilliant news, just a shame that they haven't managed to double daily MAN 7 per week with morning and evening departures to allow onward connection flexibility at MAN.

DUS returns again as does LPL.
DUB as a new starter with EI is again great news.



cs

[Cloud1]

8 BE arrivals and 8 BE departures on Saturdays during the summer unless any other routes are added. These being in addition to EI & EZY movements.

I cannot see DUS appearing on the online timetable so is it Eurowings/Germanwings returning for this route? And am I correct in assuming it will remain a Saturday service?

[cornishsimon]

Eurowings on the crj900
Saturday's from 30th May


cs

[Wycombe]

You are correct Cloud1, I was counting 2 MAN rotations on a Sat, whereas there is actually 1.

No EZY from/to LPL on a Sat thought I don't think - I believe that is 2pw on Thurs and Sun.

[NewquayJacob]

From what I can work out, this is what the Flybe aircraft are operating on a Saturday (1 based and 3 non-based aircraft):

A/C 1
NQY-LGW 07:30-08:45
LGW-NQY 09:30-10:40

NQY-STN 11:00-12:25
STN-NQY 12:50-14:10

NQY-MAN 14:45-16:00
MAN-NQY 16:40-17:50

NQY-LGW 18:25-19:40
LGW-NQY 20:10-21:20

A/C 2
EDI-NQY 10:55-12:40
NQY-NCL 13:05-14:35

NCL-NQY 15:15-16:45
NQY-EDI 17:10-18:50

A/C 3
BHD-NQY 16:40-18:05
NQY-BHD 18:30-20:00

A/C 4
BHX-NQY 13:05-14:05 (According to seat plan, some flights look to be E175)
NQY-BHX 14:30-15:30

[cornishsimon]

STN daily opens up good connections to NCL.

however I still feel that LBA and EMA could sustain services as have been tried and tested in the bmi baby and air southwest days.

EDI and BHD could use a midweek as once weekly isn't ideal but generally this is all good news for NQY.


cs

[NewquayJacob]

What European routes may work in future? Maybe AMS 3x weekly?

[cornishsimon]

I suspect DUB has good potential if the rotation could be timed to allow onward connections. However the current timings are point to point only.

Germany is huge for cornish tourism so extra DUS & a FRA could work well I would say. Also an AMS could work on KLM or BE with KLM codeshare.


cs

[compton3bravo]

Sorry, who on earth would want to go to Newcastle via Stansted? Nothing against Stansted. It is like going to Peterborough from Cambridge via Norwich!

[cornishsimon]

NQY-STN-NCL was just one example.
There is no other connection option available for NCL ex NQY


cs

[CabinCrewe]

Don't understand why GLA never worked. It was always very expensive - a once or twice weekly summer only EZY or FR might generate enough to fill big aircraft at low prices. An intermittent overpriced S340 was not the solution. JER being a similar successful model

[NewquayJacob]

Maybe a weekly Saturday Jersey flight with Flybe would be viable on the Dash 8?

[cornishsimon]

JER was tried just before SZ folded and seemed to show good interest.

SOU could also be a goer for the cruise crowd, maybe 3 weekly with the added bonus of a half decent flybe network ex SOU to offer connections on.

GLA well yes. I understand logie dropped it to make better use of the S340 and not because of poor demand. It does beg the question why it's not been taken up again by BE or another operator.


cs

[NewquayJacob]

There are quite a lot of route opportunities ex NQY that maybe viable in the future. The airport needs a route network similar to Air Southwest again: Cork maybe again in the future, year round flights to likes to NCL and EDI and winter and summer charters - maybe CMF and ALC and JER in the summer months. According to the revised master plan in the high and base scenarios by the end of 2016 the airport should be handling 300,000 pax.

[cornishsimon]

220,000 probably isn't too far off the mark for 2015 really, so if BE keep adding for 2016 300,000 should be a reasonable aim.


3 daily LGW
1 daily MAN
+3 weekly MAN
1 daily STN
1 daily BHX
4 weekly DUB
2 weekly LPL (A319/320)
1 weekly NCL, BHD & EDI
1 weekly DUS
plus multiple ISC




cs

[horatio_b]

But to put things into context, the 2009/10 figure was 359K and the break even figure has been quoted as 750K. Still some way to go.

[25 DME FIX]

I hear that NQY is now moving into the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) market, anyone know how that is going to affect future passenger flights.


A friend of mine was up at Aberporth (Wales) last week, they are apparently installing a radar which will be used by NQY for control of UAVs. Anyone know what is happening?

