Plymouth Airport (How can you help?)
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Birmingham
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Plymouth Airport (How can you help?)
Hi guys,
Some of you may well know that Plymouth City Airport closed last Decemeber under a money scandal.
The airport was being run down to the ground by a property development company whos intention was to soley use the land for housing, airlinks where cut, fuel and landing prices where increased and a city this size must have an airport.
Can I ask that you follow the group on Facebook and sign our e-petition, I'm not sure who runs both, but they are "official" so to speak. You may well need to be a UK Citizen but any help on social networks is appreciated, please pass it around, I'm looking for your support. It only takes a few seconds to do it!
Save Plymouth City Airport - e-petitions
https://www.facebook.com/saveplhairport
Thanks to anyone that helps, it all makes a difference.
Some of you may well know that Plymouth City Airport closed last Decemeber under a money scandal.
The airport was being run down to the ground by a property development company whos intention was to soley use the land for housing, airlinks where cut, fuel and landing prices where increased and a city this size must have an airport.
Can I ask that you follow the group on Facebook and sign our e-petition, I'm not sure who runs both, but they are "official" so to speak. You may well need to be a UK Citizen but any help on social networks is appreciated, please pass it around, I'm looking for your support. It only takes a few seconds to do it!
Save Plymouth City Airport - e-petitions
https://www.facebook.com/saveplhairport
Thanks to anyone that helps, it all makes a difference.
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: East sussex
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Just signed up. I use to do a lot of flights between LGW PLY Air South West. Now 5.5/6.5 hours drive to Plymouth from South East depending on traffic.
Bring it back!!!!!!!!!!
Daz
Bring it back!!!!!!!!!!
Daz
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Coventry
Age: 48
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I know this post might cause some controversy, but whether it is going to be saved or not, it's always worth trying!
However, I do think these claims need to be put into perspective:
1) Population alone is not sufficient reason for an airport to be viable. We in Coventry also have a population of c. 300k and many of use would love to see our airport back having commercial flights, but we understand market reality. Also, if you look at airports across a wider field, I don't think there is anything to suggest that 300k is anywhere near a sufficient catchment area for a thriving airport with regular regional and international service.
2) The airport was far too reliant on one operator, Air Southwest, who often ran flights from PLH combined with NQY, putting in a stop on a route which really should have been direct in order to be competitive.
3) The runway was not long enough for larger aircraft, nor was there anyone willing to invest in extending it. Hence far more traffic went to Exeter, which is otherwise a smaller city.
4) PLH was also subject to the same factors which afflicted other UK airports, namely high fuel costs and the double dosage of APD. This was even more stark at an airport where virtually all routes were domestic.
5) PLH was also too dependent on links with London, an air route which could not compete against untaxed and subsidised rail services.
So in many ways the demise of PLH was a case of natural selection, with or without the local scandal that you allege.
Good luck with your campaign, but remember there is much more to this.
Paxing All Over The World
Jabird has told like it is. Not nice,and I don't want to sound defeatist, but that is life. Also, do not forget that the current recession has some way to go and EXE has established itself as a strong regional field.
I have family who live less than 30 mins drive from PLH and they go to EXE or BRS without thinking too much about it.
I have family who live less than 30 mins drive from PLH and they go to EXE or BRS without thinking too much about it.
Join Date: Jul 2010
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Paxboy
I have family who live in Plymouth, and Exeter is an hour plus drive from Plymouth on a good day. To put that in perspective, it would be similar as a drive from Liverpool airport to Manchester airport.
Daz
I have family who live in Plymouth, and Exeter is an hour plus drive from Plymouth on a good day. To put that in perspective, it would be similar as a drive from Liverpool airport to Manchester airport.
Daz
Last edited by dazdaz1; 8th Apr 2012 at 14:36.
Paxing All Over The World
dazdaz1 Indeed, my family are in the South Hams but they see no problem in the airport closing, as they see that it was not viable. It could only be subsidised by Council Tax, or a company with big ambitions and deep pockets. Neither of those things are gong to happen.
Of course, if the airport had been able to retain it's LHR link?? But you'll have to ask the UK govts of the past 30 years about that. It was they who prevented a third and fourth runway and allowed BA to buy up regionals and then ship them out to LGW, whilst handily retaining their slots.
The closing of PLH is not a matter of the last few years but of decades of failure by successive (and all) UK govts. The current bunch are doing exactly the same as the previous crowd. That is = Zero.
Sorry.
Of course, if the airport had been able to retain it's LHR link?? But you'll have to ask the UK govts of the past 30 years about that. It was they who prevented a third and fourth runway and allowed BA to buy up regionals and then ship them out to LGW, whilst handily retaining their slots.
The closing of PLH is not a matter of the last few years but of decades of failure by successive (and all) UK govts. The current bunch are doing exactly the same as the previous crowd. That is = Zero.
Sorry.
