Southend Airport abandoned by Ryanair *

Not for the first time Ryanair has walked away from a popular airport, this time Southend, the victim of the airline’s ruthless business attitude. 

It departs Southend at the end of the 2021 summer season.  Interestingly Newquay would not acquiesce to Ryanair’s commercial demands some time back.  However, it has since returned.

Southend Airport (SEN), which calls itself London Southend Airport, has in recent years been expensively developed by Stobart Plc (now renamed Esken), including the introduction of a railway station, runway extension and a much-acclaimed terminal building.  Passenger numbers have grown from just nominal private aviation numbers in 2010 to 2.03m in 2019 diving to 401,00 in 2020.  The CAA has published statistics for June which showed 4,500 people moving through the airport, a very poor figure but far better than the 38 in June 2020.

“LSA has a catchment area of circa eight million people resident within one hour travelling time from the airport, a regular direct train connection to London Liverpool Street station, a cost efficient base of operation for airlines and an enhanced safe passenger experience for post Covid-19 travel,” said David Shearer, Esken's Executive Chairman.

The airport says it is in discussion with easyJet, resident since 2012, who pulled out last year citing Covid and also closed its other base in Essex at Stansted. 

Wizz is due to start flying from Southend to Bucharest in November.

https://southendairport.com

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Tim Procter, United Kingdom

Oh dear, and it was Ryanair's expansionist plans at SEN that drove JOTA out to Biggin Hill having supported SEN tirelessly. So well done SEN, you've lost BOTH Carriers!

Mavis Wright, Chelmsford

What is happening for travellers in Essex. We have two airports, one expensive to use, the other very cheap. Why did Ryanair come into Southend when so strong at Stansted, and drive easyJet out. They should never be allowed to return! Do we have any statistics for the UK?