Ostend Airport - Latest news

[FLYAIR10]

Traffic figures September 2010
Ostend-Bruges International Airport
Comparison between SEPTEMBER 2010 and SEPTEMBER 2009

Movements
3,285 in SEPTEMBER 2010 compared to 3,702 in SEPTEMBER 2009
(-11.3 %)
Passengers
23,405 in SEPTEMBER 2010 compared to 21,692 in SEPTEMBER 2009
(+7.9 %)
Freight/tons
3,989 tons in SEPTEMBER 2010 compared to 4,097 in SEPTEMBER 2009
(-2.6 %)

Comparison between the year 2010 and the year 2009 (JAN-SEP)

Movements
30,034 in 2010 compared to 29,487 in 2009 (+1.9 %)
Passengers
173,430 in 2010 compared to 164,271 in 2009 (+5.6 %)
Freight/tons
45,994 in 2010 compared to 52,714 in 2009 (-12.7 %)

01/10/2010

Source:www.ost.aero

[fretn]

So quick analyse,
It seems the charter business in OST is doing good. But this didn't came as a surprise.
On the other hand cargo is decreasing. It's time for Ostend to find a new strategy, attracting Ryanair would be a good start. There is definetly a catchment area for leisure passengers.

[Atlantis]

Cargo will be more decreasing as Egyptair Cargo has now their double daily flights, on certain days, to/from Brussels Airport.

And OST has lost now MK Airlines, since a while. The court decided this week that this airline has no future anymore -> bankruptcy.

[cnc]

OST is getting an obsolete airport imo.
Only WO left for serious cargo ops and is it worth the costs to have a big aiport with only 200k pax a year?
its like a bottomless hole.
Besides JAF has its focus on CRL rather then OST

[regi]

At the moment of total collapse of the airport a white knight on a black stallion will appear on the horizon . Sir MoL will pull the poor Flemish unemployed out of the clay of Ostend and give them a job. ( with their own tax money )
Sir MoL will receive everything for free , as in medieval times the kees of the city gates were transfered to the new lord.

But untill today: nothing about Ryanair at Ostend.

Honnestly, I don't know what would provide more and better jobs: close Ostend airport and fill it up with appartments or housing estates. ( at least 10-15 years steady labour for many people ) Or give it to Ryanair. ( who doesn't guarrantee anything, certainly not at Ostend after the first episode )

[cathay belgium]

Maybe we have to start thinking on the idea that belgium is way to small for so many big airports haha
BRU and LGG and CRL ( and Wevelgem-ANR-OST,...) Please stop, the first 3 are more than enough..
CX-B

[fretn]

That's why i'm pleading for a smaller airport, ideal for summer charters & private airplanes + Ryanair if possible.
Although a direct train link to zeebrugge or antwerp could mean a good plus for the airport.

[jan_olieslagers]

OST is getting an obsolete airport imo.

I'm afraid I have to agree. Too bad the full blame is on the owners/operators, i.e. Flemish regional government. They've slowly made the airport less and less attractive to its customers, and now that almost all are gone they are ready to pull the plug, saying "look, nobody wants to use this airport anyway, we had better close it". Nice reasoning, except for the "anyway". Liège and Charleroi are clear illustrations of the opportunities existing. And my sincere congratulations to the politicians down south that THEY did realise the value of working airports.

And no, WILOO has nothing to do with it. Every airport has its little* band if idiot whining NIMBY's, who cares? Any well-educated airport should feel lonely without them! Which is quite separate from taking them seriously, of course.

*The EBAW-ANR gang is rumoured to number THREE people. I'll NOT mention my sources, but a newspaper it was!

[cathay belgium]

Although a direct train link to zeebrugge or antwerp could mean a good plus for the airport.

Oh yes, and one to CRL airport and don't forget ANR so they can grew again and expand ...

OMG, please stop,better invest in a direct train to BRU Airport instead,why ? to pay
another diabolo extra?!
Another discusion can start about ANR again then..

If Ryanair will come to OST okay for me but only (federal ? ) goverment support for 1
airport ! = BRU.
Besides getting TO the airport is more expensive than the flight itself !

Belgium is too small already ! better direct and improvements to the MAIN airport,other airports may/can grow for me but ONLY completly on their own and with private money IMHO.

Why not start again domestic heliflights to feed the airports..

Besides German/Dutch/French airports are even in the main 'fishing' area of pax.

CX-B

[Acid-drop]

the location isn't the best, for me that's the main disavantage of OST, as it is one of the main advantage of some others.

[jan_olieslagers]

The location WAS very good , though. And who issued those building/planning permits?

[fretn]

Although a direct train link to zeebrugge or antwerp could mean a good plus for the airport.

Oh yes, and one to CRL airport and don't forget ANR so they can grew again and expand ...

OMG, please stop,better invest in a direct train to BRU Airport instead,why ? to pay
another diabolo extra?!
Another discusion can start about ANR again then..

If Ryanair will come to OST okay for me but only (federal ? ) goverment support for 1
airport ! = BRU.
Besides getting TO the airport is more expensive than the flight itself !

Belgium is too small already ! better direct and improvements to the MAIN airport,other airports may/can grow for me but ONLY completly on their own and with private money IMHO.

Why not start again domestic heliflights to feed the airports..

Besides German/Dutch/French airports are even in the main 'fishing' area of pax.

CX-B

But Belgium has a population of several millions (especially the north) that live very close to each other.
On my flights to Tunesia & Turkey (from OST) I heard people from the Netherlands & people from Northern France, so there is a catchment area, but yeah the location isn't really perfect! but the fact that there are charters from Ostend does say that there is a demand!

[fcw]

The day the Kingdom of Belgium doesn't exist anymore, OST will be the only big airport in the republic of Flanders. Zaventem could become unusable if the republic of Brussels doesn't allow overflights below lets say 10000ft.
500 mio €/year would make a difference though

[fretn]

Imagine OST as Belgiums main airport!
haha, Imagine Jet's scissor hub at OST.

[Bottie]

Imagine OST as Belgiums main airport!
haha, Imagine Jet's scissor hub at OST.

too much fantasy, fretn, too much fantasy

[Desert Rat]

the Kingdom of Belgium doesn't exist anymore

You are absolutly right about this statement though....

[Megaman]

as long as there's a king, there's a kingdom. I don't see the airport of Oostend growing. All those cargo planes make terrible noise pollution for all those old people on the coast. Since they have a lot of time to issue lawsuits against the construction of wind turbines not even visible from the coast, you can be certain that they will block any expansion of Oostend.

[Ice]

Ostend needs a professional marketing manager with a "budget" to discuss deals and attract business. A government employee has his hand tied to rules, regulations, budgetrestrictions and gives no hand outs. That's how Brussels South did it. Look where they are at compared to Ostend.Put the right people in the right place and you will see Ostend grow.

[jan_olieslagers]

Ice, have you seen my earlier comment? No deal of marketing can be successful if success is not wanted!

[Acid-drop]

Don't compare to CRL, OST has at least 2 big differences : location and strong political will.
Why compare to the best, just compare to other airport the same size/quality.