IRELAND WEST AIRPORT KNOCK
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Ireland West Airport marketing manger saying they had a very strong month in April:
On Flybe EDI route:
April figures very strong at Knock Airport
Flight numbers in and out of Ireland West Airport have exceeded expectations recently. Initial estimations for the month of April suggest more than 55,000 passengers are expected to have passed through the airport during the four week period, which is close to a new record.
Mr Healy said the first flights were completely booked out while the most recent flights have all been 75 per cent full and this is an encouraging start.
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Iwak - I didn't see the passengers coming off the inbound flight as I was clearing security at the time.
Very good news on the April figures, should be a record breaking summer.
For comparative purposes:
April 2008 49,000
April 2009 47,550
April 2010 38,767
55,000 would have been a May/June figure rather than an April one in recent years and would represent a 42% rise on last year's volcano disrupted April.
Very good news on the April figures, should be a record breaking summer.
Flight numbers in and out of Ireland West Airport have exceeded expectations recently. Initial estimations for the month of April suggest more than 55,000 passengers are expected to have passed through the airport during the four week period, which is close to a new record.
April 2008 49,000
April 2009 47,550
April 2010 38,767
55,000 would have been a May/June figure rather than an April one in recent years and would represent a 42% rise on last year's volcano disrupted April.
Last edited by Kinocker; 4th May 2011 at 16:20.
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Apparently though, as encouraging as those figures are, i hear the management are claiming that the "passenger spending" is down 
Whenever I've been there the queues at the till and bar have been endless !!! Trying the old 3 card trick with the workforce no doubt.
Whenever I've been there the queues at the till and bar have been endless !!! Trying the old 3 card trick with the workforce no doubt.
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Passenger spend down 30% and the airport has cut it's cost base by the same amount according to an interview with the airport Chairman last month:
Passengers set to flock via Knock - The Irish Times - Fri, Mar 25, 2011
Not clear what spending he's referring to or what period. Several factors could be at play: online check-in cutting down time in terminal, less discretionary shopping, tight limits on carry on liquids, LOCO restrictions on carry on baggage, relatively basic retail and food offering. Bus services could have had a small impact on parking.
And the unique Knock phenomenon of relatives dropping off pax and having a few drinks in the viewing lounge to wave them off is also dying out as the airport gets more commercial.
Passengers set to flock via Knock - The Irish Times - Fri, Mar 25, 2011
Not clear what spending he's referring to or what period. Several factors could be at play: online check-in cutting down time in terminal, less discretionary shopping, tight limits on carry on liquids, LOCO restrictions on carry on baggage, relatively basic retail and food offering. Bus services could have had a small impact on parking.
And the unique Knock phenomenon of relatives dropping off pax and having a few drinks in the viewing lounge to wave them off is also dying out as the airport gets more commercial.
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I see aer lingus are back daily to lgw for winter and Shannon gets the 4 weekly service .
Very positive figures for April would definitely agree that here is huge inbound potential from Germany and France during the summer season.
I remember about 10 years ago when there were flights from Amsterdam, berlin,Frankfurt,Munich and dusseldorf along with the recntlylost Zurich each Saturday.
These were all inbound charters heading for holidays on the Shannon Erne waterway.
Frankfurt has been well supported at Kerry so no reason it couldn't be at
knock.
Very positive figures for April would definitely agree that here is huge inbound potential from Germany and France during the summer season.
I remember about 10 years ago when there were flights from Amsterdam, berlin,Frankfurt,Munich and dusseldorf along with the recntlylost Zurich each Saturday.
These were all inbound charters heading for holidays on the Shannon Erne waterway.
Frankfurt has been well supported at Kerry so no reason it couldn't be at
knock.
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Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Flybe, Bmibaby, Air Europa and Europe Airpost will have a total of 95,654 seats for sale for the month of July from Knock. August is more less the same.
Aer Arann, Luganair and Dubrovnik Airline (1 flight) figures not included.
Faro flights this year are reduced by the charter operators and Ryanair. Over 2,000 less seats on the route in July.
Aer Arann, Luganair and Dubrovnik Airline (1 flight) figures not included.
Faro flights this year are reduced by the charter operators and Ryanair. Over 2,000 less seats on the route in July.
Last edited by Jamie2k9; 4th May 2011 at 23:54.
