CORK - 5

[Ger Cork]

I wonder are the Cork Airport Authority better off accepting a small part of the debt associated with the expansion of Cork Airport. I think they have said they could afford an amount of €50 million in which they could probably make do with to finally separate from Dublin Airport Authority. My question would be can Cork be able to attract a number of new carriers and to keep what they have without having to increase charges, there dear enough as it is. New carriers I would love to see Cork attract in future are the likes of Iberia, SAS, Crossair, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Baltic and Air France. By the way, is it true that Air France or CityJet want to start new flights from Cork Airport to Paris CDG and London City when Cork is on it’s own autonomy. I wonder how many other carriers are interested in starting new flights to Cork. Here is one more to finish with, Polish Airlines to Warsaw. Of course it all depends on the debt situation, but i think quiet a few carriers want to start flights from Cork. I know 6 or 7 carriers see it as a more lucrative option than Shannon and I recon the airlines I mentioned would come in and maybe one or two more, who knows.

I don’t think the problem is Aer Lingus and Ryanair having a base in cork. The obvious problem is more to do with the debt fiasco which has yet to be sorted. Cork should accept €60million at the most and attract new carriers who want to come in and I believe many do and hopefully they would stay for a long time and also more important keep what they have. Also, as well perhaps the charges are too high if they were reduced it would make a difference. I also think that Cork has a lot of potential to have a lot more flights to destinations in Europe. Destinations like FRA, DUS, BOR, LCY, ZU, Milan, STO, COPe, Vale, Brus, Ven, Os and Riga, forgot Madrid with perhaps Iberia. A good point that was made too about the marketing team at Cork Airport should be trying to start a medium to long-haul charter flight or flights to maybe some place like Orlando, Florida or maybe Toronto, Canada. It would work, perhaps one weekly flight with an Airbus A330 or Boeing 767. At least then it would give scheduled transatlantic carriers who want to some in a chance to show that it could work. Thought that Excel Airways were interested in doing Florida from Cork? Thomas Cook and Thomsonfly are two other carriers that could do long haul charter flights from Cork with an A330 or B767. Another long haul optiong could be Dubai – meant to start a few years ago but never did. A long haul charter to Orlando and Toronto would be great for Cork Airport and the South West.

I would like to know how negotiations are going with likes of Continental/Delta/American/Air Canada maybe more in starting new routes from Cork to the United States and Canada. These carriers want to come in again it all depends on the debt situation. It should be sorted shortly and I hope that Cork gets the best deal possible. €50-60millions might be alright, not €100million – no way. Perhaps Cork Airport should be sold off; at least then it would have a great chance to expand and expand properly.

Cork to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Bordeaux, Brussels, Frankfurt, Zurich, Milan would be fantastic, just what Cork needs along with the like of Delta, Continental, American, US Airways, Air Canada. I think Centralwings are in trouble too – they might be ceasing to exist if these stories are true. Could LOT Polish Airlines take over the Warsaw + Krakow flights from Cork and hopefully not Aer Lingus.

Here is my wishlist of new carriers and destinations from Cork Airport when they are finally separate from the D.A.A. it’s a fiasco this has not been sorted out.

Lufthansa – Frankfurt, Dusseldorf
SAS – Stockholm, Copenhagen
Crossair – Zurich
Iberian or Ryanair – Madrid
Air Baltic – Riga
Air France – Paris CDG, London City, Bordeaux
Brussels Airlines – Brussels
FlyBe
Ryanair – Milan or Venice
Continental, American, Delta, Air Canada, North American

Cork needs to attract more carriers to hubs with onward connections e.g. LH – Frankfurt, LX – Zurich, AF – Paris CDG, Brus Air – Brussels, maybe IB – Madrid. The more connections it has the better. Can anyone confirm that Centralwings are axing Warsaw and if so who would replace it and don’t forget Budapest. Will it be Aer Lingus or LOT Polish Airlines or could Wizz Air take them both over.