2017 Ostend-Bruges Airport (OST) latest news

[DIBO]

But in OST, TUI is alone! No competition whatsoever!

Of course, but I think the question of ostair referred to the overlap between RYR & TUI at CRL, where they seem to be able to handle the competition. But regarding OST, as TUI is the first operator in years giving some future for the airport, I think one should give some leeway to TUI for a few years, although probably not enforceable because of EU rules (same applies for TUI at ANR).

[ostair]

2. Some RYR & TUI destinations from CLR overlap: Crete, Fez, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Nador, Rhodes, Oujda, ...

Thanks for this. But in OST, TUI is alone! No competition whatsoever!

This is what I meant.
No competition in OST but competition at CRL and BRU on the same routes, yet they still fly from these airports.

Then again its better to have one bird in the hand than...

Thanks for the info on FENAIR.

[Sai]

The airport building is having a external "facelift".
Concrete decay has been removed and repaired and a part of the building will be repainted.

Any before / after pics? Or renders of the present vd future look?
Or is it just a new layer of paint?
Thx

[Yuqu12]

But in OST, TUI is alone! No competition whatsoever!

Of course, but I think the question of ostair referred to the overlap between RYR & TUI at CRL, where they seem to be able to handle the competition. But regarding OST, as TUI is the first operator in years giving some future for the airport, I think one should give some leeway to TUI for a few years, although probably not enforceable because of EU rules (same applies for TUI at ANR).

I don't think that this could be a violation of the rules on state aid, as the airport is obviously no state. This could however indeed be a violation of the principle of the free market.

[ostair]

The airport building is having a external "facelift".
Concrete decay has been removed and repaired and a part of the building will be repainted.

Any before / after pics? Or renders of the present vd future look?
Or is it just a new layer of paint?
Thx

Pics can be found on their Facebook page.
They did some works on the decaying concrete and gave the building a lick of fresh paint.

[FLYAIR10]

TRAFFIC FIGURES NOVEMBER 2017
Comparison between November 2017 and November 2016
Passengers
17,880 in November 2017 compared to 18,708 in November 2016 (-4.4%)

Movements
1,363 in November 2017 compared to 1,537 in November 2016 (-11.3%)

Freights/tons
3,560 tons in November 2017 compared to 2,148 tons in November 2016 (+65.7%) > best cargo month of 2017

More cargo but less passengers for the month of November. The fact that the Brugge and Gent Football teams were eliminated in the CL and EL that early was a pity. If that would not have been the case, the PAX figure would maybe have been slightly positive...

[DIBO]

What surprises me (not knowing the usual pax numbers) that OST with much more TUI destinations, often with substantially larger ac B738 vs E190 and more flights per day, only has a similar monthly pax total similar to ANR. There are more movements at ANR, but those flight are mainly with much less pax per plane.

[ostair]

@DIBO the pax numbers for November are not published by Aena but the ones for October are.
Antwerp 2589 to and from Barcelona, Ostend had 2419.
Except of the summer most flights are operated with a E190 from OST.

As for the downfall in pax numbers at OST, this is a result of putting all your money on one horse.


@FLYAIR10 You forgot the early elimination of KV OOSTENDE and the elemination of Zulte Waregem is also a fact. No more football charters early next year for OST. It started good...next season hopefully better.

[sn26567]

As for the downfall in pax numbers at OST, this is a result of putting all your money on one horse.

Does Marcel Buelens still staunchly oppose the arrival of Ryanair at OST ?

[ostair]

He can't object or refuse any Ryanair operation as long as they pay the usual fares which they won't.
Ryanair wants discounts and or state aid from regional airports.

So far the aid has gone to JAF/TUI for their Malage route which turn to be popular....

[ostair]

Mr Buelens is active on twitter or via [email protected]

OST airport can kiss their both hands to have such a personality, Marcel is very down to earth also for airport spotters.

@sn26579 Its your turn whenever MoL appears for a pressconference to ask him about OST.
So far talks but no planes ready is the excuse.
Time to confront him, talks, planes, not welcome..lol

[FLYAIR10]

@FLYAIR10 You forgot the early elimination of KV OOSTENDE and the elemination of Zulte Waregem is also a fact. No more football charters early next year for OST. It started good...next season hopefully better.

@ostair. yes. you are absolutely right. How can I forget about the rednosed and colourfull DAT plane transferring "da weireldploegsje" to MRS. And also SVZW contributed to the OST-pax figures. Unfortunately not long enough though.. Hopefully next year better indeed.

Talking about football and the WC 2018 in Russia, I was wondering if it would not be possible to think about charter(s) to Kaliningrad,Sochi or Moscow from OST(and ANR). Apparently there is a lot of interest to go to these places as the Belgian football federation is already requesting extra tickets to the FIFA. Those supporters have to get there(and back) and going by scheduled airlines,bus,train or car are not the best options IMHO...

[ostair]

Belgocontrol (OST) will receive 3 million Euro from the Flemish region(Energy minister Tommelein) to adapt its radarsystem for windmills.
The radarsystem now picks up the reflections of the windmills.

http://www.focus-wtv.be/nieuws/windmole ... dichterbij

A airport surrounded by windmills...
In the case of OST one wonders if the plans of 2002 will return?? For now the windmills at Gistel are a problem.

[Passenger]

Belgocontrol (OST) will receive 3 million Euro from the Flemish region(Energy minister Tommelein) to adapt its radarsystem for windmills.The radarsystem now picks up the reflections of the windmills.
http://www.focus-wtv.be/nieuws/windmole ... dichterbij
A airport surrounded by windmills... In the case of OST one wonders if the plans of 2002 will return?? For now the windmills at Gistel are a problem.

Focus TV is a bit too fast. The 3 mio Euro isn't accorded to Belgocontrol for OST only, as the official press release shows:

Projectsubsidie Belgocontrol voor onderzoek om de inplanting van bijkomende windturbines mogelijk te maken
Op voorstel van viceminister-president Bart Tommelein. Een van de belangrijke vaststellingen in de conceptnota 'Fast Lane Windenergie' is de mate waarin specifieke zones, zoals de omgeving van burger- en militaire luchthavens en hun bijhorende radarapparatuur, een specifieke uitdaging vormen voor de uitbouw van windenergie op land in Vlaanderen. Een belangrijk aandachtspunt daarbij is dat bijkomende windturbines realiseren in nabijheid van luchthavenfaciliteiten locatiespecifiek is: zowel het soort luchthaven, de aanwezige activiteiten en procedures, de aanwezige apparatuur als de specifieke ruimtelijke ligging in de omgeving spelen een rol. In dit kader kent de Vlaamse Regering nu een projectsubsidie van 2,95 miljoen euro toe aan het autonoom overheidsbedrijf Belgocontrol voor het onderzoek naar en het uitvoeren van aanpassingen aan of vernieuwing van radarinstallaties om de inplanting van bijkomende windturbines mogelijk te maken.

[Passenger]

Not that common at OST, I think:
Antonov-124 RA-82047 on her way, coming from Cairo:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ra-82047

[ostair]

Not that common at OST, I think:
Antonov-124 RA-82047 on her way, coming from Cairo:
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/ra-82047

Yep regular visitors but a Sukhoi Ctiyjet isn't.
EI-FWE did some T&G's at the airport.

[Ev.VH]