East Midlands Airport

[Paninistickers]

Has the number of destinations collapsed? 

 

Unless you want holiday flights to the canaries or Alicante,.or polish parents going back home to Wroclaw there's almost nothing. 

 

Every regional airport seems to expand its connections to major hubs. British Midland used to link us to Frankfurt and Brussels as part of star alliance. Now there's nothing. 

 

BHX however is outstanding for connections. 

[MattFox]

The Government and MAG (Owners) see it as primarily a cargo airport

 

Theres massive plans to expand and add more warehousing/ freight facilities south of the airport towards Diseworth

[Paninistickers]

29 minutes ago, MattFox said:

The Government and MAG (Owners) see it as primarily a cargo airport

 

Theres massive plans to expand and add more warehousing/ freight facilities south of the airport towards Diseworth

Yeah, that explains it. They seem to make no effort to create it as a hub. 

 

As I said above,. meanwhile Brum is excellent. Not like as in terminal. But connections are great. Except to Brussels. But getting to major hubs in Dubai, Doha, Zurich, Amsterdam and Frankfurt (and Paris but never used that) are excellent. Plus secondary hubs such as Copenhagen and Dublin. Maybe just a US/Canada and Finnair connecting flights are the missing link. 

[MattFox]

6 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Yeah, that explains it. They seem to make no effort to create it as a hub. 

 

As I said above,. meanwhile Brum is excellent. Not like as in terminal. But connections are great. Except to Brussels. But getting to major hubs in Dubai, Doha, Zurich, Amsterdam and Frankfurt (and Paris but never used that) are excellent. Plus secondary hubs such as Copenhagen and Dublin. Maybe just a US/Canada and Finnair connecting flights are the missing link. 

Brum is easy to the us via Dublin and they have American passport control at Dublin so can skip the queues state side

[Paninistickers]

10 minutes ago, MattFox said:

Brum is easy to the us via Dublin and they have American passport control at Dublin so can skip the queues state side

That's true. I've weighed it up in the past and always deciding against and gone to LHR (which, with, the additional 1.5 hour drive down,.more or less neutralises the pain of disembarking in Dublin) 

 

Even so, a  flight to JFK or Chicago or Toronto wouldn't go amiss 

[grth2004]

Sat at the Airport now and can confirm it’s looks a bit sad but looks like they’re doing loads of upgrades to departures including making it bigger for the future so hopefully that’s a good sign. 
shocked though they cut the Dublin flights. 
Looks like they’re spending some money on it though. 

[Vowels]

As has been said it is and will be increasingly moreso in future, a major cargo/freight airport.

 

Point taken though; its a shame if you're local. 

 

I have to go to Dublin for work soon as was asked to select an airport from a fairly substantial list. Very little in the midlands!

 

Someone will probably tell me now I can go to Dublin from EM but I'm going from Stansted. I think.

[The Year Of The Fox]

Remember when EasyJet used the airport too?

 

It'll get incredibly busy within the next couple of weeks, with peak season starting. Jet2’s routes increase no end, as does the frequency 

[Parafox]

1 minute ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

Remember when EasyJet used the airport too?

 

It'll get incredibly busy within the next couple of weeks, with peak season starting. Jet2’s routes increase no end, as does the frequency 

 

Seems mostly Ryanair and Jet2 holiday flights to Europe these days.

 

Freight flights seem to take place at night.

 

I seem to recall a plan to extend the runway in order to take larger aircraft.

[The Year Of The Fox]

8 minutes ago, Parafox said:

 

Seems mostly Ryanair and Jet2 holiday flights to Europe these days.

 

Freight flights seem to take place at night.

 

I seem to recall a plan to extend the runway in order to take larger aircraft.

It already takes the Antonov, 777 and 747. I guess it could take an A380 too, but they’re not freight aircraft, and Emirates have no interest in flying here.
 

It’s the busiest freight hub in Europe isn’t it? Or perhaps the UK 😅

 

I was doing my PPL from there a few years ago, and the first weekend of the peak season led to me spending 30 mins of the 1 hr lesson circling the power stations awaiting a space for me to come in. Very frustrating 

Edited 26 March by The Year Of The Fox

[CosbehFox]

It’s the only inland freeport. 

[grobyfox1990]

41 minutes ago, Parafox said:

 

Seems mostly Ryanair and Jet2 holiday flights to Europe these days.

 

Freight flights seem to take place at night.

 

I seem to recall a plan to extend the runway in order to take larger aircraft.

Freight planes land day n night, and take priority over passenger planes it seems. 
they already have an absolutely huge runway, not sure how they can extend it more.

The good thing about Ema is they keep the runway clear during bad weather periods because of the importance of freight. I took off on the snow day in January, when almost other uk airports had many cancellations. 

[Parafox]

Also, we used to take part in joint emergency services exercises at EMA. They would set fire to a "fuselage" situated on the far side of the runway opposite the terminal. We were set to arrive at the same time as the fire crew.

 

So, We'd rock up alongside the airport fire crews and police teams and then triage casualties after the fire crews had extinguished the fire. The heat, even from a distance, was intense. Watching the airport fire truck blasting foam onto the fuselage was amazing. After the fire was extinguished (it was full on blazing) the fire crews brought "casualties" to us and our job was to designate them into categories of dead, serious/life threatening, simple fractures/burns, walking wounded. 

 

The last time I was involved, I was designated as "officer in charge" for the ambulance crews and I had determine which casualties went where, account for each one, and direct the crews at the "scene".

 

A very interesting experience.

Edited 26 March by Parafox

[The Year Of The Fox]

1 minute ago, Parafox said:

Also, we used to take part in joint emergency services exercises at EMA. They would set fire to a "fuselage" situated on the far side of the runway opposite the terminal.

