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Post by elmfield on Feb 11, 2010 9:15:22 GMT
A while ago rubberneck suggested that the publicised scale of loss running at DSA was "greatly exaggerated". Does that imply that DSA was floating the figures with a view to influencing Doncaster MBC?
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Post by pug on Feb 11, 2010 10:41:30 GMT
I would assume so yes, they were after rates relief so it would make sense.
Obviously DMBC will see the airport as a major asset and so the threat of insolvancy, among other things, will mean they will push developments forward, such as the road scheme, as Peel will need to load their losses onto the infrastructure to pump up the value of the site.
As the article suggests, any investor would be most keen on LPL but will having to take on the other two sway their decision? DSA and MME could certainly do with an operator with experience to take them forward, but will Peel be willing to split the value of their non-aviation real estate with another company? As that is where the real money will be.
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Post by elmfield on Feb 12, 2010 10:53:14 GMT
Evidence from Sheffield ,where the City Airport was closed despite no independent verification of the losses it was supposedly making ,would lead me to believe that Peel knows exactly how to deal with local authorities...Manchester excepting!
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Post by elmfield on Mar 7, 2010 14:28:02 GMT
It is reported in the financial press that a Canadian airport operator, based in Vancouver, are in talks with Peel to buy a majority stake in Peel's troubled airports arm. Vancouver Airport Services specialises in rescuing failing airports and, currently, globally, is operating 18 airports with some 30 million passengers. It is thought Peel are looking for some £200 million to help them with the possible acquisition of Forth Ports.
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Post by pug on Mar 7, 2010 20:35:39 GMT
So they are looking to offload the group in the end? I should imagine that previous talks have come to nothing and VAS are driving a hard bargain.
If anyone read the link i posted up, the author suggests that LPL will be the winner for attracting VAS. If they do come in then i suspect some cuts to stem the losses? Perhaps shortened operating times etc?
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Post by john2408 on Mar 8, 2010 20:03:25 GMT
A report on this was on UK Airport News. I mentioned it, as a reference on the DSA site. Guess what - it has been deleted . do they think it's a negative comment!!!
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Post by pug on Mar 8, 2010 20:41:48 GMT
It is understandably a sensitive issue, however it does seem to show that Peel are prepared to wash their hands with the whole lot to buy into a far more lucrative long-term business. Saying that though, £200 million sounds quite cheap when you consider how much they have spent on LPL and DSA over the years.
Hopefuly VAS will be interested in DSA and DTV as much as LL, though i believe the major selling point to them would be LPL and i fear DTV and DSA may well be seen as excess baggage. It could result in a number of cuts at those airports to make them more financialy stable for the long term.
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Post by elmfield on Mar 9, 2010 9:04:59 GMT
With winter services being down to low single figures, on some days, I wonder just how many cuts DSA can still withstand? I hope any new owners ( who will , doubtless, no longer have the Finningley land bank to play with) might be, visibly, more pro-active in encouraging aviation business!
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Post by anon on Mar 9, 2010 10:37:18 GMT
As an employee of Dsa I agree with a couple of the last comments. Firstly your right about the egcn forum anything bad posted will be deleted, I made a post about the place resembling a ghost town at times and i got banned! Anyway from an employee's point of view I really hope that VAS come in sooner rather than later. They have real pedigree and experience and I believe they bring in a couple of there own people to help run the show. I can't comment on what they think of DTV but I know they think Dsa has a lot of "potential". Now before I get shot down in flames, seeing potential and achieving it are of course very different things. Potential in what i hear you ask? Your guess is as good as mine. But as Elmfiled pointed out hopefully they won't just be thinking passenger numbers like Peel who have made a very good job of alienating the GA community.
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Post by pug on Mar 9, 2010 11:06:39 GMT
Welcome to the forum, i hope you're right re VAS. I believe that an airport like DSA needs some real expertise to be placed into a position of future profitability. As you say its difficult to work out what a new operator would do to get there, but as you and Elmfield say, the passenger numbers quoted for 2016 are way of the mark.
I would suspect that a cut in operating hours could be on the cards and emphasis on the business park and other aviation related business.
One thing you dont want to see is an ADF charge being added, but with Peel Airports passenger flights being largely dependent on lo-co's it shouldnt be ruled out. I doubt that the new operator would be willing to offer 'exceptional' deals to airlines.
Im not too sure elmfield, but surely VAS would need the whole Finningley Estate? Afterall that will be where most of the money will be.
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Post by Humberside on Mar 9, 2010 11:12:21 GMT
With regards to opening hours they will have be careful not to alienate Thomson who have some middle of the night arrivals in summer
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Post by pug on Mar 9, 2010 11:28:20 GMT
That is true H, however i was under the impression that DSA was on a 24hr operation? If that is true then i suspect it could be kept open on an as/when basis like HUY is.
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Post by anon on Mar 9, 2010 11:29:28 GMT
Humberside is right being open 24 hours is part of the deal with Thomson as some of there summer flights arrive at stupid o'clock in the morning. As for cuts well they have already done them so can't see how they can do any more. So as far as I can see VAS might have to bring in new business in order to turn things around. I am not sure if they are well connected with any airlines/cargo/anything that flies(!) companies
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Post by pug on Mar 9, 2010 12:05:06 GMT
The nature of their business seems to be secondary airports, such as Toronto (Hamilton), though they do have their hands in Paphos and Larnaca airports in Cyprus.
Thing is, the 24hr deal could probably be negotiated, that is certainly not to say it will happen but it depends on how much of drain it is on the balance books.
I believe, with the exception of Fedex, all of the major Cargo players have major operations at EMA due to its location, though ad/hoc could be a growth area. The Bizjet maintainence businesses seem to be expanding there.
Having had experience of working for a fairly big business that got taken over, one that was losing money, i can understand that it is a time of uncertainty at the moment. Hopefuly VAS will be the right organisation to take DSA forward, it all depends on how they go about it realy.
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Post by pug on Mar 9, 2010 13:38:40 GMT
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