Southampton, UK Aviation Photography 5th February 2018

Early evening in Southampton, UK & possibly the busiest rush hour for domestic & some international flights during the mid Winter Season. Before we enter the Summer Seasonal for Southampton Airport, lets take a look what movements I've seen.  

Passenger travel is growing quickly with Southampton's biggest hub Flybe. Unfortunately Flybe has made few cuts on international flights due to fail competitions & lack of Flybe customers for all year period. As Summer service is right round the corner, Flybe will be starting not only their normal international flights to France, Spain, Portugal etc Flybe will be started two new Charter service to Menorca, Spain and Skiathos, Greece. With the success of EasyJet Switzerland for the new Winter service to Geneva, Switzerland this could be hard for Flybe to compete with high number of passengers. 

KLM Cityhopper PH-EXP Embrear ERJ-175 new to KLM in 2017.

KLM Cityhopper is a huge success to Southampton not just the competition of Flybe, it gives KLM a great opportunity to connect from Southampton, UK to anywhere long haul from Amsterdam, The Netherlands other than flying direct from London for example I hope KLM will include Bournemouth, UK one day. Anyway, after the departure of KLM's Fokker F70 last year, Embraer ERJ-175 is the new job for KLM Cityhopper. I got EXTREMELY LUCKY two years ago my flight was originally Fokker 70 all of a sudden I was on-board ERJ-190 in SkyTeam livery PH-EZX I have a Full Flight Video you can watch the link it's a shame I didn't get a chance on Fokker.

Aurigny Air Service G-OAUR Dornier Do-228NG delivered in 2015.

Aurigny Air Service is one of those airliners from the Channel Islands operate Southampton from Alderney, Channel Island in Guernsey with the aircraft Dornier Do-228NG the next generation version of the classic version as the Trislander replacement.

Ae Lingus Regional EI-FSK ATR 72-600 new to Aer Lingus Regional in 2016.

Aer Lingus Regional as I mentioned in the past operates from Cork, Ireland with their ATR 72 & some ATR 42 leased by Stobart Air some in full Aer Lingus livery & some full white. Although Flybe is the main airliner to operate to Dublin, Ireland Aer Lingusw gives a great opportunity to fly to the South Coast of England to Southampton, Newquay and the Channel Islands "including north England, Scotland, Wales" and Isle of Man from both Cork & Dublin.

I've seen this aircraft many times before I board every flight, however this one is completely different than what I use to see. What you see is Eastern Airways "Yes" the only change is the Flybe logo is added on the front fuselage that indicate that every time you see that logo, it's a Flybe operator operating by Eastern Airways. Unfortunately I took this shot at the wrong time so I can't give he registration information when I was drinking a pint. Some of the Eastern Airways are painted in full Flybe livery & some will remain in Eastern Airways livery. Eastern Airways did not ceased operations what happen is that Flybe plan to combine with Eastern Airways after it dropped with Loganair, Flybe made a similar deal with Eastern Airways for some destination while BA CitFlyer is in the same deal with the Isle of Man/London City, UK deal. Half of the airline in the UK are operating by Flybe & some operating for Eastern Airways depending on your nearest airport. 

Finally what I saw I don't have a photo but I will mention about. After British carrier British Midland International "or BMI" ceased operations in October 2012 by integrated to British Airways, BMI's two subsidiaries bmibaby was  ceased operations in September 2012 merged with BMI. And BMI Regional remain unaffected & focus on operating within Europe with their collection of Embraer with bases from the UK, Germany and possibly a few. What I saw in Southampton is a white Embraer ERJ-145 in white livery that landed from Munich, Germany. This will benefit Southampton when codesharing with Lufthansa for connecting for long haul network only in Munich.