OXFORD/KIDLINGTON
Finally saw an ad for Minoan on a bus in Oxford a few days back - quite restrained compared to what you'd get from RYR etc. I think it could do with being a bit more shouty.
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I am a negative b@st@rd on these unproven start ups and still think that the lack of advertising is amazing but credit where credit is due: they are still flying after what must have been money hammering weeks... 
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Where are you getting the 1,057 figure from? Bearing in mind that they were only operating two flights out and two back a day, six days a week (DUB:W, F, Su & EDI: M, T, Th) that gives an average load of 11 PAX per flight. From my understanding the majority of PAX have been using the EDI service, while DUB has been relatively quite.
These are far from groundbreaking figures, but it's a start, and for a company that has hardly had any advertising or press coverage, it's not awful. The potential is there, but maybe a more established operator, or better marketing is needed?
I note from the Minoan web site that the current chairman is stepping down too.
These are far from groundbreaking figures, but it's a start, and for a company that has hardly had any advertising or press coverage, it's not awful. The potential is there, but maybe a more established operator, or better marketing is needed?
I note from the Minoan web site that the current chairman is stepping down too.
Last edited by EMB-145LR; 17th May 2013 at 09:52.
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April pax totals from CAA.:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/80/airport...Statistics.pdf
Other stats show about 30 of that total are on flights to destinations other than EDI and DUB, so presumably air taxis.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/80/airport...Statistics.pdf
Other stats show about 30 of that total are on flights to destinations other than EDI and DUB, so presumably air taxis.
Last edited by Barling Magna; 17th May 2013 at 10:32.
They're very poor figures particularly given they include the Easter break.
I think 'credit where credit required' would be more appropriate. How long will Minoan's management and backers hold their nerve? They can't bankroll these routes indefinitely.
credit where credit is due: they are still flying after what must have been money hammering weeks
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Chairmans job has been done, yeah right, leaving ship: Air Transport News
And Minoan is owned by us all as the Greek state (investement group owned for 49,9% by Greek state) has an share in this total crap project.
And Minoan is owned by us all as the Greek state (investement group owned for 49,9% by Greek state) has an share in this total crap project.
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It appears that the Minoan schedule has changed (only not in the "schedule" page on the website). In the booking engine I find that this week DUB-OXF is now a single middle-of-the-day flight today (Tuesday) and Friday, morning and evening tomorrow (Wednesday), and not operating at all on Thursday (presumably cancelled due to even lower than usual loads 
).
Why bother operating at all with such an inconsistent schedule?
I'm sorry, Minoan Air, but surely it's clear even to you by now that this just isn't going to work.
).Why bother operating at all with such an inconsistent schedule?
I'm sorry, Minoan Air, but surely it's clear even to you by now that this just isn't going to work.
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A related question: why does Oxford figure in the CAA total-traffic stats but not in the route stats? I see various even-smaller-than-Minoan routes in the route stats, both scheduled and charter (Eday to Kirkwall: 53 pax in April, Guernsey to Norwich: 24 pax in April,...) but no Oxford.
Minoan seem to have reduced their operation at Oxford from 2 aircraft to just 1 effective from the start of July. The new schedule does not seem to be just for school holidays - it continues until the end of October
Dublin goes to 3 days per week, and Edinburgh goes to 4 days per week
No flights at all on Tuesday or Saturday and more limited flying on other days.
These are not encouraging signs.
Dublin goes to 3 days per week, and Edinburgh goes to 4 days per week
No flights at all on Tuesday or Saturday and more limited flying on other days.
These are not encouraging signs.
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 20th Jun 2013 at 00:11.
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Not surprising really, I was speaking to some people from Swindon the other day and despite being only about 30 miles away from Oxford/Kiddlington only one of them knew there was an airfield there and none of them knew you could get commercial flights.
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Interesting quote in the programme on Low Cost Carriers on the Beeb yesterday from the marketing manager of EasyJet. After the second week of operation they could see bookings where dropping so they splashed out a million extra in one week on advertising. That got everybody their attention and the rest is history... 
Last edited by No RYR for me; 21st Jun 2013 at 08:16.
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CAA stats retrospectively published
It seems the CAA has updated their stats for March and April.
March 2013:
OXF-EDI 390 pax
OXF-DUB 209 pax
April 2013:
OXF-EDI 596 pax
OXF-DUB 379 pax
I'll leave it to someone more familiar with the actual frequencies flown (as opposed to those published) to calculate the load factors.
To try to say something positive, at least the month-on-month growth rate is encouraging...
March 2013:
OXF-EDI 390 pax
OXF-DUB 209 pax
April 2013:
OXF-EDI 596 pax
OXF-DUB 379 pax
I'll leave it to someone more familiar with the actual frequencies flown (as opposed to those published) to calculate the load factors.
To try to say something positive, at least the month-on-month growth rate is encouraging...