DERRY/LONDONDERRY
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Derry
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No Birmingham or no Birmingham yet?
Was Birmingham's loads really worse than Prestwick's, bad enough to axe the route?
We are still speculating here as nothing has been officially announced yet but are we sure Birmingham is gone?
Yet another disappointment if it is. And I wouldn't hold my breath on a new operator. Look at Derry-Bristol after it was axed by Ryanair. Look at Tenerife.
Was Birmingham's loads really worse than Prestwick's, bad enough to axe the route?
We are still speculating here as nothing has been officially announced yet but are we sure Birmingham is gone?
Yet another disappointment if it is. And I wouldn't hold my breath on a new operator. Look at Derry-Bristol after it was axed by Ryanair. Look at Tenerife.
Join Date: Jan 2012
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Faro and Alicante times are on website but currently not bookable.
Alicante: Monday and Friday (Starts 3rd July)
Times for both days-
LDY-ALC 17:55-21:50
ALC-LDY 15:10-17:30
Faro: Monday and Thursday (Starts 2nd July)
Times for both days-
LDY-FAO 17:45-20:55
FAO-LDY 14:10-17:20
Alicante: Monday and Friday (Starts 3rd July)
Times for both days-
LDY-ALC 17:55-21:50
ALC-LDY 15:10-17:30
Faro: Monday and Thursday (Starts 2nd July)
Times for both days-
LDY-FAO 17:45-20:55
FAO-LDY 14:10-17:20
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Derry
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That would represent quite a cut in the Faro service. Previously it had run from May to October.
I see the flights are currently listed as "sold out" but at least they are now showing.
I see the flights are currently listed as "sold out" but at least they are now showing.
The "financial black hole" as Knockers puts it is being filled by the rates payers of Derry via the city council. And of course there's the funding from Europe over the years as well (and of course the Republic's motorways and other shiny bits of infrastructure also benefitted from European money). Something to do with a city whose metropolitan area had a population of over 120,000 not having a motorway within 50 miles. The only city in western Europe to find itself in such an infrastructural BLACKHOLE.
As I understand it, Balfour Beatty owned BLK. Is this correct? If so, LDY is very different in that it is owned by Derry City Council, and "managed" by BB. Is EXT owned by BB?
As it stands, a lot of political capital has been invested in LDY. Under the financial malaise of the NI "government" (read utter shambles), one wonders when the penny pinchers will start looking at other infrastructure projects other than the promised (and what's a promise worth?) A5 and A2 upgrades.
As I understand it, Balfour Beatty owned BLK. Is this correct? If so, LDY is very different in that it is owned by Derry City Council, and "managed" by BB. Is EXT owned by BB?
As it stands, a lot of political capital has been invested in LDY. Under the financial malaise of the NI "government" (read utter shambles), one wonders when the penny pinchers will start looking at other infrastructure projects other than the promised (and what's a promise worth?) A5 and A2 upgrades.
As understood that BB had something like a year initially at CoDA to evaluate the potential before commitment so it was a bit of a surprise that they actually took the management of it on.
As cuthere has said the airport is a severe drain on the ratepayers of Derry but not to worry the council will shortly have the ratepayers of Strabane to help out. A local Strabane councilor has already stated that there will be no increase in Strabane rates due to the airport so effectively that means they will find another name for the inevitable increase.
I know that from a light aviation point of view that the present CoDA management have been less than accommodating to say the least, shades of Blackpool it would seem.
The airport is effectively run by MOL at the expense of the Derry ratepayers.
As cuthere has said the airport is a severe drain on the ratepayers of Derry but not to worry the council will shortly have the ratepayers of Strabane to help out. A local Strabane councilor has already stated that there will be no increase in Strabane rates due to the airport so effectively that means they will find another name for the inevitable increase.
I know that from a light aviation point of view that the present CoDA management have been less than accommodating to say the least, shades of Blackpool it would seem.
The airport is effectively run by MOL at the expense of the Derry ratepayers.
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: N. Ireland
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"Something to do with a city whose metropolitan area had a population of over 120,000 not having a motorway within 50 miles. The only city in western Europe to find itself in such an infrastructural BLACKHOLE. "
In UK Norwich (pop 213,000) is 58 miles from a motorway. Many other cities in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region of Europe (EU term for an ERDF Region in which Stroke City is located) are much more than 50 miles from a motorway and also have issues with loss making infrastructure.
Chip anybody?
In UK Norwich (pop 213,000) is 58 miles from a motorway. Many other cities in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region of Europe (EU term for an ERDF Region in which Stroke City is located) are much more than 50 miles from a motorway and also have issues with loss making infrastructure.
Chip anybody?
I should have been clearer. By motorway, I should have said dual carriageway. Norwich, a lovely city, has a nice shiny dual carriageway (A11) which links it to a nice shiny motorway (M11).
As for a chip. Yes. Yes I have. The record of underinvestment in essentially anything in the NW of Northern Ireland speaks for itself. Years of intentional abandonment. Road improvements that are promised but never materialise. University expansion which is promised but never materialises. Railway investment which is promised and only partially materialises. I could go on (and on). The only thing that seems to have any backing is the airport - and that's a financial disaster.
As for a chip. Yes. Yes I have. The record of underinvestment in essentially anything in the NW of Northern Ireland speaks for itself. Years of intentional abandonment. Road improvements that are promised but never materialise. University expansion which is promised but never materialises. Railway investment which is promised and only partially materialises. I could go on (and on). The only thing that seems to have any backing is the airport - and that's a financial disaster.
