Norwich Airport boss targets new routes
20.03.09
The new boss of Norwich Airport has said that the 90,000 fewer passengers that passed through the doors this year have abandoned the airport because of a drop in available routes, and has vowed to attract more flights to boost passenger numbers, the EDP reports.
Elliott Summers, who took over from departing managing director Richard Jenner on January 1, said that passenger numbers at the airport have fallen to 580,000 this year from 670,000 last year. While this reflects the dwindling numbers of passengers travelling through airports around the country, Mr Summers said that Norwich Airport's problems were also being caused by airlines cancelling certain routes to and from the hub.
Flybe, which started flying from Norwich in 2005, has axed several routes, including Belfast in October 2005, Malaga and Alicante in July 2007, and Glasgow and Paris in April 2008 when it also reduced services to Guernsey. Last year Goldtrail Holidays axed flights from Norwich to Dalaman and Bodrum in Turkey and Thompson cut winter flights to Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
Spanish airline LTE, which started flights from Norwich to Barcelona, Alicante, and Palma in July last year axed services indefinitely after falling into financial difficulties last autumn.
Mr Summers said: ‘We are a bit different than other airports and the issue is more local than the global economy. Flybe cancelling the sun routes has meant we have less flights to sell and we believe that is the main reason our numbers are so far down. We have a loyal customer base who would fly but we don't currently have enough routes.’
The airport boss said he was ‘working hard’ with airlines to address this issue. He told the newspaper: ‘We are meeting with all airlines on a regular basis and targeting niche markets or routes. We are looking at companies who specialise in destinations that fit with our business model and customer age demographic. We are also targeting routes that are not served directly from Stansted.'
‘For the charter market we are targeting proven routes from Norwich and incentivising carriers to ensure that they are protected from any direct competition should they commence a new route. All of these activities are being conducted through a clear strategy and with a full commercial and marketing support programme. We expect to stop the slide in passenger numbers this year and return to growth in 2010.’
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