DERRY/LONDONDERRY

[Jamie2k9]

TOM routes.

The REUS route is operate by a Airbus 321 which has 218 seats. Is the load factor that high.

The Palma route is correct as its only an Airbus 320.

The DUB route will be there until next June when the PSO contract is up. A number of airprots will lose flights to DUB.

[speedbirdATC]

Im pretty sure both TOM routes are operated by the BFS based A320's.

[Jamie2k9]

Tuesday - Belfast Airbus 320
BFS - PALMA
PALMA - LDY
LDY - PALMA
PALMA - LDY

Tuesday - Dublin Airbus 321
DUB - PALMA
PALMA - SNN
SNN - PALMA
PALMA - DUB

Wednesday - Belfast Airbus 320
BFS - Ibiza
Ibiza - BFS
BFS - Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria - BFS

Wednesday - Dublin Airbus 321
DUB - REUS
REUS - LDY
LDY - REUS
REUS - DUB

Note - next summer it will be a Europe Airpost Boeing 737-300 from its Dublin Base with 148 seasts. It will operate on Friday isted of Wednesday. TOM are dropping Reus from DUB as they are increasing Palma and resuming the SSH route on Wednesdays

[cuthere]

Jamie, make up your mind!!

On June 24th you said both Derry flights were operated by an A320, which would make the LFs even higher on both routes:

Flights to Palma from Derry are operated by Airbus 320 on Tuesday from Belfast Base.

Flights to Reus from Derry are operated by Airbus 320 on Wednesday from Dublin Base.

Either way, the loads are good.

[cuthere]

.....and yes I'm aware the PSO lasts until next June. I'd imagine it will then cease. If you read through the history of this thread, many posters have posited the end of the LDY-DUB route.

P.S after further investigation (Flightstats etc), both Reus and Palma are operated by a 180 seat A320, meaning load factors were 97.1% and 99.1% respectively. Quite amazing really.

[Jamie2k9]

There was a Airbus 320 for the month of May but an Airbus 321 is based all year now.

[Jamie2k9]

Check this on Wednesday just before it is due in Derry. Its an Airbus 321. If you want you can ring Servisair in Dublin Airport.

Watch Air Traffic - LIVE!

[cuthere]

A321 is based where? Bit more info please.

Fortunately, I have better things to do on Wednesday than watch live air traffic

And really, I'm not that interested that I'd call Servisair to find out what aircraft is doing a flight into and out of Derry.

Having said that, last time I was going through Derry on my way to BHX on a Wednesday during July, it was an A320 that was parked up, waiting to go to Reus. But hey, what do I know?

Anyway, back to discussing LDY then eh? 99.1% load factor to Palma must mean there could be additional capacity on this route.

Perhaps they should use an A321......................!

[speedbirdATC]

Try this one Jamie RadarVirtuel.com

Speaking to a friend who works at the airport, he tells me the loads on the DUB flight are much higher on the LDY - DUB morning outbound, and the inbound evening. If only RE had thought about a 1x daily DUB - LDY and then send it on out to EDI and MAN, before returning back to DUB in the evening.

Also, I wonder how contract talks with Balfour Beatty are going? It's been a little quiet on that front.

[Jamie2k9]

I agree that Palma should have a A321 on the route or increases to 2 weekly with an A320.

If Reus is doing so well why will there be 31 less seats on the route next year.
There will be only 149 seats next year from 180 currently. Its a big drop.

[cuthere]

Jamie, no idea.

All I know is there were 8 flights (4 inbound, 4 outbound) during July, carrying a total of 1399 pax, at 174.8 pax per flight.

It's all available following the links from this:

UK Airport Provisional Statistics: 2010 - 07 | Data | Economic Regulation

[clareview]

Has Londonderry had the runway extension? I thought at one time it was claimed that it needed it for a fully laden 737/800 or and A321 and that Ryanair did not book the whole plane?

Flew Londonderry - Dublin (on a Saturday admittedly) a few months ago - 3 passengers.

[speedbirdATC]

Yes LDY has had the runway extension along with many other upgrades. Take - off run available now around the 2200m mark.

[cuthere]

Flew Londonderry - Dublin (on a Saturday admittedly) a few months ago - 3 passengers.

That's only 8 below average!

Ryanair operate their 737-800s into/out of City of Derry without restrictions.

[cuthere]

The news that Ryanair are pulling out of BHD makes me wonder what kind of a deal they have at LDY. They were operating out of Derry for years prior to the extension, and stuck with the airport through that time.

What impact (if any) will the decision of RYR to chop BHD have on Derry? Route transfer seems unlikely, but perhaps Derry can take a share of the 800K pax who used RYR out of BHD.

I must admit I'm not surprised they've cut BHD; I am more surprised that they've stuck with Derry all this time mind.

[speedbirdATC]

They were operating out of Derry for years prior to the extension, and stuck with the airport through that time.

Even prior to the current extension, the runway was still longer at LDY than at BHD. The only problem with the runway that RYR had here was the fact that Donneybrewer was in the way. Because of all those houses there, the landing distance for runway 08 was significantly shorter than at the runway 26 end.

With the majority of houses now gone, and the extra length added, RYR now operates with no restriction whatsoever at LDY, and as we know can fly to FAO and ALC with no issues.

Would have been nice to get a base here. We may have got our STN service returned to 2x daily. It would have been also good for the crews based at BHD, as they wouldn't have had far to travel up the road, instead now they have to contemplate working away from NI at another RYR base.

Wouldn't surprise me if we hear about a few more international routes soon from RYR. I can see MOL now in the press conference announcing LDY to REU or BVA and shouting about how the routes could have been for BHD!

[cuthere]

All good stuff as usual Speedbird. I agree, Double-daily STN is a no-brainer, and as RYR were carrying 20-oddK a month from BHD, they could easily reinstate the former schedule.

I reckon Derry will get Alicante, Faro next year, possibly with the addition of Malaga and Reus.

[speedbirdATC]

Cuthere, I agree ALC and FAO will return. AGP and REU are surely on the cards as well.

I wonder if it ever crossed MOL's mind to move the BHD base a/c up to LDY? Early morning out to STN and back then, LPL then BHX, hell dare I say a second flight to STN...on the same day???.....no thats asking too much of course, for him to put back a route carrying 160,000 pax or thereabouts a year.
I'd even take STN in the morning and LTN in the evening. The demand must be there for an increased operation on the LON market, it just couldn't have disappeared. Were the LTN figures so bad that he couldn't keep that either?

Looks like myself and cuthere will have to start our own airline to get some proper flights going again. Speedhere airways?...CutBird Express??

[cuthere]

Aye. It may come to that!

This is an excellent piece by the former police Chief Inspector of Derry. Many valid points, all of which point to the need for a successful airport with several regular routes:

Derry: the city of culture and isolation - Derry Today

[CCR]

Now is the time for Derry airport to go after Ryanair to set up a base there..if they have not called them already