nice to see fair competition is still around-not, so reading the article in the press report attached a couple of responses back, explains why a near empty aircraft flies backwards and forwards every day to Zurich, what was the phrase used, oh yes that's right "after a successful partnership between the airline and the welsh government was reached", resulted in the new daily service.
Now with figures of 16.6% seats filled stated on some of the movements, does that mean the welsh government ie the tax payer, (i won't say local tax payer, as it will probably end up as over budget and will be covered by top up from the english government) are subsidising the empty 83.4% seats?
Money isn't the problem, as said so many times before, there isn't the catchment to sustain the growth.
Going back 20 years the position of Cardiff and Bristol were reversed, and at one time Bristol City Council had a meeting to decide the future of the ailing airpot, whether to close it or get someone in to turn it around, lickily the latter was chosen and Les Wilson was brought in and at times the meteoric rise in fortune and business began.
This situation is still prevelant today and stated money was not the answer as at that time we had just been designated as a regional development area (southwest RDA) which was only shut down last year and in that time Bristol Airport never had a penny from it, it was all down to the managements hard work.
In addition this all coincided with the building of a new town and vast business park in the area at the time as well as the local area is full of retirees with plenty of money and time to spend it, which unfortunately Cardiff does not.