Southampton-3
Does it increase or decrease the chances of a SOU base - probably increases in the long term as it shows that EZY are interested in the model (small base, restricted runway, near London) but in the short term does it divert resources away - are they likely to want to take on two new bases so close together? More likely to follow the SEN/BHX model of a build up of away flying over a number of years.
Note also that SEN can offer destinations not available from SOU - so SOU would need to be able to provide returns on a greater number of shorter flights.
Note also that SEN can offer destinations not available from SOU - so SOU would need to be able to provide returns on a greater number of shorter flights.
There will be no easyJet base at SOU for Summer 2025. However, the opening of the SEN base is likely to allow some of the current away-based flying to be taken over by the based aircraft alongside the new routes just announced. It's quite possible that SOU will receive some more away-based flying, but then again, it was supposed to have more this summer until a couple of ALC slots earmarked for SOU were moved to BHD and PMI slots shifted to NCL. So no base - might get some more away-based flying for S25 - but also might not.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Southampton
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There will be no easyJet base at SOU for Summer 2025. However, the opening of the SEN base is likely to allow some of the current away-based flying to be taken over by the based aircraft alongside the new routes just announced. It's quite possible that SOU will receive some more away-based flying, but then again, it was supposed to have more this summer until a couple of ALC slots earmarked for SOU were moved to BHD and PMI slots shifted to NCL. So no base - might get some more away-based flying for S25 - but also might not.
I'm sure if SOU had less restrictions on open hours Easy would have opened a base by 2025
Easy has lost slots at Gatwick, not sure if it is this year or next but a shift to Essex was a logical step.
Opening hours is a balance between the locals being upset and who suffer and the demands of the airport that cares little about them.
Opening hours is a balance between the locals being upset and who suffer and the demands of the airport that cares little about them.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Milton Keynes
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What is the history of tightly restricted opening hours at Southampton. They were fine when it was largely an airport serving domestic travel and second homers but are really holding it back now. Any chance of allowing just a few later arrivals as that would be a game changer. The short final runway 07 at LTN foe example is quite densely populated.
https://www.southamptonairport.com/m...inal-clean.pdf
I see the same poster has tried to derail the thread again around opening hours so I will post this great post once again:
Originally Posted by Severn
Most easyJet Europe bases are at airports with restrictive operating hours. If they make bases work at these airports with time restrictions, so why not at SOU?
Below is a list of the EJU bases and shows the time that the last EJU based aircraft lands.
ORY - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
NTE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
AMS - last based EJU flight lands at 22:35
BCN - last based EJU flight lands at 22:50
NCE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
NAP - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
BER - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
LYS - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BOD - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
OPO - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BSL - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
GVA - last based EJU flight lands at 23:10
CDG - last based EJU flight lands at 23:25
Originally Posted by Severn
Most easyJet Europe bases are at airports with restrictive operating hours. If they make bases work at these airports with time restrictions, so why not at SOU?
Below is a list of the EJU bases and shows the time that the last EJU based aircraft lands.
ORY - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
NTE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
AMS - last based EJU flight lands at 22:35
BCN - last based EJU flight lands at 22:50
NCE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
NAP - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
BER - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
LYS - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BOD - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
OPO - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BSL - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
GVA - last based EJU flight lands at 23:10
CDG - last based EJU flight lands at 23:25
I also think it's worth mentioning that Southend Airport is a long way from Southampton, 129 miles according to AA Route Finder, and in perfect traffic conditions it takes approximately two and a half hours, so make that three in the real world. Exeter, Bournemouth, Bristol, Birmingham, Luton, Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick are all closer to Southampton than Southend is!
Does it increase or decrease the chances of a SOU base - probably increases in the long term as it shows that EZY are interested in the model (small base, restricted runway, near London) but in the short term does it divert resources away - are they likely to want to take on two new bases so close together? More likely to follow the SEN/BHX model of a build up of away flying over a number of years.
Note also that SEN can offer destinations not available from SOU - so SOU would need to be able to provide returns on a greater number of shorter flights.
