Doncaster Sheffield - General Thread

[Aviador]

[textarea]People unaware Robin Hood Airport exists

Leaflets advertising a Robin Hood Airport have been sent to more than 200,000 households after managers agreed many were unaware it exists, the BBC reports, even though the airport opened in 2005. Minutes from a meeting of the airport's board said members ‘agreed that many people are largely unaware that [the airport] exists’. A mail drop of leaflets and magazines has been organised in an attempt to draw in more passengers.

The minutes said: ‘A direct mail drop to 153,000 households within a 60 mile radius of the airport has been carried out to raise the profile of [the airport]. A 16-page A5 magazine has also been sent to 50,000 homes in Sheffield, Doncaster and Hull.’

Nick Smiley, the airport's sales director, told the BBC that the airport was still relatively new and it hoped it could change people's holiday ‘habits’ by persuading them to use the airport instead of those in Leeds or Manchester. He said the leaflet drop was aimed at giving people information about the airport's routes. He also admitted that the road signage to the airport ‘really isn't as good as it needs to be’, and airport bosses were working with Doncaster Council to improve them.

Source[/textarea]

I wouldn't say that people aren't aware of the airport. The airport is subject to the same market forces as any other airport in the North of England and if people are choosing to use alternative airports that's their choice. For decades now, Manchester airport has been the clear winner to provide multiple air services for the North of England. It will be a continued uphill struggle for other airports in the North like Doncaster, Leeds & Liverpool to claw-back passengers lost to Manchester over the years. I think this 'claw-back' has begun but it will take many more years before there is a more even split of passengers between the airports.

 

[Aviador]

[textarea]Airport bosses 'not worried' by rival's expansion

AIRPORT bosses say business will not be affected after an airline which cut services from Doncaster announced an £84 million expansion at a rival site.

Management at Robin Hood Airport predicted Ryanair's announcement that it was setting up a base at Leeds Bradford would not hit passengers numbers travelling from Finningley.

Ryanair pulled its service from Doncaster to Dublin earlier this year blaming air traffic costs imposed by the Irish Government.

But on Tuesday, just weeks after services between Doncaster and the Irish capital ceased, Ryanair announced it was launching 14 new routes, increasing its traffic at the airport to one million passengers a year.

The new base will also create and sustain 1,000 jobs in the area.

Prior to the announcement Ryanair flew to Dublin as well as Barcelona, Girona and Alicante from Leeds Bradford - the destinations available from Robin Hood with the company.

The announcement is the latest blow to Robin Hood bosses who are actively trying to secure new carriers and destinations from Doncaster. However, Nick Smillie, sales director, for Robin Hood Airport said that only four per cent of people from the Sheffield City Region - which includes South Yorkshire and parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire - would fly from Leeds.

He said: "The new Ryanair base at Leeds Bradford Airport will create new jobs and be a boost for the Leeds city region.

"We do not expect this news to have any negative impact on our business at Doncaster Sheffield Airport as Civil Aviation Authority figures show that only four per cent of people from the Sheffield City Region travel from Leeds Bradford.

"We are working closely with all our airline contacts to build on our current offering for passengers wanting to fly from South Yorkshire."

Jonathan Wood, Doncaster Council cabinet member for business, said: "Obviously it is very sad when Doncaster loses any flights, but I think that reinforces the work that needs to be done at the airport. We have to get White Rose Way widened and the link road in place as an absolute priority.

"While passenger numbers will continue to be a tremendous challenge in the current economic climate, the reality is that the business and training around the airport is very strong.

Lufthanse have a training centre at the airport and there will soon be a paint shop where executive jets will come to get serviced.

"Leeds may have won this particular contract but I think there will be more routes coming to Doncaster when the economy picks up."

Ryanair made the expansion announcement after Leeds Bradford recently received planning permission to embark on expanding the site - the first phase of which will include a £28 million overhaul of the terminal.

Despite announcing cutbacks on some routes previously the firm said it was committed to expansion at lower cost airports.

Peel Airports, owner of Robin Hood, recently announced Thomsonfly was expanding its services from Finningley with three new routes, serving the holiday destinations of Lanzarote, Turkey and Tunisia.

Talks are still ongoing to find a replacement for the Doncaster to Dublin route which was used by about 60,000 people last year.

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[pug]

http://www.thestar.co.uk/doncaster/Airl ... 5578992.jp

So its official now. This winter looks like its going to be a difficult one. TOM having one based aircraft, BE with the odd flight they have and some wizz....

 

[Aviador]

[textarea]49% stake in Robin Hood Airport for sale

The owners Robin Hood Airport revealed 49 percent of the facility is up for sale, the Sheffield Telegraph reports. Peel Airports - which also owns Liverpool and Durham Tees Valley - is looking to sell the stake to an investor to bring in cash for a series of investment projects.

