KLM

[ezylpl]

Judging by how the bbc article reads no other uk airport has lost the service

[danairamb]

I just dont understand why KLM cancels LPL service while maintaining it at smaller UK airports that dont produce as many pax as LPL does, I understand it has a lot to do with yields but I cant believe that Humberside, Cardiff or Norwich (for example) are more profitable than Liverpool. The proximity to MAN should have nothing to do with things. I flew on this route in October and the loads were good. It was so good to be able to actually fly interline to LPL the first time I had been able to do this since Aer Lingus days. Very sad about this.

[cessfly]

Danairamb. Why cant you believe that those airports you mention are more profitable? For a start both Norwich and Humberside have major offshore industry in their catchment areas, and KLM like to serve that market. They are also convemiantly located on the east coast saving a shed load in fuel. They provide excellent business yield. Its like people on here believe there is some conspiracy because the route is to be dropped. KLM have invested alot into this route, nd for whatever reason it isnt working fir them. Shame but it must not be forgotten just how far LPL has come along this past decade!

[danairamb]

I am the last to believe that there is any conspiracy, but I seem to recall something on this site that showed that LPL produced better traffic figures for KLM than several of their other destinations. It still doesnt make any sense to me, I hope we will find out the rationale for this decision. KLM is the only option for me to fly into LPL from Canada, so I will have to return to using MAN again.

[charlie]

Yet again more and more negative bad news for LPL why isnt this happening at MAN why is all the bad negative news here at LPL,Peel need to get off their backsides and kick this airport into a viable workable alternative to MAN,lets go for the long haul flights and be more bloody aggressive in our fight to achieve it and stop pussy footing around scared to tread on others toes,we to need business all the other airports seem to be able to manage it why cant we,this is an absolutely black day for LPL

[Deleted]

Dec 14, 2011 23:59:46 GMT 1 charlie said:

Yet again more and more negative bad news for LPL why isnt this happening at MAN why is all the bad negative news here at LPL,Peel need to get off their backsides and kick this airport into a viable workable alternative to MAN,lets go for the long haul flights and be more bloody aggressive in our fight to achieve it and stop pussy footing around scared to tread on others toes,we to need business all the other airports seem to be able to manage it why cant we,this is an absolutely black day for LPL

Well, I guess that KLM were looking to cut costs and drop a NW service and they would never drop MAN in preference to Liverpool. Its a big shame, but KLM are a business and it is their choice at the end of the day.

As far as long-haul schedules from Liverpool go, it's really not likely to happen and the introduction of another interlining company in future would probably be more beneficial than the odd direct long-haul.

But, it really isn't all doom & gloom, the airport has just had the busiest summer ever in its 70-odd year history....which is quite something when you consider the lack of IT flights compared to recent years, so something must be going right.

That's just my 2p's worth to this thread, which I'm pleased to see hasn't yet descended into a LPL v MAN slanging match as these emotive types of discussion often do. Let's please keep it that way

Cheers,

Dave

[steh]

I honestly think KLM have done as much as they can here the route is marketed everywhere. The big problem is persuading businesses to use the route, sadly Liverpool Airport has a bad reputation for those type of passengers due to the security and immigration delays, despite the fact that KLM business passengers are automatically fast tracked anyway.

Some of this reputation isnt helped by the local newspaper seizing on every delay and making out its routine, when more often than not people miss flights because they chose not to head through security until 30 minutes before departure.

I know from Peels point of view they just want passengers so will be happy with one budget airline basing a plane here to make up the shortfall, but the damage to the city's reputation as it seeks to move forward and build on the progress of the last ten years is immense.

[LPL]

Dec 14, 2011 20:48:41 GMT 1 andyh said:

KLM firmly nailed their colours to the mast when they cut down to three flights a day whilst upping capacity out of Manchester. At the end of the day it's sad, but 100,000 pax a year is one daily rotation by a Ryanair '737. We just have to brush ourselves down and start again.

They would be disappointed with 100,000.

[L1011]

Hi All.

This loss of a worldclass airline is very bad news for LPL and our area.

