If I was a senior manager at LBA watching the recent ITV series, I would have been hidden behind the sofa and deeply embarrassed, whilst he appeared very little in front of camera, David Laws did not come over as someone with passion or vision.
I would have tried to can the whole series, I wonder if looking at the rushes, this is what sparked the owners to replace the boss.
I accept White Heather in her reports has spoken quite highly of his presentations and industry knowledge, but as an outsider I see a Local authority mentality.
Appointing another Asset Management team member from newcastle to replace Laws, seems like more of the same and no new thinking, the appointment of Andy Clarke ex Asda as Chairman worries me, the headlines when he left Asda must still haunt him "Bungling Asda boss booted out" like Laws he was moved to a consultancy role.
It seems LBA is becoming like a football club, with a pool of people, just moving around, getting the sack, not an issue.
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OK - I can assure you that David Laws was very passionate , and had no local authority background. He had worked for many years at Newcastle Airport working his way up from an airfield Fireman to CEO. As an outsider with no knowledge of David Laws, the interior workings of LBA or any information as to how he was working, how do you justify seeing him as someone with a Local Authority Mentality? On what grounds??
Perhaps it was that passion that led him to go along with the idea of the TV programme in the first place, and on that subject, once a contract is signed to deliver a programme, you cannot just tell ITV to 'can it' as you suggest. Nor can you insist on it being edited to suit your own needs. Ultimately ITV made a programme that few of use airport supporters liked. as an 'entertainment programme' - and from that perspective they are undoubtedly happy with the outcome because they wanted to make a 2nd series. I too expected it to be a more serious look at a smaller regional airport, along the lines of the Heathrow series, but clearly that was never ITV's intention. In my view there was perhaps some naivity on the part of LBA management in going ahead with this (and I suspect they would admit that themselves in retrospect) but perhaps they did so on the basis that there is no such thing as bad publicity.
Going back to David Laws, don't forget also that it was he that instigated the entire notion of a new terminal extension and got the funding approval from AMP Capital, and it was he that recognised the need to end the current shambolic situation of arrivals crossing with within the terminal. It was under his control that they went to Leeds City Council and got planning approval - something previous directors had failed to do first time around. We have a lot to thank him for. It is all to easy to lay blame at his door now he has gone without actually knowing any detail about what has gone on, but one thing I can tell you is that David was a huge step up on what we had before! That was obvious to the entire Committee and he was the first CEO in my 25+ years to get an ovation from the entire Committee on his first appearance.
As for the other directors, it was not the fault of the previous Commercial Director that having spent some time getting BMi on board with the promise of a daily service to Munich and a base to come with more European routes, they went bust before the flights took off. That director didn't just leave either - he retired and this had always been planned.
The new CEO Hywel Rees is not ex Newcastle as such - yes he is on the board but he was Asset Director and actually worked for AMP Capital. He was also on the board at Luton, also as Asset Director (another AMP post) and prior to that was no the board at Melbourne Airport in Australia. He joined LBA from AMP Capital - not from Newcastle Airport, so it is somewhat unfair therefore to claim that Hywel Rees is just more of the same, especially when he has been here less than 6 months and has had no time or opportunity to deliver anything. Give the guy a chance!
The new Commercial Director has spent years working for Easyjet - and no connection with Newcastle to my knowledge. However - given the relative success of Newcastle compared to LBA, I wouldn't say no to some of their success. Of course, Newcastle, not being central in the UK has a distinct advantage over LBA and is able to attract domestic routes more easily for that reason. It is also some 130 miles from Manchester - undoubtedly another advantage where the likes of Emirates are concerned. It also has the advantage of being on relatively flat ground with (I believe) Cat 3 runways both ends - something LBA will never enjoy. The aviation industry is currently in turmoil for a variety of reasons, so it is perhaps understandable that our new Commercial Director has yet to delivery any seriously good news on the routes or airlines front. Again, he has been here only a few months, so suggest giving him a chance as well.
Finally can I point out that this thread is for Consultative Committee Questions and Answers but once again seems to be going down the road of knocking LBA and its directors. There has been plenty of that already on other threads.
