Cornwall Airport Newquay - General Thread

[TheLocalYokel]

Norwich-Newquay route announced

It was announced today that a summer route will commence on 5 May 2012 until 22 September 2012 between Norwich and Newquay.

The route will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays by Flybe though it's unclear whether its franchisee Loganair will be the carrier using a Dornier 328 turbo-prop.

This is very welcome news for NQY that has seen a 50% fall in passenger numbers over the past four years.

 

[News Guru]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

Airport 'integral' to Cornish economy

Newquay Airport contributes £20m to the local economy and is vital for economic growth, a business briefing event has heard.
Speakers from the Cornwall and Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Visit Cornwall and businesses joined airport bosses to discuss the benefits of the airport to the area and to create relationships between the airport and companies in the area.
Al Titterington, Newquay Airport's managing director said the airport's activities create 370 jobs and add more than £20m of gross value added to the economy in Cornwall.

Source

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

easyJet

easyJet has announced new routes to NQY for summer 2013 from Southend and Liverpool, both 3 x weekly.

This is the first ever easyJet venture into NQY other than for training flights.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

Bourgas

Balkan Holidays will operate flights/holidays to Bourgas in summer 2014 with two departure dates, one in May and the other in September.

Full details at this link: http://www.balkanholidays.co.uk/flight_ ... rport.html

I can't remember this destination being served before although I'm not saying it definitely hasn't been.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

Newquay-London - a PSO route?

This press release was issued by Cornwall County Council this week outlining attempts to secure a London route when Flybe ceases to operate the NQY-LGW route next March. It will be seen that the council is trying to get the government to fund a London link as a Public Service Obligation (PSO) route.

[textarea]Cornwall Council has held initial discussions with the Department for Transport regarding the possibility of the Government providing a subsidy on the route between Newquay and London to help secure the long term future of this vital air link.

Following the decision by Flybe on 23 May 2013 that it was to terminate its service between Newquay and Gatwick at the end of March 2014, the Council has been involved in a number of commercially negotiations with other airlines to secure the future of this route. Although these discussions remain ongoing with other operators, the Council is also exploring other options to ensure the service is maintained, including a Public Service Obligation (PSO).

Imposing a PSO on the route between Newquay and London would mean the Government providing a subsidy to an operator to deliver the connection for a four year period. This would provide a much more secure future for the route than the current situation which relies on the commercial decisions of an operator.

“While there is no guarantee that the Government will support this application, all initial pointers from the Department for Transport have been positive and we believe we meet the necessary criteria” said Adam Paynter, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Partnerships.

The formal process, which is governed by EU regulations, requires the Council to seek competitive bids from airlines and present the case to the Government to provide financial support for one of these.

“Although our aim is to tender for a new service to begin on 1 April 2014, the length of the formal process means that it is possible that it would not be in place until later in the summer. This would result in a short break in service” said Adam Paynter. “While we recognise that this would create short term difficulties for regular travellers, starting the application process earlier would not have been practical as an essential requirement for a PSO is the exhaustion of all commercial alternative options. However, if successful, this will help us secure the long term future of this vital route.”

“The Department of Transport is very aware of the issues which we are facing and the need for a decision to be made as quickly as possible “.

The Council is continuing to work closely with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership on this issue. The Chairman of the Partnership Chris Pomfret said “The provision of a regular year-round service from Newquay to a London hub airport with a schedule that works for business is vital to the economy of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The LEP fully supports this move to try and secure a PSO on the route and we will shortly issue a call for evidence to local businesses to help argue the case for air links to a London hub airport."

Stephen Gilbert MP is supporting this approach. “The Newquay London air route is crucial for the Cornish economy underpinning millions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs” he said. “ I will be working closely with the business community and the Council to ensure Government support, if needed, is delivered and will be meeting Treasury and Transport ministers to discuss this further this week."[/textarea]
http://www.newquaycornwallairport.com/a ... ll-council

NQY has seen its annual passengers numbers drop from 430,000 in 2008 to well under 200,000 now.

CAA stats show that in September this year 17,222 passengers used Newquay's terminal which was 1.9% down on September last year. Atms were down 6%. The rolling 12-month passenger figure was 177,190 which is actually up 8.4% on a year ago but with the impending withdrawal of the LGW route the growth will be hard to maintain.

The airport is also considering doubling its £5 per adult passenger departure tax - see this link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-24396049

 

[Ashley.S.]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

My response to this, even if its a little bit off topic...but if they manage to lobby funding to save this route, why can't they do the same for the drastic bus cuts we're getting from the 3nd November, which in my opinion would be more important than retaining an air link???

 

[Aviador]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

My response to this, even if its a little bit off topic...but if they manage to lobby funding to save this route, why can't they do the same for the drastic bus cuts we're getting from the 3nd November, which in my opinion would be more important than retaining an air link???

Not at all, it's a fair point. It's often the case where councils are concerned. The council needs to accept that things have changed over recent years and people just aren't using domestic air travel like they used to. Newquay just doesn't have a catchment area big enough to sustain regional air services any more. Airports are often regarded as a source of inward investment, but this usually only applies with international scheduled services.