[cornishsimon]

Are you meaning commercial or mod (raf) ?


cs

[TCAS FAN]

cornishsimon

I would speculate that if a UAV wants to use NQY it needs the runway length that they can offer, in which case you are looking at Predator/Reaper size which case I would say MOD/military as I'm not aware of anything civil that size.

[cornishsimon]

BBC News - UAV testing in Aberporth expanding to use Newquay Cornwall Airport (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-24049772)


cs

[25 DME FIX]

cornishsimon


Thank you for the link, two questions still unanswered "what impact will UAV flying at NQY have on passenger flights?" and secondly "why does NQY need a radar that's sited a 100 miles plus away?".


Reading CAP 722 I get the impression that that you cannot mix manned and unmanned aircraft flying together. So if that is the case, one last question "how is the airport going to prioritise between UAVs and passenger flights?".


From a previous post it appears that the airport is far short of its break-even passenger level so I'm a little perplexed as to how they are going to achieve it if UAVs will restrict passenger flights.

[cornishsimon]

very strange wording on the NQY press release regarding the increase in the STN filghts.............


Flybe boosts Stansted summer flights to and from Newquay

Monday, 16 February, 2015 Europe’s leading regional airline will now fly daily to London Stansted during peak summer season
Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, has added eight more flights to its brand new peak summer service between Newquay Cornwall and London Stansted airports, meaning that Cornwall customers now have the choice of a daily service on this key leisure route that will operate from 16th May through to 29th September, 2015.
Flights will operate as follows:
Mon-Fri
Depart Newquay (NQY) 1345 Arr Stansted (STN) 1510
Dep STN 1535 Arr NQY 1655
Sat/Sun
Dep NQY 1100 Arr STN 1225
Dep STN 1250 Arr NQY 1410
One way fares are from £29.99 including taxes and charges and available for booking at www.flybe.com (http://www.flybe.com/)
Paul Simmons, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, comments: "We are pleased to add these additional flights to this new leisure route. Bolstering connectivity is our number one aim at Flybe.”
Newquay Cornwall Managing Director, Al Titterington, adds: “Flybe’s decision to increase its Stansted service to a daily frequency will further enhance the connectivity to this new destination and an unserved area to the north-east of London. It offers accessibility to Cornwall by air to those leisure travellers who would not normally fly. The increased capacity will also offer greater flexibility for those passengers looking for a short break.”
Flybe’s 2015 Summer schedule to and from Newquay features seven routes with a total choice of up to 92 flights a week.


Don't people actually read these things first ?


To answer the previously raised question, iv no idea about the operation of UAVs, however anything to offset the cost of running a commercial airfield should surely be a good thing ?




cs

[cornishsimon]

So provisional jan15 stats are looking impressive.
MAN +%83 3177
LGW +%48 7730

Now LGW is 3 daily dh8 and MAN 1 daily dh8, the question is how long before MAN goes proper two daily. I know it's currently from feb 8 weekly rising to 10 weekly for summer but looks like demand for say morning and evening ?


cs

[Martin the Martian]

Bearing in mind that Brittany Ferries operates a daily (and sometimes twice daily) service between Plymouth and Roscoff with a ship that can carry up to 1500 people, a twice daily service from Newquay to Brittany would surely work? Brest is the obvious choice, but St. Brieuc is another.

[VISCOUNT58]

Skybus operated Newquay-St Brieuc a few years ago, not sure how successful it was.

[NewquayJacob]

Was 4 x weekly and then 2 x weekly and then dropped all together - in 2009 flights were £79 each way - how does this compare with the ferry fares? The route carried over 1,000 pax in 2008.

A ferry from Plymouth has a much larger audience then NQY's catchment - one of major things about ferries are that you can take a car (and caravan)!

Interestingly at the end of the 2009 season when asked if the route (NQY-SBK) was profitable the ex-CEO of ISSCo said:

"All new routes go through a period of time when the investment is high at the beginning and then settles down. Primarily our problem has been more to do with the airport in France. St Brieuc is twinned with an airport at Lannion, and they are encouraging us to think of going to Lannion, which we’re evaluating at the moment. It’s actually ten minutes more flying time. The funny thing about flying to France is we can’t fly straight. If we could, it would be a breeze, but we have to fly around the military no fly zone. Lannion is ten minutes longer in journey, but is actually shorter as the crow flies. But it has a good link to Paris, so it’s a good airport."

