CORK - 5

[Aisle2c]

I can't understand the Aer Lingus attitude to the Cork-Alicante service. There are a LOT of people with property on the Costa Blanca, yet AL cut the winter service and reduce next years summer service. There has to be scope for another carrier.

[ryan2000]

Ei Ork-alc

Loads on the route were pretty poor on the last occasion they operated during the Winter of 2006/7. They ended up suspending the service in february and switching the aircraft to operate extra rotations to CDG.

Nice is another route that might work during the winter if it was made easy to travel there for weekends.

There are still vacant rotations for one of the A320's on Mon, Tues, Thu and Sat afternoons from Nov 2nd when ORK-PRG is finishing.

Surely the CAA must be concerned about the collapse in services from ORK to Central Europe. Prague, Budapest, Bratislavia, Krakow and Wroclow all gone or about to go!

[840]

It seems there was another power cut in the early hours of this morning. Fortunately, things were back in reasonable time and even the first flight of the morning got away on time, although the check in queues an hour before it was due to leave make this pretty remarkable. So the major effect for passengers was just slow check in and a painful high pitched noise because the alarm system was upset. I wonder what the underlying problem is.

[Tom the Tenor]

Have no in depth details but computers/software is a part of the problem. Sorry that is so simplistic but that as much as I know!

It is interesting that EI still seem to be at sea as to what to do with the Prague slots. They are never just going to stand the aeroplane for those times? Hope not, would seem to be a waste. They could always go to Gatwick and somehow squeeze in a Sunday rotation? Ha, ha!

[EC-ILS]

ALC is a very very seasonal route. AGP and FAO can sustain numerous weekly flights but even DUB-ALC is reduced to 3 weekly flight where as DUB-AGP has 11 and DUB-FAO has 6.

ORK is a smaller market so its bound to see further decreases.

[ryan2000]

Ryanair and Cork

Michael O'Leary visiting Cork Airport tomorrow and is expected to speak to the media at one of the airport hotels in the early afternoon. Are Ryanair set to become the biggest carrier at Cork Airport? At present they are a close 2nd to Aerlingus.

[brian_dromey]

Have no in depth details but computers/software is a part of the problem. Sorry that is so simplistic but that as much as I know!

Oh dear. If it is a software thing I would expect this to continue for quite a bit. All the CAA can hope for is that it happens at quiet times, unless by bsome stroke of miracle the CAA/Aer Rianta has access to competent programmers. Unlikely.

MOL & ORK.
Interesting, I wonder if the focus would be more on the UK or towards Europe? More interestingly are they really going for the jugular with RE and WW?

Brian.

[Setel Up]

Cork - Leeds Bradford route

Aer Arann ceases to operate the route from this coming Sunday, the last day of August. It is such a shame that these city pairs will no longer have a scheduled service despite the potential should value fares be offered by a replacement carrier. Jet2 don't seem interested, so could MOL announce a Ryanair service at his hotel press conference tomorrow? Cross fingers !!

Setel Up

[NC2]

Ryanair ORK-DUB

Could it be that MOL's annoucement tomorrow has to do with the rumour that FR's ORK-DUB flights are to become hand luggage only?

[Wirelock]

anybody know who peforms the FR MX in ORK... is it FR or a 3rd party??

many thanks

[Aisle2c]

Originally Posted by EC-ILS

ALC is a very very seasonal route. AGP and FAO can sustain numerous weekly flights but even DUB-ALC is reduced to 3 weekly flight where as DUB-AGP has 11 and DUB-FAO has 6.

A Wed-Sun timetable would have been the job. When they pulled out of the Winter schedule, I think someone said previously that, they had 4 flights a week during the winter. 2 would have worked.

[fivejuliet]

Wirelock, no FR MX in Cork.

Aircraft requiring MX are usually swapped over in Dublin

[Wirelock]

many thanks for info fivejuliet!!!

