DERRY/LONDONDERRY

[GnRdL]

Have a nice holidays Amelia! You are gonna have a good weather when you arrive it. Since Friday, the weather is still splendid.Today 25/15ºC and clearly.

Respect a possible full year LDY-ALC, I'm agree with you that it will depend on the demand for next three months and October. Last summer, I think remember that LDY was the best summer route for Ryanair in ALC (in terms of LF).

[cuthere]

We've had our first few Alicante and Faro flights. Any word on how these are doing? They must give the airport a bit of a boost after a long, long winter.

I was through Derry on Sunday, but it was a rush (21.25 BHX flight....all other trade was through by then, and twilight had well and truly set in!); so much so, that I hardly took anything in. Damn shame as I would've liked time to appreciate the changes Speedbird has mentioned on here.

It could be a great summer for LDY when all flights come on line. What I hadn't realised, but now do with some astonishment, is that, (until further routes appear in May and peak summer months to EDI, MAN, FAO and PMI), Derry has a grand total of three flights inbound and three flights outbound on Tuesdays. Surely this must be the quietest days at LDY for many years (at the very, very least passenger-wise since RYR started services from the airport- I thought Saturdays last winter were bad!).

Sad. Really sad. Especially when other days, with many more flights, highlight the potential of the place.

[Amelia Earhart]

... the potential of the place.

But its hard to see where future substantial growth is going to come from or how the council will achieve thier magical 1 million passengers number.

Domestically most routes (that will be served) are served, just Bristol, Newcastle with possibly Leeds Bradford and East Midlands left.

Internationally there are a few viable routes but these will only carry circa 25K pax p.a. each.

Hard to bridge that 600K pax gap with just that.

[speedbirdATC]

I can definitely see RYR making a go of LBA in the near future. Also has anyone noticed the small white building to the right of the terminal. Is this the start of the extension?

[Amelia Earhart]

Kerry -Dusseldorf / BHD runway inquiry

Kerry is getting a 7th route to Dusseldorf

News : Ryanair Launches 7th Kerry Route

Indeed the "Kerryman" is speculating that they are about to land another sunshine route - pardon the pun, (presumably Malaga).

Ryanair Regrets 18 Month Delay in Runway Extension at Belfast City Airport

Meanwhile Ryanair are decrying the runway inquiry at BHD claiming an 18 month delay may mean the loss of 5 European routes to "Northern Ireland"

Ryanair confirmed that it was in discussions with Belfast City Airport about 5 new European routes and up to 500,000 extra passengers annually, which would sustain 500 new jobs in and around City Airport. This new investment, new routes and new jobs have now been postponed and possibly lost to Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland? No! There is more than one or even two airports in Northern Ireland. If BHD can't handle it then surely the newly extended runway at LDY can!

It does make me wonder however how many new routes if any are being discussed at LDY. I don't begrudge Kerry their success but it is a bit frustrating to see a speculative route like that launched when there are half a dozen dead-certs that would work out of LDY ( Malaga, Barcelona, Palma, Paris, Amsterdam (Eindhoven), Tenerife etc.) and yet no sign of it despite the completion of the runway extension.

[cuthere]

I don't for a second believe RYR will keep their promises of major expansion at LDY after the completion of the runway extension. Faro and Alicante.......fair enough. But why the constant messing around with the rest of the schedules? Daily LPL and PIK during the winter, cut to 5x week and 4x week respectively during the summer? Where's the logic in that? STN had proven itself as a successful route over the years, but even it has not been safe from the meddling.

Dusseldorf Weeze (i.e. nowhere neat Dusseldorf!), would probably work from Derry as it would be a European route with inbound pax from Germany boosting usage. The other routes you've listed Amelia would obviously work too.

It STILL isn't rocket science. However, in my mind the priority should be meeting the demand for LON routes by increasing capacity on that route.

[speedbirdATC]

Its only a matter of time before either EZY or BEE start LGW or LTN, and you can bet your bottom dollar that when it does the STN service will magically return to 2 x daily to warn of the competitors.
The Thomson flights will return shortly to Barcelona(Reus) and Palma. Its odd that the tour operators don't look more into potential summer routes like Malaga or Tenerife?
Who would have thought this time last year that the only airline expanding at LDY offering all year round proper timetabling to all it's destinations would be Aer Arann. Big thumbs up to those guys

[Amelia Earhart]

But can you really see them expanding beyond the DUB, MAN and EDI service?

An obvious choice might have been BRS given that Ryanair carried the annualised equivalent of 45K pax, so why didn't they announce that route at the same time as EDI and MAN? They already operate from there and they seemingly have spare capacity given their retrenchment prior to the Aer Lingus hook up.

[EI-BUD]

An obvious choice might have been BRS given that Ryanair carried the annualised equivalent of 45K pax, so why didn't they announce that route at the same time as EDI and MAN?

AmeliaEarhart; I think your point is well made, however, I think that Aer Arann will take it slowly and not expand too greatly until they get confidence that LDY pays its way. In addition, given Aer Arann's previous experience with Ryanair they may not want to get them to react (although I realise they are expanding in some FR markets in DUB).

The fact that they are in effect designating a single unit ie ATR to the airport means that they will fly the PSO route and the other most likely routes that would be in demand and so MAN & EDI would be to my mind the 1st choices. No reason why routes like BRS, NCL, LBA may not follow.

I wouldnt be surprised if LBA pops up soon at LDY, maybe a 2 per week frequency but that's only an opinion.

