DERRY/LONDONDERRY
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True, the loss of Palma was very bad for LDY, and also the reduction in Ryanair services to ALC and FAO. I feel the catchment area is quite small, Derry, Donegal and also BFS is just over one hour drive away
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Do we know if the majority of passengers are connecting in Glasgow and Stansted or terminating there?
If mainly connecting then a hub link might work e.g. Amsterdam gives access to Africa, China and Asia without back-tracking ( and with many destinations not served from Dublin ).
It would probably need an E-jet or bigger though, not only for flight time but also ability to handle the luggage needed by connecting passengers.
If mainly connecting then a hub link might work e.g. Amsterdam gives access to Africa, China and Asia without back-tracking ( and with many destinations not served from Dublin ).
It would probably need an E-jet or bigger though, not only for flight time but also ability to handle the luggage needed by connecting passengers.
Derry would need to be doing something as with the council amalgamations there are a lot more rate payers now that will be asking why they should be supporting it as it is in reality just as handy for them to go to either of the Belfast airports.
There already is questions being asked as to why the Strabane area rates have risen sharply. Whether or not the airport is the primary culprit is not the point as its high profile will always attract attention.
From Strabane to Derry airport is at least 50 mins upwards depending on traffic whereas BHD is comfortably 90 mins with BFS slightly less.
I personally travel twice a month to various global locations and I have as yet to find Derry flights that will connect in sort of sensible manner.
There already is questions being asked as to why the Strabane area rates have risen sharply. Whether or not the airport is the primary culprit is not the point as its high profile will always attract attention.
From Strabane to Derry airport is at least 50 mins upwards depending on traffic whereas BHD is comfortably 90 mins with BFS slightly less.
I personally travel twice a month to various global locations and I have as yet to find Derry flights that will connect in sort of sensible manner.
KLM opening Derry-Amsterdam would, in my opinion, be a big ask.
Perhaps Derry needs to focus first on direct routes to leisure destinations in continental Europe to prove there is demand for air travel locally which is not served by Belfast's airports ?
Perhaps Derry needs to focus first on direct routes to leisure destinations in continental Europe to prove there is demand for air travel locally which is not served by Belfast's airports ?
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Maybe Qantas should open up a European base at LDY connecting Australia to the rest of the world...... It aint making money and is a burden on public money - should close immediately. Sheffield hasn't got an airport. What about the west of Scotland not many international airports north of Glasgow for hundreds of miles.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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The mind boggles at the conversation on this thread. KLM to Amsterdam, seriously?
The airport is only surviving by way of a large contribution from the local Derry and Strabane council. It is no way sustainable without that.
Sadly in this day consolidation is not a question of whether a route to Amsterdam or any other destination will work or not, it is a question of whether airlines will take up the route, as the Airport is in the margins and competing with the rest of Europe for the use of an airframe to fly such services. This is evident in the very short run of Ryanair European services each summer, operating in the peak summer.
Any suggestions of routes that could be operated to destinations in Europe not served from Belfast is pie in the sky. With reports coming in that popular cities of Prague and Rome are not working, I'd really like to know what particular services are suggested as viable and what airlines would operate them. Quite frankly it is all fantasy stuff.
At best what City of Derry Airport can expect is a commuter airline to come in and operate thin routes like Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham and get a proper twice daily London route with useful timeframes for the travelling public. That's the size of it and even at that the airport is still never going to be able to stand on its own 2 feet.
Sorry for the negativity, but a reality check is a must here.
On a more general note, regional airports are struggling for survival with a perfect storm of pressures including airline consolidation and regulation not to mention intense competition among airports and airlines, the future is fair from certain for smaller airports.
The airport is only surviving by way of a large contribution from the local Derry and Strabane council. It is no way sustainable without that.
Sadly in this day consolidation is not a question of whether a route to Amsterdam or any other destination will work or not, it is a question of whether airlines will take up the route, as the Airport is in the margins and competing with the rest of Europe for the use of an airframe to fly such services. This is evident in the very short run of Ryanair European services each summer, operating in the peak summer.
