Emirates ex Stansted

[Brown1950 67]

Emirates Airlines today (20DEC17) announced service expansion for London market, with the new Dubai – London Stansted route. From 08JUN18, the airline will operate 3-class 777-300ER on this route on daily basis. Reservation opened at 1000hrs GMT.

EK033 DXB0930 – 1410STN 77W D
EK034 STN2110 – 0705+1DXB 77W D

[Goldpanner 399]

Emirates Airlines today (20DEC17) announced service expansion for London market, with the new Dubai – London Stansted route. From 08JUN18, the airline will operate 3-class 777-300ER on this route on daily basis. Reservation opened at 1000hrs GMT.

 

EK033 DXB0930 – 1410STN 77W D

EK034 STN2110 – 0705+1DXB 77W D

 

 

I wont travel from Stanstead now, The bastards actually charge people to drop passengers off, apart from which, its a shitty airport at best.

To be honest though I realy dont see the point of Emirates running out of there.

Its an airport in the middle of nowhere not near any large connurbation and for anyone living in, say Colchester or Chelmsford its just as easy, probably easier to get to Heathrow

[Brown1950 67]

 

I wont travel from Stanstead now, The bastards actually charge people to drop passengers off, apart from which, its a shitty airport at best.

To be honest though I realy dont see the point of Emirates running out of there.

Its an airport in the middle of nowhere not near any large connurbation and for anyone living in, say Colchester or Chelmsford its just as easy, probably easier to get to Heathrow

Well i am hearing the new 1st class suites on the B777-300ER will be used frequently by the Newmarket crowd !

[Gawd Elpus 798]

I am flying with Emirates from Gatwick in a couple of weeks time. Only 15 minutes from East Croydon station. Stanstead good for those who live further out of the way.

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

Yeah, lots of people from around there head to Dubai for the racing carnival.

[TheFiend 1,181]

 

I wont travel from Stanstead now, The bastards actually charge people to drop passengers off, apart from which, its a shitty airport at best.

To be honest though I realy dont see the point of Emirates running out of there.

Its an airport in the middle of nowhere not near any large connurbation and for anyone living in, say Colchester or Chelmsford its just as easy, probably easier to get to Heathrow

 

For people in that area it would certainly be a lot easier to get to Stansted than having to suffer the M25 traffic or catching trains to get to Heathrow or Gatwick. Emirates have obviously done some research and concluded it's viable

[Goldpanner 399]

 

For people in that area it would certainly be a lot easier to get to Stansted than having to suffer the M25 traffic or catching trains to get to Heathrow or Gatwick. Emirates have obviously done some research and concluded it's viable

 

Or is it simply a publicity stunt to keep their names 'Up Front'? and an attempt to get even more traffic rights out of the UK?

If it was actually worthwhile why havent other companies flying long haul ever run out of Stanstead? ..................Because the catchment area simply isnt there for a flight to the middle east..

Its so easy to get to Gatwick or Heathrow by train or coach now.

I could see justification for running out of Birmingham or maybe even East Midlands but Stanstead? no.

And to be honest now the road works have been done on the M25 it realy isnt that bad and the Northern section was never that bad as compared to the Southern or western sections.

[Butch 3,456]

 

Or is it simply a publicity stunt to keep their names 'Up Front'? and an attempt to get even more traffic rights out of the UK?

If it was actually worthwhile why havent other companies flying long haul ever run out of Stanstead? ..................Because the catchment area simply isnt there for a flight to the middle east..

Its so easy to get to Gatwick or Heathrow by train or coach now.

I could see justification for running out of Birmingham or maybe even East Midlands but Stanstead? no.

And to be honest now the road works have been done on the M25 it realy isnt that bad and the Northern section was never that bad as compared to the Southern or western sections.

 

 

You haven't been there recently then.

 

Stanstead is a peice of piss to get to, all dual carriageway from the M11 in (only a few mins off the junction) and if you're coming in from Essex or the A12, it's about 25 mins from the turn off, but with 9 miles of single lane carriageway, In fact one of the best routes from Suffolk / Essex to LHR / LGW is A12, across the A120 then down the M11 to the M25 and round, cutting out the lower part of the A12 and the frequent congestion around J28, it takes 1 1/4 hours from Stanstead to LHR by car, so no, it isn't quicker to get to LHR faster than it is to get to STD from Chelmsford or Colchester, and given that I live 15 mins away from Colchester, I've a pretty good idea of the distance. Stanstead from Colchester is 35 - 40 mins, from Chelmsford about 45 - 50.

