Information on the EasyJet pertinent to the recent announcement of flights to / from Southend Airport by EasyJet

EasyJet’s recent announcement on flights to/from Stobart’s Southend Airport was a political move by both parties. Stobart want to pressure the Government into bringing in the result of the Public Inquiry to approve the closure of Eastwoodbury Lane, which runs across the current end of the runway. While EasyJet want to lean on Stansted and Luton to lower their landing charges.

The extension to the runway is by no means a done deal. Even if the remaining legal decisions all go in the airport’s favour, they’re not going to get them until October at the earliest. This will be cutting it fine to lay the concrete before there’s a risk of frosts. If we reach that point, they’ll have to wait until the spring to do the work. We’re not expecting to hear from the Secretary of State for Transport on the road closure until September and there’s still a Public Inquiry pending on the permanent closure of a section of Public Footpath. No date has even been announced for that yet. Also the matter of the appeal against the decision to refuse a Judicial Review into the planning application itself, this is currently set for October.

In addition there is also the matter of the petition before the European Union brought by the local MP David Amess.

The planes EasyJet plan to use are Airbus A319s, which would need the extended runway to use Southend Airport when passengers are on board – they can come in and out now as long as they are empty. These are the older variations of the Airbus, which, we understand, are less fuel economic than A320s. These form majority of their current fleet & are the only planes they have options to buy, which have a greater seating capacity. The A320s would not be able to operate at maximum capacity from Southend, even with the proposed extended runway length. I would think it is doubtful that they will be able to use the A319 planes for the full 10 years of the agreement. It is difficult to imagine which planes they intend to use for the remainder of the 10 years when the A319s are considered uneconomic or too old to fly.

Details of the deal are sketchy, but our understanding is that they intend to fly 800,000 passengers a year with 150 staff working from Southend. Many of these will be the flight crews and almost all will already be employed at either Luton or Stansted. The one favour this announcement has done us is to prove us right on the economic arguments. Southend Council accepted everything the airport said without question and so they are expecting 1130 jobs to be created at the airport when it appears that they’ll be lucky to reach 400 – and that’s even if they do manage to persuade two million people a year to fly from Southend.

It is often quoted that Stobart “invested their own money” in Southend Airport’s development. They didn’t. They’ve borrowed heavily from banks in the Middle East to fund the expansion and this is another reason for the big noises they are making over the EasyJet announcement. Without this contract, it is likely the share price of Stobart’s would not have recently risen, which can only help them secure the continued backing from these Middle East banks.

It is our opinion, that it is fairly certain that without this continued backing; Stobart’s would be hard put to continue their operations at Southend Airport.

In addition, they have had significant contributions from Southend Council towards various parts of the development – over a million pounds each towards the station and air traffic control tower, for example. These are reported in the press as Stobart funded, when they are first being built, but it is never commented on that the council then refund great chunks of this funding. Over all, since Southend Council sold the airport to RAL for one pound in 1994, Southend taxpayers have subsidised the airport in so many ways, we’ve not been able to produce a single all-inclusive figure. It’s certainly well over £10m and probably nearer £20m.

This is the same council & councillors that have consistently told the residents that the new runway extension will mean the planes will fly higher over the houses & schools. We kept saying this can not be, but they shout louder to the press than we can. Now, Stobarts have started installing shorter lampposts & telegraph poles in the roads near the proposed runway extension & we understand that certain trees will also be cut shorter. Because the planes will fly higher? I don’t think so. But the council always believe anything that Stobart tell them.

Carlisle Council used to be the same, but now they commission independent experts to verify claims made by Stobart’s in their new planning application for expansion of the Carlisle Airport. We understand that the report cast doubt over the job forecasts & the financial viability of the flights to/from Southend.

This is a new application because the previous application that they passed, was overturned at a Judicial Review. I currently have an application to pursue a Judicial Review over the planning permission granted for the extension to the runway at Southend.

Graham Whitehead
Chairman SAEN (Stop Airport Extension Now)
Rochford
Essex