Cardiff-3

[639]

Originally Posted by EI-BUD

Sad to see the lack of demand from CWL. I have friends living in Cardiff and they wouldn't even consider CWL airport for their travel needs. They go to Bristol. They said it is easier to get to BRS. Hard to see who will invest in the place if Wizz cannot make a small base work.

Im the same, but my choice is not made because its easier to get to Bristol (it most definitely isnt) but simply because Bristol has decent coverage of the routes I use.

[Letsflycwl]

Bit baffled as to why Loganair have not gone double daily between CWL & EDI considering the promising loads pre-Covid. At one time there were x3 B737-300 flights a day with BMI baby and now there is just x1 EM4 / AT4 a day.

All other regional airports seem to be recovering slowly except for CWL. Loganair are due to start double daily flights between EDI & EXT so surely they can be targeted for CWL too ??

Loganair said following their fall out with NQY that they would focus on SOU, EXT & CWL and we seem the only one not to have increased frequencies….

[supermarine]

Originally Posted by Letsflycwl

Bit baffled as to why Loganair have not gone double daily between CWL & EDI considering the promising loads pre-Covid. At one time there were x3 B737-300 flights a day with BMI baby and now there is just x1 EM4 / AT4 a day.

All other regional airports seem to be recovering slowly except for CWL. Loganair are due to start double daily flights between EDI & EXT so surely they can be targeted for CWL too ??

Loganair said following their fall out with NQY that they would focus on SOU, EXT & CWL and we seem the only one not to have increased frequencies….

A freedom of information request sent to the Welsh Government especially Mr L Waters may provide answers here.

[OzzyOzBorn]

Originally Posted by Letsflycwl

Bit baffled as to why Loganair have not gone double daily between CWL & EDI considering the promising loads pre-Covid.

Covid recovery isn't the main issue affecting decisions in the UK domestic market, though business travel demand has fallen sharply since then. The collapse of the original FLYBE, which coincided closely with the emergence of covid, took around 70 regional aircraft out of the market in one swoop. Not long after that, Stobart Air went as well - though much of their operation has now been backfilled by Emerald. Loganair doesn't have anything like the fleet strength that original FlyBe had, and the aircraft they do have are largely committed to established services. In the absence of FlyBe, a number of far more lucrative regional routes than CWL-EDI came up for grabs. The surviving regional carriers were always going to prioritise their very limited surplus fleet resources to a land-grab on the best of those routes.

Whilst you may plead the case that CWL-EDI is profitable (I don't know whether it is or not), that is not enough. In order to be selected for expansion, it has to be MORE lucrative than ANY alternative use of the available scarce ATR or Embraer. My guess is that it isn't even close to top pick. Take a look at the number of commuter aircraft operated by British Isles carriers in mid-2019 and contrast that with the equivalent fleet strength today. That's the real problem. The UK doesn't have a really big regional airline any longer. The remaining commuter types are spread thinly.

[Letsflycwl]

Reported elsewhere that Qatar Airways are due to make an announcement on 07/03/2023 with new routes……

Could we see a resumption of services for CWL after all the service was only “suspended” as a result of Covid and not “terminated”….CWL really needs to get them back !!

[shlamps]

Originally Posted by Letsflycwl

Reported elsewhere that Qatar Airways are due to make an announcement on 07/03/2023 with new routes……

Could we see a resumption of services for CWL after all the service was only “suspended” as a result of Covid and not “terminated”….CWL really needs to get them back !!

possibly S Burns did say that it looks like a 2024 resumption for the route so who knows. He kind of hinted that the route would resume when smaller aircraft were available but who knows. The loads were decent to an amateur like me and prices were on par with London so hopefully yield was ok. Wonder if a stop over flight like EK do to MLA via LCA would work on the DOH to CWL route?

[ATNotts]

Originally Posted by Letsflycwl

Reported elsewhere that Qatar Airways are due to make an announcement on 07/03/2023 with new routes……

Could we see a resumption of services for CWL after all the service was only “suspended” as a result of Covid and not “terminated”….CWL really needs to get them back !!

Sadly not listed in Qatar's press release for S23.

[fanrailuk]

Originally Posted by ATNotts

Sadly not listed in Qatar's press release for S23.

It was never going to be S23.

