As the Evening Standard reports today:
Passengers today praised easyJet?s arrival at Southend airport and said the budget carrier would put London?s sixth hub ?on the map?.
The airline?s first flights took off for Barcelona, Belfast and Amsterdam after a ?100?million airport revamp. Southend plans to serve two million passengers in the coming year and take on its Essex rival Stansted, plus Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and City airports.
Passengers on the fully booked 10.25am flight to Barcelona, among the first scheduled to leave, were given champagne, Southend rock and a certificate. Dan Raj, 51, with his wife and two children, said: ?We live two minutes away. We could have walked but got a taxi because of the cases……
For an industry view of things, read Aviation International News here They say:
Welcome to the much improved London Southend Airport, where upgrades over just the past year have launched the quiet airfield squarely into the competitive ranks of airports serving the greater London area.
Located a less than one-hour train ride east of London, the airport has an illustrious past, having served as a military airfield in both World Wars. Until the late 1970s it was the third busiest airport in the UK, when it was overtaken by London Stansted Airport and thereafter drifted into something of an aviation afterthought…..
…….The airport also owns and operates an FBO, which it plans to renovate in time for the opening of the Olympic Games in London this summer. According to Jonathan Rayner, head of business development for the airport, London Southend expects to request bids for an established FBO operator to take over the job. ?We expect to have a well known global FBO brand partner established in time for the Olympics.? He also noted that London Southend is an official port-of-entry with border agency staff available 24/7.
If like us, you were wondering what a “FBO” is, it’s a Fixed base Operator:
An FBO is a Fixed Base Operatior. This is a business that caters to general aviation (including business aviation). FBO’s have a wide range of services ranging from just providing fuel, to providing flight training for all ratings, lounges, bunks, showers, and various other amenities(sp?).
When you fly your own general aviation airplane to another airport (that is staffed) you generally park at an FBO. A typical FBO would probably offer fuel, tiedowns, snacks, flight planning, often a pilot shop, and some can hook you up with a rental car. A few also have courtesy cars availble (cars that you don’t have to pay for).