CARDIFF - 3
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Are CWL really falling behind? With the potential of flybe, ww 4th aircraft for CWL? One route 2xweekly late at night on Monday and Fridays an a 736. This although would have been good for CWL was unlikley to happen with 'BRS bigger business catchement area' these flights are more targeted for lesuire passengers. With our L/H with TOM, TCD, Zoom etc and BRS, New York with the non-direct with FCA next year. More news may show this to be right or wrong.
Join Date: Aug 2006
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A380
As deal or no deal asked.
Can CWL take an A380 technically?? Runway length, taxiways and stand six being big enough?? Despite the logistics!
What I'm saying is, can one land if it needed to divert?? Are we a divert option??
Cheers Av UK
Can CWL take an A380 technically?? Runway length, taxiways and stand six being big enough?? Despite the logistics!
What I'm saying is, can one land if it needed to divert?? Are we a divert option??
Cheers Av UK
Join Date: Aug 2005
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Does anyone know what happened with the "santa" flight today? - I understand the plane went tech but what was the issue?
I guess the airport must have been full of upset kids, not a nice place to be for anyone, especially the folks who had to tell them the flight was off.
I guess the airport must have been full of upset kids, not a nice place to be for anyone, especially the folks who had to tell them the flight was off.
Join Date: Aug 2006
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First Choice - Tech Santa flight
Yep, it went tech.
They looked at getting another a/c in but it was getting late and it wouldn't have been worth it in the end. All that money for an hour or two.. Cancelled yes, many unhappy people, but that's life and the risk you take each and every day.
Aviation ain't perfect! I'm sure that First Choice would have rather people get there than have to pay compensation and possibly get a bad news report... Let alone 180 pax that won't book with them again!
A sad day really.. Many kids VERY excited and let down at the last minute.. They were at the boarding gate at the time of the news!
No FCA engineer on site as it's winter! Had to come from BRS to diagnose.. Outlook was gloomy...
Just think of all the days off from work booked by parents, the promises of seeing Santa and reindeer in the snow...
So glad I don't deal with pax!!
Av
They looked at getting another a/c in but it was getting late and it wouldn't have been worth it in the end. All that money for an hour or two.. Cancelled yes, many unhappy people, but that's life and the risk you take each and every day.
Aviation ain't perfect! I'm sure that First Choice would have rather people get there than have to pay compensation and possibly get a bad news report... Let alone 180 pax that won't book with them again!
A sad day really.. Many kids VERY excited and let down at the last minute.. They were at the boarding gate at the time of the news!
No FCA engineer on site as it's winter! Had to come from BRS to diagnose.. Outlook was gloomy...
Just think of all the days off from work booked by parents, the promises of seeing Santa and reindeer in the snow...
So glad I don't deal with pax!!
Av
Join Date: Aug 2006
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New Stockholm (ARN) route from BRS starting next June. Is CWL falling further behind? Surely a link operating between two capital cities would have been the better option?
CWL makes no real competition with BRS as it stands. Our destinations are predictable and More often than not more costly than BRS. CWL struggles with the business market. Not sure why, but the majority are holidaying pax. We are limited in catchment area and diversity of destinations. But if no one pays, then no operator will fly!
Slightly cheaper landing fees and better facilities would do it! But we are many years behind and will never be competition to BRS as they are years ahead of us!
Our current expansion includes the 'refurb' of very old air bridges that fit so few a/c??? What's the point?? Spend a little more to achieve turn around times that are required these days by improving equipment, not painting it nice!
Small differences resemble BIG achievements to staff that have to use these things! Perhaps listen to the staff who use CWL a little more, rather than impose rules and changes that benefit no-one.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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I havent heard anything about Jet2 either, and with all there fleet assigned and the schedules tightly packed with routes this aint going to happen for S07. flybw on the other hand.
(Well except for the 3 new aircraft but heard they are going to DTV after WW pullout)
(Well except for the 3 new aircraft but heard they are going to DTV after WW pullout)
Last edited by Smile!!!; 3rd Dec 2006 at 15:15.
Jet2 have one new base to open next year, but it seems to be a tightly held secret as to where. They have a significant number of slot allocations in Spain, Portugal and France which don't tie up with existing operations and, if the fleet plan is to be believed, around three 737s spare.
That said, I would not have thought Cardiff would be a particularly good fit with their "The North's low-cost airline" mantra. Most speculation seemed to be pointing to Durham/Tees Valley as the likely place, since they were apparently a bit miffed by FlyGlobespan's move in there.
Rumour has it that at least one long-haul operator is looking at pulling out of CWL completely given the outrageous landing charges for 767s. CWL sounds to be amongst the most expensive airports in the country for that size of aircraft given the way its landing fees are set up. It will be interesting to see if the airport budges on this for the sake of keeping services going.
That said, I would not have thought Cardiff would be a particularly good fit with their "The North's low-cost airline" mantra. Most speculation seemed to be pointing to Durham/Tees Valley as the likely place, since they were apparently a bit miffed by FlyGlobespan's move in there.
