UK Government Aviation Minister Robert Goodwill has welcomed the new domestic and international routes that will start in 2016 from regional airports across the UK.
The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the 2 December 2015 Spending Review that 11 successful bidders had been awarded support from the Regional Air Connectivity Fund. These new flights will offer fast journey times within the UK and also introduce new routes to Europe for the first time.
Origin -Destination Airline
Carlisle - Belfast City Stobart Air
Carlisle - Dublin Stobart Air
Carlisle - Southend Stobart Air
Dundee - Amsterdam Flybe
Derry - Dublin Citywings
Newquay - Leeds-Bradford Flybe
Norwich - Exeter Flybe
Norwich - Newcastle Linksair
Oxford - Edinburgh Linksair
Southampton - Lyon Flybe
Southampton - Munich Flybe
http://www.gov.uk/government/news/ne...fast-journeys-across-uk-and-europe
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
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- AndyEastMids
- Posts: 1101
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RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Discussed three weeks ago, but the UK Government Aviation Minister should know better and perhaps needs to be worried about a few of those - Linksair has had its AOC suspended and Stobart Air is seemingly up for sale!!!
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Very interesting to see the explosion in flights from CAX. Not sure I see CAX-SEN working though (other than for in-house Stobart use).
Let's see if this time round it survives better than previous attempts.
| Quoting factsonly (Thread starter): Oxford - Edinburgh Linksair |
Let's see if this time round it survives better than previous attempts.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting AndyEastMids (Reply 1): Linksair has had its AOC suspended |
Indeed, but the routes aren't planned to be operational until spring next year.
| Quoting gct64 (Reply 2): Let's see if this time round it survives better than previous attempts. |
You'd hope so, given it's being subsidised. The issue is whether it still will when the subsidises run out.
[Edited 2015-12-22 08:02:26]
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting factsonly (Thread starter): Derry - Dublin Citywings |
| Quoting factsonly (Thread starter): Norwich - Newcastle Linksair Oxford - Edinburgh Linksair |
How is this trash "airline" still allowed to operate? After the details revealed about their operation after the ORK accident I don't know how they're allowed to continue operating.
Rant over.
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- PlymSpotter
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RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
I'll be interested to see what LinksAir use for OXF-EDI.
The reason Varsity Express added the NCL stop was because a J-31 couldn't make OXF-EDI non stop with a meaningful payload during the summer/hotter months. Nothing at OXF has changed to increase the TODA.
Dan
The reason Varsity Express added the NCL stop was because a J-31 couldn't make OXF-EDI non stop with a meaningful payload during the summer/hotter months. Nothing at OXF has changed to increase the TODA.
Dan
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
CAPA > Aviation Analysis > Flybe 18-Dec-2015
2016 - FlyBe to operate three publicly supported routes:
Flybe has also gained three new routes supported by the UK government's GBP7 million regional air connectivity fund, which aims to support routes that would otherwise be commercially unviable. Under this scheme, it will be the sole operator on;
- Dundee-Amsterdam, 7x/week
- Newquay-Leeds Bradford, 5x/week , 3x winter
- Norwich-Exeter 7x/week
Flybe CCO Paul Simmons said daily Exeter-Norwich service is a "route we believe could work because it's a difficult journey by road or rail, but it needs some funding for the first three years to get it off the ground” .
Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation, OAG
http://centreforaviation.com/analysi...restructuring-profitability-258801
2016 - FlyBe to operate three publicly supported routes:
Flybe has also gained three new routes supported by the UK government's GBP7 million regional air connectivity fund, which aims to support routes that would otherwise be commercially unviable. Under this scheme, it will be the sole operator on;
- Dundee-Amsterdam, 7x/week
- Newquay-Leeds Bradford, 5x/week , 3x winter
- Norwich-Exeter 7x/week
Flybe CCO Paul Simmons said daily Exeter-Norwich service is a "route we believe could work because it's a difficult journey by road or rail, but it needs some funding for the first three years to get it off the ground” .
Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation, OAG
http://centreforaviation.com/analysi...restructuring-profitability-258801
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- AmricanShamrok
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RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Will the Stobart Air flights from Carlisle operate under the Aer Lingus Regional banner or independently?
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting AmricanShamrok (Reply 9): Will the Stobart Air flights from Carlisle operate under the Aer Lingus Regional banner or independently? |
this from a post a little over a year ago--it appears plans ended up one year late
Interesting to see that CAX are gaining an EIR link to DUB and onwards to the USA. Also a CAX-SEN route too.
Carlisle becomes gateway to US in tie-up between Stobart Group and Aer Lingus
Planes from Carlisle Lake District airport will connect with Aer Lingus flights from Dublin to North America
Soon there will be a new way to get to New York: from Carlisle, on a 48-seater twin-turboprop plane operated by the haulier Stobart.
The company that owns 49% of the famous Eddie Stobart green lorries is preparing to start flights from the tiny Carlisle Lake District airport to New York and five other North American cities, costing from £209 each way.
