DERRY/LONDONDERRY

[AerRyan]

Nothing yet?

[scodaman]

More than likely a systems 'housekeeping' issue but interesting to see that Faro still on the dynamic list of destinations available from Derry on the Ryanair site.

All months visible but no active dates whereas Stansted calendar will not let you go past March 2017 at all.

[A320.b744]

I can't see any other airlines wanting to operate to Derry, especially if there needs to be aircraft based at LDY. The question is, will Flybe fly to Stansted, Gatwick, Southend or City - can't see them wasting valuable Heathrow slots on a PSO. I also wonder if Cork will be included in the list of new routes. Any ideas when the announcement is to be made?

[scodaman]

In local press, Derry Journal today, nothing new really.


Airport is evaluating tenders from airlines
Airport is evaluating tenders from airlines - Derry Journal

[davidjohnson6]

Perhaps someone from the airport or one of the local Govt councils might like to say how long the evaluation process will take and when a decision communicated to the public ? All they seem to say is ''Yes, we have opened the envelopes"

Ryanair stop flying LDY-STN in two and a half months - it would be nice if the PSO flying began the day after Ryanair stop, instead of having to have potentially a month (or longer) gap or additional public cash being spent as a subsidy, because there was insufficient lead time for the new airline to put tickets on sale

[AerRyan]

Cork won't be added, no market.

[tws123]

PSO airline should be announced in early February.

[AerRyan]

Are they still hoping to have it started by the end of March?

[scodaman]

They'd need to get a move on and if they are to launch it end of March they will need to have some good prices to get passengers on side.

[tws123]

Ideally you would want a 2-3 month lead in period, but surely being a PSO route will enable a quick resumption of flights with the financial support being provided?

[A320.b744]

Well given that FR announced their BFS-LGW route in the middle of January last year, I don't find it unreasonable to announce the new London route at the start of February, especially given that many business people flying to London would be booking flights relatively late.

Also, I don't think that the people of the North West have the right to potentially complain about the new flights being announced so close to the start date; they're lucky that the Government has provided financial support for a route to an airport which should have been closed years ago. The NI taxpayers have been flogging a dead horse for years and it's clear that if a PSO is required for flights to the capital, the route should be axed.

[AerRyan]

Originally Posted by A320.b744

Well given that FR announced their BFS-LGW route in the middle of January last year, I don't find it unreasonable to announce the new London route at the start of February, especially given that many business people flying to London would be booking flights relatively late.

Also, I don't think that the people of the North West have the right to potentially complain about the new flights being announced so close to the start date; they're lucky that the Government has provided financial support for a route to an airport which should have been closed years ago. The NI taxpayers have been flogging a dead horse for years and it's clear that if a PSO is required for flights to the capital, the route should be axed.

The Ryanair routes survived fine by themselves. This is only the usual shift of flights between airports that usually happens. Read the first page of this thread!

I'd be surprised if Ryanair aren't back in a few years.

[All names taken]

A320.b744

....but it's ok for the NI taxpayer to subsidize a vanity flight to New York just because it would be from Belfast even though it has proven to be unsustainable?

[mart901]

Well EWR isn't the only vanity project or waste of NI taxpayers money. Pardon the poultry pun but it's chicken feed in comparison with RHI.

[scodaman]

Not one flight today, airport is now essentially closed on a Tuesday.

According to local press today the announcement on new airline(s) and route(s) is coming in next few days.

[cuthere]

Scodaman, any links? I'm out of town at the minute and none of the usual websites have anything. Cheers.

[scodaman]

Cuthere,

Sorry no link. It was mentioned in the Derry Journal paper edition business column yesterday but have just checked online for the same story and no sign of it.

Business News - Derry Journal

[buzz_hornet]

i mentioned it elsewhere but the airport attended routes 2016 in Poland. I wonder if it was a worthwhile trip

[canberra97]

Probably not.

[AerRyan]

The trip would definitely benefit the airport in some way. Derry airport, being the small regional airport that it is, wouldn't have management with the same experience as the DAA, or know that the airlines offer as well as Willie Walsh or MOL, so these events allow the management to see what other airports offer, what their USP's are, how they offer this, discounts, how airline operate, what deals are signed and how.

Even if nothing comes out of them, it establishes Derry on the table for airport's looking to expand and is also like a very helpful management training course.

Never underestimate these events.