LDY May 2010 movements
 

Hi,

From ACARS data:
Route / May 2010 movements (May 2009 movements)

LDY-PIK 28 (36)
LDY-LPL 38 (52)
LDY-BHX 32 (62)
LDY-STN 57 (36)
LDY-LTN 0 (25)
LDY-FAO 16 (0)
LDY-ALC 15 (0)

Cracking stuff Anna_List.

Many thanks for that.

Big reduction in movements according to the figures provided by anna_list.

But how much of the reduction in movements was caused by Ryanair and how much by Eyjafjallajoekull (the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano)?

Taking current timetable information:

Destination......Flights.......Movements.......Volcano...... .Volcano %
LDY-PIK...............34..............28 (36)................. 6 ............. 18%
LDY-LPL...............44..............38 (52)................. 6 ............. 14%
LDY-BHX..............34..............32 (62)................. 2 ............. 6%
LDY-STN..............64..............57 (36)................. 7 ............. 11%
LDY-FAO..............18..............16 (0)................... 2 ............ 11%
LDY-ALC..............16..............15 (0)................... 1 ............. 6%

Birmingham was down 37% on May 2009 so 31% of it looks like timetabling. PIK and LPL (both down 28%) look like 10% and 14% respectively.

Flybe? I think they've shown no interest over a long period of time. I'm holding out for Ryanair's new smaller aircraft if and when they materialise.

The number of canceled flights you list is the direct impact of Eyjafjallajökull. The indirect impact was the reticence of people to cough up money for flights that may end up canceled on an airline who were banging on about not refunding people if they did end up stranded somewhere.

That's the short term. In the long term, Ryanair need to stop fecking around with timetables at LDY, as this gives NO confidence to the travelling public or business users. I see they've loaded all of the winter routes, with PIK and LPL inexplicably going back to daily. No doubt RYR believe there is increased demand for these routes in the winter which does not exist in the summer.

Finally, how aggressively are CODA chasing prospective new airlines? Surely they could approach someone, ANYONE with the London stats that AE has quoted, highlighting the untapped potential to that market.

Balfour Beatty
 

Derry City Council confirms private sector partner for Airport - Londonderry Today

A spokesman also confirmed that two new shops will open there within a few weeks.

With FlyBE having a large presence at Exeter, you think that management could perhaps help try and attract FlyBE to LDY??

Blackpool airport
 

I hope this good news story isn't a wolf in sheep's clothing:

Source:Wikipedia

I hope they won't do anything stupid like that. I don't think they're going to own the airport, like they do Blackpool, so they won't have to do any development so won't need a development fee anyway. However I could be wrong. We'll have to wait and see the nature of the deal agreed.

Exeter Airport
 

Exeter isn't a bad airport.

OK, pax have fallen during the credit crunch / recession from 1 million in 2007 to 795K in 2009 but they still got 55 destinations in 22 countries apparently!

You'd be happy with that surely!

I use Exeter quite a bit. A decent, well run little airport, with a very good variety of routes. Blackpool however, has been in decline with no sign of improvement (just take a look at the relevant thread) in the immediate future.

For LDY, I'd prefer the progress Exeter's made, and would love to see an airline, using smaller aircraft, come into Derry.

Europe Airpost are taking over LDY - REU from May 2011. Thomson still doing LDY - PMI though.:ok:

Bit of a vague article this. Anyone know what funding is being referred to?

Murphy: 'I can't afford City of Derry grant' - Londonderry Today

Basically he`s saying that even though he knows it`ll like setting fire to the cash they are gonna have to stump up more just so the place doesn`t close.

Thanks Tower Ranger. Heat and/or dust out there making you grumpy?

My late grandmother once said "If you've nothing useful to say, say nothing".

Tale of two cities
 

"Murphy: I can't afford City of Derry Airport grant"

Yet £100 Million announced for 3 (yes 3) new stadiums in Belfast, one each for football, rugby and GAA

Go figure!

