British Airways CitiExpress has announced it is axeing its Sheffield to Belfast City route! As far as I know, this is the only route currently being served from the airport. Other routes which have come and gone are Amsterdam (KLMuk – this service was quite successful but cut due to slot problems at Amsterdam), Brussels (D.A.T) London City (British Regional) Dublin (British Regional and Aer Araan Express). British Airways did plan to serve Glasgow, Edinburgh and Paris at one point but this never happenned.Aer Araan also promised to serve Dublin this summer but this has also not taken place. I wonder what will happen to most of the employees at Sheffield. The only air service now is a weekend summer service to Jersey – why is Sheffield so unsuccessful?
By: carl727 - 30th April 2002 at 11:44
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-04-02 AT 11:47 AM (GMT)]Its also strange that the Government doesn’t seem to mind the fact that from many regional airport around the UK its far easier to fly to Amsterdam for onward connections than LHR. I do not believe that this is in the countries best interests, however I can see why people do it (I do !!) LHR is a nightmare and not very user friendly. I do still think it is important that the capital has good links to the regions of the UK and LHR is the main airport for transfer connections.
By: mongu - 29th April 2002 at 22:55
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
I think it was originally designed as a STOLport a la London City.
Never seemed a very good idea to me – Sheffield doesn’t exactly have the same draw as a London!
The future would seem to lie in feeder services – LHR, LGW, AMS, CDG and DUB.
Seems very odd to me that whereas the govt always bleats about a lack of runway capacity in the South East, the North has under used airports!
By: carl727 - 29th April 2002 at 12:57
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
I don’t think there is the room to extend the runway at Sheffield, so I think charters will be out ! There are quite a few airports nearby, but at the wrong time of the day driving to them is abit of a nightmare. I don’t know what the future will be for it but Amsterdam would be probably the most important link.
By: EGNM - 29th April 2002 at 09:24
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
NEWS JUST IN!!!
As i was saying about sheffield we at Leeds have just had an announcement of a new route by BA Citihopper to Bristol from August – one of only 2 new routes announced!!!
By: Benair316P - 27th April 2002 at 16:09
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
Yeh and I can’t see finningley lasting long IF it ever gets going. Have Airtours (My Travel) pulled out of the project yet? I know they were threatening to.
Regards
Ben
By: EGNM - 27th April 2002 at 14:31
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
Yep with Leeds to the North (less than an hour), East Mids to the SOuth (less than an hour), and manchester not too far it has no chance really, and will close for definate if Finningley emerges!
By: Benair316P - 26th April 2002 at 23:07
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
Yeh that all sounds great…but like we’ve said, the demand simply isn’t there to sustain a healthy airport. Its a shame, but its the harsh truth.
Regards
Ben
By: dan777 - 26th April 2002 at 21:30
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
I think that Sheffield can only survive if the runway is extended so charter airlines can use the airport – charter flights are always busy and I would have thought that a lot of people living in Sheffield and local other areas will have gone abroad frequently. Also small carriers like Eastern Airways with their 18 seat aircraft could probably make profitable services to London, Belfast etc. Also Sheffield definately need KMLuk to re-start their Amsterdam service otherwise the airport would definatley close as it almost closed at one point last year!!!
By: Saab 2000 - 26th April 2002 at 16:19
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
Yup theyare just left with the BA Dash 8 Jersey seaonal flights.Is there any chance that the airport could be closed for good?
By: carl727 - 26th April 2002 at 16:16
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
Its a sorry state of affairs. Im very sad for Sheffield Airport, its a nice little terminal, such a shame !I think maybe they are left with just the seasonal Jersey flights.
By: dan330 - 24th April 2002 at 20:55
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
I think Benair got it in one. There are just too many airports around the UK and simply not enough PAX to use them all. Look at the gaps (geographically) between the Uk’s airports and those in other countries. There are just too many airports all fighting for the same passengers.
By: Benair316P - 24th April 2002 at 20:47
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
I think sheffield is just too close to many other regional airports all in the mass struggle to get new routes and increase passenger throughput and profits.
Nearby (theoretically) we have Leeds, East Midlands, Humberside, Manchester(maybe not so regional), Teeside, Blackpool etc… (oh and the proposed Doncaster airport) Sheffield tried to start up where there was simply not enough demand. Oh well…hopefully things will pick up for them….as long as they keep of the Leeds Bradford PAX!!
Regards
Ben
By: EGNM - 24th April 2002 at 18:35
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
As far as i know BRAL are experiancing a capacity shortage anyway, and up the road here at leeds we are often having a/c on 5 sectors a day because of the J41 shortages – maybee they’ll move it up here!
By: Saab 2000 - 24th April 2002 at 18:05
RE: Sheffield Disaster!!!!
Jersey has lost its CDG route and 8 locally based cabincrew will have to relocate to SOU or find new jobs over in Jersey.
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April 24, 2002 at 5:58 pm