Bearing in mind SBK's only scheduled service was the link to NQY, you can see why they maybe suggested moving - to my mind Brest would have made more sense. Although I doubt in the future if any NQY - France routes will operate - Flybe are much too big for any such route and I don't think Skybus would operate any again, their focus always has been Isles of Scilly.

[cornishsimon]

wouldn't a flybe NQY-CDG codeshared with AF be more viable ?


that way it would allow onward connections to many of the French regional airports as well as longhaul onward connections ?




cs

[CelticRambler]

There is a proposal on Newquay's table for just such a service, but to date there has been no response from the airport (apart from the guys and gals who answer the 'phone and take a message). Looks like the Bretons - and the Irish - will be alighting in Devon rather than Cornwall. :(

(Not much point in charging a Development Fee if you don't bother giving passengers a reason to pay it :rolleyes: )

[NewquayJacob]

Slight change in the schedule today with MAN being operated between the 2 LGW rotations instead of LGW, LGW, MAN:

NQY-LGW-NQY 07:25-10:35
NQY-MAN-NQY 11:05-14:15
NQY-LGW-NQY 14:55-17:50

[Heathrow Harry]

Maybe they should offer the VVSR a basing option for those Bears - think of the fuel they'd save!!!

[GROUNDHOG]

We use the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff ferry a couple of times a year but I don't think our 4 tonne motorhome would fit in a dash 8. I might use Newquay to Paris though to access the rest of the World that do not go from Gatwick.

[cornishsimon]

That is what NQY needs Groundhog
Worldwide connectivity.


LHR, or CDG or AMS really are the needed links, one of them.....


I was hopeful when DUB was announced, however the timings of the route don't allow any connections at all


LGW does and its nice to see, as does MAN, but I really do think demand exists for MAN to be at least twice daily with a morning and evening departure which would allow decent onward connections over the flybe network and its interline partners.




cs

[Fairdealfrank]

LHR, or CDG or AMS really are the needed links, one of them.....
Like at all the smaller UK airports a link to LHR is desperately needed at NQY, but in the absence of expansion at LHR, regretably, it's a case of.....forget it.

[Heathrow Harry]

Frank

is ANY airline willing to give a cast -iron guarantee they will preserve/restore links from an expanded LHR to UK regional airports?

Or will that be a "commercial decision" once it is built??

I know what will happen.......... hourly flights to JFK and nothing for the regions

[cornishsimon]

Isn't there some sort of slots ringfenced by LHR operator for regional services specifying NQY in the event R3 was build.

That's what has previously been reported by press and the md of NQY.


cs

[NewquayJacob]

Interestingly in the LHR vs LGW runway debate on Sky News on Monday in the question and answer section of the programme, Flybe tweeted a question asking what LHR/LGW would do to support regional connectivity? There wasn't really a definitive answer but the LHR CEO said that without the extra capacity, airlines like Flybe/Easyjet won't be able to fly from LHZr and they won't to be able to compete with other airports. He also mentioned something about flights to Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Personally I can't see a turboprop service into LHR if NQY does get ring fenced slots, a double daily jet service would be better. If LGW gets a second runway then regional connectivity isn't really going to change as most airports are already connected (NQY, GCI, JER, IOM...)

[Fairdealfrank]

Frank

is ANY airline willing to give a cast -iron guarantee they will preserve/restore links from an expanded LHR to UK regional airports?

Or will that be a "commercial decision" once it is built??

I know what will happen.......... hourly flights to JFK and nothing for the regions


Hopefully not like Call-Me-Dave's "cast-iron" guarantee on a referendum on the Lisbon treaty.

As for more JFK, it's unlikely, there’s already hourly flights at the times they’re needed, and in any event extra longhaul flights still need feeders.

What you forget is that with LHR expansion, there will be loads of new free slots available, enough for small operators to/from smaller airports like NQY and for new longhaul to the emerging fast-growing economies in S. America, Asia, Africa, etc.. Many haven’t yet realised that a third rwy is a whole new ball-game.

In the long term road and rail will become even more congested, overcrowded and expensive, and this will give a boost to domestic air services to/from airports like NQY and others. The ability to also feed longhaul will make an expanded LHR the London airport of choice for these.



Isn't there some sort of slots ringfenced by LHR operator for regional services specifying NQY in the event R3 was build.

That's what has previously been reported by press and the md of NQY.


cs


Yes, NQY is on Heathrow Ltd.'s list of potential extra domestic links along with CWL, EXT, HUY, INV, JER and LPL (page 14, "Taking Britain Further), but surprisingly, not IOM.

