Doncaster Sheffield - General Thread

[News Guru]

[textarea]90% would use airport if more destinations were offered

Just one in 14 said they used Robin Hood often or very often – a similar proportion to those using Leeds Bradford and fewer than use Stansted or Liverpool John Lennon Airports.

However, nine out of 10 said they would like to use Robin Hood if it had flights to a wider range of destinations.

Dr Genovese says: “Manchester is the biggest international and continental airport in the region, but, surprisingly we were able to show that, if possible, people would prefer flying from smaller regional airports – particularly to destinations in Europe – because that cuts the time they spend in the airport.

Read more: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/business/ ... -1-6403074[/textarea]

 

[pug]

That is the exact result you would get if you were to survey for every airport. It's all pretty pointless, and what really matters is the ability to attract airlines. Will remain to be seen whether the FARRRS development will produce tangible growth in this respect.

 

[lysander]

My 14 year old grandson could have written a report about DSA which would have reached the same conclusions...but I am sure he would have used the correct CAA data for passengers! 😉

 

[User0001]

This survey has to be the most pointless one I have seen yet.

Of course people would rather fly to everywhere they want from their doorstep, I would be more surprised if they didn't.

The only point I would raise with this report is that it is far too basic, or at least the information they have released so far seems to be.

They say people would use a route if it was offered, when in reality they may not. Price, timing, frequency and other factors must be taken into account. If airport A offers a route to Palma, 3 times a day for £50 each way, but the airport on your doorstep offers 2 weekly Palma, leaving 22:35 and costs £150, which one are you likely to choose?

Also, whilst Im sure people would love every long haul route offered from all the northern airports, I wonder which airline they expect to dilute their loads and yield amongst 3-4 different nearby airports with 4 sets of running costs, all 1/4 full when they could run 1 full aircraft from 1 central point that is relatively easy for the mass population to reach?

That survey is just a big waste of time, both for those conducting the survey and those reading it!

 

[lysander]

The report has, however, provided the local Sheffield press with an opportunity to present to the public ever more of Peel's spin! Sadly, the paper seems unwilling to print a letter from a local business association which criticises some of this spin...for what it is...propaganda! 😉

 

[User0001]

Re: DSA news

Been a long time since this could be said, 2 new routes and a new airline to DSA!

Linksair will launch 11 weekly BFS and 3 weekly IOM flights from April 7th, confirmed on the new linksair website.

 

[muddycoffee]

Re: DSA news

Great news and thanks for posting
http://www.linksair.co.uk/timetables/

 

[Aviador]

Re: DSA news

Great news for Doncaster airport. I hope the new flights do well.

 

[lysander]

Re: DSA news

Perhaps all the pressure from the LEP, coupled with a report by Sheffield University, has encouraged Linksair Ltd and Peel to respond to the demand for business travel?

 

[muddycoffee]

Well guys I'm very pleased to see such busy Arrivals and Departures boards this evening, each one is showing ten flights.

 

[lysander]

Re: DSA news

The LinksAir flights appear to be having a mixed reception...cancelled flights, rumours of poor passenger levels and a reduction in flights over the holiday period....All of this despite what must be the biggest publicity campaign of any airline operating out of DSA....!

 

[Aviador]

Re: DSA news

Well that's not great news if it's true. Whichever way you look at it, fair play to the airline for giving the route a good bash.

 

[ryan]

Loads can't be that bad, as Links have announced that Belfast is now on sale until March. IOM summer only. It also states that new routes will be added soon.

http://www.linksair.co.uk/year-round-li ... arch-2015/

 

[lysander]

Yes, I read the announcement...and I have also seen the CAA stats!

 

[ryan]

Of course I'm sure you're aware, Lysander, that average loads are far from indicative of how much a flight is earning. Only Links will know that. The average may 'only' be 50% loads however we don't know how much those passengers have paid, or whether a business has a contract with Links to keep the route afloat. Either way, Links are obviously happy to keep the route going for the time being!

 

[lysander]

Strangely enough Ryan, once upon a time on another forum the mention of "yield" seemed to send you into paroxysms! For those who might be interested ,June saw 235 pax on IoM and 820 on Belfast services. 😉

 

[lysander]

Friday night's service from Belfast with, apparently, just one passenger on board made a crash landing when port undercarriage collapsed. Airport shut whilst investigations continue. Passenger was hurt and taken to hospital.

 

[Aviador]

Carrying on from the previous discussion and similarly to a discussion I've had on the BA thread in the Leeds forum, it is possible to have very few passengers and achieve a good yield. I understand the aircraft they have been using is a Jetstream 31. I believe the aircraft can operate quite cheaply with very low passenger numbers. Clearly it depends on the airlines own pricing structure.

 

[lysander]

Only Linksair can possibly know their true costs and, having looked at their booking engine, where I see prices go up to £124.50 and where, on a few days, all seats are sold, it may well be that they are content. However, for some business men who do not seek the "adventure" ( as it was described in our local newspaper) of flying at a fairly slow speed and fairly bumpy low altitude in a pretty small aircraft , they will continue to use the existing services from EMA, LBA and MAN.

 

[Seasider]

The single passenger will have had to pay a significant price to give them any yield on that flight!