Post by Humberside on Jan 20, 2009 11:27:27 GMT
Tony Lavan has given an interview with the Grimsby Telegraph. It is VERY long, so I've just picked out a few bits. Not much new, but it's positive while realistic. Emphasis very much on the airport's diversity, which I agree is a huge asset, and on passenger and staff loyalty. Overall I have to say I'm impressed, both with the fact that PR is being done, and with what Tony Lavan has to say
www.humberbusiness.com/news/Local/Grimsby/January-2009/Sky-s-limit-for-airport-with-big-ambitions.aspx
Growth not likely again until 2010
Further passenger figure falls expected
24 extra CHC flights a week
Looking to get the Icelandair flights that moved to EMA back but they need a backload to Iceland
The airport hotel plan is being mentioned again
And maybe another maintenance hangar
www.humberbusiness.com/news/Local/Grimsby/January-2009/Sky-s-limit-for-airport-with-big-ambitions.aspx
Growth not likely again until 2010
Further passenger figure falls expected
24 extra CHC flights a week
Looking to get the Icelandair flights that moved to EMA back but they need a backload to Iceland
The airport hotel plan is being mentioned again
And maybe another maintenance hangar
While the potential for change of ownership and new management can have an unsettling effect on the best of staff, all he discovered was a passion to demonstrate the strengths of a real economic driver that supports more than 700 jobs and helps underpin the region's business credentials.
Recalling his first few days last spring, Mr Lavan said: "My expectations of how staff would react was completely out of tune.
"I was amazed. It was so positive, there was a feeling of 'this is my airport, it has got to be business as usual, we will carry on and see what the future holds'.
Recalling his first few days last spring, Mr Lavan said: "My expectations of how staff would react was completely out of tune.
"I was amazed. It was so positive, there was a feeling of 'this is my airport, it has got to be business as usual, we will carry on and see what the future holds'.
But while passenger numbers are likely to drop quite significantly, the diversity and non-reliance on one aspect of the industry is the key to Humberside's future.
He said: "We have to look at Humberside in the context of where the world economic situation is at the moment, and particularly where the aviation industry is.
"At the moment it is not even treading water. It is an industry going backwards, and for the majority of airports there is not a likelihood it is going to change over the next 12 months.
"At best we need to retain what we have got and maintain our position and look for growth.
"At the earliest it would be our winter programme for 2009, but more likely it will be summer 2010."[/quote]
He said: "We have to look at Humberside in the context of where the world economic situation is at the moment, and particularly where the aviation industry is.
"At the moment it is not even treading water. It is an industry going backwards, and for the majority of airports there is not a likelihood it is going to change over the next 12 months.
"At best we need to retain what we have got and maintain our position and look for growth.
"At the earliest it would be our winter programme for 2009, but more likely it will be summer 2010."[/quote]
Mr Lavan said: "We had a really good Christmas, and we saw that as a reaction to what is happening.
"There were two aspects, one was people saying 'we need a break', the second was the fairly cold, wet and frosty period prior to Christmas.
"When we broke that down we saw a massive increase in people using the KLM service. Only 10 per cent of those people actually go to Amsterdam (as an end destination).
"The rest are flying to 200 destinations around the world. That is almost the jewel in the crown, the international service and connectivity with four flights a day - the access to the world.
"Perhaps we don't do enough to publicise that for the region, the fact you can fly to the world from Humberside Airport.
"That really is our USP - that you can drive here quickly, park, and clear security in a single level terminal that is very easy to navigate."
The Canaries also proved popular, but it is not enough to halt a slide when it comes to people passing through the departure lounge.
"Year on year we will expect to see a downturn," said Mr Lavan.
"We had 450,000 passengers in the year to April 2008, we are now looking at 400,000 for this year.
"It is a short-term drop in - predominantly - the charter sector.
"There have been amalgamations and losses of tour operators. There has been consolidation of routes and aircraft.