It’s been raised in Parliament several times and is a sensible idea. Suspect such provisions would be there, and need to be there, as a condition for LHR expansion.


Interestingly in the LHR vs LGW runway debate on Sky News on Monday in the question and answer section of the programme, Flybe tweeted a question asking what LHR/LGW would do to support regional connectivity? There wasn't really a definitive answer but the LHR CEO said that without the extra capacity, airlines like Flybe/Easyjet won't be able to fly from LHZr and they won't to be able to compete with other airports. He also mentioned something about flights to Scotland and the Isle of Man. Missed the debate unfortunately. U2 have stated that with expansion at LHR, it will be there, and would expect to see BE and BD regional there as well.

Clearly, without expansion, the status quo will prevail. LHR management has set up a “task force” on regional capacity, let’s see what that comes up with….



Personally I can't see a turboprop service into LHR if NQY does get ring fenced slots, a double daily jet service would be better. If LGW gets a second runway then regional connectivity isn't really going to change as most airports are already connected (NQY, GCI, JER, IOM...)
Turboprop or jet does not matter, it will probably depend on the loads. It’s important to have a link. An ideal route for BE perhaps (it has both types).

[compton3bravo]

I am sorry people, but can we refrain from all this verbal diarrhoea about connecting Newquay and other regional airports to Heathrow when a third runway is built. It is not going to happen it is a political and planning nightmare for which ever party is in control or not - maybe the Scots Nats? heaven forbid.
Let me say I am all for having a third runway at Heathrow it is the only logical conclusion in my humble opinion but as most of us know we did have a third runway until somebody decided to build Terminal 4 at one end of it.
So can we move on to some practical discussions please.

[Fairdealfrank]

I am sorry people, but can we refrain from all this verbal diarrhoea about connecting Newquay and other regional airports to Heathrow when a third runway is built. It is not going to happen it is a political and planning nightmare for which ever party is in control or not - maybe the Scots Nats? heaven forbid.


Obviously the subject is hypothetical as the indecison and dithering will continue, but contributors want to discuss it.

Just because you appear not to understand, it is unkind of you to refer to it as verbal diarrhoea. Perhaps try reading it again? slowly?


Let me say I am all for having a third runway at Heathrow it is the only logical conclusion in my humble opinion but as most of us know we did have a third runway until somebody decided to build Terminal 4 at one end of it.
So can we move on to some practical discussions please.


The former third rwy you refer to was a cross rwy and could not be used simultaneously with the two main rwys and was effectively surplus to requirement. Consequently it was never used once aircraft were capable of taking off/landing in crosswinds.

It was rightly scrapped in favour of an extra terminal.

[cornishsimon]

With the LHR domestic debate it is worth considering that NQY-LGW was operating 2 daily and now 3 daily on a DH8 and isn't really that far behind in terms of passenger numbers compared to LBA-LHR which operates 3 daily on the A319.




Not that BA would, but If R3 was built and if they ran a 3 daily Airbus on LHR-NQY the numbers would no doubt increase based purely on the fact that a LHR link operated by BA or with a BA codeshare would offer connections onto the entire BA and OW network for both outgoing and incoming passengers.


Just jump on FGW at Plymouth and see how many customers are heading into Cornwall with bags tagged to LHR............


That's not to say that NQY-LHR would be a viable and profitable route, just that I feel that LHR-NQY would carry a higher passenger load compared to LGW-NQY


cs

[Heathrow Harry]

so your answer Frank is NO

no-one will guarantee regional connectivity from an enlarged LHR

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[NewquayJacob]

Just for reference the LBA-LHR provisional pax numbers for Jan was 9534 and NQY-LGW was 7730. Not a lot between them.

On another note I have noticed lately that arrivals/departures on the website are not updated very regularly in the past couple of weeks - sometimes the day before's flights are still showing around midday. Not particularly useful for looking to see if a flight is on time.

And Aer Lingus has started advertising the DUB flights on the website - anyone know how bookings are looking for the route?

[cornishsimon]

The star performer for NQY is still the daily NQY-MAN which has provisional of 3177 for jan 15 with one dh8 per day.

From feb it's operating 8 weekly rising to 10 from April.

Surely this will go twice daily for summer16 ?

As for EI on NQY-DUB I think the route could use some advertising !! There are some very low fares showing up, but I think EI have missed a trick as NQY is crying out to be linked to Europe and the U.S. however the timings of the service don't allow for any connections at all.


cs

[NewquayJacob]

Maybe NQY will be one of Flybe's new bases for 2016:
2 x daily MAN
3 x daily LGW
Daily STN/BHX
plus NCL, EDI, BHD...