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IWAK: agree that here is huge inbound potential from Germany and France during the summer season. I remember about 10 years ago when there were flights from Amsterdam, berlin,Frankfurt,Munich and dusseldorf along with the recntlylost Zurich each Saturday.
Yet Tourism Ireland marketing is almost 100% focused on Dublin and Kerry. You only need to look at the mess airline magazines and travel websites make when they profile the airport with dull recounts of visits to Knock shrine, completely missing the wood for the trees.
We have a very good tourism product in the West with some of the best the scenic attractions in Europe, perfect for family, tour and green holidays in an area that has retained some of the old Irish charm. We now have very modern affordable hotel accommodation, most with spas and pools, many wonderful restaurants, museums, festivals and cultural attractions, as well as improved transport and tourism infrastructure (airport, roads, public transport, western greenway trails etc).
But whats is needed is an integrated approach to marketing and packaging that product under one Western brand along with flights and supporting rich information website so it is accessible to a would be visitor.
The tourism minister should be setting out that vision and making the various tourism bodies to work together to identify key target markets in France, Germany, Italy, and work with travel agents and airlines to develop seasonal routes and fund a marketing drive to create that awareness.
But we're dealing with civil servants here so wont hold out much hope of an vision
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Bristol and Leeds have similar loads to each other ranging from >70% in summer to <50% in winter. Bristol always does slightly better than Leeds. I would describe them both as quite marginal routes from Knock in the winter months.
Reus did extremely well last summer, >85% in July and August and still decent for the other months it ran (May - Oct), much more competition in terms of sun routes this year though proximity to Barcelona gives this route something that the others cannot offer. All reports so far indicate that Edinburgh is flying but it is to early yet to be able to back that up with figures.
Flybe have added some more connections through Edinburgh - Jersey, Guernsey, Inverness and Stornaway can now be booked from Knock. I have no idea whether there is much of a take up on these connections but there are now 13 in total on offer via Edinburgh.
Reus did extremely well last summer, >85% in July and August and still decent for the other months it ran (May - Oct), much more competition in terms of sun routes this year though proximity to Barcelona gives this route something that the others cannot offer. All reports so far indicate that Edinburgh is flying but it is to early yet to be able to back that up with figures.
Flybe have added some more connections through Edinburgh - Jersey, Guernsey, Inverness and Stornaway can now be booked from Knock. I have no idea whether there is much of a take up on these connections but there are now 13 in total on offer via Edinburgh.
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Cheers for the info!
I'm not sure how many people will choose to connect via EDI. I remember reading that one month, only about 250 originating from BHD chose to connect via MAN on their way to CDG. But the fact that there are less routes on offer at NOC you might find more connecting.
If the advertising is any thing like that at LDY you might see a lot more using the option to connect!
I'm not sure how many people will choose to connect via EDI. I remember reading that one month, only about 250 originating from BHD chose to connect via MAN on their way to CDG. But the fact that there are less routes on offer at NOC you might find more connecting.
If the advertising is any thing like that at LDY you might see a lot more using the option to connect!
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Aena's stats for April show the following for the new Canary Island routes from Knock:
Tenerife 1,093 Pax 72% LF
Gran Can 858 Pax 57% LF
Lanzarote 1,070 Pax 81% LF - assuming first incoming flight was empty or close to it
Lanzarote doing very well in its first month of operation, Tenerife doing fine, Gran Canaria still lagging behind a bit.
Tenerife 1,093 Pax 72% LF
Gran Can 858 Pax 57% LF
Lanzarote 1,070 Pax 81% LF - assuming first incoming flight was empty or close to it
Lanzarote doing very well in its first month of operation, Tenerife doing fine, Gran Canaria still lagging behind a bit.
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NOC - REU - 47% load factor - didn't operate April 2010
NOC - ALC - 43% load factor
NOC - ALC - 43% load factor
However it is difficult to judge the true loads on these routes in April. They will actually be much higher as the first few flights from Spain on both are likely to have come in close to empty with the routes only recommencing at the very end of March. For that reason I had left the two routes out of my post.
It is clear to see that Alicante is doing much better than Reus. Beyond that it is difficult to read anything into those two figures. Overall, four of the five routes did not run in April 2010. Alicante only ran for part of the month. All put together the five routes amount to a 6,600 pax increase from Knock compared to April 2010.
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Ireland West will be relieved by yesterdays announcement that the minister for transport supports the airports viability and funding for operational support. However the minister did warn all airports would have to cut costs and the overall regional airports budget will be dramatically smaller in the future.