[irish laddie]

One mans loss is another man's gain??

RYR dropping ORK to PIK and EMA from Oct 26 blaming a 20% increase in charges.

This should barring anymore developments from RYR, nicely increase the yields for RE on the EDI route. With a RYR reduction, is there potential for RE to jump on to the EMA route perhaps?
The decision by RE to end the only non Dublin route to LBA seems a little strange against this backdrop.

[N by NW]

FR

According to press release FR dropping Glasgow and East Midlands from Oct.

Release then claims that this will cost the airport 200,000 passengers per annum; the loss of 200 local jobs, the loss of €20,000,000.00 in tourism revenue and a 6% decline in passenger numbers using the airport.

Even by Ryanair's standard of press release, this is hysterical.

This press conference appears to be an opportunity for MOL to take a swipe at CAA and distract from the fact that he mucked up hedging fuel - the real reason behind cuts in his schedule and a potential drop of 85% in operating profits.

[840]

Would that 20% refer to the fact that one year of the route support scheme has elapsed or have charges genuinely risen by that much?

[Runway 31]

Last month the 2 routes attracted 16,165 passengers between them and were building each month.

[en2r]

Last month the 2 routes attracted 16,165 passengers between them and were building each month.

Maybe the two routes were damaging the corresponding routes from Shannon too much. Shannon-East Midlands for example had a massive 45% drop in passengers between July 2007 and July 2008, falling from 9147 to 5005. Both routes were carrying more passengers than the corresponding routes from Shannon, in July for example Cork-East Midlands carried 71% more pasengers than Shannon-East Midlands (8562 vs. 5005) despite identical frequency.

Would that 20% refer to the fact that one year of the route support scheme has elapsed or have charges genuinely risen by that much?

Charges haven't risen at all. However under the route support scheme, airlines pay no charges in year 1 and 20% charges in year 2. If Ryanair had continued with the routes they would have started to pay 20% charges from December.

Release then claims that this will cost the airport 200,000 passengers per annum; the loss of 200 local jobs, the loss of €20,000,000.00 in tourism revenue and a 6% decline in passenger numbers using the airport.
Even by Ryanair's standard of press release, this is hysterical

I'd fully agree. That's ridiculous even by Ryanair standards. Thats presuming that every flight was completely full and everyone was travelling from the UK to Cork! (no outward tourism).

This should barring anymore developments from RYR, nicely increase the yields for RE on the EDI route. With a RYR reduction, is there potential for RE to jump on to the EMA route perhaps?

Yes this should secure the future of RE on Cork-Edinburgh as well as Aer Lingus and BMI Baby on Cork-Birmingham. Also is this not a perfect opportunity for Aer Lingus to launch Cork-Glasgow 4 times weekly since they will have free afternoon slots on one of the based aircraft 4 afternoons per week when Prague ends in November..

[N by NW]

FR Maths

Hate to be pedantic but got to love FR's maths

Of course 200000 passengers (even if this year end figure was reached for 08) represents about 6% of 3.2m - being the total number of passengers clocked for 2007. However, FR didn't commence flights until the 13th of December, 2007.

More accurate representation would be calculating the figure based on passenger numbers for the first four months of this year:
Total passengers: 1,004,777
GLA and EMA: 44,000
i.e. 4% of total no. of passengers from Jan 08 to Apr 08

[Charlie Roy]

FR Maths indeed

RTÉ Business: Ryanair to close two routes from Cork

Ryanair runs four other daily routes out of Cork - to Stansted, Gatwick, Liverpool and Dublin - but Mr O'Leary said these will not be affected as they are up and running for some time and profitable.

I can't help but be sceptical, but I seriously doubt that the fair old Dublin route is profitable
Au contraire, I believe Ryanair are burning dosh keeping it up and running!

It'd sure be nice if another operator stepped in and could offer Cork to Glasgow.
Aer Lingus, Flybe and bmibaby being the obvious contenders.