Southend Airport's plea

In an unusual step East London’s Southend Airport (SEN) has issued two press releases inviting airlines to take on the Alicante and Groningen routes. No mention that the airport is just 56 minutes by train (typical journey) from Liverpool Street station and the Elizabeth Line, and that passengers can join at eight stops, compared to Stansted’s 57 minutes and three opportunities to join the service. Fares to both airports start at under £10 single.

Business Development Director, Nigel Mayes, says that summer flights to Alicante are an ‘obvious win’ for airlines. He said: “We are working tirelessly to get an Alicante service back into our schedules for 2023 and beyond given its proven success. This route will ensure excellent airline yields and load factors, underpinned by our low operating costs and route awareness amplification through our social media and marketing activities.”

He points out that the route in 2019 carried 200,000 passengers and an average load factor of 91%, with the market the east London catchment area including Brentwood, Shenfield, Ingatestone and Chelmsford.  With Groningen the number is slightly less at 180,000. It serves northern Netherlands and is close to the German border Bremen.

Mayes added: “This area is packed full of highly rewarded employees working in and around London, the world’s largest financial centre (in banking, insurance, law, etc). In 2019, 56% of the total traffic travelling through London Southend to Alicante was from within a 35-mile radius of the airport, according to ASM’s Catchment Analyzer.”

https://southendairport.com

www.asm-global.com/catchment-analyser

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