 

Given the choice from Stanstead or LHR / Gatwick I'll choose Stanstead every time. Even for the inbreds up in Norfolk it's just a jaunt down the A11, M11 then hang a left into Stanstead. Same same for Cambridge, P'bro and most other Eastern towns and cities.

 

Air Asia used to fly out to Hong Kong from Stanstead if I recall.

 

How can the "catchment area" not be there?, surely if people in East Anglia want to fly to Dubai, they have the LGW/ LHR options, but now they have the additional STD option so if anything, the catchment area is actually massive, offering all the previous customers a new destination to fly from closer to home.

[The_Fat_Controller 25]

You'll never find an airport in STANSTEAD !

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanstead,_Suffolk

Edited December 22, 2017 by The_Fat_Controller

[Goldpanner 399]

 

 

You haven't been there recently then.

No not recently unless you call last week a long time. I was over to a friends place in Thaxted.

 

Stanstead is a peice of piss to get to, all dual carriageway from the M11 in (only a few mins off the junction) and if you're coming in from Essex or the A12, it's about 25 mins from the turn off, but with 9 miles of single lane carriageway, In fact one of the best routes from Suffolk / Essex to LHR / LGW is A12, across the A120 then down the M11 to the M25 and round, cutting out the lower part of the A12 and the frequent congestion around J28, it takes 1 1/4 hours from Stanstead to LHR by car, so no, it isn't quicker to get to LHR faster than it is to get to STD from Chelmsford or Colchester, and given that I live 15 mins away from Colchester, I've a pretty good idea of the distance. Stanstead from Colchester is 35 - 40 mins, from Chelmsford about 45 - 50.

 

I do know the way. I lived in Finchingfield for some time. If I remember correctly the A12 was always pretty much gridlocked between 7.00AM and 9 and then from 4 PM till 7 and so was the adjoining M25 and dont talk to me about the Dartford tunnel and the fun there with traffic jams. I missed a flight years back due to the jams on the A12 the M25 and the damned Dartford tunnel.

But...... I never said it wasnt easy to get to Stanstead by car. But try getting to Stansted from Colchester by public transport, unless you get the direct coach its a pig involving a lot of sodding about.

Dont forget many people dont use cars to get to airports they use public transport.

 

Given the choice from Stanstead or LHR / Gatwick I'll choose Stanstead every time. Even for the inbreds up in Norfolk it's just a jaunt down the A11, M11 then hang a left into Stanstead. Same same for Cambridge, P'bro and most other Eastern towns and cities.

But easier to get to London airports if they use public transport though.

My point was the catchment area. The demographics of people flying to the middle east and onward destinations just dont relate to anywhere around Stansted

 

 

Air Asia used to fly out to Hong Kong from Stanstead if I recall.

The operative word being 'Used to'.

If Stansted had the potential to be a big earner for Long Haul departures then the other Long Haul operators would have used it. That they dont says everything.

The building of Stansted into a big airport was always a very bad idea.

 

How can the "catchment area" not be there?, surely if people in East Anglia want to fly to Dubai, they have the LGW/ LHR options, but now they have the additional STD option so if anything, the catchment area is actually massive, offering all the previous customers a new destination to fly from closer to home.

 

East Anglia is actually a pretty sparsely populated area compared to say the Home counties like the South or west of London.

 

It doesnt ad up. I suspect Emirates are just being shrewd and by running flights out of Stansted which I suspect will only run out half full at best, its great advertising for them without doubt, can possibly be used as a tax write off and gives them an extra UK departure slot which they could use for elbowing more space at Heathrow if they ever build another runway (which I hope they dont). Time will tell I suppose. I suspect if it doesnt pay that much then they'll do a pick up at Schipol or some German airport to make up the numbers, which was a little trick Garuda used to do untill they were pulled up on it.

Personally I think its one of the best advertising tricks ive seen recently, and Emirates can afford to lose money. But a flight every day? Come on. Maybe once a week might do it.

 

And its just the attitude of the people running Stanstead that pisses me right off, they they are money grabbing bastards and actually charging people to drop off passengers??, do they need the money that badly and if so why?