 

[Ashley.S.]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

I suspect its something to do with the revenue generated through taxes or something that keeps them wanting to retain air links, the council wants money and they probably think that this is the best way *sighs*

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

I suspect its something to do with the revenue generated through taxes or something that keeps them wanting to retain air links, the council wants money and they probably think that this is the best way *sighs*

Councils always seem to believe that airports prime their economies by not only providing direct jobs for those who work at the airports but also by creating inward investment, both business and via tourism. The snag is that this is often more than wiped out by money leaving the local economy through people flying abroad to spend their leisure money there.

The attraction to local authorities of a PSO is that the central government would provide the money. You will know better than me how isolated the far south west is with poor rail and road links west of Exeter, not to mention air. So what group of local councillors wouldn't jump at the chance of trying to get 'free' money from the government to in effect help run their airport?

The Wales Government (WG) has been paying for the Cardiff-Anglesey PSO route for several years costing it (us really as we all pay taxes) millions of pounds to provide a service that rarely sees monthly load factors of more than 9-10. The WG is now paying for a Cardiff Airport express bus link at nearly half a million quid a year when local authorities around Wales (as in England) are cutting back on subsidising 'ordinary' bus routes with the result that some are either ceasing or reducing in frequency.

I can see some justification for PSO routes to fulfill a social need where there really is no viable alternative such as to some Scottish islands, but beyond that I'm a firm believer that the market will decide and government interference too often proves the law of unintended consequences.

 

[News Guru]

Re: Newquay Cornwall Airport

[textarea]Taxpayer 'subsidy' for Newquay to Gatwick airport link agreed 'in principle'

UPDATE: Following a meeting between Newquay MP Stephen Gilbert and Danny Alexander MP, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the Government has agreed 'in principle' support to help maintain the air route between Newquay and London.

Stephen Gilbert met with the senior Treasury Minister to explore whether the Government would be willing to help fund a Public Service Obligation (PSO) route between Newquay and London - essentially providing financial support to airline operators to run the key route.


Speaking after the meeting, Mr Gilbert said: "There's no doubt that the air link between Newquay and London is vital for the Cornish economy - supporting hundreds of millions of pounds of investment across Cornwall and thousands of jobs.

Read more: http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/n ... rinciple_/[/textarea]

 

[News Guru]

[textarea]New £250k masterplan in pipeline for Newquay Cornwall Airport

A NEW £250,000 masterplan for Newquay Cornwall Airport is in the pipeline – less than five years after the previous 20-year plan was adopted.

The Cornwall Development Company (CDC), a branch of Cornwall Council, is planning to appoint an outside contractor to draw up the "essential" document next year.

Bosses say the current plan, designed in 2009 to be a blueprint for development at the airport over the next two decades, is now out of date.

The new masterplan will be funded by the Infrastructure and Business Development Project, which is delivered by CDC and paid for through the European Regional Development Fund Convergence Programme.
In a statement, a spokesman for the airport said: "Although the current masterplan was appropriate at the time of approval (2009), the economic climate has since changed and much of the scale and delivery is out of date.

Read more: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/New-pou ... z2jxTggUeI[/textarea]

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Flybe NQY-LGW service to be doubled in frequency during the rail closure

Following the severing of the only rail link between Cornwall and the rest of Britain north and east of Exeter Flybe has announced that it will double its three daily rotations between Newquay and Gatwick with effect from next Wednesday.

A 118-seat E195 will be made available for the extra services. The schedule will be as follows, with the additional rotations shown in red:

Dep NQY 0715 Arr LGW 0825 Dep LGW 0905 Arr NQY 1015

Dep NQY 0805 Arr LGW 0910 Dep LGW 0940 Arr NQY 1045

Dep NQY 1400 Arr LGW 1505 Dep LGW 1525 Arr NQY 1630

Dep NQY 1455 Arr LGW 1605 Dep LGW 1635 Arr NQY 1745

Dep NQY 1705 Arr LGW 1810 Dep LGW 1835 Arr NQY 1940

Dep NQY 1815 Arr LGW 1925 Dep LGW 2010 Arr NQY 2120

I suspect there will be decent take-up and with any luck perhaps some of the new travellers will stay with the service. The route was going to be axed from the end of March but Flybe agreed to keep it on whilst the Cornwall County Council explores options to turn it into a PSO route.

Full report on Flybe's website at: http://www.flybe.com/corporate/media/news/1402/07.htm

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The rail connectivity to/from Devon and Cornwall has worsened today with the closure of the old Southern Railway route between Exeter and London Waterloo because of a landslip east of Exeter. It may be closed for at least a week.

With the former Great Western main line closed for at least six weeks west of Exeter because of major sea damage and the former Great Western line between Exeter and Taunton that connects to London Paddington, Bristol, the Midlands, the North, Scotland and Wales is closed for several weeks because of planned maintenance to a tunnel, it means that there is no rail connectivity to the rest of the country from anywhere in Devon or Cornwall.