The news comes just weeks after new figures revealed plunging passenger numbers at Robin Hood Airport. But Peel said the decision was not connected to the figures and confirmed their commitment to the airport. It is raising money for projects including a £12 million investment in its terminal at Liverpool. But the firm today stressed the business as a whole was not up for sale and it would keeping a controlling share of the company.

Source[/textarea]

Who in their right mind would want to buy a 49% stake in DSA. The BBC reported earlier this week that the airport will only have 3 departures a day and loosing money hand over fist.

 

[pug]

I read somewhere that they wanted £150 million for the 49% share, so they value Peel Airports Division at just over £300 million? Surely the land on which they sit is not worth that combined? Even LPL has yet to break even and that has witnessed huge success when compared to DTV and DSA. I think any investor would have to be a long term airport expert to turn things around and i can certainly see huge cuts at both DSA and DTV to make them more viable long-term.

The question realy is, how much of the problem was caused by Peel and how much of it is the unfortunate locations of its airports, with the exception of LPL? Surely the court case against BMIbaby did no favors for Peels aviation development departments?

Whether DSA realy is losing £1 million a month or not is a matter of debate. People who work at the airport claim that figure is over exaggerated which could be true considering the airport were vying for rates relief off the council (yet at the same time said they would make a large contribution towards an airport link road) which seems a very transparent con, obviously seen through by the local council.

I think they may get the investment owing to the sole success of LPL but, as i have seen at companies i work for, when a large stake is up for sale and a buyer is found, large changes take place often for the worst. All it takes is for a new partner to look through the books and start to adjust the company into one which has more chance of returning a profit. If they do that then its goodbye DSA as we know it at the moment i suspect.

 

[pug]

Passenger drop not as severe as others



« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryPublished Date: 14 October 2009
YOUR article on Robin Hood Airport up for sale is not only old news (a search for new investment in the whole Peel Airports Group was announced in the spring) but also gives another opportunity to the somewhat exhausted bleatings of your contributor MM, who, it seems still bemoans the death of Sheffield City Airport and looks for every opportunity to critisise Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield.
It is true Peel is looking for investment and while this is not a problem it gives an opportunity to highlight the millions of private and public investment that has been committed to this excellent facility.

Passenger figures are down at Robin HoADVERTISEMENTod, but the percentage decrease is not as severe as some UK airports, albeit from a small base. It merely reflects the difficulties experienced by the recession in the aviation sector.

It should be celebrated that an airport only four years-old has attained around 1 million passengers a year which other airports have taken many years to fulfil, Humberside for example.

There could be more destinations and airlines, but this masks the excellent work still going on to attract new routes and airlines. Some will be forthcoming next year.

Furthermore, it is unfair for your editorial to link Robin Hood Airport with such failures as the Centre for Popular Music, Earth Centre and, it has to be said, Sheffield City Airport.

These all failed, taking a vast sum of public money with them. Robin Hood Airport has benefited from such money but it is worth remebering that Peel Holdings committed substantial amounts of its own finance to the airport and is not about to walk away.

Andrew Bosmans, Chair, Friends of Doncaster Sheffield Airport

WHO would want to buy into Robin Hood Airport? Its location is no good for business travellers and there are no destinations which can be completed there and back the same day. Even BAA is having trouble selling the highly-successful Gatwick Airport.

Peel say they have been trying to sell to investors since May with no takers. So much for their so-called low-cost airlines and long runway argument. On the subject of runways, BA started a daily service in September to New York out of London City Airport which has the same 'take-off and landing' distance as Sheffield City Airport, which was condemned for its short runway.

AM, Sheffield

PASSENGER numbers began falling at the start of summer 2008. But Leeds-Bradford and East Midlands saw traffic increase. Why is this?

Airport director Mike Morton is pleased his airport is handling similar passenger numbers to Bournemouth and Exeter but his airport cost over £80m and needs to handle millions of passengers a year to pay off costs.

And why is he so bothered about Humberside Airport? It's Manchester, East Midlands and Leeds-Bradford taking his passengers when airlines abandon Robin Hood.

Michael Wood

From the Sheffield Star

Some excellent points there after the letter from the devoted FODSA chairmans drivell...

It always puzzles me why Humberside is the target of the 'we are doing better than' quotes... Afterall HUY is making money even now and has its fingers in many pies...

Its quite obvious what Sheffielders views are of DSA and could quite literaly be DSA's downfall. EMA seems to still be the prefered airport along with MAN.

 

[Seasider]

I don't think anyone should be surprised that Sheffield residents prefer MAN & EMA. They are not much further away than DSA, but offer far more destinations.

