No it didn’t only affect CWL, I made that very point in my last post. MME was handling just shy of 1mppa at its peak, it’s now at around 25% peak value. HUY almost 600,000 and now lucky if it passes 150,000. Some airports have now gone because they couldn’t sustain operations after the low cost boom matured and got comfortable in its main operating bases.
SOU is operating way below peak value after Flybe went to the wall. It’s picking up some easyjet traffic but it won’t be enough at the moment to recover its momentum.
CWL hasn’t got Easyjet, Jet2 or significant Ryanair ops because they all fly from BRS which is nearby. So even though it did at one time handle 2mppa it won’t now because there are not the number of airlines there were to go around. So again, I ask you what you think ‘management’ should be doing about it? It’s fine saying to offer route incentives but if they’ve already been offered and the routes don’t last, how do you justify a continued spend on something that continues to fail? Diversification of aviation revenue is key, as alluded to by another member unthread.
I respectfully don’t agree with all your points and don’t think HuY and MME are great comparisons. I am sure we will not agree.
CWL has survived as a result of the Welsh taxpayer, which I agree with - Wales should have a national airport.
But taking your point about diversification- can you tell me what success the current team has had since the pandemic in non aviation revenue or what is on the horizon or what the current strategy is ?
The number of airlines is not relevant - those that remain are bigger and as I pointed out this impacts every other airport as does competition.
if 2m were prepared to use the airport before why wouldn’t they again ?