Duxford's Advance Ticket Only Airshow

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Member for

11 years 11 months

Posts: 641

To my mind this is a very worrying development that I really hope doesn't take hold and become a regular thing. What it does is shift all the bad weather loss risk onto the paying public who are forced to buy their tickets before they can possibly know that they have a reasonable chance of not having to stand under an umbrella all day, and for this reason I will probably give this show a miss. What do you, fellow forumites think ?

Original post

Member for

14 years

Posts: 4,996

Which airshow is this ?

Member for

19 years 4 months

Posts: 814

I totally agree.
It is a gamble and I find the need to buy RIAT tickets in advance a pain not only for the weather reasons given but also for other unforeseen circumstances.
I bought my RIAT tickets back in January for an 'early bird' price and now due to a family issue find myself in a situation where we may not be able to attend.
I have been attending air shows for years and often leave go/no go decisions right until the last minute .
For Flying Legends i was available both days and I had the option to take advantage of the better Saturday forecast and as such had a fantastic day.
I am hoping that this September show advance ticket policy is just a precaution against the expected 'Spitfire factor' with this being the BoB 75th year.
Back to RIAT ,I don't particularly like their all e-ticket policy either.

Member for

18 years

Posts: 857

Cosford went advance ticket only this year. I suspect the reason is to do with traffic management in and around the airfields as much as anything, with guaranteed income a secondary matter.
Surely there must be show organisers on this forum who can give us a definitive answer?

Member for

11 years 11 months

Posts: 641

Which airshow is this ?

The Battle of Britain 75th Anniversary Airshow in September

Member for

14 years

Posts: 4,996

A lot of events do this. As said, its a means of controlling numbers attending.
Maybe they were under pressure from the police and local authority ?

Member for

20 years 1 month

Posts: 1,285

After the horrible traffic snarl for the two Lancasters last year I think they have been pushed into finding alternatives to just turn up, I agree though that if you buy in advance and the weather is bad or something changes you will have shelled out for nothing.

I will say though the traffic management for both shows this year have been very good as we got out of Legends on Saturday and only had about a 5 minute delay getting to Royston so that is a step in the right direction after the confused chaos of last year and the 40 min car park jam they had then.

Curlyboy

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 963

curlyboy you got it right, the reason simply is to avoid the disappointment and grief experienced at last years show where the Lancaster's were booked quite late in the day and set up an unprecedented rush demand for tickets meaning those who intended to come and buy on the day were caught out. This is a way to try and manage the demand to ensure all those who were quite angry and upset last year will not suffer the same again.

Currently this is the only airshow at Duxford this year for which this is planned and similarly in future only those which set up an anticipated demand, due to either unique aircraft appearing or such as in this case a large volume of Spitfires, will be managed in this way.

Member for

15 years 7 months

Posts: 674

Heard some pre flying display commentary at Legends about the September airshow being ticket only. Very much a PR exercise with the nice lady from IWM explaining how the "visitor experience" can be improved by having a limited advance bookings. Utter rubbish the only thing IWM, and most other airshow organiers, bother about is making a profit. Now before people start shouting I do understand that if the airshow makes a loss this year there might not be another one next year, this has happen with so many good venues and events in the past. But to claim the event can only be a success if it is advance ticket is wrong, only the right show content, will make a success that the public will want to visit again. I do fear that IWM will be looking at next year and would not be surprised to see more ticket only events. I am sure there are some within IWM that would be quiet happy to loss some to the general public and concentrate on the invited guests and VIP's which appear to be all the more important at events like Fairford, Silverstone and Goodwood, not to mention the sporting events like Wimbledon and the Open Golf.

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,788

Been going to Goodwood since the 1990s and I have to say that it improved (less crowding) when they introduced the advanced ticket-only entry.

It may be relatively new for airshows, but it also makes a lot of business sense.

All round (from my experience) it has thus far been an entirely positive move.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,208

I think it is a good move. It speeds entry (and therefore eases the traffic flow), prevents the ridiculous overcrowding experienced at some Duxford shows where the gates have to be closed and the surrounding roads are still clogged with people trying to get in, and in general allows the organisers to control the size of the crowd. It also removes the risks to the organisers associated with weather. It is just the same arrangement as many large events (concerts, sporting events, etc) have operated on for years.

