CORK

[buzzmebaby]

Cawley said that Ryanair are "reviewing" their current routes out of Cork in the light of the proposed 900% increase in checkin desk charges. Said their ops at Cork were based on the fact that they were a low cost operator, blah blah blah, so basically threatening to pull out completely if charges go the way suggested in recent days....
Regarding the terminal debt...I presume CAA management have made the point to the DAA that it was the DAA/AR technical team who designed a gold plated, undersized terminal that doesn't meet the needs of users, so why don't they pay for it.....designing a brand new terminal to have the headline capacity equal to the passenger numbers forecast within 2 years just beggars belief. Only in Ireland....

[hafez]

heres the article that made front page of the examiner today

Ryanair threatens to pull Cork routes over new fees
By Michael O’Farrell and Sean O’Riordan
RYANAIR is threatening to pull out of Cork Airport over proposed new fees to cover the cost of building the airport’s new terminal.
The €200 million facility is at the centre of a political row as Fine Gael accuses the Government of backtracking from a funding commitment made by former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan.
Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Cawley confirmed last night that the airline is reviewing its flights from Cork to Stansted, Dublin, Gatwick and Liverpool.
“The only reasons we have routes out of Cork is we are low cost,” he said.
The low-cost carrier, which operates nine flights a day out of the city, is facing extra annual costs of up to €100,000 as a result of a 900% check-in desk fee increase proposed by the Cork Airport Authority (CAA).
In addition, charges per passenger could jump from €9 to €13. Last year, Ryanair carried 900,000 people in and out of Cork.
Raising the issue with Transport Minister Martin Cullen in a Dáil adjournment debate last night, Fine Gael’s Bernard Allen and David Stanton accused the Government of “double dealing.”
“Seamus Brennan clearly indicated the construction costs of the new terminal at Cork Airport would not be a burden on the new Cork Airport Authority (CAA),” he said.
Concern was heightened last Friday at an emergency meeting of the South West Regional Authority’s Airport Consultative Committee when Junior Minister Batt O’Keeffe said Mr Brennan may have made a mistake when he promised that the new airport authority would start its independent operations without debt.
Speaking last night in the Dáil, Mr Cullen made no firm commitment to take the debt from Cork, saying such decisions would have to be made when the CAA forwarded its business plan to the department.
“The business planning process will provide a basis for determining the most feasible options for carrying through the restructuring. The ability of both Shannon and Cork airports to operate on a fully commercial basis will be fully assessed as part of this process,” he said.

[brian_dromey]

Originally Posted by buzzmebaby

Regarding the terminal debt...I presume CAA management have made the point to the DAA that it was the DAA/AR technical team who designed a gold plated, undersized terminal that doesn't meet the needs of users, so why don't they pay for it.....designing a brand new terminal to have the headline capacity equal to the passenger numbers forecast within 2 years just beggars belief. Only in Ireland....

Excellent point..one that I have made many times. We didnt ask for such extravagance, in fact a large extension would have been fine, created less controversy and cost less. It seem to me that this government is descending into FARCE and it is just not good enough. ORK and DUB have been subsidising SNN for years and if there can be one rule for them with regards to new terminals then the same MUST apply to both DUB and ORK so if SNN dont have to pay neither should we. While I agree that ORK cannont cope with such huge levels of debt giong forward I DETEST that the moaning, sponging SNN stopover brigade got their updated facilities for free.
This MUST not and CAN not be allowed to happen. DUB badly needs new facilities too...

[Tom the Tenor]

Spot on with the points. Some excellent thought. A measure of sympathy may be allowed for the situation at Dublin Airport too. However, they have had their chance at a number of projects over the past years like the new runway 10/28, the extra check in areas and the baggage hall. Now, if the geniuses at Aer Rianta got any of that wrong sure as hell Cork is not now going to be sacraficed in order to give some financial relief to the situation at Dublin for their future plans. Cork Airports passengers are no longer going to be shafted by bad airport managements. No way!

[840]

Ryanair in sell-off call

RYANAIR today urged the Dublin Airport Authority, which is balking at paying for Cork’s terminal development, to sell the Great Southern Hotels and stakes in airports in Britain.

