DERRY/LONDONDERRY

[Stewart28]

Does anyone know if the new Airprt Manager had been appointed and how are the routed to Luton and Birmingham doing

[EI-BUD]

Runway

I was passing City of Derry airport last week and could see that work was ongoing with the runway extention. Does anyone know when this is due for completion?

Re some of the comments above re Aer Arann may pick up say Bristol, it now seems clear that this will not happen as Aer Arann have said that they are in future going to be focusing on Charter and sub contract work and essientially Scheduled services are not what they will be about (excluding the existing lot i would imagine).

This is disappointing as if Aer Arann who are quite the niche airline wont do this and already operate who will? Flybe's association with Loganair will give them alot of insite into operating at LDY and also Flybe has limited success in its past foray's into the airport (early 90's SH6 routes to BHD and DUB).

So outside of Ryanair I can't see any other airline looking too seriously at City of Derry Airport?

Any word on how BHX & LTN are performing?

[elle may clampit]

Response to EI-BUD....

If Im not mistaken flybe/Loganair have recently terminated their 30 year old LDY-GLA service?

If various other notable examples around Europe hold true then few other airlines will either try to set up or hang around these niche airports once FR have marked their territory.

[cuthere]

Elle, yeah Flybe/Logainair have gone. Since losing the PSO they only had the 1 daily GLA, and that was averaging 20 a flight. Hardly surprising when RYR were competing witk PIK.

EI-BUD, runway's finished as this slightly over-zealous article states:

City of Derry has the 'best' runway... and that's official - Sunday Journal

Capacity has increased due to the full use of the 737-800, but this is negated somewhat by the RYR-STN being reduced to 1 daily for the winter.

[Geolog]

Looks like some chickens are finally coming to roost in the wake of the disastrous closure promoted by UNITE in July 2008.

Derry City Council

Press Release

Derry City Council commences business review at City of Derry Airport

Monday 05th January 2009

Derry City Council has today commenced discussions with employees and union representatives at City of Derry Airport to assist with reducing operational costs and safeguarding future growth at City of Derry Airport. The discussions are against a background of increasing financial pressure facing Local Authorities in Northern Ireland as a result of a reducing penny product and uncertainty with general grant resource, two essential financial sources needed to support the delivery of everyday public services.
Chief Executive of Derry City Council, Valerie Watts said: “Derry City Council has a unique challenge in 2009/10 as it also finances a regional airport that is influenced more by the changing economic and commercial environment than everyday public services. Derry City Council must act now to consolidate services at City of Derry Airport to safeguard future growth and the employment the airport supports. This will be achieved through a savings in operational costs along with a business plan that delivers commercial and passenger growth.”.
Over the past number of years the airport has experienced exceptional growth in passenger numbers coupled with an increasing operational deficit rising from £1.7million to over £4million. It is estimated the Airport generates approximately £40million into the local economy. A proposed target for a reduction in operational costs is savings in the region of £600,000 at City of Derry Airport. This is against an overall proposed savings plan in excess of £1.6million for Derry City Council. Members are considering options as part of the ongoing rates estimates process and have recently made representation to Minister Dodds to call for immediate action to ease the financial pressures facing Derry City Council this year.
Proposals for increased commercial activity and improved income targets at City of Derry Airport are supported through the appointment of Albert Harrison OBE as Airport Manager for a six-month period to deliver specialist management support to the management team including the achievement of key targets within the business plan. Mr Harrison will take up his position mid-January 2009.
Mr Harrison brings substantial aviation and commercial experience to City of Derry Airport. He held senior management positions with TBI Holdings, a global aviation company, including Managing Director of Stockholm Skavsta, Cardiff International Airport and Managing Director of Belfast International Airport. His track record in business growth, revenue generation and management support has assisted many of the airports improve passenger numbers and business performance.
Prior to this position he was the Airport Director of Belfast City Airport. Mr Harrison also worked for Cathay Pacific Airways for eighteen years overseeing a material management function with an annual budget in excess of $300m.
Mr Harrison retired in November 2006 from his role of Chief Operating Officer at Aberties following their acquisition of TBI Holdings. This included responsibility for the profitability of nine global airports. Since his retirement he has remained active in aviation through a number of consultancy projects.
Ms Watts concluded: “We need to ensure City of Derry Airport remains an affordable and successful regional facility. This is a challenging period for all commercial enterprises and Council has acted to safeguard the long-term future of City of Derry Airport and the employment it supports through initiating robust targets for growth and cost reductions. We will continue to work with the Unions to ensure this period of change can be managed with the necessary support for all employees.”
Ends

[Stewart28]

I was looking at the Derry City Council website and I noticed they have appointed a new manager.

Here is the link Derry City Council - Derry City Council commences business review at City of Derry Airport

[Nineiron]

I wonder how much of the 600k cutbacks/job losses are needed to pay for the new manager and what is he expected to achieve in 6 months? Somehow the council calculate that the airport is worth £40m to the local economy. Nobody can argue with that unless you know how they work that out?

[iwhak]

Nineiron

Maybe you have spent too much time on the golf course.....I would have said 40m was quite conservative, if you knew anything about the direct, indirect and induced benefits from an airport, you would not have questioned the figure......and to be honest I'm not going to explain it!