 

[White Heather]

Putting it in perspective, DSA is around the same distance from Sheffield as York is from Leeds Bradford! I am sure if our airport was out there at York, a lot of folk from around Leeds/Bradford would head to MAN or EMA. Looking across Europe, there are many airports that are not even close to the cities they are supposed to serve, and many of them struggle to attract airlines - with the possible exception of the low cost carriers such as Ryanair. And DSA have even struggled to attract and keep them! In fact the ONLY low cost operation they have managed to keep is Wizz, and I feel certain that is more to do with the deals done with Peel and their Liverpool operation than it is to do with Wizz being desperate to fly from DSA.

I was in Sheffield this week and noticed two things - loads of ads for Ryanair, all quoting EMA (and of course they are pulling out of DSA for the winter). And loads of ads on buses/bus shelters for Jet2.com, some of which were non specific in terms of airports and some specific to LBA. Jet2 obviously see Sheffield and District as a key catchment area and they now have the area surrounded on three sides given their operations from LBA, MAN and now EMA. They only need to open a base at HUY and DSA is surrounded.

Time to surrender and die??

 

[wawkrk]

DSA was created by politicians and in particular Caroline Flint and John Prescott two well known aviation experts.
The so called long runway is required to carry white Elephants.

 

[pug]

I agree with all posts on here.

Unfortunately 'whiteheather' its looking like there will now be no 9th base next summer. Jet have now updated their website to list EMA and i thought they would be hanging on to do that untill an announcement of the next base.

Still, i cannot see a clear direction for DSA to follow. Its never going to be a major airport like Peel intended it to be.

 

[Aviador]

Well spotted Pug. I'd not noticed the new map when I checked earlier today. All I can say is I wouldn't rule out another base until December. It was a quote from the airline in a newspaper, I guess it could be a mistake.

 

[pug]

Well spotted Pug. I'd not noticed the new map when I checked earlier today. All I can say is I wouldn't rule out another base until December. It was a quote from the airline in a newspaper, I guess it could be a mistake.

Which newspaper was this in if you dont mind me asking?

 

[White Heather]

Well I hope they do open a base at HUY, because personally I do not think there was a need for DSA and it was only ever going to pinch passengers from surrounding airports at best. Even if Jet2 dont do HUY this winter, I feel sure that if they do open a 9th base, HUY will be the most likely, albeit a relatively small base, similar to Blackpool, with a based 737 and occasional 757's if they get TFS and other longer routes.

 

[pug]

I hope they do too, however i dont think they need to base at HUY, perhaps they would want to work their way slowly down south to get their brand known down there?

I agree again with DSA poaching passengers. I fully believe this was the reason why TOM were the flagship carrier at the airport, as they corner such a large part of the market that inevitably Yorkshire travellers would have to fly out of DSA for most of their Thomson Holiday flights.

 

[White Heather]

............or do like me and only book with tour operators/airlines/routes that operate from LBA. I would not book with Thomson now on principle in view of what TUi have done since taking over and would always use Jet2 or Thomas Cook.

 

[backtrack]

Dont think i have ever flown with Thomson, ive always gone with Thomas Cook and Monarch, but after my recent experience with TCX it shall take a lot to fly with them again. Them two are the majority, flown with the likes of Virgin, Emirates, Ryanair and flybe, but none of them really can be compared to TCX or MON.

 

[pug]

As expected, FR will return in March to run some seasonal flights to ALC and GRO. Posts on the fraternity say that its because they can see the huge potential DSA has and want to keep LBA on their toes.

I say its because the airport can only support seasonal flights and there is nothing more to read into..

Make thy minds up.

 

[White Heather]

Agreed. If it was just to keep LBA on its toes, they would still by flying both routes through the winter. They are doing from LBA!!

 

[Aviador]

[textarea]Robin Hood Airport northern lights flight

Passengers at Robin Hood Airport are being offered a chance to go in search of the magical Northern Lights on a flight with a difference. On March 16 next year, passengers will board a three hour flight with two astronomers, as they search for the Northern Lights, a natural display often seen in the Polar Regions. The plane, which will depart at 21:00h, will head north, over Aberdeen and the Shetland Isles to a point in the North Atlantic between the UK and Southern Norway.

Passengers will have an hour long pre-flight briefing from the astronomers, one of which is televisions Pete Lawrence from the BBC ‘Sky at Night’ programme. Jodi Stow, marketing and communications manager for Robin Hood Airport said: ‘If the conditions are right this could be an unforgettable flight. The tour company, Omega Holidays, say there is an 80 percent chance of seeing the spectacular natural light show and will have an astronomer on board to explain any sightings.'

‘This is a really unusual destination but a very popular one as it makes a very unique gift or Christmas present. Previous flights to the Northern Lights have been booked up well in advance.’ Visit www.omega-holidays.com or call 01524 37500 01524 37500 for further details.

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[wawkrk]

I think any chance of DSA becoming an International freight hub is now finished.The runway was never really long enough to be a serious contender.The 9491ft runway is not enough to handle the heaviest aircraft.The extension at EMA will go ahead and add another 620ft to the existing 10,000ft runway paving the way for totally unrestricted operations.