Leaves room for flights to CDG/AMS...maybe EDI will become year round.:ok:

[cornishsimon]

I agree however I suspect flybe would want at least enough routes to fully utilise 3-4 dh8's every day, year round.

It's just not currently there without dipping a toe in the water on potential routes such as CDG or AMS.

I am surprised that flybe don't operate seasonal German routes ex NQY considering the popularity of Cornwall in Germany.



cs

[Fairdealfrank]

so your answer Frank is NO

no-one will guarantee regional connectivity from an enlarged LHR
Not neccessarily, it's so far down the road (if at all) no one knows the answer.

It appears to be on the radar and being considered by Parliamentarians and Heathrow Ltd.'s regional connectivity task force, and airports on the thinner routes (and their pax) appear to want it.

Balance of probability must be that there would be some arrangements made along these lines, but for now, it's all highly theoretical.

Clearly it is a good idea and makes sense.

[SWBKCB]

Regional connectivity? it makes sense to get any deal through the political process ("oh look, shiny beads! connections to the world so we can do business" :E) but will then be disappear as quickly as the airport operator and airlines can wriggle out of it, so they can get back to the real business of making money and forget all about this national importance nonsense.:suspect:

[cornishsimon]

NQY still in the running for the UK spaceport project.
UK ministers issue spaceport shortlist
BBC News - UK ministers issue spaceport shortlist (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31711083)


cs

[Martin the Martian]

And at the same time they don't feel it's a good place to be flying drones from:

BBC News - Newquay Airport: Government 'to oppose drone testing' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-31753506)

[NewquayJacob]

Just come across this:

Lapland Santa Experience Day Trip
Departing: Thursday 17th December 2015

Depart NQY Airport: 07:00 / Arrive Pajala 11:15
Depart Pajala 19:10 / Arrive NQY 21:30

Unsure of aircraft type/airline.


Provisional stats for Feb:
LGW 7988
MAN 3661
ISC 949


Good to see Easyjet training at the airport again this week.

[cornishsimon]

Sad news just confirmed via fb that classic Air Force at NQY is closing effective immediate and will not re-open following the winter. Operations are to consolidate at CVT

No word as yet as to the fate of the non airworthy aircraft currently at NQY.


cs

[Non Emmett]

It will be most unfortunate if the VC10 and BAC111 are now to be broken up perhaps elsewhere on the airfield using the expertise of Apple Aviation who parted out the Netherlands Air force KC-10 some time ago. Several other aircraft such as the Canberra and Varsity arrived at Newquay in a bit of a state and volunteers have toiled over many months and tidied them up, will these same volunteers be prepared to get Classic's aircraft ready for transporting to Coventry?

What now for the former Nimrod hangar, surely a most useful asset calling out for someone to make good use of.

Meanwhile not far away, the future of St. Mawgan's Shackleton remains uncertain

[cornishsimon]

Quite agree.
Caf were actually moving out of 404 hangar for the 2015 season claimed due to the cost of the rent on the hangar.
No doubt aerohub will be looking to occupy that hangar ASAP.

However as you mention apple aviation. It seems from fb that they appear to be busy, currently have a 738 in for repairs and have just won an engine mx contract for the NQY site.

cs

[Skipness One Echo]

It will be most unfortunate if the VC10 and BAC111 are now to be broken up
I think my blood just boiled, if they decided to fly a BAC111 and VC10 into Cornwall only to scrap them?????????

No doubt aerohub will be looking to occupy that hangar ASAP.
Hmmm well..... I went around the hangar last year and had the most fantastic day out. Kinda makes you think what's the point when things like this happen, I still get angry whener I think about the BA Collection at Cosford.

[cornishsimon]

FYI skippy
Both the 1-11 and the vc10 have not been kept in air worthy condition.
Clearly I'm no expert on what it would take to fly them out, the 1-11 did have some engine runs I understand but the 10 has some if not all engines missing !


cs

[cornishsimon]

Germanwings clarifies direct flights website map - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-32247544)

[Wycombe]

I seem to recall there once was a direct ZRH route - Summer charter flown by Crossair or/then Darwin?

I was in Cornwall earlier this week and it seemed very busy for the Easter hols, including a lot of German visitors as usual :-)

[cornishsimon]

Yes There has previously been a ZRH charter.

