DERRY/LONDONDERRY

[NorthernCounties]

I was just doing some random calculator working out and I seriously think we could see 17% - 19% growth in passenger numbers this year! That would leave us with about 405k passengers. And even if we manage a mediocre growth of 5% in 2012 we would be back up to pre- recession volumes. Naturally, come 2013 we could easily see double digit percentage growth again.

I just think we're missing a crucial extra 300metres of runway length to get to those far flung destinations. We could attract either a tour operator, a ski destination or just become the NI regions hub for flights to Greece or Cyprus with Ryanair. (FR is about to annouce a base in Paphos)

Do you think we could see an extension anytime soon?

[CARNMANORLAD]

Do you think we could see an extension anytime soon?

No chance, where would the money come from were talking more millions. The Airport is on a cost cutting budget so i'd seriously doubt it. Maybe one day in the future.

[CARNMANORLAD]

The WOMAD Music & Arts Festival has seen Derry be announced as the 2013 host city. More business for the Airport, gonna be busy busy!

On another note TFS took of at 1104 today which was 6 minutes ahead of schedule. My brother went out on the flight and is to phone me later and give me his rough head count. So il post his estimated PAX no's later.

[NorthernCounties]

Good to hear of more potential passengers for the airport. Hope FR and BE are listening to this.

If your brothers on the right plane, he could update you during the flight!

Looking forward to hearing the passenger coat. Fingers crossed it's good!

[cuthere]

Well, a bit of a play around with the FR booking engine yesterday would have suggested there were no more than a few spare seats on the flight.

A good start.

[CARNMANORLAD]

If your brothers on the right plane, he could update you during the flight!

He could but then that would be illegal as PAX no's cannot be released until the flight has reached it's destination! I'll let you's know in due course

[CARNMANORLAD]

Just had the brother on the phone gloating about the weather in Tenerife! His joy was short lived when I told him our weather was ALMOST just as good He counted no less than 165 PAX on board, he counted a few times and got different numbers each time but never got below 165. So brilliant numbers for the very first flight! He also stated that boarding was very efficient as was customs in TFS.

[ericlday]

Customs in Tenerife.....thats a laugh.....Immigration often never looks at passports. Temperature TFS and LTN at 15.00 BST were both 21deg.

[NorthernCounties]

If two rows are closed off, that would mean there was a LF of over 93%! Even if we had no restrictions, a LF of 87% would still be amazing! Hopefully this isn't a fluke because of the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend... and continues strongly like this. We might have this effect next week if people whose employers are taking the Royal Bank Holiday decide to escape NI for the week as well.

But with a LF of 93%, this could definitely warrant an extra rotation this year... or TFS remaining weekly and Lanzarote and Gran Canaries coming on the seen with weekly flights as well.

Is TFS operating for 5 months? If so, and with LF's like this... we could see in the region of 7.5k pax.

[CARNMANORLAD]

It could just be a fluke, i'm using it in a few weeks so il update on pax then again. The LF is incredible and if we can average a LF of about 80% i definetely think we will see year round and a new Canaries route for 2012

[dublindispatch]

Any update on post JULY the DUB-LDY route

[Amelia Earhart]

if we can average a LF of about 80% i definetely think we will see year round and a new Canaries route for 2012

The LF on the axed, will it -won't it, back on again at the last moment Alicante flight was 76% during its 7 months in 2010.

It was the second highest LF out of LDY after FAO and it still got the bullet.

[NorthernCounties]

There, there Amelia... it'll be back! I promise! And with 2 or 3 more sun routes to boot!

Just booked the mothers flights over to STN in June. She's/I'm going to be supporting the Friday Evening flight and the Tuesday flight. I've sort of made it a one man commitment that I'll try and fly if possible on Tuesdays... to make Tuesday a more viable day for airlines. I recommend anyone else that can to do the same! You never know it could work... and I do know Carn will be supporting Tuesdays too when he jets of to Tenerife!

[NorthernCounties]

Does anyone remember/know what the LF's were like back when FR operated to BRS?

[cuthere]

Hey NC,

Off the top of my head, and without trawling through the thread, I think it was ~90/flight, so just under 50%, though it had been improving.

[NorthernCounties]

Ah cheers CU... nothing special then even with FR's offers! Hopefully we'll see a route to that region of the UK one day in the future!

[CARNMANORLAD]

I can see BB trying to connect LDY with EXT & BLK, possibly BE to EXT but who could connect BLK? Manx2 maybe if they came in to do DUB?

[NorthernCounties]

I can't see Balfour getting a Blackpool route that's sustainable. A route to EXT would be more viable, but by how much. Last year, BE only carried under 23k pax to EXT and that was down 25%. I don't see how much LDY's catchment area could achieve.

I still hope that this year we'll see a 3 weekly EDI route and maybe next year, another route to London, and the south west of England/CWL.

Manx2 could do Dublin if they do a W pattern from the Isle of Man to Dublin and then onwards to Derry and back again...

[Stewart28]

Heard today that if the cuts go ahead at Alicante then there a good chance that Ryanair might do Malaga instead.

[CARNMANORLAD]

Yeah heard that too, I think itd be a good alternative with high LF but only if its announced early unlike the ridiculous situation with ALC this year.