Andrew Tinkler, chief executive of Stobart Group, said the first flights from the former RAF base six miles east of Carlisle would take off to the US, via Dublin, next summer.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Minor point but the ticketing agency is called Citywing and the flights tend to be operated by Van Air Europe's aircraft and crew, or it has also been Linksair on some routes.
I think the big winner from this fund will be Flybe in the longer term. The two oddballs are Southampton to Lyon and Munich, as I remember BE also applied their new routes from Doncaster-Sheffield to be supported by the fund but these did not fit criteria. However, they launched them anyway.
I wonder when SOU-LYS/MUC will be launched (if at all) and what the schedules will look like. Interesting as both routes are well served from relatively close LON airports, however they will no doubt add to the European connectivity of SOU (if launched).
I think the big winner from this fund will be Flybe in the longer term. The two oddballs are Southampton to Lyon and Munich, as I remember BE also applied their new routes from Doncaster-Sheffield to be supported by the fund but these did not fit criteria. However, they launched them anyway.
I wonder when SOU-LYS/MUC will be launched (if at all) and what the schedules will look like. Interesting as both routes are well served from relatively close LON airports, however they will no doubt add to the European connectivity of SOU (if launched).
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- visualapproach
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RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Some of those routes sound like essential air services for the residents of Hampshire to get to posh weekend breaks rather than anything particularly meaningful for anyone else.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting visualapproach (Reply 12): Some of those routes sound like essential air services for the residents of Hampshire to get to posh weekend breaks rather than anything particularly meaningful for anyone else. |
LYS and MUC are both business destinations, but either would make for a lovely weekend break.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
I think we should not get carried away. The approval does not necessarily mean that the routes will materialize. I suppose that quite a few proposals were put in to have a chance to get a slice of the pie should the fund ever get approval. The sudsidies are very limited and quite different from PSO funding, so some of the applicants will do the maths again before actually launching the routes. As a matter of fact, three weeks after the government decision I have yet to see an official route launch for any of the routes. All I have seen are news articles jumping to conclusions.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting visualapproach (Reply 12): |
I understand your point but. . . .
Since UK governments started having a 'regional policy' in the mid 1960's to try to correct the imbalance between the relatively prosperous South and the rest of us, countless £Billions have been thrown down this pit. If a mere £7 million will make some improvement, it is right to go for it. If you don't have your hook in the water, you cannot catch a fish.
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- gilesdavies
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RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
I do not agree with many of these new routes and struggling to see the point...
How much of a demand is there for a NWI-EXT route? Two small cites with populations of about 150,000 and rural regions. I am also struggling to see which industries m
Southampton one of the most prosperous regions in the UK is about 1-1.5 hrs from London by car and again struggling to understand how Munich and Lyon will benefit this part of the UK, when their flights to these cities
Oxford to Edinburgh two very properous cities in the UK, why is this route required? While there is not a direct rail link, only one change is required at Birmingham New Street. Also Oxford is less than 1 hour away from Luton and Heathtrow, and between them both airports must have 15-20 flights a day to Edinburgh.
Carlisle to London, another pointless route! Virgin trains offer 1-2 trains an hour to London and takes about 3.5hrs, which gets you city centre to city centre... The new service will drop you off 55 mins train journey east of London.
This money should be used to connect routes only within the UK and where public transport links are poor, while having an economic benefit to that region. One such area that I think is crying out for a link, is Teesside (Middlesbrough) to London, this is a deprivation/unemployment hotspot and has no direct rail link to London. It was also demonstrated for years by BMI that the route could be operated profitably with no government support to Heathrow.
Unfortunately the route faced the axe, with the slots being used for more "Profitable" routes, but a link to London City with some support would probably go along way to help.
Other routes like Shetland and Orkney to London, would also probably be of great benefit.
How much of a demand is there for a NWI-EXT route? Two small cites with populations of about 150,000 and rural regions. I am also struggling to see which industries m
Southampton one of the most prosperous regions in the UK is about 1-1.5 hrs from London by car and again struggling to understand how Munich and Lyon will benefit this part of the UK, when their flights to these cities
Oxford to Edinburgh two very properous cities in the UK, why is this route required? While there is not a direct rail link, only one change is required at Birmingham New Street. Also Oxford is less than 1 hour away from Luton and Heathtrow, and between them both airports must have 15-20 flights a day to Edinburgh.
Carlisle to London, another pointless route! Virgin trains offer 1-2 trains an hour to London and takes about 3.5hrs, which gets you city centre to city centre... The new service will drop you off 55 mins train journey east of London.
This money should be used to connect routes only within the UK and where public transport links are poor, while having an economic benefit to that region. One such area that I think is crying out for a link, is Teesside (Middlesbrough) to London, this is a deprivation/unemployment hotspot and has no direct rail link to London. It was also demonstrated for years by BMI that the route could be operated profitably with no government support to Heathrow.
Unfortunately the route faced the axe, with the slots being used for more "Profitable" routes, but a link to London City with some support would probably go along way to help.
