Originally Posted by
Skipness One Foxtrot
Fair point. It’s also backed to the hilt with taxpayers money, like NQY, and yet still flybe struggle. CWL’s problem is more easyJet at BRS than BA at the other end of the GWR.
Incentives were provided from the airport but that is no different than any other airport.
As for BRS yes that will always be a drain on Cardiff Airport (even if APD was devolved one day) but Flybe have shown that if the flights are provided then people will use them, around 480,000 passengers (CAA stats are the source) used Flybe from CWL in 2017 and because of that there has been more positivity around CWL than negativity lately, people who i know have always used BRS have started to use CWL as well and will do so in the future and that comes from having Flybe at the airport. That is why their survival and continued operations at CWL is extremely important for the airport.
I mentioned BA because IAG own them and they are essentially their UK airline and while yes Vueling provide flights to the sun, i'm sure IAG would prefer people like me who use city routes or travel long haul to use LHR.