The parking company they use to police the area are so well known for stinging anyone and getting dragged into court. (I know I was one, went to court and beat the bastards) AFAIK theres even going to be a court case about the land around the airport not being owned by the airport and all the parking charges being illegal, same as John Lennon Airport in Liverpool.

 

 

Anyways, those are my opinions, time will tell. Lets see how long Emirates are happy running half empty planes out of the Stansted tip.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Goldpanner

[Butch 3,456]

 

 

 

You haven't been there recently then.

No not recently unless you call last week a long time. I was over to a friends place in Thaxted.

 

Stanstead is a peice of piss to get to, all dual carriageway from the M11 in (only a few mins off the junction) and if you're coming in from Essex or the A12, it's about 25 mins from the turn off, but with 9 miles of single lane carriageway, In fact one of the best routes from Suffolk / Essex to LHR / LGW is A12, across the A120 then down the M11 to the M25 and round, cutting out the lower part of the A12 and the frequent congestion around J28, it takes 1 1/4 hours from Stanstead to LHR by car, so no, it isn't quicker to get to LHR faster than it is to get to STD from Chelmsford or Colchester, and given that I live 15 mins away from Colchester, I've a pretty good idea of the distance. Stanstead from Colchester is 35 - 40 mins, from Chelmsford about 45 - 50.

 

I do know the way. I lived in Finchingfield for some time. If I remember correctly the A12 was always pretty much gridlocked between 7.00AM and 9 and then from 4 PM till 7 and so was the adjoining M25 and dont talk to me about the Dartford tunnel and the fun there with traffic jams. I missed a flight years back due to the jams on the A12 the M25 and the damned Dartford tunnel.

But...... I never said it wasnt easy to get to Stanstead by car. But try getting to Stansted from Colchester by public transport, unless you get the direct coach its a pig involving a lot of sodding about.

Dont forget many people dont use cars to get to airports they use public transport.

 

Given the choice from Stanstead or LHR / Gatwick I'll choose Stanstead every time. Even for the inbreds up in Norfolk it's just a jaunt down the A11, M11 then hang a left into Stanstead. Same same for Cambridge, P'bro and most other Eastern towns and cities.

But easier to get to London airports if they use public transport though.

My point was the catchment area. The demographics of people flying to the middle east and onward destinations just dont relate to anywhere around Stansted

 

 

Air Asia used to fly out to Hong Kong from Stanstead if I recall.

The operative word being 'Used to'.

If Stansted had the potential to be a big earner for Long Haul departures then the other Long Haul operators would have used it. That they dont says everything.

The building of Stansted into a big airport was always a very bad idea.

 

How can the "catchment area" not be there?, surely if people in East Anglia want to fly to Dubai, they have the LGW/ LHR options, but now they have the additional STD option so if anything, the catchment area is actually massive, offering all the previous customers a new destination to fly from closer to home.

 

East Anglia is actually a pretty sparsely populated area compared to say the Home counties like the South or west of London.

 

It doesnt ad up. I suspect Emirates are just being shrewd and by running flights out of Stansted which I suspect will only run out half full at best, its great advertising for them without doubt, can possibly be used as a tax write off and gives them an extra UK departure slot which they could use for elbowing more space at Heathrow if they ever build another runway (which I hope they dont). Time will tell I suppose. I suspect if it doesnt pay that much then they'll do a pick up at Schipol or some German airport to make up the numbers, which was a little trick Garuda used to do untill they were pulled up on it.

Personally I think its one of the best advertising tricks ive seen recently, and Emirates can afford to lose money. But a flight every day? Come on. Maybe once a week might do it.

 

And its just the attitude of the people running Stanstead that pisses me right off, they they are money grabbing bastards and actually charging people to drop off passengers??, do they need the money that badly and if so why?

The parking company they use to police the area are so well known for stinging anyone and getting dragged into court. (I know I was one, went to court and beat the bastards) AFAIK theres even going to be a court case about the land around the airport not being owned by the airport and all the parking charges being illegal, same as John Lennon Airport in Liverpool.

 

 

Anyways, those are my opinions, time will tell. Lets see how long Emirates are happy running half empty planes out of the Stansted tip.