The airline is threatening to pull out of Cork airport if charges are hiked to pay its E200m debt. Cash from the sell-offs would allow Cork a level playing field, says Ryanair.

As always with the online version of The Echo, there's more of the article that you can't read.

[Tom the Tenor]

easyJet have now joined the fray expressing their concerns about any changes to the charges they may pay for flying to Cork from Gatwick three times a day after the new terminal opens. They hope a suitable accommodation may be found to the situation at Cork.

Between them easyJet and Ryanair pay a tidy sum at Cork everyday, you got to take notice and listen.

The temperature at Cork is rising!

[Capt Mick]

RE: Cork New Terminal

I think the boys in Dail Eireann are getting it wrong again when it comes to Cork ! Rather than follow the intial funding process set out by Seamus Brennan they wan to increase charges and drive airlines out of the place!

[Tom the Tenor]

Debate on the airport and the new terminal continues to rage in Cork today both in the Irish Examiner newspaper and on the local radio station, 96FM. The newspaper had a front page story today about the company of consultants hired to arbitrate between the DAA & CAA being asked to withdraw due to the possibility of a conflict of interest. Kathleen Lynch, TD (MP) Labour Party, has discovered that the consultants BDO Simpson Xavier have all ready been commissioned by the DAA to advise on the sale of the Great Soutern Hotel group which is part of the DAA. Deputy Lynch has called for a neutral body to do the mediation and whom will have no interest in the outcome one way or the other. The consultants have given reassurances that the firm deals with all it's clients with the utmost integrity and treats all with the strictest of confidentiality and that they would not take on the work if there was a chance that a conflict of interest existed.

There was a good debate on 96FM radio this morning too between Lord Mayor of Cork, Deirdre Clune, Cllr Michael O'Connell, Southwest Regional Developmental Authority/Airport Consultative Committe and Batt O'Keeffe, a government deputy starring as a would be apologist to try and get the Government out of the mess and to wait for what the consultants come up with down the line. It was great stuff up to what I heard at 9.30 am when duties called me away to other work but I do know the debate continued until 10 am and Kathleen Lynch was one of the other contibutors. Maybe, there were other people involved too?

Good to listen to politicians so publically working hard for their money!

[EI-MICK]

I still didnt get a reply to an E-Mail I sent to cullen

[eastjimmy]

hi all been busy of late so not been able to up date you on feed back from my end.. well i to have yet to get a reply from the minister.. i did get a sort of auto response...but that was a few weeks ago now, I did however recieve a number of replys from mr covney whom has been doing some great work with his colluege david stanton and bernard allen.( i have no political preference what so ever) he made a very interesting point in that under questioning from david stanton in the dail regarding the debth issue minister cullen said he was waiting for cork airport to submit its strategic plan!!! can you believe it... this guy is an idiot how can anyone devise any sort of plan if it doesnt know what sort of funds it will have and what sort of debt it has. i was also informed that mr cullen did NOT appoint the independant adviser, that was down to the caa and daa where by they "AGREED TO RECENTLY RETAIN AN INDEPENDANT CONSULTANT TO ASSIST THEM IN THE FINALISATION OF THE BUSINESS PLAN" at cork...

Another very good point was made in going back to the original plan by minister brennan... Folks Cork is not merly getting (or at least supposed to be getting) a hand out from dublin. With the split of Aer rianta, the daa would retain all the various hotels and duty free shops it has all over the world, so in essence the paying for the terminal by the daa(old aerrianta) is merly payback for the caa and saa not reeping revenue anymore from those very rich veins of income..

JUST REMEMBER THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!!!
regs
EJ

[Tom the Tenor]

Heard a news programme from Red FM this morning. Minister for Enterprise and Cork South Central TD, Mr Micheal Martin has made a call that the Cork terminal should not be used as a political football! Tell that to your parliamentary colleagues in Co Clare, Minister!

[Shanwickman]

Its gone very quiet here, has everybody been struck dumb in Cork?

[EI-MICK]

I think were all still waiting for an email from Cullen,but obviously too busy in the Dail bar.