Other routes like Shetland and Orkney to London, would also probably be of great benefit.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
I think there is a widespead misunderstanding what a PSO service is and what this RACF does. RACF routes do not need to be "lifeline services". The idea apparently is to encourage airlines to start routes on a commercial basis that would not be started without a relatively small suppport over a limited period of time. To be honest, I don't have a problem with that, given the millions of taxpayers' money that has been sunk into buildung those regional airports. If a small amount of money can help that this infrastructure is actually used, so be it. Better than wasting money on (re-)building yet another new regional airport that nobody will use.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting vfw614 (Reply 17): I think there is a widespead misunderstanding what a PSO service is and what this RACF does. RACF routes do not need to be "lifeline services". The idea apparently is to encourage airlines to start routes on a commercial basis that would not be started without a relatively small suppport over a limited period of time. To be honest, I don't have a problem with that, given the millions of taxpayers' money that has been sunk into buildung those regional airports. If a small amount of money can help that this infrastructure is actually used, so be it. Better than wasting money on (re-)building yet another new regional airport that nobody will use. |
But taking the Oxford to Edinburgh route for example, why does UK PLC need routes from Oxford full stop? It's hardly a long distance from LHR, LTN or BHX, and Oxford is hardly the poorest part of the country either.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 18): It's hardly a long distance from LHR, LTN |
but LHR (and increasingly LGW and LTN) are full, if they weren't I'm sure we wouldn't be discussing NHT as a possible airport for FlyBe.
Anything that encourages/supports OXF, SOU, SEN, LYD, CBG to take traffic away from LON must be good, surely?
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting factsonly (Thread starter): Derry - Dublin Citywings |
While I am happy to see air service restored between Derry and Dublin, I wish that the UK would put more thought into their process. From what I am see, one of the major goals of this subsidy was to re-establish a connecting link to Dublin for international traffic. If that is the case, awarding the subsidy to a carrier with no partneships, no interlining, no alliance, and a total baggage limit of 20kg (hand and checked) is a waste of money. What international connecting passenger are they hoping to attract on this airline?
One of the prerequisites for a subsidy award to establish international connections should be codesharing and interlining as part of the service.
.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting czek6 (Reply 21): . If that is the case, awarding the subsidy to a carrier with no partneships, no interlining, no alliance, and a total baggage limit of 20kg (hand and checked) is a waste of money. What international connecting passenger are they hoping to attract on this airline? |
It is not as if 20 airlines had applied for the subsidy. It was no formal tendering process based on price bidding. The airport and an airline had to submit a proposal jointly as a consortium. So we can safely assume that the airport lobbied quite a few carriers beforehand. If Citywings was the only airline that was interested, so be it. Better than nothing.
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Perhaps we could come back in a year and discuss the outcomes, that might be a good use of time?
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting gilesdavies (Reply 16): I do not agree with many of these new routes and struggling to see the point... |
I reluctantly agree, it's not as if many of these routes are going to grow into something substantial either, I mean OXF-anywhere is as mentioned way to close to other airports and is hardly a impoverished area.
Links Air is not best placed either to grow a market, yet alone service it either as their market presence even locally is so poor. That's aside from their operating practices.
Derry-Dublin - I mean why? Politically it may be a 'box ticker' but this is not satisfying any future demand.
Southampton-Lyon - was a local, keen skier MP on the panel by any chance? Cut out the LGW leg for the yearly family break to Chamrousse?
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
| Quoting AirbusA6 (Reply 18): But taking the Oxford to Edinburgh route for example, why does UK PLC need routes from Oxford full stop? It's hardly a long distance from LHR, LTN or BHX, and Oxford is hardly the poorest part of the country either. |
It might not be far, but it's still a hindrance, and an extra business expense. Far easier to take a taxi to the local airport and fly from there, than drive to LHR/LTN/BHX and pay for parking. Likewise anyone heading the other way - much more preferable to fly direct to Oxford and take a short cab ride, then to fly to LHR/LTN/BHX then either take public transport, or get a hire car and try and navigate to Oxford.
The government is trying to encourage development in the regions, and providing business links is an important part of this. Anything that reduces costs and hassle is an incentive.
Oxford and Edinburgh are both important education and bio-medical centres. Providing connections between the two makes it a lot easier for businesses to operate, and provides a greater incentive for Edinburgh based companies to set up divisions in Oxford, or to work with those based in Oxford.
Without the links, getting to Oxford from Edinburgh would be more difficult.
Suppose a large biomedical company based in Edinburgh is considering a new office down south. If the only flights are to Luton/Heathrow, then that makes Oxford less attractive, so they will look for a premises near London. But open up direct flights to Oxford, and they can instead consider a location in Oxford. Likewise if you have a choice of doing a joint venture with a company in Oxford, or one near Luton airport, which do you choose?
RE: UK Supports 11x Routes With Air Connectivity Fund
Perhaps slightly off topic, but it seems Vueling aren't going to operate the planned SOU - BCN service anymore. Flybe could do with looking at that route plus ZRH & NCE perhaps.
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