Your correct about Cornwall being very busy, Germany is a huge market for Cornwall and considering that I can't see why a FRA or MUC wouldn't work, if on LH it would give connections over the LH network both regionally and internationally.

Germany currently is a huge untapped market for NQY with the exception of the weekly, seasonal DUS.

Also, poldark seems to be having the desired effect on cornish tourism if the spin is to be believed, that should help to increase domestic and international tourism to Cornwall. NQY needs to cash in on this.


cs

[virginblue]

A lot of Germans will not fly, but drive to Cornwall or, in the case of the large group of silverage travellers, go on an organized coach tour. It is useful to have in mind that the road distance from Düsseldorf to Newquay is "only" 599 miles, compared to, e.g. Edinburgh to Newquay at 516 miles.

[J-Guy]

Do German tour operators market Cornwall as a destination in its own right? I expect many will operate tours around the South of England, in which case you may find that a large number of tourists arrive and depart via London.

Of course, Cornwall is an attractive destination by itself, but it may explain why the German market from Newquay has not developed in the same way as it has in the Channel Islands, where there are flights from Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the summer.

[virginblue]

This should give you an idea - it is some of the market leader's (TUI) offering:

https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/devon-cornwall.html
https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/gaerten-legenden.html
https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/rosamundes-cornwall.html
https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/cornwall-mit-scilly-inseln.html

They all start in London.

[Ian Brooks]

Cornwall is a very strong market due to the Rosamunde Pilcher
books and tv programmes which are a big market in Germany
I was in Porthleven last year whilst they were filming a new series.

[virginblue]

If you click on my third link above, you will see that TUI is even selling a tour titled "Rosamundes Cornwall"....

[ATNotts]

This should give you an idea - it is some of the market leader's (TUI) offering:

https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/devon-cornwall.html
https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/gaerten-legenden.html
https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/ros...-cornwall.html
https://www.tui-wolters.de/reise/cor...ly-inseln.html

They all start in London.

And that is the problem withe UK tourism; it is marketed as London, then anywhere else if you really fancy it. If we had a UK Tourist board that promoted all areas of the UK equally, then likely as not there would be more direct peak season flights to Newquay.

But, in the absence of such a nationally orientated body, it might help if the local governments in Cornwall and Devon got together and pushed themselves properly at the German (and other) European inbound tourist.

Of course to do that effectively, it would be good if accommodation providers and attractions took the time to teach their employees European languages to a reasonable conversational level! And of course, for those doing the promotion to do it in the language of those countries they are courting.

[virginblue]

Heathrow - Exeter is 180miles, so it is not that great a distance for visitors on an organized tour. And on the way to Devon/Cornwall, usually places like Bath, Salisbury or Wichester are taken in. If German tourists, probably more like visitors from the UK, would stay put in a place for a week or two, direct access via Newquay would probably be more important. But as they are most often travelling around anyway, the flexibility flights via LHR allow (and their lower costs) probably outweighs the benefits of direct flights into NQY for the vast majority of the clientele.

[GROUNDHOG]

And at the turn of the month the first 850 passengers or so will arrive in two trips on board the MV Hamburg at Falmouth docks.. a pattern repeated throughout the Summer.

[cornishsimon]

March 15 provisional looks very encouraging.

LGW 10418 -17% (14 had additional capacity due rail disruption)
MAN 4395 +76%

LGW is 3 daily DH8 but to put it into comparison LHR-LBA is 3x319 and only achieved 10982 for the same month........


cs

[Coffin Corner]

That's excellent results. Hopefully Flybe will announce some sunshine routes for next year before someone else does it.

[NewquayJacob]

Excellent news about pax numbers - NQY stands a good chance for a LHR link.

Surely Flybe would not announce any sun routes from NQY if they are flying from EXT - that would dilute their catchment - but it would be good if someone did do some sun routes for next year maybe PMI?

No numbers on NQY-ISC yet - remains 4/5 daily for the summer.

[cornishsimon]

NQY-ISC is 4-5 daily.

I still strongly think that this route could use a codeshare with BE to allow interlining of bags etc and through ticketing
cs

[Cloud1]

NQY-ISC is 4-5 daily.

I still strongly think that this route could use a codeshare with BE to allow interlining of bags etc and through ticketing
cs

Interesting - Flybe have started advertising the IOS route and Skybus in their own in flight magazine

[Jet2LBA]

LGW is 3 daily DH8 but to put it into comparison LHR-LBA is 3x319 and only achieved 10982 for the same month........