CT, it`s starting to warm up for the summer now alright but the beer is always cold!

I think my brief summary covered what he was trying to say pretty well.
It`s hard to ignore the fact that the money City of Derry gets pumped into it from two governments is the only reason it is still there. How many of the scheduled airlines there are there without either a PSO, free landing fees or as was the case with Ryanair a few years back a serious wedge as an inducement.

It`s good to see the possibility that some proper management may be brought on board but how much will it cost to get them in because I can`t imagine that it would make financial sense to privatise it and miss out on the handouts.

That's better Tower. The ubiquitous air conditioning in the Emirates must have kicked in.

I'm guessing BH, Thomson and, from next year, Europe Airpost, aren't getting any special financial support.

Furthermore, I personally think when the PSO expires, the DUB route will cease. When (actually, it's west of the Bann), if, the A5 dualling from Derry to Aughnacloy is completed, this will render any need for flights from DUB to LDY unnecessary.

What does that leave?

Ryanair have found there is seasonal demand for the bucket and spade routes from LDY, and possibly other European cities if CODA management are to be believed. Should they then leave the UK regional routes to someone like BE of RE? Is that in RYR's nature?

LDY (in my mind) stunted possible growth over the years by pandering to RYR who have not come good with their promises of increased routes and frequencies.

Now, Balfour Beatty are a commercial entity, NOT a council. They will be wanting to make money out of their involvement with LDY. It can be assumed they are not doing this out of the kindness of their hearts, but rather have seen a commercial opportunity in Derry Airport. They have experience of taking a small regional airport (EXT), with similar immediate catchment area (~300,000), and similar competition up the road (BRS), added to the fact that area has PROPER infrastructure (i.e. a motorway, a decent, regular and fast train line), and making it into a viable proposition. A few quid from an Executive that have recently contributed to, for example, projects in the Belfast area such as shopping centres, hotels, and multinational corporations who stick around a couple of years before disappearing, surely isn't too much to ask.

Finally, with regard to handouts to Balfour Beatty; the idea is to REDUCE the contribution of DCC, not increase it further by paying someone else to run your airport for you.

On the contrary, the history of the airport would reveal a reluctance of the two governments to contribute anything, particularly our own government in Belfast. And why the Dublin government, who recieve nothing of the airport passenger tax, should be expected to contribute at all is beyond me.

LDY had ask for £20 million to extend the runway and build a larger terminal. They were offered £5 million for the runway only and only after Dublin had offered the other £5 million.

Now another request has been refused while announcing £100 million for 3 stadia in Belfast. Is it any wonder the airport is stunted?

And before you ask why it should receive anything I would point out that BFS started out as a government owned facility. The rate payers of Derry City Council have forked out somewhere in the region of £70 million to develop this facility. You might be forgiven for thinking that central government could have pulled its weight, but no chance of that given the airport's location far from Belfast.

No rail halt for City of Derry Airport - Londonderry Today

I think a rail line stop would bring some extra needed pax, and Im sure ATC would give it the thumbs up as they currently can't let an a/c depart whilst a train is passing the 26 threshold, and they have to stop it with a signaling system from the tower for a landing a/c. Looks like it's a no-go though. Shame.

The 10 million passengers needed to justify a rail halt at BFS does not translate to 10 million pax at LDY because the train track virtually runs through LDY while at BFS miles of additional track need built.

I think the problem with a rail halt at LDY requiring 10 million pax to be justified is not due to its distance from the train line but due once again to its distance from Belfast, like everything else around here except taxation where we get our fair share.

Surely some confused logic going on here. Are people suggesting that a train station on the opposite side of LDY from the terminal will attract new customers from, where, Coleraine, Ballymena, Belfast? With a bus to take them the, what, 3 miles round to the terminal? No-one will use a train unless it takes them straight to the airport and it doesn't take them twice as long as going by car.
NS