EI-BUD

[Amelia Earhart]

given Aer Arann's previous experience with Ryanair they may not want to get them to react

Well I certainly would have thought that both EDI and MAN would have worked for Ryanair as both have very large passenger pools from Northern Ireland but following Ryanair's departure from MAN that would have left only EDI. I still think a Ryanair EDI route is on the cards at some stage though what would be the point given that PIK, which supplanted a 30 year GLA route, is not even daily.

But as to BRS, Ryanair had tried that and it was not to their liking so I would have thought that Aer Arann would be safe enough to have more agressively expanded from LDY. The only other possible domestic routes apart from EDI, MAN and what they currently operate from LDY that would interest Ryanair are LBA and EMA (even though they closed that route when opening BHX) leaving NCL, LGW, LHR etc for the taking.

[speedbirdATC]

I think RYR's only intended expansion at the moment is on summer routes, which I think is a good thing as it leaves the door open for others to expand the UK market. GLA, NCL, BRS, LGW are all possibilities for Flybe/Aer Arann/ bmibaby. It seems odd that we can all see the potential for these routes, yet the operators can't?

This made me wonder (and this may sound silly), are some operators waiting for the airport to finalize/complete it's expansion before announcing anything new? For example tonight between 19.00 and 21.30 there will be 3 RYR 737's and an ATR which would mean 500 or so PAX passing through in that short time. Add to that a further ATR Manchester flight from 20th May too. There are certain times through the week that these 'PAX heavy' periods occur and may be seen as a no-go for new operators who wish to fly in at these times.

Only one taxiway serves the main apron at the moment. Can you picture delays with all stands occupied, a/c trying to get in and out to the runway using one twy, at an airport the size of LDY it would be an ATC nightmare. Anyone remember the First Choice airbus that sank into the tarmac a few years ago as it waited for a stand?
But, when all the taxiways are completed/upgraded, the new Offset ILS for 08 becomes available (May or June probably), and of course the extension to the terminal building the airport will become a very attractive little prospect for new operators, so who knows what routes are in the pipeline?

Of course I could be talking complete rubbish here and am only speculating as to why we have an airport so barren of airlines! Any thoughts? Could the airlines be waiting for Derry/Londonderry to be awarded the 2013 City of Culture to give them advertising oppurtunities etc? lol

[mutleyshriek]

speedbirdATC,
EZY do not have any interest in LDY whatsoever.Neither does any other airline wish to commence year round scheduled services to any anywhere in mainland Europe.

[cuthere]

Thanks for that Mutley.

Go on. Instead of telling us what will never happen, tell us something that will. Such profound statements of certainty suggest you (bizarrely) are privy to info the rest of us can only dream of.

So, as I say, tell us something that IS going to happen.

Edit: In fact, now I've read your post on the BFS thread, I see you're another one of these one airport for NI people, and that airport HAS to be BFS. Perhaps you haven't noticed pax numbers there going through the floor?

[gate 22]

In fact, now I've read your post on the BFS thread, I see you're another one of these one airport for NI people, and that airport HAS to be BFS.

I think it is one airport for Belfast, BFS would be the sensible option from an objective point of view. I don't think that Belfast airports are worried by LDY at this stage.

Perhaps you haven't noticed pax numbers there going through the floor?

Several reasons for this eg
1. World recession - most UK airports have suffered at a similar rate to BFS.
2. Business 'low cost' carriers like WW have cut back to 1 or 2 rotations per day putting more passengers on higher frequency services at BHD.
3. FR with their low low fares at BHD having an affect.

[cuthere]

Fair point Gate, but you have to admit, it's not just Ryanair who are boosting pax numbers at BHD.

If you look at the route analysis, places like EDI, BHX, LGW, NCL, LBA and others are increasing their numbers, whilst the same routes from BFS are seeing falling pax figures.

Perhaps BFS isn't marketing itself properly (much like LDY!), or perhaps the old adage "there's no such thing as bad publicity" is proving decisive (at the moment) in regards to competition between BFS and BHD.

The figures for March will be out this week. It'll be interesting to see if BFS is again the only airport out of the three to suffer faling numbers for a second month.

[gate 22]

Perhaps BFS isn't marketing itself properly

EZY, WW have cut back flights, this means there are not as many flights on these routes-it's nothing to do with BFS marketing itself. 80% of people look on the net and generally if there is a flight at the right price then they take it. It doesn't matter which Belfast airport. Most people are not going to give a fiddlers about facilities, shops, state of the building etc its the flight at the right time and price. Having said that parking is something that people will wonder about. This same logic will apply to your local airport with relation to folk who choose a Belfast airport over it.

[Amelia Earhart]

Also has anyone noticed the small white building to the right of the terminal. Is this the start of the extension?

There seems to be a new building on either side of the terminal (both departures and arrivals) and they seem to be attached so it could be the entension. But they don't look very nice, more like glorified porta-cabins. The current terminal while too small was at least quite attractive, all glass and light and airy.

[eastconsbrook]

EN

Keep an eye out for AIR DOLOMITI at BHD this summer!!

[Amelia Earhart]

Keep an eye out for AIR DOLOMITI at BHD this summer!!

I'd need a bionic eye if I could see that from the Derry/Londonderry forum!

[cuthere]

March provisional stats are now out. Derry increased passenger throughput to 27,967, up 9.3%. (BHD up 22.7%, and surprise, surprise, BFS down, again, this time 12%).

Growth was driven by increases on PIK, LPL and LTN. Great to see, and hopefully the growth should continue for the foreseeable.