I work into LPL with departing passengers and the Airport is in a very poor state.

1 Departing passengers arriving by car or a private hire taxi or minibus are told to get out of the vehicle ASAP as the drop of car park only has 5 mins free parking.
This carpark has a charge of £10 for 55 minutes and is the most expensive car park I have ever known for any Airport in the World.

2 After they have been thrown out they have to walk across to the Terminal with no way of keeping dry.
( I think this is the same for hotel guests at the Hampton Inn.)
The car park and roads they have to cross also flood very deeply.

3 Disabled people who need a wheelchair have to somehow get to O.C.S which is a good 5 minute walk and is at the far end of the Terminal from the drop off carpark.

4 The Terminal Landside is very tatty,the line of closed retail units near arrivals also the toilets behind Starbucks need refurbishing.
I would like to say a big thanks here to the toilet cleaning staff that
are always keeping the area clean but they need something better to work with.

5 Airside.I have flown out of LPL this year about 6 times.
The security checking area looks great with all the new belts,but it is very annoying waiting in line because less than half of them have any staff and are closed !

6 Boarding your flight.When if ever are we going to get any Airbridges so we dont have to get soaking wet boarding the flight ?

7 Maybee K.L.M are leaving after seeing the lack of investment for passenger comfort and the we dont care take it or leave it attitude by LPL Senior management,or maybee they have heard the rummor
that London ! sorry British Airways are planing to move back to LPL
and open a North of England,Worldwide interconecting transfering
passenger friendly interlining hub here !!!
Are well it is the silly season.Happy Christmas and a great New Year to all forum members (also to the poor hard working Airport cleaners)

Cheers.
Alan Jones.
Liverpool,U.K.

[charlie]

it is still all depressing,despite the amount of pax carried in the summer,it still doesnt address the fact that airlines are pulling out and the lack of further routes and expansion are evidently there for all to see,coupled with the negative comments from RYR and EZY regarding expansion im afraid to say that the future does not look exactly rosy.I fear for LPL that we are so entrenched in the shadow of MAN that whatever happens here negatively just so happens to have a positive effect there,they are not losing their connection,it is just so galling

[mattp]

i for one prefer flying from liverpool than manchester, ive used the airport 9 times this year for business and for leisure, and i dont have a problem at all with the facilities, the new security screening area gets the thumbs up from me, as it seems 100% smoother than the old way, people just compare liverpool to manchester, but the 2 airports are worlds apart in terms of infrastructure.... manchester is a international airport.... liverpool is a regional airport, KLM pulling out is not ideal, but if you see the way the european financial market is at the moment, you cant be suprised if a EUROPEAN airline wants to save the pennies. The only way to open to an international market again is to try and get BA back to liverpool with a Shuttle service to either Heathrow or Gatwick.

[Nick Bartley]

Hello everyone
Well KLM customer support are still saying that my flights in April are going ahead - I've emailed them the link to the BBC interview and look forward to their response/excuse
Nick

[cessfly]

They would be disappointed with 100,000.

Why?

but I seem to recall something on this site that showed that LPL produced better traffic figures for KLM than several of their other destinations.

As I say, 'more traffic' doesn't necessarily mean profitable. If you think about it LPL has a rather excellent European route offering that many other regional airports dont have. Certainly Humberside, Norwich and Cardiff (those you used as examples previously) dont have many connections into Europe if at all, so KLM get those business passengers that would otherwise fly easyjet or Ryanair.

You need to also remember that it is the airline that gets the ultimate say in where it flys from, not LPL or MAN respective managements. Manchester is just better located for many of these airlines. Still Peel Airports will have significant leverage when talking to Ryanair and easyjet, so I doubt they would cut and run.

[LPL]

Dec 15, 2011 11:50:45 GMT 1 @cessfly said:

Why?

Because they would be looking at 110,000.

[Deleted]

As usual with this type of thread, it descended into "troll" and other such name-calling which is not something that is acceptable here. One member took it upon himself to delete his account and I will do the same to any other who name-calls or slags another member off, so be warned. Stick to the subject in future.