Rumour has it that at least one long-haul operator is looking at pulling out of CWL completely given the outrageous landing charges for 767s. CWL sounds to be amongst the most expensive airports in the country for that size of aircraft given the way its landing fees are set up. It will be interesting to see if the airport budges on this for the sake of keeping services going.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Well it seems to most people now that despite the airport having loads of potential for new routes, new airlines and growth the management seem to be careless and act as if they don't want the airport to grow! Every other airport in the UK is growing at a much faster pace than CWL, and even though yes there is a smaller catchment area there is massive potential for routes but it is the airport's fault that they can't get their act together and get more airlines in.
As for the news about another airline leaving it seems as if by next year the airport will be left with no one and I bet pax won't bother coming back next year to this disgrace of an airport that once was a good place to fly from!
As for the news about another airline leaving it seems as if by next year the airport will be left with no one and I bet pax won't bother coming back next year to this disgrace of an airport that once was a good place to fly from!
Join Date: Nov 2005
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FlyBE annouce CWL!
From May next year FlyBe will commence operations twice daily from CWL to Belfast Harbour, with further expansion planned - see below.
Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer, Flybe comments: "The announcement of a new hub at Cardiff is another string to Flybe's bow. Beginning operations from this key base is a major move for us as we continue to expand across the UK, bringing our low cost, high quality service to Wales for the first time."
"With the recent announcement of the proposed acquisition of BA Connect these are exciting times for Flybe as we grow to become Europe's largest regional carrier. Cardiff Airport has massive potential for growth and we are already looking at options for further new routes to be introduced early next year so watch this space!"
Jon Horne, Managing Director at Cardiff International Airport comments: "We're always looking to bring increased choice to travellers in and around Cardiff so we are delighted to welcome Flybe as a new carrier to our fast-growing airport. Flybe's establishment at Cardiff is also of strategic importance to the Welsh economy and businesses."
Mike Rutter, Chief Commercial Officer, Flybe comments: "The announcement of a new hub at Cardiff is another string to Flybe's bow. Beginning operations from this key base is a major move for us as we continue to expand across the UK, bringing our low cost, high quality service to Wales for the first time."
"With the recent announcement of the proposed acquisition of BA Connect these are exciting times for Flybe as we grow to become Europe's largest regional carrier. Cardiff Airport has massive potential for growth and we are already looking at options for further new routes to be introduced early next year so watch this space!"
Jon Horne, Managing Director at Cardiff International Airport comments: "We're always looking to bring increased choice to travellers in and around Cardiff so we are delighted to welcome Flybe as a new carrier to our fast-growing airport. Flybe's establishment at Cardiff is also of strategic importance to the Welsh economy and businesses."
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Good news about FlyBe. A breath of fresh air!
ThomsonFly 737 returned to base this morning on full emergency due to a cracked windscreen on the f/o side.
Tent by stand one being gutted ready for removal.
Airbridge 10 still away.
ThomsonFly 737 returned to base this morning on full emergency due to a cracked windscreen on the f/o side.
Tent by stand one being gutted ready for removal.
Airbridge 10 still away.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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With the announcement of Flybe's arrival I will be very surprised if CWL does not get the additional baby aircraft to defend, especially with the announcement of a hub for Flybe
Let battle commence........
Let battle commence........
Brunel to Concorde
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Well I try to fly from CWL as much as I can, because I fly twice weekly to Paris and once to Berlin as well as the occasional Dublin trip. But not one of these happens from CWL but from BRS, and I've noticed a lot of people in these flights are from South Wales. Figures show that 30% of BRS pax are from Wales so there is a huge market for atleast a couple of basic routes from CWL which include Paris, Berlin, Brussels and perhaps something to Italy.
If true it would mean that almost as many Welsh people were using BRS as CWL's pax numbers in total.
The figure that BRS uses in its master plan (final draft recently published) is 10.6% of its pax are from Wales, much the same proportion in percentage terms as the number of West Country pax using CWL.
BRS still thinks it loses around 60% of its potential catchment to other airports, mainly those in the London area, and I believe CWL's percentage figure is similar.
A lot of this of course is impossible to stem because neither BRS nor CWL is large enough to provide the worldwide services that are available from LHR.
What seems undeniable is that CWL has performed poorly in recent years, especially on the scheduled front, seemingly because its low cost operator has never really given the airport a good run.
Now that Flybe is at last coming to the party (I am surprised they waited so long) there is every chance that a decent route network will be established over the next year or two.
Look at what that airline has done for EXT and SOU, for example.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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I read in the Echo a while back when they were comparing CWL and BRS, and it said that nearly 30% of BRS pax are coming to or from Wales, so they would most likely use CWL if the routes were in place. On another note, does anyone think that if Flybe started a decent route network from CWL to perhaps Paris and a few other destinations would it work, or would BRS still be popular for people from S. Wales? Also are lufthansa still looking into flights from Cardiff?
Join Date: May 2004
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Heard they(FLYBE) ARE looking at Paris,loads of routes for them to take on 
Low prices could be the key here.
Who will be running the north -south link?
Low prices could be the key here.Who will be running the north -south link?
Last edited by pipertommy; 7th Dec 2006 at 17:57.