but is there really enough demand from Shannon to fill that many seats on DIY ski trips?
My sentiments exactly!
Indeed, skiing holidays have been growing a lot in popularity the last 10 years in Ireland, but still it's not yet a national tradition to go off for a ski week. And not having been skiing so often before, Irish people will tend to book via a travel agent for the all inclusive package. The ski resorts near Biarritz won't even have been frequented by too many Shannoners before, so there will definitely be a hestitation to organise a DIY ski trip to an unknown resort.
Anyway, who's going to fly to Biarritz and Carcassonne in November?? I actually lived in Biarritz for a summer before and I know a Biarritzian living in Cork right now. It is a great place to visit/live! Really beautiful. Coastline, cliffs, beaches, sunsets, mountains, ski, Spain down the road, Lourdes nearby etc. etc. But I just can't imagine the Shannon to Biarritz service doing particularly well during the winter, except for the occasional rugby match.
I hope the novelty of the new destinations will spur people to use these services to Biarritz, Carcassonne and Shannon, and allow them to discover the charms of these destinations, so that they can return to their homeland, spread the word, and that these routes will be a success.