Blackpool Airport to close 15th October?

bagand96

Future doesn't look good for Blackpool Airport. Announcement made today that unless there's a last minute saviour, commercial flights could cease by 15th October:

http://www.blackpoolinternational.com/airport/news-media/news/blackpool-airport-announcement

The main operator Jet2 have put a brief announcement out, but have left flights on sale after 15th October http://www.jet2.com/status

rustyboy21

That's such a shame.


I loved flying out of Blackpool. It was like Airports from years ago. You felt you were actually going somewhere, instead of being stuck in a big shopping mall like all the others.


Taking off from there is great, a good rumble along the runway, turnaround and the zoom up the runway and on the right you would see the promenade, pleasure beach, then over to IOM and later the Southport and Liverpool coastline.


Free parking, 5 mins from immigration to picking up your bags and then 2 minutes to your car. Such a shame. Hope someone buys it.

Alan_Bowen

Regrettably I don't see anyone buying an asset that loses money hand over fist. The airport did a deal with Jet2 which means unless customers spend a lot of money when waiting to depart, the airport loses money on every flight. The current owners paid £14M 6 years ago and have been charging a £10 'development tax' to departing passengers, I suspect the only development we will see is a building site unless the Council want to buy it and then I think Council taxpayers would be in uproar. Too many people travel to Manchester or Liverpool where there is an abundance of cheaper flights to make Blackpool a viable commercial airport

jonesMUFCforever

Wonder if Jet2 take it over for themselves?

bagand96

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

Wonder if Jet2 take it over for themselves?

Why would they? I strongly doubt their one aircraft operation is profitable enough to sustain running the whole airport.

They can take their aircraft (and customer base) up the road to Manchester. It's not like someone else will nip in at Blackpool. It'll be closed!

dickydonkin

Alan_Bowen wrote: »

Regrettably I don't see anyone buying an asset that loses money hand over fist. The airport did a deal with Jet2 which means unless customers spend a lot of money when waiting to depart, the airport loses money on every flight. The current owners paid £14M 6 years ago and have been charging a £10 'development tax' to departing passengers, I suspect the only development we will see is a building site unless the Council want to buy it and then I think Council taxpayers would be in uproar. Too many people travel to Manchester or Liverpool where there is an abundance of cheaper flights to make Blackpool a viable commercial airport

I suspect Durham Tees Valley will suffer the same fate.

All of which you describe above applies to MME while Newcastle Airport some 30 or so miles away continues to grow.

If you don't use it - you lose it!

Doshwaster

dickydonkin wrote: »

I suspect Durham Tees Valley will suffer the same fate.

All of which you describe above applies to MME while Newcastle Airport some 30 or so miles away continues to grow.

If you don't use it - you lose it!

Yes, I think Durham Tees Valley (or Teesside as it used to be) days are numbered. It really can't compete with Newcastle and Leeds Bradford. It's just not the UK traveller market - how many people from abroad really want to visit the area? (For the record, I grew up in the area and love it but I can see how Newcastle and Leeds are more attractive to overseas visitors)

It's really tough for the smaller airports. Cambridge Airport keeps trying to break into the passenger market but it struggles being so close to Stansted and Luton. Just this week, CityJet announced they were pulling out of the airport: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Airline-CityJet-set-axe-flights-Cambridge-Airport/story-23019912-detail/story.html - I love the quote "This has been our best summer on record with over 10,000 passengers welcomed through our doors in the last four months". That's about what Heathrow does in an hour!

molerat

Perhaps if the government were desperate to buy some votes (or if Nick Clegg's mother was a local councillor) they may save it ........... the vote buying plan might not work out though
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/prestwick-airport-flights-down-to-one-a-day-1-3533174
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Sturgeon
:eek:

Doshwaster

Prestwick is another airport which should be shut down and converted into something more useful. It's the wrong sized airport in the wrong place designed for an age when transatlantic services needed a refuelling stop.

mgdavid

thought it was earmarked for the home of the Scottish Air Force?

ah, wait....

Doshwaster

mgdavid wrote: »

thought it was earmarked for the home of the Scottish Air Force?

ah, wait....

Although it could be the first British space port.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/glasgow-prestwick-named-as-possible-location-for-uks-first-spaceport.1405429026

How long before Ryanair start offering services to Mars?