IRELAND WEST AIRPORT KNOCK

[gavinhicks]

it looks like all the new knock routes are gone for 2015. looking at the cso stats kaunas is the best performer with eindhoven performing well only in august. i wonder will ryanair operate Glasgow international next year the numbers seemed to be developing on the prestwick route. Germanwings don't appear to be flying to knock next year,no surprise as the numbers are terrible. I wonder will they move the route to shannon for 2015 it would probably do a lot better.

[iwak]

It is not looking very hopeful at this stage for glasgow or eindhoven and we know kaunas has moved to snn which is a real shame as it had performed very well.

The inbound tourism product seems to prove hard to sell ! I think knock will have to stick to the bucket and spade routes for development.But also it will have to strike a deal with ryanair so it and shannon can grow together without taking routes from each other !


It remains to be seen will ryanair launch summer 2015 from knock like they have done at the other main airports!

Here's hoping for Palma , reus maybe on a w routing ,
, Vilnius (wizzair base) and gdansk Poland ( ryanair base)

Fingers crossed!

[sawtooth]

S15 schedule loaded so far...

FR
NOC - STN 11x M T W T F S S
NOC - STN M – W – F – S
NOC - LTN 9x M T W T F S S
NOC - LTN – – – – F – S
NOC - EMA 5x M – W T F – S
NOC - LPL 5x M T – T F S –
NOC - FAO 4x – T W T – S –z
NOC - BRS 3x – – W – F – S
NOC - ALC 3x – – W – – S S
NOC - BGY 2x – T – – – S –
NOC - ACE 2x – – W – – – S
NOC - AGP 1x – – – – – S –
NOC - TFS 1x – – – T – – –
KUN / EIN / LPA / GLA / GRO not loaded

BE
NOC - BHX (Summer schedule not loaded)
NOC - MAN (Summer schedule not loaded)

EI
NOC - LGW 7x M T W T F S S

Increase on LTN weekend services. Expect GRO or REU will be back. I think some of the euro city routes might have worked in a better economic climate. The Wild Atlantic Way is finally developing a more marketable integrated inbound product, but in it's infancy.

Hard to see FR testing many routes next year given their current focus at SNN and no sign of any movement on capital investment row.

[confused atco]

no sign of any movement on capital investment row.

???
Elaborate please.

[fivejuliet]

GRO is loaded at 2pw but just not on sale. RYR having issues with GRO at the moment and cutting back their base there so not a reflection on NOC

[sawtooth]

???Elaborate please.

Warning contains politics!!

Shorthand – IWAK seems to have fallen out of favour with DOT around the time of the SNN debt deal. Ignored in Aviation Policy document / capital plan.

Longhand–

2005 -2006
IWAK developed master plan for the airport with Scott Wilson aviation consultancy for a phased development of the site to reach a target of 2m passengers by 2030.

2007
Dep. of Transport backing. IWAK were allocated €27m capital investment which was to form part of an overall €46 plan including airport funds (Extending the terminal, upgrade, ILS, equipment and runway safety projects)

2009
Only part of the money was drawn down due to the exchequer cutbacks. Plans for phase 1 Apron Extension, Looping Taxiway, Terminal Peer, Fuel Farm move, long-term parking, reconfigured roads and car hire compound, business park, all mothballed.

2010 -2011
Little capital investment as DOT OPEX and Capital budgets were cut again. Airports finances came under pressure from falling pax spend, loss of PSO.

Enda Kenny privatly "guarantees” IWAK management of capital funding when in Government.

2012
SNN given €100m debt write down, Shannon Development land bank, est €200m investment package.

IWAK claim market distortion, threaten to take legal action in Europe under state aid rules.

Public political row between local TDs over lack of commitment from Government.

Multiple reports commissioned, mostly justifying the airports business case for phased development, costing benefit return to exchequer in tourism access, jobs, bed nights.

Western Development Commission report on regional air access. Highlights lack of road infrastructure, need for direct access.

Mayo Co.Co. Local Area Plan for IWAK site zoning.

Dep. Transport - Value for Money Review of Exchequer Expenditure on the Regional Airports Programme 2010 – "consolidate limited regional airports funding at IWAK"

Dep. Enterprise - Feasibility study Enterprise Shannon Development 2011 – "potential for 300 jobs in a new innovation hub”

Dep. Taoiseach - IWAK Special Study Group Report commissioned under pressure from own party TDs


2013
IWAK Chairman Liam Scollan resigns following dispute with DOT over funding.

"Cat fight" between Taoiseach and Local TD before meeting with IWAK board.

Dep. Taoiseach - IWAK Special Study Group Report published several months late
Recommends: "investment and support of about €36m from a combination of sources including the Exchequer, Local Authorities and business interests, a restructuring of the airport debt and continued operational support to 2019 taking into account EU State Aid guidelines... Stakeholder support to become self sustainable by 2023."

Dep. Transport - Draft Aviation Policy
Does not make reference to IWAK signifigance
Recommends: Regional Airport Capital expenditure (CAPEX) will be limited to safety and security projects up to 75%

2014
Airport secures agreement in principle from 6 local authorities to contribute to airport investment.

No movement on report reccommendations. Political row rolls on with finger pointing between local politicians.

Government TD Michelle Mulhern commissions private report on IWAK
Highlights IWAK growth, strategic position. Points to Inverness airports investment business case as a precedent for EU state aid compliance.
Accuses DOT of bias against the airport.

IWAK Chairman Joe Kennedy publicly calls on Taoiseach to act on his promise at an event attended by him.

DOT announces further cuts capital budge in 2015 ...

[j636]

Unless the airport is at full capacity there is no justification for capital investment. By the looks of the above schedule it will be quieter in 2015.