Join Date: Jul 2003
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The section of A11 at Elveden is still a single carriageway, though hopefully by the end of the year the bypass will be opened.
What about Inverness, has the infamous A9 - the airport has lost its services to London except for Easyjet. Like CODA it is under two hours from another regional airport (ABZ) and seems to be loosing out
What about Inverness, has the infamous A9 - the airport has lost its services to London except for Easyjet. Like CODA it is under two hours from another regional airport (ABZ) and seems to be loosing out
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Road improvements that are promised but never materialise. University expansion which is promised but never materialises. Railway investment which is promised and only partially materialises.
Our main stadium has been refused funds for renovation for the past 30 years while Stormont funded not 1, not 2, but 3 new stadia in Belfast for £100 million.
Our concert hall was refused £1 million to extend its lease for one more year while the Waterfront is getting a £29 million extension. Incidentally the concert hall could have been purchased for £6 million but was instead leased for a year for £4.6 million so that it would not form part of any legacy after City of Culture year.
The same fate befell the Turner Prize Gallery which had enjoyed 70,000 visitors in 2 months while millions have been spent on The Lyric Theatre (£11 million), The Opera House and The Ulster Museum all in Belfast. The Titanic Museum got £100 million of public funding on its own and when £20 million European funding application was turned down the Northern Ireland exchequer just picked that up as well.
Meanwhile Belfast has an over distribution of an additional 20,000 civil servants that Stormont has refused to decentralise citing cost as the reason. These civil servants need housed in additional millions of square feet of office space which then serves as a subsidy via rates to Belfast City Council who then enjoy per capita council budget of £550 versus just £370 in Derry~Londonderry. These civil servants then use the Belfast airports so in effect subsidising them with business while the rate payers of Derry~Londonderry get to subsidise LDY's business losses.
Then there's the lack of a regional cancer centre, lower allowances for housing benefit payments, tax breaks for commuting via public transport to Belfast but not Derry~Londonderry using the same Translink buses and trains, etc, etc, etc.
I could go on........
Careful Amelia. That chip might deep fry itself and make a run for Belfast (I say Belfast, but naturally mean BFS, the gravitational centre of NI) where it will be heavily subsidised to turn itself into a business in one of the many business parks/zones etc etc.
All joking aside. I COULD NOT agree more, nor have put it any better, than you have above. Good work.
All joking aside. I COULD NOT agree more, nor have put it any better, than you have above. Good work.
Amelia has hit the nail squarely on the head with a very well presented post and as anyone who has lived in the North, particularly the NW will be aware that he/she speaks the truth even going back to the railway days when Strabane and Derry were major border rail hubs the lack of government investment is well documented.
Having said that I suspect that as long as Derry council owns the airport it will be a drain on the rate payers of Derry. On the other hand with BFS and BHD only up the road I fail to see how a private operator could make it viable.
The question now is of course is how long will it take before the airport is closed/sold due to pressure from the rate payers.
Not that I think for one minute that if the airport were sold that the rates would reduce.
One good aspect from an aviation perspective anyway is that no one will buy the airport with a view to building as evidenced with Ballykelly which has attracted little or no attention from the construction industry.
Having said that I suspect that as long as Derry council owns the airport it will be a drain on the rate payers of Derry. On the other hand with BFS and BHD only up the road I fail to see how a private operator could make it viable.
The question now is of course is how long will it take before the airport is closed/sold due to pressure from the rate payers.
Not that I think for one minute that if the airport were sold that the rates would reduce.
One good aspect from an aviation perspective anyway is that no one will buy the airport with a view to building as evidenced with Ballykelly which has attracted little or no attention from the construction industry.
Join Date: Jun 2012
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Seems a little crazy. I thought at least July and August?
Caa stats for September out today and LDY down again, just over 350,000 pax for last 12 month period (rolling). Could be down to 340,000 for the year. With reduction to services to FAO and ALC and BHX outlook not great for 2015?.
With the demise of BKL, Manston etc can LDY survive? (Probably as long as DCC foot the bill)
Caa stats for September out today and LDY down again, just over 350,000 pax for last 12 month period (rolling). Could be down to 340,000 for the year. With reduction to services to FAO and ALC and BHX outlook not great for 2015?.
With the demise of BKL, Manston etc can LDY survive? (Probably as long as DCC foot the bill)
I knew Manston had hit the wall. But Burke Lakefront's gone too?! NOOOOO!!!
Anyway. Reading other threads, as one does, it seems FR are either loading their schedules very slowly, or are cutting the crap out of quite a few of their routes.
As for LDY's survival, well who knows? As I've said before, depending entirely on FR isn't a great business model, but would the Council/Executive let it close after all the money invested both locally and from Europe? Who knows? Not I. And certainly not anyone on this thread.
Anyway. Reading other threads, as one does, it seems FR are either loading their schedules very slowly, or are cutting the crap out of quite a few of their routes.
As for LDY's survival, well who knows? As I've said before, depending entirely on FR isn't a great business model, but would the Council/Executive let it close after all the money invested both locally and from Europe? Who knows? Not I. And certainly not anyone on this thread.
Join Date: Apr 2009
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City of Derry airport is like the Euro, it is a political project and so long as it has political support its future is not in jeopardy no matter what the doomsayers think.
The airport has been open since 1979 and has never made a profit. It is in no danger of closing because the local council understand that it contributes more to the economy than the £2 million it loses each year.
However it would be nice if it could make a profit ......
The airport has been open since 1979 and has never made a profit. It is in no danger of closing because the local council understand that it contributes more to the economy than the £2 million it loses each year.
However it would be nice if it could make a profit ......