The Airport was the main news story on BBC Radio Foyle this morning and it was not good coverage.
Damian Tierney was on live in Studio and said that
1. City of Culture had no positive impact whatsoever on the airport business and that 2013 actually saw a reduction.
2. 2014 will be a real bad year.
3. Because of 2 then he cannot rule out job losses.
A common thread among listeners who texted in etc was the rubbish flight times. Me personally, I am a great supporter of the airport and I am looking to take my wife for a surprise weekend away to London in April for her 40th birthday. Of course I want to use Derry. Outbound flight to Stansted on Friday 4th April goes at 8.05pm at night. Totally useless for a weekend away.
Return on Sunday is not too bad, leaves London at 3.30pm but the late Friday is a deal breaker. The flight times are hopeless for the leisure traveller looking for a weekend away. Landing in London at around 9pm at night and by the time you get to your hotel or whatever sure it will be at least 10.30/11.00pm
If the flight times are ok many Northwest passengers will forgive a £20 cheaper fare in Belfast and will still use Derry in that case as the extra travel is not worth the £20. But they will not write-off losing a day in London for a 2 night trip and will instead travel to Belfast for earlier flight time so as to get a proper weekend in London.
By the sounds of it the Airport have no control over the flight times and no doubt they receive the rota from Ryanair and that's the end of it. I would love to know what is going on. I am confident that if they also ran a 9am or 10am London flight on a Friday then it would have good load factors.