Judging by the pics, it certainly hasn't changed much since 1965 either! And I thought PIK was really retro!
Lucky AW only use a 15 seater (4 seats removed for baggage apparently) ... I don't think you'd be able to get a lot more than 15 pax in there!
Press release from SWS about the new service:
GOING INTERNATIONAL
SWANSEA Airport is going international with the launch of a three-times-a-day service to Dublin. And it could just be the start, with many more European destinations in the pipeline.
Sixteen jobs have already been created and 15 more are to follow. The announcement comes 17 months after city business couple Martin and Louisa Morgan took over the airport at Fairwood, in Gower, and has been warmly welcomed by the business community.
It is a small but welcome bit of good news for the airlines industry which is in crisis following the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Mr Morgan said: "I hope the people of West Wales will really get behind this route and that it will be the start of many more from Swansea. "We are on the first rung of the ladder as a scheduled airport. "We are a very viable airport which could, in the future, have routes to Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London."
Mr Morgan has ambitions to carry 300,000 passengers a year — Cardiff International has 1.5 million. The Dublin flights, which begin
on October 16, will cost from £99 return and use two 19-seater Dornier 228 aircraft.
The Air Wales service will take 55 minutes to arrive in Dublin, compared with the nearly 10 hours it takes the Swansea-Cork ferry to cross the Irish Sea. Air Wales to Ireland will operate three times a day Monday to Friday, twice on Sunday with no flights on Saturday.
The new service was welcomed by city business chiefs, including DVLA chief executive Clive Bennett, and Dennis Cann, manager of EDS. Mr Cann said: "A functioning airport is vital to the economic future of the area and will undoubtedly act as a huge draw to businesses." Air Wales deputy chairman captain John Evans said: "Dublin is the first step. By next year the transition to a 50-seater aircraft is planned and will open the way to extending the route to places like Amsterdam, Paris and Glasgow."
In preparation for the new passenger service, the airport has been overhauled and full air traffic control introduced. Sixteen new jobs have been created and another 15 people will also be taken on, including six to man the new reservations centre, Take Off Travel,
which will handle Dublin flight bookings. Special Branch and customs will also be based at the airport to cover security.
Today, at the official launch, Swansea West AM Andrew Davies said: "This announcement is of strategic importance to the future of Swansea. As a result Swansea will continue to attract high quality, technology-based businesses and employers."
[ 26 September 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]