Newquay and Plymouth Airports - their rise and fall - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[LiskeardRich]

Flybe have been confirmed to have won slots at London City airport.
It is understood by local media there will be 3 return flights daily between London City and Newquay effective September.

(Apologies unable to copy source as my IPad is not cooperating, source of info is airport coordination ltd, and also the Cornish Guardian)

[Chris from Nailsea]

No problem, richwarwicker! 

From the Cornish Guardian:

Flybe, airline that serves Newquay Airport wins slots to land at London City Airport



Flybe, the low-cost airline that serves Newquay Airport, has bid for and won slots to land at London City Airport from September, the Cornish Guardian understands.

However, there has been no definite report on whether it intends to use the new route.

A spokesperson for Flybe said: "Flybe is in discussions with a number of airports regarding the potential development of new bases, in line with its strategy communicated in November 2013 and during its recent firm placing and open offer.

^No final decisions have been made as yet. Flybe will issue further announcements as appropriate.^

According to Airport Co-ordination Ltd, as of September 7, Flybe may operate schedules which will see flights departing from Newquay Airport to London City Airport at 6:30am, 2:45pm, and 6:35pm.

It is thought that flights will depart from London City to Newquay at 9:30am, 5:45pm, and 9:35pm.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Newquay Cornwall Airport passenger numbers below predictions

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' produced 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 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 which forecasts 473,000 yearly passengers by 2030.