Private pilots squeezed by Southampton Airport success
25.01.06
Newly-released figures show that Southampton Airport is one of Europe's fastest-growing regional airports, handling 1.85m passengers in 2005, an increase of 20% on 2004. Recently Daily Telegraph readers voted it one of the world's top three airports. However, private pilots say that this sucess is squeezing them out.
Guernsey Aero Club chairman Colin Ferbrache said that as the airport developes, getting parking space became increasingly difficult and charges rose. 'There is a trend amongst all regional airports in the UK basically to discourage light aircraft from using their facilities,' he said
Mr Ferbrache added that during the redevelopment of the airfield in the late 1990s, land was sold off for non-aviation uses, such as the Post Office and engineering companies. That took away parking spaces and with the increase in transporter aircraft, they needed more space on the apron for their operations. 'This has left only a very small area for any visiting light and corporate aircraft.'
He added that costs were also prohibitive. 'Costs are very high, one of the highest of airports on the south coast.' The changes limited how many local pilots now went to Southampton. He said that local fliers were heading to Shoreham, Chichester / Goodwood or Bournemouth instead.
These other airports, though, did not have the same transport links, such as rail or hire cars, that Southampton airport enjoys.
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