Note also that SEN can offer destinations not available from SOU - so SOU would need to be able to provide returns on a greater number of shorter flights.
You have to say it’s a positive sign as it shows that Easy are having to get their growth from outside the big London airports again. Naturally, this suggests SOU could be next. Personally I think SOU should take preference over SEN as it has far more potential. Looking at a map SEN has water nearly all the way around it, certainly more than SOU and STN is just up the road. Let’s not forget that SEN has never really had domestic routes whereas SOU still has a big need for those which adds another dynamic. I’m obviously bias though.
The major urban areas of the UK are:
1 London
2. Manchester
3. Birmingham
4. Leeds
5. Glasgow
6. Liverpool
7. Southampton
8. Newcastle
9. Nottingham
10. Sheffield
11. Bristol
https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/cities/ua/
Maybe new routes next year and a base in the next year or two perhaps?
certainly more than SOU and STN is just up the road.
![Thumb](https://www.pprune.org/images/smilies/thumbs.gif)
I see the same poster has tried to derail the thread again around opening hours so I will post this great post once again:
Originally Posted by Severn
Most easyJet Europe bases are at airports with restrictive operating hours. If they make bases work at these airports with time restrictions, so why not at SOU?
Below is a list of the EJU bases and shows the time that the last EJU based aircraft lands.
ORY - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
NTE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
AMS - last based EJU flight lands at 22:35
BCN - last based EJU flight lands at 22:50
NCE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
NAP - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
BER - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
LYS - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BOD - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
OPO - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BSL - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
GVA - last based EJU flight lands at 23:10
CDG - last based EJU flight lands at 23:25
Originally Posted by Severn
Most easyJet Europe bases are at airports with restrictive operating hours. If they make bases work at these airports with time restrictions, so why not at SOU?
Below is a list of the EJU bases and shows the time that the last EJU based aircraft lands.
ORY - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
NTE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:30
AMS - last based EJU flight lands at 22:35
BCN - last based EJU flight lands at 22:50
NCE - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
NAP - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
BER - last based EJU flight lands at 22:55
LYS - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BOD - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
OPO - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
BSL - last based EJU flight lands at 23:05
GVA - last based EJU flight lands at 23:10
CDG - last based EJU flight lands at 23:25
In the UK, the types of routes that would realistically operate are a few short hops to BFS/AMS, but the majority are 2.5hrs plus to the Med. In that case, by the time you've done say SOU-ALC-SOU-PMI-SOU it's probably still quite early evening yet there's probably not enough time left to fly any other viable route, whereas from less restricted airports in the UK they'd probably get a third rotation in.
I'm not saying a future base isn't a possibility but this is a general reality which any airline will need to evaluate very closely and will need the right mix of routes to make work effectively.
Last edited by FRatSTN; 16th May 2024 at 11:40.
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: London
Posts: 497
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The A320NEO is a perfect fit for SOU and the runway performance should not be limited for it unlike the A320. If easyJet can make Las Palmas and Turkey work from SEN then they should be able to make that work from SOU. Only issue is obstacle clearance.
That way a typical day would look like SOU-PMI-SOU-LPA-SOU which provides better utilisation and should keep it within operating hours
That way a typical day would look like SOU-PMI-SOU-LPA-SOU which provides better utilisation and should keep it within operating hours
Jet2 for example some years back used to operate the vast majority of shorter sectors to the Balearics, Mainland Spain and Portugal on the first rotation and then longer sectors to the Canaries, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus on the second rotation. That worked when they had a broadly 50/50 split between those destination groupings.
There's still some evidence of that today but as they've expanded more into Greece and Turkey especially there's much more of a mix now. Often you will get Turkey or Canaries now on the first rotation, followed by another rotation out the that same kind of distance, which consequently don't get back to base till maybe 2am. In a few cases they'll do three rotations to the likes of Spain which only started to happen more they closed the ALC and PMI summer bases.
The point I'm making is you could make an EZY base work within restricted hours, but it requires a certain balance of routes/frequencies to get the utilisation needed.