Just to correct, LHR-LBA was only twice daily for most of March. The late evening service only returning at the start of the summer timetable.

[NewquayJacob]

Whoops - meant to say 4-5 daily.

IOS has been advertised in the Flybe inflight mag for a while by the Islands Partnership marketing - there have recently been a couple of features in inflight magazines.

[cornishsimon]

Nice little YouTube video from aerohub featuring apple aviation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMEQ4sUjDNY&sns=em
Interesting point being the desire for a second purpose built hangar at NQY.


cs

[cornishsimon]

Nice to see the first EI arrival appear on the arrivals board. Also very good to see that the flight is carrying an EY codeshare.

EY now codeshare into NQY via DUB with EI and MAN with BE.


cs

[Devonair]

Media Release highlights EY's expanded codeshares with EI & BE
ETIHAD Expands European Codeshare Routes in S15 :: Routesonline (http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/248054/etihad-expands-european-codeshare-routes-in-s15/)

[cornishsimon]

It's interesring that flybe only carry the EY code on the daily flight, with the additional rotation that operates three weekly not carrying it.


cs

[cornishsimon]

Well the first aer lingus arrival at NQY is on aproach.
EI3930 operated by EI-FAT due 15:15 ish


cs

[Fairdealfrank]

It's interesring that flybe only carry the EY code on the daily flight, with the additional rotation that operates three weekly not carrying it.


cs
Could it be that the daily connects with the onward EY flight (is that ex-MAN?) and the 3-weekly doesn't?

[Scinfaxi]

The BE354/BE355 carry the EY and AY codeshare, whereas the 351/352, 357/358 do not.

Also the IOS interline would be ideal, if only they'd start screening passengers and baggage on the islands ^^

[cornishsimon]

BE codeshare on the ISC route would open the islands up to international connections through the flybe and wider worldwide networks

I feel it would provide a boost for NQY and skybus.


cs

[virginblue]

While I see your point, the question really is if it would be worth the effort - how many additional visitors would it generate? The Scillies are not exactly an international tourism hotspot as - I suppose - most visitors are originationg from the British Isles. Not sure if it requires a code-share for them to put the islands on their radars.

[CabinCrewe]

Whats the problem with a GLA NQY route? Seems to habe hadva chequered history now nothing? Too long a sector and not the right aircraft? Would have thought a three times a week BE/LC would have sufficied. Its a v long trek by any other mode.

[willy wombat]

Long and chequered history indeed. Once a week on a Saturday on a British Eagle BAC 1-11 in the 1960s if memory serves.

[cornishsimon]

The GLA route worked quite well when SZ ran the route because it went via PLH and with navy personnel boosting the numbers.

If and when BE make NQY a base I can see 3 weekly GLA and EDI and extra frequencies to NCL & Belfast.

Until then, Loganair have their aircraft pretty well tied up so its a case of routing via MAN and possibly BHX on BE.


cs

[cornishsimon]

Looks like EK A330-213 A6-EAD is heading for NQY as EK3001, currently 9,000ft descending over Liskeard ex DXB if FR24 is to be believed.

Anyone know why ?

MX or storage or scrap ?


cs

[SWBKCB]

Reported elsewhere as being for scrapping

[nigel osborne]

Two more EK 330s expected to follow.:eek:

[cornishsimon]

Well if they are getting 3 into NQY it's surely good for NQY, apple and Cornwall as a county as this is real money coming into the area and real jobs being supported !


cs

[toon22]

I know this isn't Spotters corner, but a pic of the EK 330 would be good.

[VISCOUNT58]

there are 3 photos on Flickr, Phil Salter NQYpics; don't know how to post link

[cornishsimon]

Yeah i spotted them this morning. It's a white tale

Also back to NQY related, flybe daily STN starts tomorrow.


cs

[crewmeal]

Withdrawn Emirates A330-200 A6-EAD Positions to Newquay for Part Out. | Emirates News (http://www.theeksource.com/withdrawn-emirates-a330-200-a6-ead-positions-to-newquay-for-part-out/)

[cornishsimon]

Remainder of the summer schedule kicks in tomorrow with DUS, NCL, BHD and EDI restarting.

Anyone know how are the loads on the new seasonals, STN and DUB looking ?


cs

[Heathrow Harry]

Newquay Cornwall Airport passenger numbers below predictions - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-33256912)

Passenger numbers at an airport branded a "white elephant" by critics are less than a quarter of those originally predicted, it has emerged.