 

We'd rock up alongside the airport fire crews and police teams and then triage casualties after the fire crews had extinguished the fire (it was full on blazing) into categories of dead, serious/life threatening, simple fractures/burns, walking wounded. 

 

The last time I was involved, I was designated as "officer in charge" for the ambulance crews and I had determine which casualties went where, account for each one, and direct the crews at the "scene".

 

A very interesting experience.

That green things still there. Is it a Tristar?

[Paninistickers]

Bearing in mind MAG own the airport (Manchester and Stansted the others in their stable) they aren't short of contacts with airlines..

 

So the only logical explanation is developing the place as a freight hub. 

 

Curious strategy though. Over  two million people would name it as their nearest airport. But they are content to see most of that two million drive to a rival airport at Brum or Luton, unless they want a holiday flight 

[The Syrup]

About 18 arrivals into EMA tonight between midnight and 4am. Cargo is big business at EMA, helped by no night time curfew and the likes of DHL, UPS & Royal Mail having their air hubs on site. Rolls Royce use it to ship new engines out as well.

 

Shame the airport or airlines can't make better use of the day. Wonder if a lack of rail link to the airport affects how passengers see the airport. (Can't really call East Midlands Parkway as an airport station.)

[Parafox]

13 hours ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

That green things still there. Is it a Tristar?

 

Yes it is.

[Lako42]

EMA has a longer runway than brum so certainly not an issue 

[CosbehFox]

13 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

Bearing in mind MAG own the airport (Manchester and Stansted the others in their stable) they aren't short of contacts with airlines..

 

So the only logical explanation is developing the place as a freight hub. 

 

Curious strategy though. Over  two million people would name it as their nearest airport. But they are content to see most of that two million drive to a rival airport at Brum or Luton, unless they want a holiday flight 

Is it? I'd say it's clear the freight is making them the dollar - it's a sensible approach. 

[Paninistickers]

2 minutes ago, CosbehFox said:

Is it? I'd say it's clear the freight is making them the dollar - it's a sensible approach. 

Well yes, I suppose so. 

 

Must be enough to cover the lack of retail revenues 

[grobyfox1990]

Just now, Paninistickers said:

Well yes, I suppose so. 

 

Must be enough to cover the lack of retail revenues 

They don't bother opening half of the stores outside of winter. Don't think they are arsed whatsoever about retail revenue. It's a freight airport which allows some passenger planes in. It's like if Farnborough airport allowed some Ryanair's in now and then alongside the gulfstreams 

[Fox92]

5 hours ago, The Syrup said:

About 18 arrivals into EMA tonight between midnight and 4am. Cargo is big business at EMA, helped by no night time curfew and the likes of DHL, UPS & Royal Mail having their air hubs on site. Rolls Royce use it to ship new engines out as well.

 

Shame the airport or airlines can't make better use of the day. Wonder if a lack of rail link to the airport affects how passengers see the airport. (Can't really call East Midlands Parkway as an airport station.)

I think this is an issue. Most of the biggest/busiest airports have better rail links, including Birmingham.

 

East Midlands Parkway is ages away. Not in terms of miles but then you've got to get a bus and people don't want to do that. Getting off a train and being right at the airport is easier.

Edited 27 March by Fox92

[Stadt]

14 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

Bearing in mind MAG own the airport (Manchester and Stansted the others in their stable) they aren't short of contacts with airlines..

 

So the only logical explanation is developing the place as a freight hub. 

 

Curious strategy though. Over  two million people would name it as their nearest airport. But they are content to see most of that two million drive to a rival airport at Brum or Luton, unless they want a holiday flight 

The lack of commercial demand into the airport the problem perhaps?

 

Calling it Nottingham-Leicester airport probably makes more sense to Europeans flying in, EMA makes sense to locals but we already know if it. 
 

99% of British people wouldn’t be able to point to any airports named after regions (or people) in Europe. 

 

It’s also completely typical of Leics’ rail connectivity that EMA parkway isn’t even close to it.

 

Equally, a direct rail link to BHX from Leicester would be useful.

[Paninistickers]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

The lack of commercial demand into the airport the problem perhaps?

 

Calling it Nottingham-Leicester airport probably makes more sense to Europeans flying in, EMA makes sense to locals but we already know if it. 
 

99% of British people wouldn’t be able to point to any airports named after regions (or people) in Europe. 

 

It’s also completely typical of Leics’ rail connectivity that EMA parkway isn’t even close to it.

 

Equally, a direct rail link to BHX from Leicester would be useful.

It's known as Nottingham still on Skyscanner and Google searches and flight radar. Which annoys tf out of me. 

 

But even so, yes, only relevant IF someone in, say, Germany knew East Mids was near to Nottingham. I suppose it's like me having to check a West Galway or Upper Friesland airport to see if that's good for Cork or Hamburg or whatever. 

 

Nottingham-Leicester does make sense. Both (sadly now them too) are known European or worldwide as a direct result of the PL. In France and Ireland, because of the Rugby. Derby can do one. Loughborough is better known. 

[Stadt]

42 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

It's known as Nottingham still on Skyscanner and Google searches and flight radar. Which annoys tf out of me. 

 

But even so, yes, only relevant IF someone in, say, Germany knew East Mids was near to Nottingham. I suppose it's like me having to check a West Galway or Upper Friesland airport to see if that's good for Cork or Hamburg or whatever. 

 

Nottingham-Leicester does make sense. Both (sadly now them too) are known European or worldwide as a direct result of the PL. In France and Ireland, because of the Rugby. Derby can do one. Loughborough is better known. 

Agree with everything you’ve said