[eu01]

From the BBC News (published today):

Ryanair is expected to announce details of a new flight route at City of Derry Airport later.
(...)
It is understood Alicante in Spain will be City of Derry Airport's new destination.

[tigger2k8]

^ now confirmed ^

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | New international flight route

in my opinion, this sucks, yet another flight to a Spanish destination... i got hopeful for a second and thought BFS might have been getting somewhere new

[BFS101]

Yet more capacity for the adventurous Benidorm/Bally Ponsa lot!!!

Sucks big time!! Somewhere new would be nice, but then we'd need the public support for the route to succeed, and we know haw backward Northern Ireland folk can be.

[cuthere]

Sucks big time if you were after more routes from BFS (been much expansion there recently?), but is great news for Derry airport and for the people in the NW of Ireland who don't fancy the 2-3 hour drive to BFS to go on holiday!!

[tigger2k8]

oh i have to agree it is good news for people who dont want to travel 2-3hrs to BFS for an ALC flight

but it just seems like the residents of N.I think theres nowhere else out there apart from Spain..

[corsaman]

Many of the people I talk to on flights seem to have property down there, either of their own, or "in the family" - which accounts for the popularity of the flights.
CM

[BFS101]

I can understand the demand for these flights in relation to foreign home-owners, and certainly there are beautiful regions in Spain to holiday in. It is a coup for the NW.

However to compare Northern Ireland as a whole to similar sized mainland airports, what I was trying to get at, was our lack of choice. Mulitple flights to the Costa's, yet complete lack of a decent Greek programme, no direct Egypt flights, no Malta etc etc. All destinations served by similar sized UK airports. Besides the foreign home-owners, why can't the Northern Irish be a bit more daring with their holiday choice, to allow other destinations to be feasible.

That was the huge let down when FR entered the Belfast market. Will we get exciting new destinations??? No, just more flights to already well served markets, on an already decent carrier, with already decent realistic fares, from an airport 25 minutes from the other. To be honest, i'm very sceptical about what FR will offer should BHD get the runway extension. Will it be yet more flights to Paris (Beauvais), Barcelona (Girona), Rome. If so, really whats the point. We're already well connected. All it will do is lower prices in a fare war and one carrier will exit that market. It happened with Jet2 Prague, Jet2 Barcelona.

[cuthere]

BFS101, agree entirely with what you're saying, but perhaps you're in the wrong topic setion.

RYR's offer at BHD or direct sun routes from BFS doesn't really fit the DERRY/LONDONDERRY topic, which is where you're discussing the above!

Cheers,

CH

[BFS101]

Sorry for the rambling, once I get on my soapbox!!

The duplication of routes, from all Northern Ireland airports INC City of Derry gets fustrating with the low cost carriers fighting tooth and nail for bums on seats. Hopefully it'll do well though and serve the NW.

What are the direct international destinations from LDY this summer?
Is it currently only Falcon operating packages, or other tour operators also? Was there a Republic tour operator offering packages from LDY in the past, to Lanzarote if I remember?

[cuthere]

The Derry Journal is reporting that council and the airport are actively looking for a carrier to operate routes to Manchester and Edinburgh. Airport to land Manchester, Edinburgh routes - Derry Today

Aer Arann? If so (big IF) how will Ryanair react?

[odonnell abu]

RE possible new routes to Derry

I suspect, with the establishment of a Ryanair base at Edinburgh, that the airport management are hoping that Ryanair will start a route to Derry. Aer Arann have flown between Derry and Manchester before, though I am not sure whether they are interested in new routes at the moment. However, with 2 routes from Derry they could consider basing an aircraft there which would allow them to have a proper early morning flight to Dublin a la Logan air which could help improve the Dublin pax numbers.

[Amelia Earhart]

Edinburgh & Manchester routes

• Aer Arann - They recently declared a desire to retrench and wet lease their aircraft. Probably not.
• Flybe - On the faceof it they have just pulled out of the LDY-GLA route but in actual fact this was Logainair operating as Flybe. Flybe themselves did operate from Derry in the 1990s but withdrew and have since shown no interest in the airport concentrating instead on Belfast. Still possible though I suppose.
• Ryanair - They currently fly from all three cities and have stated that they would look at expanding from Derry once the runway extension was complete. Also passenger numbers from Northern Ireland to Edinburgh and Manchester would indicate that a route from LDY could be viable for Ryanair. On the otherhand they also stated that future expansion from the city would be continental Europe routes (and have since announced Alicante). Definite possibility though.
• Loganair / British Airways - They have pulled the Glasgow International route after 30 years despite no drop in numbers following the arrival of Ryanair Prestwick route. Not a chance.
• BMI / BMIbaby - The operate out of both Glasgow and Manchester. There was previous speculation that they would come to LDY but this amounted to nothing. Long shot.
• Aer Lingus - Busy building base at BFS. Not a chance.
• Easyjet - Again there was speculation that they might come to LDY but on some route like Luton. Despite their rivalry with Ryanair I still think given their commitment to BFS that it is unlikely. Long shot.

Have I left anyone out?

Of course it is just Derry Journal speculation that we've all heard before. But on the other hand there is a new manager looking to make his mark so fingers crossed .......