Ps for anyone who struggling to understand the problems of equality and how they relate to the infrastructure of NI take a read at this https://sluggerotoole.com/2017/06/28...t-west-divide/

At what point did I say it should be up to us to sort out donegals road problem?
My point is that Donegal airport is not capable of serving a large section of the donegal population and therefore Derry is the best option. The blatant ignorance shown on here from time to time is a mirror image of that shown by the apes (shouldn't mention dinosuars) in stormont

Passenger numbers clearly indicate that Derry Airport is being kept open for a few whinging locals. The fact that the airport cannot even sustain links to London without the need for a PSO shows that the airport isn't sustainable.

Greencastle - BFS 1hr45, which is the same time it takes for most people in Co Tyrone and Co Fermanagh to get to the Belfast airports, and I don't see them begging for an airport of their own. As I've said before, the airport situation in Donegal is the jurisdiction of the Irish government. Northern Ireland taxpayers shouldn't be funding Donegal's air transport links.

If you suggested closing an Irish in ROI airport you'd be short of shot! TD's would be going into overdrive!

Derry sustained a route with Ryanair to Stansted for many years without a PSO and with the economy in a worse place than it is now, reaching twice daily at points, this was despite horrific timings which ruled out good business patronage. I should know, I lived and worked in London and couldn´t get reasonably timed flights to the city which would enable me not to require taking Friday and/or Monday off.

If the route was sustainable, then a) why did Ryanair pull out in the first place, and b) when Ryanair did axe it's service, why didn't other airlines flock to replace it? The fact that the only way to keep the link was via a PSO shows that LDY-LON isn't sustainable in the long run.

Passenger numbers shows load factors on both Ryanair flights at 90%+ and the busiest route on BMIs network. Hardly a few whinging locals?
Have you ever actually drove from Derry to Belfast in any sort of traffic ?

+1. Derry flights were always packed. I flew on the second last flight from Stansted and the flight was full to the brim.

There is definitely a market, it's just not sustainable with one flight a day with awkward times.

I had to resort to Easyjet last year as Ryanair got rid of the 3pm flight and I can't get to Stansted for 4am. I am not going to have to go back to Easyjet again in a week or two and I am not happy about it, with their awful legroom.

Martin mcguiness international turning into a bit of a prestwick, shut them and put resources into health and the main airports, saving money and f#####g lives, get real people

The latest CAA stats from June give a load factor of 74% (36 seats) to STN, and May load factor was just 67% (33 seats) which I certainly wouldn't classify as 'packed'. Even with double daily flights LDY-STN is simply not sustainable in the long run.

bmi Regional are being payed to run the service, meaning they are able to reduce fares and still make money. They are unable to do so on their other routes, as they aren't financed by the taxpayer. Lower fares means higher loads.

Regarding Ryanair's routes; load factor on LDY-GLA was 87% in both May and June, and LDY-LPL load factor was 79% in May and 89% in June. To put this into perspective, Ryanair had an average load factor of 94% in both May and June, so both routes are underperforming.

Whilst I know this is an aviation forum, it is an utter disgrace that there is not a dual-carriageway / motorway from Belfast to Derry and the NW.

Irrespective of aircraft passengers, and airports / routes etc; local people simply visiting friends and family, our tourism infrastructure, and commuting for work, it is a complete shambles.

I understand in a Capitalist Economy, investment follows demand, but to have the M1 to almost Dungannon, a Motorway "Ballymena Ringroad", and almost dual carriageway to Coleraine, and yet single lane to our second city over the Glenshane Pass is pretty woeful.

Plenty more folk use these roads than just airline passengers. While we discuss the aviation aspect, there is so much more to warrant appropriate infrastructure to the NW.

I agree, it is a disgrace. This will unfortunately not change with the DUP in power.

Owen get a grip

DUP in power? I think you have restricted sight. There may not be one, on any side, capable of doing a decent job for the people. Why, because they are only interested in getting re-elected in 5 years, not in long-term planning. But the population gets what it deserves, because the voters put them there and have no interest in hearing the truth. Regardless of their ability and it is in short supply. And it is not just here, look across the water. Yes, the North West should have a much better road coming in the Belfast direction than it has, but we are where we are. Several wrongs don't make other decisions right, but until the population sees the writing on the wall with the lies being told, little will change. I am very aware of many of the issues facing this country, health service that is not sustainable, state pension the same, I could go on, but I doubt we will get any politician with the courage to tell the population the truth. We could turn into another Greece with the size of the country debt.

What age are you, Refullerman?