IRELAND WEST AIRPORT KNOCK

[EI-A330-300]

Over all the service was great from Flybe. It took just about an hour for the aircraft to be turned around in NOC, I got the impression that once a Ryanair flight lands everything stops for BE, EI etc and they all attend FR so they can achive there quick turnaround. The same on my returm FR flight landed after ours but FR pax got there bags before us.

If this happens in the summer time I don't think LH will be to pleased as they like to have there flights on time and they would expect a high level of service.

I also asked a member of staff about the extra STN flights and they said it would most lightly not be until November before they start if they do.

I will be using BE again in the summer to either MAN or LBA as I have relations and the distance from both airports is more less the same. Thinking LBA as its a new route and it needs to be supported more than MAN.

[iwak]

Good to hear the service was good . I think they need to advertise the route as a weekend break to the local Market. The Galway edi route was popular and performed well so there's no reason why noc can't fill a 3 wkly service.

Ryanair always get good marketing about new routes but ww,ei and flybe need extra marketing and promotion to create more awareness. Ryanair will always do well as they are the first website people go to when looking for a cheap flight.

I think on the ground marketing / roadshows in the likes of Galway ,Sligo ,Roscommon, , castlebar and westport is what the routes need and give an incentive like reduced parking at certain times of year to boost numbers.

On the ground talking to your Market telling them what's available and the advantages of noc would definitely be beneficial in stimulating the local Market.

[EI-A330-300]

I agree about the marketing.

BE and WAT airport are both doing a lot of marketing of the new BHX route on radio, papers etc but I have not read or heard an add other than on NOC website, thats not to say there has being none done.

[Jamie2k9]

NOC - EMA will now be 5 weekly for summer instead of daily. Tues and Fri flights dropped.

[Kinocker]

Passengers at NOC for JAN,FEB are up 16% compared to same period in 2011.

That rise is relative to 2010, not 2011. Up 1.1% overall on 2011 for January(+2.2%) and Febuary(+0.2%). There won't be any serious growth until the new routes start and show up in the April figures. After that there is the potential for another record breaking summer.

NOC - EMA will now be 5 weekly for summer instead of daily. Tues and Fri flights dropped.

Not surprised that they've cut back, but surprised that they've dropped the Friday service. Generally Ryanair tend to win against other airlines on routes to destinations near each other but bmibaby took them last year with their Birmingham service and have expanded it this year as a result. Final route figures for 2011 are now on Wikipedia with the top six routes all showing an increase on 2010.

Ireland West Airport Knock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edinburgh only the 15th most popular route in 2011 so no surprise that its loads are weak in February. Still think it will do fine for the rest of the year, there isn't much competition now that GWY has finished up. I sure as hell won't be driving to/from Dublin to save a few quid anyway, total false economy.

[iwak]

Good to see Bristol back on the boards this week presumably started early for those heading to Cheltenham .

Any news on how seats are selling on the new European routes?

Is the business lounge nearly ready?

Thanks

[sawtooth]

Good to see Bristol back on the boards this week presumably started early for those heading to Cheltenham.

I tried booking BRS several times this year but the flights weren't loaded until very late, a lot going to Cheltenham would have missed out.

LGW showing some growth, FEB12 + 46% in CAA stats. Hopefully more growth on UK routes given increased national marketing and better economy.

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Any news on how seats are selling on the new European routes?

No info on the Euro routes, I've notices fares are now very low in April compared to when launched. Airport have been visiting travel trade events in Germany along with Tourism Ireland who have had targeted campaigns running in the Eurporan countries this year.

Sadly there doesn't seem to be any effort to support these routes on this side, no new tourism tours/attractions, paltry tourist information, same useless bus timetable.

