Duxford's Advance Ticket Only Airshow

I don’t have a problem with advanced ticket sales providing the venue states this at the start.
Old Warden was unfortunate in that they stated no admittance without a ticket after the venue had sold out.
I’m just glad that I purchased RIAT tickets this year!
But come come RIAT an admin fee for purchasing tickets that you print out at home?

Good point, at least the IWM send paper tickets.

Old Warden made it very clear that they were likely to sell out, and gave a couple of days notice before they stopped selling tickets.

I don’t have a problem with advanced ticket sales providing the venue states this at the start.
Old Warden was unfortunate in that they stated no admittance without a ticket after the venue had sold out.
I’m just glad that I purchased RIAT tickets this year!
But come come RIAT an admin fee for purchasing tickets that you print out at home?

Meddle that can only work for Prestwick as it has sponsors.Airshow acts must be paid for. Even taking a static item to a show can involve a fee to be paid by the organisers.Goodwill abounds but fuel and insurance are not cheap.

Prestwick has the right idea. Free show on the Saturday for the general public and paid entry to the static display on Sunday for the dedicated.

Misleading info on website, it mentions an ‘adult two days’ ticket I took that to mean sat and sun?

Don’t think you’ve lost your marbles completely yet, I believe it was definitely pushed back a week or so as not to clash…. with Goodwood if I recall?

Thanks for the reassurance,I normally check and double check theses things.
That said,I have to submit my holiday requests early Jan first come first served.
It’s likely the date change slipped by me after putting my dates in.

Don’t think I’ll be going………not because of the advance ticket requirement but it appears I have booked the wrong week off :stupid:
I’m sure the date was changed from its original one.
I have had a lot on my mind though……….

Don’t think you’ve lost your marbles completely yet, I believe it was definitely pushed back a week or so as not to clash…. with Goodwood if I recall?

Don’t think I’ll be going………not because of the advance ticket requirement but it appears I have booked the wrong week off :stupid:
I’m sure the date was changed from its original one.
I have had a lot on my mind though……….

… Everyone would be fighting to get into the show.

They already seem to be, that’s why the shows are selling out on the basis of advanced ticket sales!

True, but I tend to go with the opinion that show organisers need to regard their audience as customers rather than eager enthusiasts. We all know the reasons for the obsession with safety issues these days, but I don’t think anyone could seriously argue that there’s not huge irony in being able to get a far better view of air shows outside the events than inside them. The show organisers shrug their shoulders and say that they’re bound by the CAA’s rules, but do they ever challenge the CAA? As far as I’m aware, not one show organiser has ever pointed-out to the CAA that the current situation simply bores the show spectators but doesn’t prevent so much as one person from being at risk outside the event – as if their safety is somehow less important because they haven’t paid to go to the show (and I mean local residents rather than the much-criticised “freeloaders”). It’s ludicrous, and I don’t think it’s unfair to say so. I think there’s a very simple point to bear in mind – if the show was sufficiently interesting/exciting/satisfying, then arguments over admission costs wouldn’t arise. Everyone would be fighting to get into the show.

Indeed – this is one of the ironies of the modern air show scene. You can watch the show for free outside, or you can pay for the privilege of standing inside, further away from the flying display aircraft. Madness! 🙂

It’s NOT for free, all those inside who have the passion to keep the aircraft flying and the museum running are paying for it. If you really and passionately wanted to keep these historic aircraft preserved or flying you’d do the same. If we all stand outside watching it for “free” there is no airshow.

Has anyone considered there may be a security aspect to this? Being able to drive a vehicle onto site and wander freely about with a rucksack does give the opportunity for a potential attack on a powerful symbol of British Imperialism. Buying advanced tickets can provide a security check on visitors.

Of course I may be a bit paranoid.

Indeed – this is one of the ironies of the modern air show scene. You can watch the show for free outside, or you can pay for the privilege of standing inside, further away from the flying display aircraft. Madness! 🙂

Dave, you can join the air cadets at age 13 and fire rifles for free. Getting back to the topic,if you expect different then expect to pay for getting on site.Unusually an air display is one of the few events where you can see some of the display from outside the fence and this has always been the case. Just depends what you want from the event.

My first airshow was at Worthy Down in 1955…free ..as were all the other Naval events in my area (Lee-on-Solent, Portsmouth Navy days – twice a year). RAF Thorney Island was our destination for BoB days (reachable by bike from Southampton)….also Free in the 50s.
A decade later the USAFE shows at Upper Heyford were free…don’t know but I guess the others were as well (Mildenhall Wethersfield etc).

Worthy Down was notable as in 1955 at the age of 12 , I was able to use a rifle with live ammo on the range there…..unthinkable nowadays …both from the H&S angle and the cost of ammo.

I rarely recall paying many years ago but of course you are right. Free at the point of entry but like the NHS’s free at the point of use – in reality a heavy cost borne largely by the taxpayer.

Ultimately these and any show were NOT free, i.e. someone was paying for them. Back in the day the military were able to pick up the bill, so no punters were charged. This golden age is now long gone. Private owners and operators cannot sustain free shows, so ultimately the punters have to pay. I still consider airshows, especially when using Friends of Duxford and SVAS membership benefits still present excellent value compared to where else I could spend my finite budget.

Well I don’t imagine every show staged at these venues was free, but most were, as were many others. But if this discussion is going to become a point-scoring exercise then I’ll leave you to it. I simply stated that most shows were once free and this is true.

I used to go to many of the East Anglian shows from the early-80s on. Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Wyton, Marham, Alconbury, Bentwaters. I can’t recall ANY of them being free.