We’re focusing on profitable passengers not volumes, says Southend airport
Southend airport is focused on attracting profitable passengers back instead of worrying about volumes, according to David Shearer, executive chairman of the airport’s owner Esken.
The airport welcomed its first passenger flight at the beginning of May, after low-cost airline returned back to the hub, with routes services to Faro, Malaga and Mallorca.
The airport was hit hard by the pandemic, as it was forced to reduce operations as passengers numbers fell 93 per cent, from 2.15 million in 2019-2020 to 147,000 a year later.
According to Shearer, switching the focus from passenger volumes to profitability was as “strategic shift” in the airport’s business model.
“The airlines are aware of that and have been working constructively with us,” he told City PM “We’re pleased to be having passengers back in the airport and we’re looking [forward] to the rest of the year and into summer next year.”
The executive chairman’s comments come on the same day Esken posted its full year results.
The group’s aviation business narrowed its adjusted losses to £0.8m, an 87 per cent improvement on the £6.2m lost the previous year.