Ryanair press release earlier in the year saying that they had record bookings on outbound sun routes though ...

record advance bookings on its summer sun routes from Knock Airport, which are 20% up on 2010 and look set to deliver a bumper year for Ireland West Airport, with Ryanair expecting to grow to 500,000 passengers at Knock in 2012

[NorthernCounties]

Sadly there doesn't seem to be any effort to support these routes on this side, no new tourism tours/attractions, paltry tourist information, same useless bus timetable.

I'd say this is a good thing, as there's enough routes which will carry Irish holiday makers to leisure destinations, which is great for the Spanish and Portuguese economies, but doesn't really help the Western Ireland.

If the German routes can be supported mostly through passengers originating in Germany, it'll be great for the Western Economy. Get the tourists (tourist's wallets) in!

[airnoc]

Hi all
Just done a quick tot on 2011 pax number on wiki page and there is a differance of 21,277 pax.

Is this made up with the Dublin p.s.o flight which ended in July and Lourdes as well?

[EI-A330-300]

A very good month for EI indeed, STN and LTN both dropped a little. To date we have all talked about FR added a few extra STN but nobody has considered EI, with numbers like this for Feb I think they can't be ruled out of adding a few extra flights.

[iwak]

I think the lgw route was 4 wkly up to a certain point in feb last year then reverted to daily .

The route is always roughly 2000 pax less than stn or ltn over the winter months however ei must be making money as it's bookable daily again for next winter.

All routes apart from fr need up weighted marketing big time as I've said before a lot of people in the west just think it's fr at noc as they get the most press coverage when it comes to route expansion at the airport.

The ramp is going to be busy for summer 2012:

[Kinocker]

Airnoc the figures on wiki are just the 15 busiest routes, so the total you calculated wouldn't have included the Ryanair service to Gran Canaria, Aer Arann to Dublin, the charters to Lourdes, Dubrovnik and Sumburgh and some other ad hoc flights.

Looking forward to the start of the summer season, will be very interesting to see how the French, German and Italian routes do.

[iwak]

Flybe still juggling with noc schedules .edi aircraft will now operate sunday Leeds rotation meaning the edi flight departs edi at 12.15 which is not great if your taking a weekend break.

[CabinCrewe]

Oh dear, the loads on EDI-NOC were bad enough already. Is it really then just being used as a positioner ?

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair

Hahn will be reduced to 2 weekly for the month of May. Fares for all 4 new rew routes are very low and I would say if bookings don't increase there will be a further reduction to hahn.

[EI-A330-300]

feb passengers up 0.2%.

[EI-A330-300]

Have just booked return flights to GRO for 2 in April at a total cost of €20. Yesterday the same dates were €28.

[Kinocker]

Great bargains to be had on the new Ryanair routes at the moment alright. Unfortunately that is a sign that they are probably not selling too well as of yet. Hopefully they are given a chance to develop and not just pulled at the first sign of trouble.

[sawtooth]

Being realistic it's a big ask to fill 3x in the first weeks of inbound routes and no previous market (other than Lufthansa BA who apparently had 5 weekly summer charter routes back in the late 90s).

Remember DUS is also being served by LH with regional connections. It goes up to 3x from June. KIR-HHN is only 4x with a well established market and bigger / better promoted tourism product. HHN is also year round with BVA according to the airport wiki, is this correct?

Edit -
Good news ...The Minister for Tourism has just announced Western Region Tourism Marketing Programme

The Western Development Commission (WDC) and regional Local Authorities are partnering with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland on establishing the most significant international tourism marketing campaign ever for the Western Region. Taking place across Germany, France, Italy and England, the campaign aims to capitalise on the recently announced new air routes into Ireland West Airport Knock. The move is expected to provide a considerable boost to tourism businesses in the West and North West by bringing international tourists directly into the area.

[Mayfly1]

Agree, but it about time the local authorities, WDC and tourism bodies get behind the airport and the new routes, it's they and the region that they serve that will benefit more than the airport.....better late than never for this initiative , but it needs to be just the start of a more focussed regional marketing programme that runs continously and not just a once off initiative