 

 

There's a direct bus service to stansted from colchester, that is public transport by definition. There's also direct ones from norwich, ipswich, Chelmsford, Harlow, Brentwood, sarf end and pretty much every decent sized town. Train is change at colchester into braintree then direct bus to stansted, same for anyone going to STN, either train to Harlow or braintree then hop on the bus.

 

Yes, it is a pain in the rectum but then again public transport anywhere isn't easy, it's no harder or easier than getting to LHR or LGW, but it is shorter in time for people coming from this part of the UK. Sodding about and public transport go hand in hand, it's no less easy or no more difficult getting to STN than it is LHR or LGW (actually it's a shite sight easier getting to STN than into LGW).

 

It's not easy getting to LHR by public transport, it's a fucking nuisance. You have to get the bus to the station, then the train to liverpool street or Kings cross if coming from cambridge, then the tube with a change at holborn (up and down stairs) then a 1.5 hour tube ride usually standing up as it's full of our immigrant friends heading home to Hounslow.

 

Air Asia stopped flying to the UK in 2012 due to high fuel prices and weakening demand (it was flying into LGW at the time) to concentrate on Air Asia X and expand in SEA, it doesn't prove anything.

 

Pretty much every road into london is gridlocked at rush hour as well, by the way. The A10 is a nightmare, the M1 hell on Earth and the M4 makes me want to commit hari kari every time I go on it which is fortunately rare.

 

As STN have never actually offered a long haul ME service from any of the big ME carriers, it's perhaps wrong to say the demand isn't there based on demographics which you don't have any proof of?. Bear in mind the current "catchment" area have to go out of the UK by LHR or LGW, hence my point, that catchment will arguably use STN instead. Emirates will also have a captive audience in that respect, plus STN has probably offered them the deal of the century to get their name associated with the Airport. I'd say emirates are more shrewd than we think.

[Steptoe 429]

Annoyingly enough I can't now find a link or confirmation but I've recently read that there is a proposal to introduce a direct train service from Norwich to Stansted (rather than the current service which involves at least two changes)

 

Whether this influenced Emirates or vice versa I've no idea but it will make Stansted more appealing as a departure airport for those of us living up in Norfolk (the other option is using Norwich airport via Schipol but this is fairly expensive)

[TheFiend 1,181]

Goldpanner....... East Anglia isn't the whole catchment area for Stansted, you can add in North London as well, as not everybody wants to fight their way across London to get to LHR or LGW

[Butch 3,456]

Annoyingly enough I can't now find a link or confirmation but I've recently read that there is a proposal to introduce a direct train service from Norwich to Stansted (rather than the current service which involves at least two changes)

 

Whether this influenced Emirates or vice versa I've no idea but it will make Stansted more appealing as a departure airport for those of us living up in Norfolk (the other option is using Norwich airport via Schipol but this is fairly expensive)

 

Bloody hell, you're not one of them Canary supporters are you?. I'm just down the road, driving my tractor!.

[firth1974 2,659]

Goldpanner....... East Anglia isn't the whole catchment area for Stansted, you can add in North London as well, as not everybody wants to fight their way across London to get to LHR or LGW

 

Add in the East Midlands too. Its a bigger catchment area than you realise!

[Steptoe 429]

 

Bloody hell, you're not one of them Canary supporters are you?. I'm just down the road, driving my tractor!.

 

No, I'm far enough away from Norrich to not hear the cheering (or groaning) from the Barclay end.

[Goldpanner 399]

 

As STN have never actually offered a long haul ME service from any of the big ME carriers, it's perhaps wrong to say the demand isn't there based on demographics which you don't have any proof of?. Bear in mind the current "catchment" area have to go out of the UK by LHR or LGW, hence my point, that catchment will arguably use STN instead. Emirates will also have a captive audience in that respect, plus STN has probably offered them the deal of the century to get their name associated with the Airport. I'd say emirates are more shrewd than we think.

 

OK I'll dig around in my boxes in the loft and see if I can find the paperwork showing demographics and projected people traffic. BUT.........back in the 80's at the height of pretty full flights to Thailand.

Myself, the owner of a large Far Eastern Travel company,and a Financier had a very serious idea of chartering a 747 and running a flight out and back to Utapao Once a week.

This was very well financed and researched project that was over 18 months in the offing.

 

We were turned down flat for a slot at Heathrow and Gatwick but the charges were too bloody high anyways, so then the research moved out, Southend, Southampton, Stansted, East Midlands, Exeter and Birmingham. We did a LOT of research with the travelling public including questionnaires etc.