Member for

14 years

Posts: 4,996

If people know they are going to get in, it may avoid them having to
get there two hours before the doors open. ?

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 963

Heard some pre flying display commentary at Legends about the September airshow being ticket only. Very much a PR exercise with the ...... Silverstone and Goodwood, not to mention the sporting events like Wimbledon and the Open Golf.

As per my earlier comment this move has been made as a direct result of the Lancaster's experience last year. There are no plans to expand this to all airshows next year and onwards.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,566

Posted at 12:04 11/7/14 - Car parks have reached Max capacity.

Brian

I was sat on the M11 (SB) from about 9.40 (400yd tailback on hard shoulder to exit) and they'd closed off the North Side car park for vehicles coming from M11 by the time I got to the entrance at 10.00. Traffic from Royston direction was still getting into the NS car park though ;)

Member for

15 years 7 months

Posts: 674

Been going to Goodwood since the 1990s and I have to say that it improved (less crowding) when they introduced the advanced ticket-only entry.

It may be relatively new for airshows, but it also makes a lot of business sense.

All round (from my experience) it has thus far been an entirely positive move.

Precisely the point. The IWM will double the admission price, half the number of tickets and say what a wonderful event the Duxford airshow but only those who get free tickets or can afford the high prices will get in. Sadly the result will mean the average man in the street will be forced to watch from outside, and that will cause a whole load more problems.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,208

Utter nonsense. What possible foundation have you for saying that they'll 'double the admission price'?

Member for

14 years 3 months

Posts: 1,205

If pre-booking avoids the likes of the total traffic shambles I endured trying to get out of Yeovilton on Saturday, then it's got to be a good thing. On the whole I don't mind too much booking in advance for big shows with WW2 or later stuff, as the weather isn't that much of a deal-breaker. Sure, getting drenched at Legends on Sunday was unpleasant (mostly because I, like many others, hid under the Victor, and promptly felt extremely depressed at the rampant corrosion), but the show carried on in between and we got to see nearly everything that was booked.
I even book Shuttleworth in advance every time I go. Their e-ticket system and the late close of booking (Saturday AM for a Sunday PM show, IIRC) is very appreciated as it means I can make a decision based on a reasonable accurate weather forecast.

Totally agree about the marquees for the glitterati though. A huge amount of the Duxford flightline now seems to be taken up by (often half-empty) enclosures for big spenders.

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 963

I recall last year moving towards September time that a good number of forumites were complaining, as to how Duxford had allowed itself to be in a position to have to close down pre-airshow ticket sales and close down sales on the day due to unprecedented demand for the airshow and leaving them without the ability to attend.

To avoid that Duxford make this years show ticket only due to the anticipated high demand (pre-airshow ticket sales are looking strong already) and....... a number of forumites are complaining, making radical statements about ticket prices doubling and promoting radical conspiracy theories. I wonder sometimes if those organising and running such events look at this and ever loose the will to continue.

As for enclosures/big spenders etc., it's useful to know that for Friends of Duxford members their enclosure by the AAM is free and provides seating, toilets and refreshments.

Member for

14 years 8 months

Posts: 74

How many of the above contributors bought tickets in advance?

I did, why? Because I wanted to ensure I could attend and didn't want to risk it being sold out before the day, or drive up from Hastings to find that the gates are closed because the tickets are now sold out.

I know I can normally get Shoreham tickets in advance and are valid for either day, but this must cause a logistical nightmare, especially like this year with the Vulcan only attending for one day.

Septembers general admission is £24.75....seems agreeable to me.

Having said that, it may cause a risk of all the advance tickets not being sold, and therefore the opportunity to sell more on the day would be lost.

Member for

14 years 3 months

Posts: 1,205

I wasn't particularly aiming at the FoD enclosure! Small, well-attended and a fair return for directly supporting the Museum by being a Friend. More thinking of the vast (and at least half-empty) Bremont enclosure in front of the TFC hangar...

Member for

18 years 10 months

Posts: 963

I wasn't particularly aiming at the FoD enclosure! Small, well-attended and a fair return for directly supporting the Museum by being a Friend. More thinking of the vast (and at least half-empty) Bremont enclosure in front of the TFC hangar...

I'm inclined to agree with you here, I can only assume that as the airshow is run by TFC (they lease the airfield from IWM for the airshow) that this is part of their business plan to get the income returns required.