Iberia to launch flights to the Maldives

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• Dubious says:

  18 Apr18 April 03:46

  I get that there is benefits of larger aircraft with longer range coming to Southampton airport. I do fear it will mean the end of the airport’s convenience – what has been a small airport serving ‘small’ aircraft with short queues at checkin and security will presumably evolve into what is typically experienced at other airports.

  • ADS says:

    18 Apr18 April 11:01

    Presumably longer queues are preferable to the airport going bust and shutting down !

    Although presumably the future of Bournemouth airport is now debatable if Ryanair/Easyjet up sticks to Southampton

• Jonathan says:

  18 Apr18 April 07:07

  That’s not necessarily going to be the case, I’ve used Southend Airport a number of times over the past 10 years. By comparison, in recent years it’s got more commercialised it’s still convenient and has low traffic volumes.

  What is more of a surprise, I remember seeing Concorde landing at Bournemouth Airport so it obviously has a longer runway and has never become a major hub for the South coast.

  The investment may not lead to anything more than what it handles now unless the terminal gets an upgrade and/or commercialised.

  • 1ATL says:

    18 Apr18 April 07:52

    Bournemouth Airport transport infrastructure is woeful. No motorway links, no direct rail. The terminal facilities are also pretty underwhelming. And yet pre covid Ryanair and Thomson had aircraft based there. Channel Express used to be based there and they upped sticks and relocated to LBA and rebranded to Jet2….. I wonder why!

    Southampton has a wider catchment of potential users, pretty decent road and rail links and has generally been a better airport experience for the past 25yrs. Prior to the now terminal opening it was just a cargo shed with breeze block interiors.

    The runway length extension is sure to make SOU an interesting proposition to more airlines moving forward – the ones who don’t fly props or regional jets today at least. Ryanair and easyJet have been interested in SOU for a while but the reduced operating payload with the restricted runway and their respective business models and aircraft operated always hampered the opportunity to develop into anything resembling a lucrative base.

    • Rob says:

      18 Apr18 April 10:30

      Living in West London, SOU is quicker for me than Luton or Stansted. 10 minute taxi ride to Clapham Junction and then jump on a train which drops me directly outside the terminal.

      • 1ATL says:

        18 Apr18 April 10:48

        Agreed. I’m Northwest Surrey and it’s either a direct train or a straightforward motorway drive for Far easier to access than Luton or Stansted any day by road or rail. LHR and LGW are far closer in terms of distance for me but I’d wager train/car to plane time and distances covered at SOU will make it a close call.

        • EJC says:

          18 Apr18 April 13:53

          Plus Southampton is the largest cruise port in the country in normal times and flights from there would be convenient for departing and arriving passengers.

      • Chris says:

        18 Apr18 April 13:34

        Richie firth used Southanpton as a /travelhack/ to get from London to Manchester on his travelhacker podcast.

        https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/richie-firth-travel-hacker/id1480712081?i=1000454251039

• Yuff says:

  18 Apr18 April 08:17

  Am looking at a Melia hotel as a May half term back up plan if Dubai doesn’t materialise……c’mon Schapps make a decision either way 🤷🏻‍♂️

• Erico1875 says:

  18 Apr18 April 09:01

  I’m hoping Melia have another points sale. You can effectively half some of their cash rates. The last lot were at 40% off if I remember correctly

• NC says:

  18 Apr18 April 09:36

  I’m sure Vueling flew a A319 to SOU before… along with a Volotea B717???

  • 1ATL says:

    18 Apr18 April 10:40

    Volotea used to operate SOU-PMI during the summer. They got rid of their 717’s and are now a 319/320 fleet. Not sure Vueling ever operated into SOU. EasyJet Switzerland did for a very short time during ski season with a 319 (presumably nowhere near as fully fuelled/loaded as it could have potentially been). Historically I’ve seen Monarch 757’s and Futura 737-400’s operate in/out of Southampton….. just not fully fuelled or loaded it would seem.

    • bafan says:

      18 Apr18 April 13:48

      I did a 717 I think last summer (it was as old as the hills) from JTR-PMO. Fond memories. Must have been 20 people onboard max.

  • TGLoyalty says:

    18 Apr18 April 15:31

    When you work on tight margins like the LCC a full vs reduced payload will make all the difference.

• Uddin says:

  18 Apr18 April 10:02

  Be very careful booking Melia, always print screen rate and cancellation conditions, only use credit card and if you book over the phone record the conversation. Make sure you have a robust travel insurance prior to booking.

  Melia has a very poor record in dealing with refunds and customer service is terrible. Hotels will pass you to a Spanish call centre that will effectively tell you it is a property matter. They are also known for challenging chargebacks (due to clauses hidden in T&Cs) so do not assume that you will get your money back with just one phone call to Amex.

• David S says:

  18 Apr18 April 10:11

  SOU has a great rail connection not only with Trains to London but all the Cross Country trains stop there. You can connect by train to places as far away as York and Manchester without changing train

  • Aston100 says:

    18 Apr18 April 12:00

    David, it would be a very odd travel plan that requires one to catch a train from Manchester in order to fly out from Southampton.

  • Andrew (@andrewseftel) says:

    18 Apr18 April 13:01

    It’s quicker (and direct) from Reading station to Southampton than Heathrow.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      18 Apr18 April 15:33

      It’s probably quicker/easier by train to Southampton from Birmingham!

      Not that you would but highlights just how poorly Heathrow is connected via rail to the rest of the UK

      • JonD says:

        18 Apr18 April 16:19

        Huge missed opportunity by not properly integrating Heathrow into HS2.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          18 Apr18 April 16:39

          The western rail link has been put back a few years too.

          Maybe Birmingham airport will be the real winner from HS2!

        • Richie says:

          18 Apr18 April 19:09

          If the changing of trains from HS2 to Crossrail at Old Oak Common is very good, Heathrow should be OK fir southbound HS2 passengers.

        • Richie says:

          18 Apr18 April 19:10

          If the changing of trains from HS2 to Crossrail at Old Oak Common is very good, Heathrow should be OK for southbound HS2 passengers.

• James says:

  18 Apr18 April 14:07

  When I try booking with Melia with Points & Pounds, the price goes up the more points I wish to redeem. Why is that?

  • Uddin says:

    18 Apr18 April 19:56

    I cant answer this one James but what I have noticed is that sale/reduced rates claimed to be up to 40% cheaper, are in fact exactly the same as before the sale.

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