In the End Birmingham was the preferred airport for various reasons.

What we found with the public research was quite surprising though.

For a lot of people who arent regular travellers (Like us) we found that one of the big parts of their Holiday/Travel was actually going from a big airport. It was sort of part of the mental process that their Holiday was starting at the Airport and we even found that people living near some airports would actually prefer travelling into London to go from Heathrow because of the alleged 'Glamour' and excititment that travelling from such a well known airport would bring.

 

As regular travellers, many on this forum find it a pain, sodding about to travel to an airport but for a lot of others its part of the whole excitement package.

 

When looking at Emirates flights, your *Main* passenger profile is going to be:

Those that want to get to the Middlle East as a final destination.

Those that want to get to a Middle east Hub, (Mainly Indians and Asians transitting in The Middle east)

Those that want to travel to Thailand and destination west of those.

 

It isnt the first choice for Oz despite what they say.

One then takes a look at the potential traveller and their travelling preferences living within striking distance of Stansted. It doesnt add up for a daily departure, simply doesnt add up. Especially when there are similar regular daily flights to the Middle east from Both London and Gatwick

As mentioned, for seasoned regular travellers we are different, but the majority of people potentially using Emirates wouldnt be regulars.

 

OK our research was in the 80's but I would suggest it isnt far different now.

Time will tell about Emirates. One flight a week maybe two might pay but I just cannot see the bums on seats for lots of midweek flights, when those selfsame days there are flights on A380's by Qatar, Emirates, Gulf and various other airlines running out of Gatwick and Heathrow. I still suspect its a BIG advertising ploy to get them shitloads of free publicity. Nice one!.

I'll stick by my projections. I suspect Emirates will run out of there for a year then either drop Stansted completely or just drop it to one flight a week.

 

Oh and our charter flight? Our chief financier was Killed in the Lauda Air Flight in 1991. It was a damned shame as there was a lot of Money to be made and the possibility of creating an entirely new airline. (Its how Branson started anyway) Between my company and the other very big travel company we could easily have filled one 747 a week and probably two but the intention was to just start with one for a year.

Such is life.(or death)

 

And for the Nay Sayers,

At a World Travel market show back in the 80's I spoke to a China Airlines rep.

China Airlines wanted slots at either LGW or LHR and were turned down flat . They were offered slots at Stansted but turned them down flat in favour of running out of Schipol with connecting flights from various UK regional airports. I was told they were offered some damned good rates for Stansted but even they said the traffic wouldnt be there ex Stansted and it was far more profitable running out of Schipol as a hub with its much bigger centralised catchment area.

 

I thought they still rode horses in Norwich though ?? Electric will be there soon !!

 

Anyways

HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

Edited December 24, 2017 by Goldpanner

[Goldpanner 399]

 

Bloody hell, you're not one of them Canary supporters are you?. I'm just down the road, driving my tractor!. Horse and cart

 

Fixed that for you

[TheFiend 1,181]

Goldpanner.... flying has changed since the 80's,...... who would have thought then that there would be 3 flights a day from Manchester to Dubai, 2 from Birmingham and with the option of flying A380's as well!!!

 

There is so much more choice now for departure airports.....

 

Me, I've got a choice of MAN, NCL, GLA and EDI within 2.5 hours of where I live, all offering flights to BKK via the Middle East..... Why travel all the way down to London to fly to Bangkok???

 

The ME3 have opened up more options for flying to exotic destinations for the masses.....

[Butch 3,456]

Interesting post GP. I won't "multi quote" it, but I'd like to ask (if a bit off topic) what kind of profit margins were you expecting to see back then on a 747 full of pax and Cargo?. Was it worked out per pax or per flight?.

 

I think Emirates have seen a bit of a trick here. Apart from the free advertising, I actually think that it'll be a success, also because Dubai is more of a holiday destination today than it was back in the 80's and 90's (I first went there in 1977, it wasn't that salubrious back then). I would have thought that STD have given them a fair bit of a deal in order to become associated with a decent airline other than that Ryan air shite. Of course it'll be passed onto the customers somehow.

 

Maybe though, as an afterthought, a bit of a mutually beneficial deal which might be more to do with advertising exposure than actually providing a new service - I can only speculate and time will tell.