Any suggestions of routes that could be operated to destinations in Europe not served from Belfast is pie in the sky. With reports coming in that popular cities of Prague and Rome are not working, I'd really like to know what particular services are suggested as viable and what airlines would operate them. Quite frankly it is all fantasy stuff.
At best what City of Derry Airport can expect is a commuter airline to come in and operate thin routes like Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham and get a proper twice daily London route with useful timeframes for the travelling public. That's the size of it and even at that the airport is still never going to be able to stand on its own 2 feet.
Sorry for the negativity, but a reality check is a must here.
On a more general note, regional airports are struggling for survival with a perfect storm of pressures including airline consolidation and regulation not to mention intense competition among airports and airlines, the future is fair from certain for smaller airports.
Join Date: Feb 2011
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I flew out to Faro from Derry on Mon 6th July and back on Mon 13th July
Both flights where jammed with Ryanair placing hand luggage free in the hold as there was no room on board. They arranged this at check-in time. I also noticed they had scrapped the empty seats at the front of the aircraft rule, all seats where occupied.
The Alicante and Faro flights end next week, such a loss and disappointment for Derry this year, not to mention the loss of the charter flights.
I have flown Derry - Faro twice before in the past, once early October 2011 and once mid Sept 2013, both jammed out and back as well.
The last flight out to Faro is on Thursday 30th July, with no return, it has some cracker prices if you don't mind coming back via another airport. Currently £41 if you take hand luggage only. Was £35 until yesterday.
More worryingly, I have heard from a source at airport that Ryanair where for pulling Alicante and Faro totally this year but only did June/July after loads of persuasion from the council.
Both flights where jammed with Ryanair placing hand luggage free in the hold as there was no room on board. They arranged this at check-in time. I also noticed they had scrapped the empty seats at the front of the aircraft rule, all seats where occupied.
The Alicante and Faro flights end next week, such a loss and disappointment for Derry this year, not to mention the loss of the charter flights.
I have flown Derry - Faro twice before in the past, once early October 2011 and once mid Sept 2013, both jammed out and back as well.
The last flight out to Faro is on Thursday 30th July, with no return, it has some cracker prices if you don't mind coming back via another airport. Currently £41 if you take hand luggage only. Was £35 until yesterday.
More worryingly, I have heard from a source at airport that Ryanair where for pulling Alicante and Faro totally this year but only did June/July after loads of persuasion from the council.
Join Date: Dec 2010
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airport66
In reference to previous comments mentioned above Prague and Rome are doing really well,some flights are actually flying with full loads,they did get off to slow start but they have drastically got better.
Join Date: Dec 2013
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EI-Bud and Heathrow Harry are talking sense, Derry is a political airport being held afloat by the Derry and now Strabane ratepayers, how long this continues is anybodys guess.
As EI-Bud points out all regional airports are struggling.
Infrequent holiday destinations will not keep and airport viable and I would suggest they should be considered a bonus at best.
Another point that is obvious when you see the prices being quoted is the fact that as a result of the low cost airlines cutting everything to the bone the traveling public now expect all flights to be cheap and will usually select the airport that provides the cheapest option above all else.
To be honest Dublin is not that far away altogether.
I feel that the CoDa management and Derry council have a lot to answer for as regarding the airports poor performances and a fine example from the council perspective is yet again the proposed renaming of the city. They obviously have their priorities in order, much like the folks on the hill.
Must be an NI thing, we elect the village idiots and expect sterling (pun intended) performance.
As EI-Bud points out all regional airports are struggling.
Infrequent holiday destinations will not keep and airport viable and I would suggest they should be considered a bonus at best.
Another point that is obvious when you see the prices being quoted is the fact that as a result of the low cost airlines cutting everything to the bone the traveling public now expect all flights to be cheap and will usually select the airport that provides the cheapest option above all else.