Maybe S24 if at all…

[BristolexFlyer]

Qatar

Just curious as to why Qatar chose Cardiff over Bristol in the first place? Not wanting to ignite a Cardiff vs Bristol storyline, just with BRS handing considerably more passengers, having a bigger catchment area, and being able to handle 787s, it always seemed an odd choice.

Bristol must be in TK’s or EK’s sights?

Kind regards

BristolexFlyer

[UnderASouthernSky]

Originally Posted by BristolexFlyer

Qatar

Just curious as to why Qatar chose Cardiff over Bristol in the first place? Not wanting to ignite a Cardiff vs Bristol storyline, just with BRS handing considerably more passengers, having a bigger catchment area, and being able to handle 787s, it always seemed an odd choice.

Bristol must be in TK’s or EK’s sights?

Kind regards

BristolexFlyer

Any runway issues or taxiway/parking constraints that would affect the useful load or performance of a widebody (e.g. B77W) flying to/from the Middle East?

[ATNotts]

Originally Posted by BristolexFlyer

Qatar

Just curious as to why Qatar chose Cardiff over Bristol in the first place? Not wanting to ignite a Cardiff vs Bristol storyline, just with BRS handing considerably more passengers, having a bigger catchment area, and being able to handle 787s, it always seemed an odd choice.

Bristol must be in TK’s or EK’s sights?

Kind regards

BristolexFlyer

Aside of runway issues which possibly wouldn't have been a deal breaker for the 787, perhaps the deciding factor would have been which airport offered the biggest 'bung' - sorry, incentive!

[Letsflycwl]

Originally Posted by BristolexFlyer

Qatar

Just curious as to why Qatar chose Cardiff over Bristol in the first place? Not wanting to ignite a Cardiff vs Bristol storyline, just with BRS handing considerably more passengers, having a bigger catchment area, and being able to handle 787s, it always seemed an odd choice.

Bristol must be in TK’s or EK’s sights?

Kind regards

BristolexFlyer

I think it is also QR’s aim to operate to as many capital cities as possible - not sure that this is still their policy or not.

[FRatSTN]

​Bristol must be in TK’s or EK’s sights?​​​​​​

I imagine once EK get their 787-9's then BRS could be a contender for them? Right now they don't have suitable aircraft.

Would be nice to see CWL get Qatar back but we shall see.

[chinapattern]

Originally Posted by BristolexFlyer

Qatar

Just curious as to why Qatar chose Cardiff over Bristol in the first place? Not wanting to ignite a Cardiff vs Bristol storyline, just with BRS handing considerably more passengers, having a bigger catchment area, and being able to handle 787s, it always seemed an odd choice.

Bristol must be in TK’s or EK’s sights?

Kind regards

BristolexFlyer

The CWL-DOH flights were subsidised by the Welsh Government IIRC.

[BristolexFlyer]

Originally Posted by FRatSTN

I imagine once EK get their 787-9's then BRS could be a contender for them? Right now they don't have suitable aircraft.

Would be nice to see CWL get Qatar back but we shall see.

Absolutely, I have thought for a long time EK would start BRS when the 787s arrive.

[ATNotts]

Originally Posted by chinapattern

The CWL-DOH flights were subsidised by the Welsh Government IIRC.

I will stand corrected, but I understood it was a commercial arrangement rather rather than direct government support, though I appreciate that since the airport is in Welsh government control this could be moot point.

[VickersVicount]

QR back to CWL..
https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...rn-to-cardiff/

[shlamps]

Originally Posted by VickersVicount

QR back to CWL..
https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...rn-to-cardiff/

brilliant news! Nothing is confirmed until confirmed but as CWL had very similar prices and loads to BHX there’s no reason why it shouldn’t do well again.

[Letsflycwl]

Originally Posted by shlamps

brilliant news! Nothing is confirmed until confirmed but as CWL had very similar prices and loads to BHX there’s no reason why it shouldn’t do well again.

Sounds promising indeed with a special reference to CWL which was good - let’s hope it happens.

Just need a Paris route next !! Far prefer CDG over AMS….

[shlamps]

Originally Posted by Letsflycwl

Sounds promising indeed with a special reference to CWL which was good - let’s hope it happens.

Just need a Paris route next !! Far prefer CDG over AMS….

I’m sure it will come back eventually. It’s just finding the right operator with the right size aircraft to operate it. The A321 was way too big for that route. AF with Hop! maybe? I know that would water down the AMS route but still keeping pax in the AF/KLM group.