First Great Western passengers for Exeter (and further west) are being taken from London Paddington to Bristol Parkway and transferred to coaches for Exeter. Bristol Parkway is on the northern edge of Bristol but is close to the motorway network and means the congested Bristol Temple Meads station in the middle of the city can be avoided.

NQY will doubtless be very popular in the next few weeks and so would PLH had it remained open.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

[textarea]Newquay Airport weeks away from tendering Gatwick route to bidders

The only London-bound flights from the Westcountry are set to secure a four-year Government-funded lifeline, with Newquay Airport planning to tender the route to potential airline operators within the next few weeks.

Newquay Airport managing director Al Titterington said that the airport anticipates recommending an operator to the Department for Transport – which will fly a daily return route between Cornwall and the capital’s Gatwick Airport – for sign off, by the end of June.

He said the new schedule would be ready for launch the day after a temporary service being flown by Exeter-based Flybe comes to an end on October 25.

The Cornwall Council owned airport is set to tender the route out to airlines in an open process in the “next couple of weeks” and will evaluate the applications over a four to six week period. Mr Titterington said he anticipated bids to fly the route from “at least” eight UK and European operators.[/textarea]
Full report at: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/Newquay ... z2vTKknhck

It's likely that the awful weather this winter has removed any doubts that the government would support the PSO application.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Posted by jfk1999, 14 May 2015

A6-EAD just landed at NQY as EK3001 from Dubai.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A6-EAD just landed at NQY as EK3001 from Dubai.

This seem to be an A 330. Any idea of the reason for its appearance at NQY?

Addendum

Have now read elsewhere that the aircraft is to be scrapped.

 

[forest1979]

Newquay have dropped the £5.00 fee charged to all outbound passengers which has brought back Ryanair (a day later!)

Confirmed today that from April they will fly weekly to Alicante and Frankfurt Hahn.

Im glad they have dropped the £5.00 fee. While an income stream, it has been a barrier to expansion as it outs airlines off and I suspect, although the council wouldn't admit to this, Ryanair behind the scenes have been pushing this for sometime.

There are, in my opinion, a few un-realistic people in Cornwall in terms of their expectations of the airport and what they would like to see. The population is small down here to support lots of routes for the Cornish outside of what they have and in my opinion the airport should have always positioned itself to bring flights from the likes of Germany and France where their is a demand for Cornwall, even the states/Canada... The tourism and interest is there and the runway and airport could certainly cope with this. Why not go all out and re-name the airport "Cornwall airport, the land of Poldark!!! that wouldn't certainly bring them in!!!

In all seriousness, the Ryanair announcements are good. Alicante will be a hit and can see this going year round, maybe that will lead to Ryanair or someone bringing back Malaga. This was very popular in the winter when Monarch had a stint with it. In any case, Al Titterington now has what he needs to try and fulfil what he has been promising for sometime.

Hopefully here is to a revival of the airport! good luck Newquay..

 

[TheLocalYokel]

NQY is certainly a niche airport for a relatively small internal catchment. The South West Peninsula has two airports with Exeter the larger. There used to be three of course with Plymouth City, which I always thought was overkill, and much as I'd like to see PLH reopen I have serious doubts about a business case for three airports serving that peninsula; realistically, there isn't much scope to mop up people living further afield who will all have easier access to busier and bigger airports, so they must look to inbound travellers.

As for NQY, as forest said it's a very popular destination for continental tourists especially Germans. The writer Rosamunde Pilcher (yes, I know, who?) is a household name in Germany with her mainly Cornwall-based (and filmed) stories immensely popular with German tv viewers. They flock to Cornwall to discover filming locations with a seemingly insatiable appetite and have done so for many years.

NQY is beginning to recover its passenger numbers in an impressive manner. In 2008 it saw a record 431,000 passengers which by 2012 had dropped to 166,000. Thereafter a recovery set in with 174,000 in 2013, 219,000 last year and 248,000 in the last 12 months. 2016 ought to see over 300,000 with today's Ryanair news.

 

[forest1979]

Flybe are to introduce the E195's on the NQY-LGW route.. They have cited strong demand as the reason for this. Another piece of good news for the airport. I guess the subsidised route also helps the airline with this decision. I did think that the airline was trying to offload the 195's to concentrate on their fleet of turbo props but maybe a bit of turnaround in profits has given them a bit of a rethink. They have been good with NQY so far with lots of summer routes into the airport and Manchester also year round.

 

[forest1979]

Flybe are to introduce the E195's on the NQY-LGW route.. They have cited strong demand as the reason for this. Another piece of good news for the airport. I guess the subsidised route also helps the airline with this decision. I did think that the airline was trying to offload the 195's to concentrate on their fleet of turbo props but maybe a bit of turnaround in profits has given them a bit of a rethink. They have been good with NQY so far with lots of summer routes into the airport and Manchester also year round.