[confused atco]

Politics, I had to ask.

[sawtooth]

Unless the airport is at full capacity there is no justification for capital investment.

They have run a very lean operation compared to other airports. However Catch 22 for a small airport like NOC. They have to compete large airports and meet airline infrastructure expectations to attract routes and carriers.

Operational support has been cut so they have to reach economies of scale beyond 1.2m pax to become self sufficient financially. Infrastructure is already proving a barrier to growth.


Airside capacity:
Lots of spare capacity in mornings and evenings, but NOC doesn't have much business traffic, mostly low-co/vfr/charter airlines and operates a single 07:00 - 18:00 shift due to funding constraints.

Just 3 category C stands and a single link taxiway. Airline schedules dictate slot times and most FR slots are mid-day hours.

During the summer they regularly have to hold arriving aircraft on the cargo apron, backtrack on the runway, rotate departing aircraft on the small main apron. Looping taxiway would alleviate some of the pressure.

Little capacity for overnight or based aircraft, tech delays, diversions or emergency handling.

No large hangars, no base accommodation.

Larger aircraft block 2 stands and can't be accommodated during busy hours.

US carriers want air bridges, push back towing, catering and additional support services.

Then there are handling, staff and equipment constraints.


Terminal:
Nearing design capacity ... no room for commercial units in departures.

Installed porta-cabins for overflow in summer months. Lots of complaints about queuing in August with just 2 security belts and 1200+ pax transiting in apps 1 hour period.

Likewise just two baggage belts and limited space in small baggage hall.

Carpark and overflow jammed in summer months, no long-term car park and drop off road layout isn't optimal. Car-hire companies severally limited in terms of compound / parking space.

Politics, I had to ask.

Yup!

[onyxcrowle]

What happened to the Leeds Bradford Link? Any chance of It returning.
Or Loganair or Links Air flying Doncaster To Knock.
Also can you Fly to Dublin Cork or Shannon from there?
And forgive if I've asked before ive got a bad memory.
Wasn't there a service from Conemara to Knock by Aer Aran Islands?

[EI-BUD]

Leeds - 738 too big. Tried and tested. Can't see which operator would be well placed to do it. Ie no based airlines at NOC or LBA a good fit.

DSA a long shot from NOC- a Dublin route didn't work for FR or Aer Lingus Regional, and given the volume of pax on BHD DSA , as a bench mark, I'd not wager my bets on a DSA NOC route.

Loganair unlikely to DSA also very unlikely . In my view Loganair are very risk averse, so I can't see them doing this.

No flights to NOC internally. There was a PSO route to DUB for many many years, operated by many carriers including Ryanair, Loganair, Aer Lingus, Ireland Airways etc.

There never had been a flight to Connemara from Knock Airport, besides the distances are too short.

[onyxcrowle]

Thank you for the Answer that cleared that up

[iwak]

Anybody any idea when ryanair will properly launch knock summer 2015 as all other irish airports including kerry have been officially launched ! Looking at the schedule we have lost

Glasgow
Kaunas
Las palmas
Eindhoven
Liverpool reduced to 5 wkly

This is nine flights a week lost which will be a big dent in the figures unless some new routes are announced!

[Knock63]

I hear the late FR to STN on Wednesdays has been pulled too from the end of Nov, what's going on up there?? Another half day closing for an 'International Airport'. I'm sure that's going to hit the wages of some of the staff, who I'm sure are already on low pay already.

[heneghan_j]

New to this Forum :)

I've regularly viewed this forum as a non-member which has a so much useful information over the past year and I didn't realise other people were as passionate and interested as myself. NOC and FR are my favorite as I use them so often!

Does anyone know when is the latest time that FR can publish routes from NOC for Summer 15, or has it already passed that stage?

I really hope FR can at least bring 1 or 2 routes back like PIK and EIN. I'm currently in the process for applying as Ryanair Ground Crew at Knock for Summer 15 and would love FR's ops to be very busy as in previous years

Thanks

[AerArann62W]

Any idea when / if flights to Manchester are going to be bookable with Flybe for Summer 2015? BHX is currently available whilst MAN isn't. It's just Knock and Waterford that are waiting!

[EI-A330-300]

I really hope FR can at least bring 1 or 2 routes back like PIK and EIN. I'm currently in the process for applying as Ryanair Ground Crew at Knock for Summer 15 and would love FR's ops to be very busy as in previous years

EIN, KUN, PIK, LPA all gone. GRO, BGY only scheduled for 2 months instead of 3.5 months (similar to Cork) and LPL reduced. AGP also reduced (early days with that one). GRO actually returning will depend on a deal with GRO so it could be scrapped.

Germanwings pulled their service to.

There is a few extra LON service but 2015 will not be a record year for NOC.

[mart901]

Plenty of time for announcements on summer 2015, nothing happens a long time in advance on such routes. It was later than this in the year that FR announced routes like BVA.

[EI-A330-300]

Mart901

There is nowhere elase in Europe for them to try ex NOC that would be remotely viable. They have explored all the routes with the best chance and all have failed. The only reason GRO and BGY are still around as its Irish people who use them to holiday in Spain are around Lake Garda.

You are right it is early however FR are releasing schedules much earlier. If any sort of route might happen it would have to be PMI.

[iwak]

Yeah I agree route development will be tough for the airport but hopefully as economy picks up this May change!

If flybe don't launch man for summer fr I'd say would jump in 4 wkly or ei regional even but fr would bring volume!

Pmi will hope fully be introduced with reus if it's possible on a w rotation.agp route has more scope than 1 weekly .

Loganair/ flybe saab 2000 gla route 3 per week would surely work or ei regional

Anyway here's hoping some good news comes our way.