[Tom the Tenor]

An Tanaiste, Mary Harney TD, was in Cork yesterday in her role as Minister for Health opening a few new facilities for the COPE Foundation and Cork's Evening Echo newspaper ran a story on the topic. The story began though with the Tanaiste's support for most of the Cork TDs line in that the new terminal and airport authority at Cork should start off debt free. Fair play to her! As is referred to above the Cork constituencies should be electric come next year's General Election!

Just a brief update. The colourful Binter 737-400 bust a few tyres on landing at Cork early this afternoon and I am told had some fire engines chased her in to the stand. Mid way through the afternoon the crew locked up and came away from the aeroplane and as of 5.15 pm the outbound flight returning to Las Palmas had still not operated so maybe a hire in is being organised. Anyone have any more information on the aeroplane or how the outbound pax are to get away?

Good gin clear viz at Cork today and plenty of activity around the place! At one point this afternoon there were 5 737s, 3 A320s and two ATRs all on the ground at the same time and it is still the winter schedule. Cork Airport, hard to beat it!

[Tom the Tenor]

To partly answer my own question I hear that Futura are sending in an aeroplane to Cork at 0230hours today for the stranded Las Palmas bound Cork passengers. The humor among the pax can hardly be too good. Still, would not mind too much if I was joining the flight tonight! A week in Las Palmas would be tonic!

[EI-MICK]

it left at half 3 this morning.

[orkpilot]

TTT that Binter a/c did not brust tyres on landing. It had a hydraulic leak on landing which caused hydraulic fluid to drip onto the hot brakes which caused the smoke. Parts were flown in from Stansted and the a/c was repaired by Aer Lingus engineers.

[Tom the Tenor]

Thanks for the correction, orkpilot. She was a great sight to see parked up in the bright sunshine for the day and night she was with us. A lovely aeroplane. Glad the repairs went well. She headed off early Sunday afternoon.

Have yez all been following the story of Minister for Tourism, John O'Donoghue TD, being denied boarding an FR flight to Dublin for lack of ID? Jeez, the things some people do to keep Cork Airport in the news headlines!

[Tom the Tenor]

The Pox of Cork Airport struck again tonight.

My dear wife was aboard this evening's FR907 from Stansted. The flight was late leaving as she was due out at 1940 as per schedule but it was around 2030 before getting airbourne. On approach to Cork just after 2133 the ILS was at CATI and the weather was closing in and went below minima and the '907 went around. I am told the FR907 was then advised that it would take about 20 mins to secure the field before starting CAT2 operations. By this time both EI845 from AMS and EI889 from AGP were also on approach to Cork.

Some few minutes later FR907 decided to divert to Shannon. Meanwhile the CAT2 was now up and both EI845 and EI889 landed safely off a CAT2 approach and in increasing RVRs.

FR907 landed at snn about 2155 hours. At first the passengers were kept aboard the aircraft but a few minutes later the 170 or so passengers were disembarked for coaches to Cork.

It is now time 2317 hours and the FR907 is now positioning in to Cork as FR9077 from Shannon to operate out as the FR908 with her complement of Stansted bound passengers.

What is the sequence at other airports before low visibility operations can begin when there are a number of aircraft on the approach as regards securing the facility?

Why were FR not willing to fly the FR907 pax back to Cork? It would be quite different if it was a Dublin bound FR flight diverting to Cork, would it not?

Cork Airport passengers come off second best once again.

[ryan2000]

Cork Airport

The problem at Cork is that the authorties seldom seem to know in advance whether CAT 2 will be required. Neither are the MET MEN able to predict with any accuracy when the weather is likely to improve. How many times over the years have aircraft on approach been told that the RVR is below limits only to discover a major improvement by the time they get here. Similarly the weather closes in with little or no advance notice.

The Ryanair would probably have continued on to STN if the weather came down again and who would put money on it not happening now that the moist atlantic airflow is back again.

Airlines won't risk a second diversion with the same aircraft as most of them know Cork all too well.

Of course there was nothing stopping the authorites from going CAT2 in anticipation of a disimprovement in the weather.