The airports director today said it will need continued financial support. He highlighted the need for effective marketing of UK routes to improve loads from a 66% average, but said the main issue is capital spending needed for planned RESA and ramp improvements:
Knock airport safe
The airports director today said it will need continued financial support. He highlighted the need for effective marketing of UK routes to improve loads from a 66% average, but said the main issue is capital spending needed for planned RESA and ramp improvements:
According to Mr Gilmore, the issue facing Knock airport is capital. “We are hoping to expand our external apron (ramp), and repair our runway as well as ensure our security measures are sufficient, so it’s a big challenge.”
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Very impressive going so far this year, up more than 20% for the first four months, if that was continued over the whole year pax would exceed 700,000. That may not quite be achieved but May numbers will again be well up on last year and the summer season offers promise also as the charters kick in. While the April numbers are obviously far up on last year it is worth noting that they are around 10,000 up on both 2008 and 2009 as well, so there is genuine growth there, its not just the ash cloud.
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Jan - 31,168 up 17.7%
Feb - 37,623 up 12.4%
Mar - 46,865 up 4.8%
April - 57,345 up 47.9%
Hi Well done Ire West Knock on pax no this year so and hopefully more to come.
How are the charter filghts doing againts ryanair.
I see that ryanair are back weekly on liverpool i take it that it is a hit on man route before it is finish in oct
Feb - 37,623 up 12.4%
Mar - 46,865 up 4.8%
April - 57,345 up 47.9%
Hi Well done Ire West Knock on pax no this year so and hopefully more to come.
How are the charter filghts doing againts ryanair.
I see that ryanair are back weekly on liverpool i take it that it is a hit on man route before it is finish in oct
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Yes I noticed there was a Liverpool service yesterday, wasn't sure if that was the first one but certainly until recently there was no flight on a Saturday. Also noticed that it is scheduled to arrive and depart at exactly the same time as the WW service to MAN, although that may just be a coincidence.
If nobody was to move onto the MAN route then NOC-LPL would become a seriously profitable operation for Ryanair however, given that WW have run a 737 profitably on the route for years, I'd be amazed if nobody wanted a shot at it.
Also you have the strong possibility of Galway Airport - which has a daily MAN service - closing next year, so that would result in more MAN passengers switching to Knock.
Still think its an easy opportunity for flybe to run a successful daily flight despite the Ryanair competition.
In terms of Winter operational changes compared to last year, so far it looks like this:
Gatwick: up from 4 per week to 7 per week
Luton: down from 7 per week to 4 per week
East Midlands: down from 4 per week to 3 per week
Liverpool: up from 6 per week to 7 per week
Edinburgh: up from no service to 3 per week
Tenerife: up from no service to 1 per week
Lanzarote: up from no service to 1 per week
Manchester: down from 4 per week to no service
Leeds, Bristol, Birmingham & Stansted: no change to number of flights (some changes to days of operation)
So a slight increase in weekly international flights so far, with some winter sun routes and hope that a Manchester operator will be added to the list. I don't expect we'll see any winter charters this year (there weren't any last year), or any new scheduled routes operating this side of Christmas.
You'd never know though.
If nobody was to move onto the MAN route then NOC-LPL would become a seriously profitable operation for Ryanair however, given that WW have run a 737 profitably on the route for years, I'd be amazed if nobody wanted a shot at it.
Also you have the strong possibility of Galway Airport - which has a daily MAN service - closing next year, so that would result in more MAN passengers switching to Knock.
Still think its an easy opportunity for flybe to run a successful daily flight despite the Ryanair competition.
In terms of Winter operational changes compared to last year, so far it looks like this:
Gatwick: up from 4 per week to 7 per week
Luton: down from 7 per week to 4 per week
East Midlands: down from 4 per week to 3 per week
Liverpool: up from 6 per week to 7 per week
Edinburgh: up from no service to 3 per week
Tenerife: up from no service to 1 per week
Lanzarote: up from no service to 1 per week
Manchester: down from 4 per week to no service
Leeds, Bristol, Birmingham & Stansted: no change to number of flights (some changes to days of operation)
So a slight increase in weekly international flights so far, with some winter sun routes and hope that a Manchester operator will be added to the list. I don't expect we'll see any winter charters this year (there weren't any last year), or any new scheduled routes operating this side of Christmas.
You'd never know though.