The reductions by Wizz are not recent and have been a gradual process ever since they arrived, but they have cut routes at LPL, GLA and BHX too. They are an airline that is increasingly looking at expansion in Europe rather than the UK and they have already said why, so maintaining what we have now, combined with all flights now being operated by A321NEOs (an increase in seat capacity) is not to be sniffed at. Ignore Wizz UK which is operated as a seperate entity, and is focused entirely on the South East.
Easyjet, according to reports, have seen profits plunge by 70%. They have been badly impacted by the increase in fuel costs, having not hedged as far in advance. They are also in the process of offloading A319 equipment, and a takeover with a future that is currently not so much in doubt, but subject to change. Airlines in this situation often cut back routes to non base airports and clearly that has happened with Easyjet Europe. It does not necessarily mean the route was losing money nor does it mean that Easyjet and LBA have had a fall out as someone suggested. As I reported after the last ACC, when these route losses were already known by LBA management, they did say that there is a longer term future for Easyjet at LBA, which most took as a hint that in the future, a base remained possible.
Sun Express, like Easyjet, was badly hit by rising fuel costs, and a reduction in bookings due to the inflation in Turkey. They dropped EMA without even starting their program and dropped GLA, concentrating on EDI. It is clearly a cost cutting measure that impacts multiple airports.
I keep reading that we have no new routes, but it seems that Jet2 and Ryanair new routes don't count, which is weird. We actually have 6 new routes next year. Only yesterday someone complained a Jet2 poster facing the drop off carpark was outdated as it didn't show all the routes they will operate.
Again, I reported that at the ACC, the Aviation Director stated that whilst the situation is as it is now, any growth will come from increased capacity and additional routes by Jet2 and Ryanair. This should not therefore be a surprise.
Finally, several references have been made to LBA having no chance of hitting 7m passengers. Firstly that was a target by 2030, 4 years away. Secondly, it isn't absolutely vital that is achieved by that year and it is clearly dependent too on resolving matters relating to night movements, which currently restrict further base growth AND the prospect of A321NEOs based any time soon. As stated above, aviation always has bumps in the road and we have one now, but we shouldn't dismiss the fact despite that bump, and the night movement restrictions, and the fact the terminal is a building site, passenger figures at LBA have grown significantly so far in comparison to last years' record.
With a completed terminal, and (hopefully) revisions to the night restrictions, the future of LBA looks bright, and it might even look orange further down the line, provided something else that's orange stops messing with the world economy.