 

My horse and cart managed to pass the MOT last month. I had to pay the bloke in piglets and wool but he was happy with the barter. We are different to those from Norfolk because our 6 fingers are not webbed!

 

Merry Christmas to you and yours mate.

[Brown1950 67]

Emirates are leaving a new B777-300ER on the ground in Stansted for 7 hours ??

Dont forget Passengers are not the only revenue stream ! Cargo plays a big part of Emirates especially B777-300ER !

[Severn 109]

Emirates are leaving a new B777-300ER on the ground in Stansted for 7 hours ??

Dont forget Passengers are not the only revenue stream ! Cargo plays a big part of Emirates especially B777-300ER !

And Stansted happens to be a large Air-cargo hub.

 

Sent from my ASUS_Z010D using Tapatalk

[Butch 3,456]

And Stansted happens to be a large Air-cargo hub.

 

Sent from my ASUS_Z010D using Tapatalk

 

Yep, I watched a spanking new 747-8 Cargolux land there the other year (well, longer ago than that actually lol).

[Goldpanner 399]

Interesting post GP. I won't "multi quote" it, but I'd like to ask (if a bit off topic) what kind of profit margins were you expecting to see back then on a 747 full of pax and Cargo?. Was it worked out per pax or per flight?.

In the case of myself and the other company actually at the front end selling tickets, we would be making around £100 per ticket. The financier was hoping to make profit on the air tickets plus some minimal cargo.

 

I think Emirates have seen a bit of a trick here. Apart from the free advertising, I actually think that it'll be a success, also because Dubai is more of a holiday destination today than it was back in the 80's and 90's (I first went there in 1977, it wasn't that salubrious back then). I would have thought that STD have given them a fair bit of a deal in order to become associated with a decent airline other than that Ryan air shite. Of course it'll be passed onto the customers somehow.

 

Time will tell. I suspect its nothing but an advertising ploy and them getting in early to hold their signposts up for any potential slots at an enlarged Heathrow or Gatwick. I just cannot see the traffic for a 7 day a week service from what is, effectively a regional airport

 

Maybe though, as an afterthought, a bit of a mutually beneficial deal which might be more to do with advertising exposure than actually providing a new service - I can only speculate and time will tell.

Indeed so

 

My horse and cart managed to pass the MOT last month. I had to pay the bloke in piglets and wool but he was happy with the barter. We are different to those from Norfolk because our 6 fingers are not webbed!

Merry Christmas to you and yours mate.

 

Yep a Have a Happy New year

Snow here last night

[TheFiend 1,181]

 

Interesting post GP. I won't "multi quote" it, but I'd like to ask (if a bit off topic) what kind of profit margins were you expecting to see back then on a 747 full of pax and Cargo?. Was it worked out per pax or per flight?.

In the case of myself and the other company actually at the front end selling tickets, we would be making around £100 per ticket. The financier was hoping to make profit on the air tickets plus some minimal cargo.

 

I think Emirates have seen a bit of a trick here. Apart from the free advertising, I actually think that it'll be a success, also because Dubai is more of a holiday destination today than it was back in the 80's and 90's (I first went there in 1977, it wasn't that salubrious back then). I would have thought that STD have given them a fair bit of a deal in order to become associated with a decent airline other than that Ryan air shite. Of course it'll be passed onto the customers somehow.

 

Time will tell. I suspect its nothing but an advertising ploy and them getting in early to hold their signposts up for any potential slots at an enlarged Heathrow or Gatwick. I just cannot see the traffic for a 7 day a week service from what is, effectively a regional airport

 

Maybe though, as an afterthought, a bit of a mutually beneficial deal which might be more to do with advertising exposure than actually providing a new service - I can only speculate and time will tell.

Indeed so

 

My horse and cart managed to pass the MOT last month. I had to pay the bloke in piglets and wool but he was happy with the barter. We are different to those from Norfolk because our 6 fingers are not webbed!

Merry Christmas to you and yours mate.

 

Yep a Have a Happy New year

Snow here last night

 

 

2016 Stansted passenger numbers was 24 million and just behind Manchester (25 million) and placed 4th in total passengers numbers of all UK airports and ahead of Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.... all of which have at least one daily flight to the Middle East.... Emirates have obviously done their homework and think this "regional" airport is worth their interest....