To be honest Dublin is not that far away altogether.
I feel that the CoDa management and Derry council have a lot to answer for as regarding the airports poor performances and a fine example from the council perspective is yet again the proposed renaming of the city. They obviously have their priorities in order, much like the folks on the hill.
Must be an NI thing, we elect the village idiots and expect sterling (pun intended) performance.
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Thank you Solar. I just marvel at some of the wishful thinking that gets logged on some of the various threads on here. There are at least a 10 airport within the UK and Ireland that are holding on by a thread.
Many services could be viable from any number the smaller regional airports, but the challenge is aligned to the scarcity of airlines now available. Deregulation means that there has been competition on a European scale for airline attention at the airports and global consolidation means that there are simply so few airlines to serve these markets.
With this consolidation comes a balance of power in the airlines favour and in which case often the commercial deal that must be cracked by the airports to attract the airlines is often not sustainable for the long term, I am naturally referring to regional airports here.
A metric of 1 Million has been bandied about as being a realistic number for an airport to stack up, albeit depending on the amount of fees that the carrier will pay, but increasingly this is not the key metric, the benefits for the airports are increasingly weighted to the non airline side, i.e. car park charges, retail outlets, concessions etc.
Knock is a good example, of what I would believe is a well run small airport, not breaking even but not far off it, and they are in the region of 700K pax, not far off the 1 million pax, at which level it could be expected that the airport could turn a profit. Equally, it can often be said that the level of fixed costs remains unchanged up to a point and most small airport can grow without significant incremental costs.
Many services could be viable from any number the smaller regional airports, but the challenge is aligned to the scarcity of airlines now available. Deregulation means that there has been competition on a European scale for airline attention at the airports and global consolidation means that there are simply so few airlines to serve these markets.
With this consolidation comes a balance of power in the airlines favour and in which case often the commercial deal that must be cracked by the airports to attract the airlines is often not sustainable for the long term, I am naturally referring to regional airports here.
A metric of 1 Million has been bandied about as being a realistic number for an airport to stack up, albeit depending on the amount of fees that the carrier will pay, but increasingly this is not the key metric, the benefits for the airports are increasingly weighted to the non airline side, i.e. car park charges, retail outlets, concessions etc.
Knock is a good example, of what I would believe is a well run small airport, not breaking even but not far off it, and they are in the region of 700K pax, not far off the 1 million pax, at which level it could be expected that the airport could turn a profit. Equally, it can often be said that the level of fixed costs remains unchanged up to a point and most small airport can grow without significant incremental costs.
EI-Bud
Wishful thinking is I suppose the nature of these forums.
Most punters these days will take a few flights per year for holidays, family visits or whatever. Generally they would like to be picked up at the door and delivered with the least hassle and cheapest price.
This is a common trait in todays society in that it's all about me and why should I be inconvenienced.
Having said that flying these days is certainly more of a chore than a pleasure.
Unfortunately this type of punter does not an airport sustain.
Did not realize that Knock was actually doing as well as that, lovely airport but a bit expensive for light aircraft.
Again it was built as a bit of a white elephant but more on religious than political grounds that is if you can separate them in our wee country.
Used to go there, Donegal or Sligo for the duty free in the good old days!!!!
Cheers
Wishful thinking is I suppose the nature of these forums.
Most punters these days will take a few flights per year for holidays, family visits or whatever. Generally they would like to be picked up at the door and delivered with the least hassle and cheapest price.
This is a common trait in todays society in that it's all about me and why should I be inconvenienced.
Having said that flying these days is certainly more of a chore than a pleasure.
Unfortunately this type of punter does not an airport sustain.
Did not realize that Knock was actually doing as well as that, lovely airport but a bit expensive for light aircraft.
Again it was built as a bit of a white elephant but more on religious than political grounds that is if you can separate them in our wee country.
Used to go there, Donegal or Sligo for the duty free in the good old days!!!!
Cheers