"It has resulted in an overall reduction in capacity across the industry, which has all been influenced by the general economic situation."
"There were two aspects, one was people saying 'we need a break', the second was the fairly cold, wet and frosty period prior to Christmas.
"When we broke that down we saw a massive increase in people using the KLM service. Only 10 per cent of those people actually go to Amsterdam (as an end destination).
"The rest are flying to 200 destinations around the world. That is almost the jewel in the crown, the international service and connectivity with four flights a day - the access to the world.
"Perhaps we don't do enough to publicise that for the region, the fact you can fly to the world from Humberside Airport.
"That really is our USP - that you can drive here quickly, park, and clear security in a single level terminal that is very easy to navigate."
The Canaries also proved popular, but it is not enough to halt a slide when it comes to people passing through the departure lounge.
"Year on year we will expect to see a downturn," said Mr Lavan.
"We had 450,000 passengers in the year to April 2008, we are now looking at 400,000 for this year.
"It is a short-term drop in - predominantly - the charter sector.
"There have been amalgamations and losses of tour operators. There has been consolidation of routes and aircraft.
"It has resulted in an overall reduction in capacity across the industry, which has all been influenced by the general economic situation."
"What is helping out over this period is a real increase in offshore activity," he said. "We have attracted a new contract with Bristow and CHC has also started a new contract which involves another 24 flights a week.
"It is all for the gas fields in the southern North Sea.
"It is all for the gas fields in the southern North Sea.
Mr Lavan said: "The Humber region is slightly different to anywhere else.
"The loyalty people have for the local airport is one of the real positives, it has a very, very loyal catchment, almost to the extent where they will not take a holiday if it is not from Humberside.
"We know that 90 per cent of all the passengers are within a 45 minute drive time.
"If we have the connectivity and destinations we will fill the seats on the aircraft.
"A very loyal catchment wants to fly from here, and what they need are the routes. The focus is to get back the right routes to serve that market."
"The loyalty people have for the local airport is one of the real positives, it has a very, very loyal catchment, almost to the extent where they will not take a holiday if it is not from Humberside.
"We know that 90 per cent of all the passengers are within a 45 minute drive time.
"If we have the connectivity and destinations we will fill the seats on the aircraft.
"A very loyal catchment wants to fly from here, and what they need are the routes. The focus is to get back the right routes to serve that market."
"We are still moving forward. There are interesting development plans for the future. , which is something that has been talked about for a long time. development people at Yorkshire Forward and Anglia Cargo, operators of the hub, to look at a workstream for outward supply operations.
"There could be another maintenance hangar built on the airport site, and we have had outline discussions for a hotel development
"Everyone agrees it is the right thing to do. We could fill three-quarters of a hotel from the business coming through from CHC and Eastern Airways."
"There could be another maintenance hangar built on the airport site, and we have had outline discussions for a hotel development
"Everyone agrees it is the right thing to do. We could fill three-quarters of a hotel from the business coming through from CHC and Eastern Airways."
One example is to reverse the scaling back of flights of fresh fish now the new perishables hub is operational at the airport.
"We have flights from Icelandair, bringing fish in.
"We had five flights a week but that went one flight a week due to logistical changes.
"We are now working with North Lincolnshire Council and strategic
"We need an export consolidation operation to make the Icelandair flight work.
"They love Humberside, the quick turnaround, but they need to take something back.
"We are working in a holistic way to identify what the supply needs are,
"It could be flower bulbs, radishes or whatever, we just need to work out what it is."
"We have flights from Icelandair, bringing fish in.
"We had five flights a week but that went one flight a week due to logistical changes.
"We are now working with North Lincolnshire Council and strategic
"We need an export consolidation operation to make the Icelandair flight work.
"They love Humberside, the quick turnaround, but they need to take something back.
"We are working in a holistic way to identify what the supply needs are,
"It could be flower bulbs, radishes or whatever, we just need to work out what it is."