Newquay Cornwall Airport sees 220,000 passengers per year, compared to forecasts of more than one million.


Critics of the council-owned airport say it is not "economically viable" and will always need its multi-million pound subsidy from Cornwall Council.
The authority said it is committed to supporting the airport.


A 'masterplan' (http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/sites/default/files/content%20file/Masterplan_Complete_0.pdf) produced in in 2009 forecast 1.01m passengers by 2015-16.
But less than 220,000 passengers used the airport in 2014, according to Civil Aviation Authority (http://www.caa.co.uk/homepage.aspx) figures, with about 40,000 recorded in the first three months of 2015.


Bob Egerton, an independent member of Cornwall Council, said forecasts of more than one million passengers per year were "wishful thinking".
He said: "People got carried away with the glamour associated with having an airport. I do not believe it will ever be economically viable. I think we are stuck with it as a white elephant."


Mr Egerton said the forecasts were "a fantasy figure" and unsuccessful routes were "quietly dropped".


The council's company, Cornwall Airport Limited, receives an annual subsidy - £2.3m for 2014-15.



Adam Paynter, Cornwall Council cabinet member for resources, defended the subsidy and said the airport brought £48m annually to the Cornish economy.


He said: "Soon after the publication of the previous masterplan the recession hit aviation very hard and the industry experienced its worst ever decline with a number of airlines going bankrupt or closing."


Mr Paynter said the airport, at the heart of the Newquay Enterprise Zone, is "redefining its business model, reducing costs and successfully growing other income streams".


The council is now producing a new masterplan (https://democracy.cornwall.gov.uk/documents/s80083/Newquay%20Cornwall%20Airport%20Masterplan%202015%20-%202030%20-%20Appendix%201.pdf) which forecasts 473,000 yearly passengers by 2030.

[GROUNDHOG]

Ten years ago I handed the Council an A4 sheet of paper which was more accurate than their expensive masterplan, it had many of the ideas they have taken up as suggestions written on it - parting out - training school etc.

Now we have masterplan mk2, more realistic perhaps but just confirmation the original was not fit for purpose.

Newquay is a small regional airport with a limited catchment area that will only ever in the near future attract a limited audience, until that is accepted money will continue to be poured down the drain.

You do not need a multi million pound masterplan to work that out or a huge fancy terminal full of expensive staff to operate a handful of flights.

:ugh:

[cornishsimon]

Totally agree with mr hog as above.


CCC and NQY needs to focus on what NQY can do well, which at the end of the day involves a large runway and quiet airspace.


training flights
maintenance/tear downs
military ops


The commercial passenger movements are limited, however I still feel not fully exploited by the current operators, however this summer has seen a better program operated by flybe.


BHX, MAN and STN are all showing good numbers, June will soon be releasd, however sooner or later MAN will surpass 5,000 passengers per month which is very good for a 10 weekly service.


However, is the market really not able to sustain a proper twice daily MAN and a year round BHX ? with the new EK codeshares on the BE services to LGW, MAN and BHX lets hope that the numbers continue to rise.


However, connections to places like NCL etc are still bad and even dire during the winter.


DUB looks to be performing well so fingers crossed this returns next year, this would be a great addition if the flights could be daily and timed to allow connections via the EI longhaul network at DUB.


Lets get decent domestic and Euro connectivity back at NQY and concentrate on the additional income that the airfield can generate as a result.


on a positive, the EK codeshares start tomorrow, the new Bristow hangar is plodding on nicely and apple aviation seem to be busy


has the airport found a new tenant for hangar 404 since CAF moved out ? that ex nimrod hangar is huge and would prove a brilliant facility to another aircraft mx provider or even a facility for something like mail or a parcel or freight company ?


Anyway, as I say, agree with above, but at least things are now moving in the right direction now, lets just hope that things continue to grow.




cs

[CabinCrewe]

and get back a GLA connection...

[Centre cities]

I do not see why the BHX route could not be 2 x daily year round.

Flybe operate multiple flights from BHX to GLA, EDI and BHD. Aberdeen is also 3/4 daily.

Connections could be offered via BHX to all these destinations morning and evening.

This has worked before at Exeter where connections were offered via BHX to these destinations until Exeter was able to sustain it own direct flights.

Just an idea.

Centre cities

[cornishsimon]

Iv thought all along that twice daily MAN & BHX would be the way forward with early ex NQY flights to both and late evening returns to capture both day return business trippers and connections.



cs

[Skipness One Echo]

What's happening with the VC10 and the One Eleven?